[Closed] London cycle commute

[url= https://london.cyclestreets.net/journey/56574997/#quietest ]London Cycle Route planner[/url]

I think you are best off asking on the BikeRadar commuting chat forum.

largely agree with that route ^^^

hyde park is a bit of a detour, tho its quite pleasant

I used to do Shepherds Bush to Waterloo, but going from Waterloo to Euston isn't too bad (do it a couple of times a week). Takes about 11 minutes even in morning rush hour on a Boris Bike.

For routes I'd probably try and follow my nose a couple of times and see how it works out. With the road works and diversions you'll most likely have to make some adjustments and the closest in terms of mileage may not be the best in terms of safety/flow and so on.

What bike are you going to use for the commute?

If you're going into the park, you're going to make quite a detour unless you only drop onto North Carriage drive (at bottom of Connaught gardens) and then come out again where the west carriage drive hits bayswater. Theres no legal route from the top of west carriage drive westbound inside the park.

I regularly ride in the area, and can recommend the bayswater road westbound is pretty safe, wide, and well surfaced all the way to the SB roundabout. Just watch some of the traffic at NHG where the roads narrow a little.

the route west from Euston via Harley Street/Marylebone/Portman is quite enjoyable, although its actually nicer riding eastbound (Wigmore, Cavenish, Mortimer)

Thanks for the tips, I know heading straight down Bayswater Road will be by far the shortest in terms of mileage so will most likely end up taking that route most days. Only asked about the park to break up the tarmac a bit. I have a VERY inexpensive road bike at the moment, unfortunately I will have to leave it at Euston overnight as I can't take it home on the train, nor can I take it in to London each morning...

I have a VERY inexpensive road bike at the moment, unfortunately I will have to leave it at Euston overnight

Pick up a cheap fixie or single speed for £300 and use that. No way in the world I'd leave a good bike in a station overnight.

I bought mine off ebay for way below £300, but might look out for a single speed any way

It depends where you want to end up in Shepherds Bush but I'd definitely follow the last section of the cyclestreets route from near the western end of Hyde Park. I have never enjoyed the section from Holland Park to Shepherds Bush roundabout in car or on bike.

I have a VERY inexpensive road bike at the moment, unfortunately I will have to leave it at Euston overnight as I can't take it home on the train, nor can I take it in to London each morning...

I leave my commuter at euston overnight and weekends and its fine, cctv etc and the police often having their fag brakes in the bike sheds (in front of the no smoking signs)
just leave a big lock there with a cable loop for he wheels

My bike lives at Paddington.

Its a singlespeed, coaster-brak'd, 70s raleigh Falcon. Full mudguards. Splashes of unidentified paint on the frame. Chips. Insulation tape crap. I love it to bits, but it's utterly un-knickworthy. It's done over 5,000 miles in it's current form. I might take it home once every three years for a major overhaul, but apart from a dab of lube once a year, it gets naff-all love. New rear tyre last week was a bit of a treat though.

Have you considered the Boris Bike? I guess £2 a day will add up very quickly, but it may be an option to just figure out the route first and not be lumped with the bike while you do.

You can buy annual access for £90 rather than pay the day rate

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles/register-for-your-own-key

But it's not a lot of fun clunking a 30kg boris each way on your commute, esp not up and over the col du Notting Hill Gate from SB

Granted they're pretty crap to ride.

But it beats having to carry a lock, or having the low level "will it, won't it be there" anxiety that comes with leaving a bike in a public place!