As per title really.....any ok riding (road or MTB) in or around North London as it seems I'm going to be living there part-time for the next year!
Epping Forest can be fun, but through winter it's worth investing in a SS as the mud is wearing.
Local parks can be linked together: Forty Hall, Hilly Fields, Whitewebbs, Theobalds, Trent Park, Monkden Hadley.
Broxbourne Woods.
Thetford Forest is a good winter destination to avoid the gloop.
Where will you be?
Yep, more specifics would help if you want to identify local spots, you could be talking Enfield or you could be talking actual London.
Within an hours drive, Woburn was my most regular haunt and gave the best bang for buck in terms of driving time to variety/amount of riding (XC/trail + the bike park). Chicksands, Aston Hill, Swinely are similar distance. I personally wouldn't bother driving all the way to Thetford unless that type of riding (dead flat pedal-fest) is what you particularly like.
Surrey Hills are probably the next nearest option, and potentially one of the easier if you wanted to rely on trains rather than car to get out of town.
If you are planning to commute by bike you will probably get enough "fun" on the road to want to spend your free time there, but there are some nice road rides heading up out of town best find a club run.
Epping is good, miles of graded paths and singletrack, most of which you can do on a CX bike if you needed to. You can ride there and back on the River Lee towpath.
Trains to Surrey Hills and Swinley from London Bridge and Waterloo.
Pump tracks at Haggerston Park and the Lordship loop, Tottenham.
Lucien I'm in N London, so I can guide you MTB in Epping Forest or a road ride, or I can guest you on a club ride if you want a good ride around Hertfordshire on a Sunday.
Epping is still relatively dry, unheard of for this time of year.
Some roadie mates of mine do a Strava challenge that involves going up and down the same hill in the Hampstead area 10 times !
I'm in SW London, its an hour or less to the Surrey Hills by car. Roads are deserted on a Sunday morning.
Try to find someone who knows their way round Broxbourne Woods area.
Also lots of pleasant lanes for road riding with some decent hills around there and northwards.
I'd offer to guide you but I've moved away.
Partly a bump for evening crowd and to thank you for replies so far........
In response to questions, no likely to be around at weekends, I will have a car, staying in Camden and would prefer riding from the door - CX around / up to Epping is looking good. Kryton57 have you got an email / mobile?
Ahhh... Ok then, what you really need is a fixie, your sisters jeans......staying in Camden
Epping is good fun, seek out 'senorj' on the Forum, he knows it really well.
The Chilterns has some cracking riding, and you can use the various train/underground lines to get out there.
BMX scene is great in London if you fancy doing that? and some fantastic road riding is to be found in Kent. MTB was pretty poor from what I remember. If it was me I'd stick with road stuff and enjoy what London has to offer whilst there.
I have 10kms of Mtb trails in the NW of London, just 2km from my house
Surprisingly steep climbs and descents, fast singletrack, tree roots and fire roads.
Ride them 2-3 days a week
Where in the NW of London? I'm near Acton and have been heading out to Swinley Forest for my (vaguely) regular riding.
A train from gospel oak will put on the fringes of Epping forest at Blackhorse road and Wanstead park the is a lot of trail you can just link up heading north towards Loughton.
Alternatively try the Essex and hearts mtb forum
Lucien, I live in Camden. The good offroad riding I do mostly involves a car. Most rides I do from here are on my not fixed fixie not wearing my sisters jeans. There's a lot to be said for pottering around town, its a big town, loads to explore, from Epping to Richmond to the the Lea valley to Soho etc. Your CX bike will do you proud. The weekends i generally use the car and go to surrey, herts, swinley or further a field. I can always be tempted out on a ride if you want.
Hello Lucien .There's loads of decent cycling, both road & off road.
IMo a cx bike is best suited to riding from the door.
(for off road shenanigans obvs.)
Epping will very soon require serious mud tyres and it's not pleasant cycling back to town with trailrakers squishing about!.
I live three miles north of you. When I started exploring Epping I was in Kentish Town.I used to get to Epping via Finsbury Park , Stamford Brook & up the Lea Valley canal(as suggested) to Tottenham Hale then A503 over to the Waterworks corner on the A406 and into the singletrack. 🙂 - I think Kryton knows it better than me now - but He's a bit quick now !!Beware. 😉
Since I became a dad all of my off road riding passes through alot of what Qwerty mentions all the way up to M1 jct 12.
Hertfordshire is very lovely. 😀
I'm on constant early shift this month so most of my riding is late morning/early afternoon -Email in profile.
Hi, there is a long distance trail published by mtb epics UK called 'The Smoke Ring'. It's 200 miles long and orbits the whole of London. The northern section runs from Epping to Rickmansworth...
but He's a bit quick now
Not today I wasn't, I'm sitting here with a very sore arse crying into my beer.
Lucien, my email is in my profile.....