There's a good chance I'm going to have to live down in that London for about six months, what is the mountain biking scene like if you're living relatively central without a car?

I've not yet worked out where to stay, but proximity to both trails and the City are my main criteria. Ideally I'd like to live within a 10 mile radius of the Bank of England with a commute that is rideable and without a high chance of death. Any suggestions as to a suitable area, preferably relatively cheap with low crime?

I'm considering going semi-Darkside and getting a crosser to commute on, is the going pretty flat and can I get away with one gear?

Pretty much flat, even Putney Hill isn't too bad! No commute in London is a real problem, unless you're in bandit country (North of the Parks… 😉 )

For trails, the ideal would be around the London to Horsham rail line (Victoria) as this would allow you to get out to the Downs, or out to the Surrey Hills nice and easily. Another option would be to get the train westwards to Swinley.

All much of a muchness really, I'm in the 'Stow, my Saturday ride of choice is ten miles across town then train to Dorking from Waterloo, 30 plus miles in teh Surrey hills and train back to Waterloo.

I'm close enough to Epping Forest that I can go out and hammer the trails their when it's dry, nothing super inolving but considering it's within the M25 it's alright especially on a cross bike.

Live where you know people or you can afford and that seems pleasant, ten miles to Waterloo is nothing for a days riding, and I guess that covers a good chunk of North London.

Live near a tube station that allows bikes all the way to Waterloo or Victoria – or an appropriate overground station.

You want to live near waterloo, vauxhall, battersea, clapham junction. From there you can go to S. Downs and Swinley as the other captain suggests. It's (all) dead flat, very expensive and high crime. One gear is plenty, but I don't like drops across town as the brakes are a)sh*te and b)too far away, some people do though.

Oh with a little bit of planning and an early train the Peaks is doable for a day trip, Afan too at a push just takes a bit of planning and imagination!

Anywhere within ten miles of Central London is fine for riding for a day out or a train, I'm massively unfit and overweight and I can quite happily cope with a commute to ride all day at the start and end of a day out.

I'm in Angel (work in the City) which is about 10 minutes ride from Waterloo or Victoria which will get you to all kinds of riding across Surrey (or even Kent) within 30-60 minutes on the train.

If I were you I'd try somewhere round Tooting/ Balham

Hi,

If you look at a map you will see that to the north of the centre of London there is less grey (ie buildings) than there is to the south. So, if you lived in say, Enfield, Palmers Green, Oakwood, Barnet areas you will be on or around your 10 mile limit for commuting plus you would be able to ride to Trent Park/Hadley Wood, or Epping Forest (pretty close), Broxbourne Woods (a bit further) and all of Hertfordshire where there are loads of bridleways, rupps, boats and permissive paths all just dying to be knitted into a lovely ride (although nothing white-knuckle – unless you fancy a go at Marshall's 'shore near Bennington). Plus there's the Lea towpath and the Stort towpath.

From West London the North Downs are perfectly rideable, although during short days you just can't go so far into the Surrey Hills.
Lots of places are within 10 miles of Bank – you need to think about what you do outside work and how that might affect how you live.

So it looks like North or West London then?

To be honest, I'm not too fussed about big trips away – I live in Scotland so can just come home for that.

I don't actually know anyone in London, would it be worth looking at areas with high proportions of backpackers and suchlike to avoid the feeling of being too much of an outsider?

OT: any good climbing walls in North or West London?

I've just done 3 months in London. I didn't bother with the bike for all it was worth, but;

You want to live near waterloo, vauxhall, battersea, clapham junction. From there you can go to S. Downs and Swinley as the other captain suggests

I lived in Wandsworth which is 10 mins from Waterloo and I did look at getting out to Swinley forest – not too far, only £13 quid or so on the train. But yeah, no bike.

So… I concentrated on climbing and went to Mile End wall. Takes some getting used (after Ratho-length walls) but is a great little place to concentrate on bouldering, with some really tricky and physical stuff (Monkey Room) to nice, gentle but involving traverses in the outside bit. My climbing improved loads as a result; I went 2 / 3 times a week for £35 month. So for the hassle and disappointment of MTBing down there, I would do the same again and concentrate on climbing. For 6 months I'd consider darkside – plenty lycra-clad folk about.

Other serious climbing options are the Arches (@London Bridge) and the Castle (Islington). They are more central but more expensive, and if you live on a Waterloo line its quick and easy to get from Mile End via Waterloo & City line.

If you fancy living in Wandsworth I could put you in touch with the guy (this guy actually) who was a friend of a friend. Nice clean flat albeit not huge, get your shirts ironed by the cleaner, 10 mins to waterloo etc etc…

From West London the North Downs are perfectly rideable, although during short days you just can't go so far into the Surrey Hills.
Lots of places are within 10 miles of Bank – you need to think about what you do outside work and how that might affect how you live.

This is technically true. But personally would nt fancy it.
I live by clapham junction for 4 years. It was much more pleasent to get the train to dorking/guildford/swinley rather than try to cycle out first.

Generally when I did cycle out I tended to put semi slicks on so I would be not knacked by the time I got to the north downs and I didnt really do "proper" off road rides when I got there.

However you might be much fitter than me.

So it looks like North or West London then?

Well you said you wanted to cycle to bank in the morning. So I dont think WEST london would be a good idea as your'll have to cycle right through the middle.

You also said you wanted to get to the best MTB near london. Now I know theres MTB in epping forest + chilterns. (I now live near Reading and really like chilterns)

But the best MTB near london is the north downs. These are SOUTH of London so you dont want to live in the NORTH.

You want to live near waterloo, vauxhall, battersea, clapham junction. From there you can go to S. Downs and Swinley as the other captain suggests

Frankly this sound more like what you want.

Jimmy,

thanks for a very informative post, I too am a regular user of Ratho so any new wall would need to have something really good about it to get my attention.

It's early days yet though, I should find out in early January where I'll be placed and when but London seems the best opportunity for me.

Darkside looks like a distinct possibility, I'd cleverly agreed to a cycle to work package before this opportunity came up so I'm now realising I won't have much call for a new MTB in a place with no mountains and no way of returning the voucher either. I may take my singlespeed down though if I hear of decent riding to be had as it seems too much to take my big bike down for rare weekend usage.

I think I'd be looking for a studio flat as my wife might pop down at weekends, similarly I'd be back up in Edinburgh as well so I don't care too much for spacious loft conversions or whatnot.

I've just done 3 months in London. I didn't bother with the bike for all it was worth, but;

I had a similar attitude when I first came to London and played football mainly for the first year. But then joined uni MTB club, honestly get the train out is the way to go and not too difficult.

If it's only for six months and you have no car and want to be able to ride to the City and to the woods, I'd go for somewhere between the City and Epping.

Where exactly would depend on your tastes and the size of your wallet.

You also have Eppinf Forest for XC
I use it to keep fit mainly as I too
mainly ride at Surrey Hills and Swinley Forest.

i'm moving to london in February, and have been a bit concerned about taking an MTB. To be honest i'll think i'll keep the XC hardtail and have a commuter set of wheels to swap to.

we should start a singletrack london collective!

pinches, get a ratbike to get around town. I've got a couple, a Marin hybrid and an ancient Raleigh. Both ladies frames (Less nickable). Then you can keep the shiny toys for the weekends! I have two of my MTBs in town, as well as my BMX. They all get used!

If you got somewhere at work to park the bike then a commuting set of wheels is fine, otherwise something less nickable would be my preference. The North Downs/Surrey Hills is the easiest place to get to by train so that implies either South or South West London, both easily commutable. Mile End for the climbing wall is a very short ride from the City.

Train service to Chilterns is poor. Never ridden Epping Forest.

+1 for SW London because of easy rail routes for you and the bike from Victoria, Clapham Junction, Waterloo etc.

I don't actually know anyone in London, would it be worth looking at areas with high proportions of backpackers and suchlike to avoid the feeling of being too much of an outsider?

There's plenty of outsiders here so I wouldn't worry about it!

Relatively cheap but with low crime could be more difficult. Wandsworth has low council tax and contains Clapham Junction station for trains to Swinley, and could be a good option. Try a Gumtree flat search for Battersea?

I tend to just ride road in winter, East London is great for just riding straight out into Essex, it's incredibly picturesque rolling road riding, plenty of road clubs as well. Epping like I say is great when it's dry not worth touching in the wet other than just pounding out miles on the surfaced paths on a cross bike.
London is so flat that it's no effor to do a ten mile ride to from the station before or after a ride.
North Downs great in summer like hell unless it's frozen over, in winter or it's been dry it gets so much abuse for London riders that it just get's hammered in the winter so much so that I don't think it ever was great riding in 2008 this year has been better dusty for most of the summer.
South Downs is great proper big hills, Swinley I don't get when for about the same time/investment of effor you can ride the above two. Having Epping Forest close by is nice, nothing beats a few extra miles on the way home in the summer to stop and view the city from the top of Pole Hill in the sunshine.

Put the biking commute aside and move to the M25 area of Surrey. 25-35 mins from London Bridge, plus North Downs on your doorstep. Plenty of other benefits too. Surrey rocks:)

BTW, I don't agree with comments that the North Downs deteriorate in winter as a result of "over use." Once you know your way around, or hang out with those that do, you'll find there are plenty of trails you can turn to. Also, from a MTB perspective, I would never contemplate N or W London over SW or Surrey. If you want decent trails and some scenic road-riding (either for those lycra moments or purely training), then the latter has to be a serious option.

>I would never contemplate N or W London over SW or Surrey

Quite – Essex is a flat as…err.. a flat thing.

>Swinley I don't get when for about the same time/investment

Swinley trails are maintained by BOBMBC (Berks On Bikes MTB Club), plus they drain pretty well, so are rideable all year – certainly some of the better known N Downs sngletrack (ie not bridleway) I'd actually feel guilty about riding in winter 'cos they get such a hammering (tho' I believe there's some maintenance done on 'em nowadays). Not to mention there are cheeky (ish) trails around, too.

Chilterns/Henley way is (AFAIA) bridleway stuff (tho' there's an MTB club out that way too, so they'd know better).

Both Swinley and N downs you can get to on trains through Clapham Junction, Chilterns I think is Paddington (tho' I used to do mtb orienteering events around Reading/Henley/Sonning some years back, that would probably have been via ClaphamJ.)

Bear in mind that wherever you are within the M25 (or at least, the South West Trains bit) – the buggers won't, in theory, let you put a bike on the train around peak times (that includes about 7pm). However, if I'm riding at Swinley (I work out west M25, nr Staines) the train has emptied a bit so it's never a problem, despite the 'cycles are not allowed on this service' rubbish on the indicator board. But try putting a bike on the train futher in and you *may* get grief.

Re '10 mile, cheap, no crime'…pick any two 😉 Actually, it's not that bad…

I'd go for somewhere that is at least on the mainline to Clapham – have a look at the tfl/nationalrail websites.

FWIW, I lived in Surbiton for ~15 yrs – 20 mins to Waterloo by train, you can even ride out to the N downs from there – but that's more like 16 miles out from the City IIRC.

Wimbledon – good links into the city. Nice place to live. The common and Richmond Park nearby for local messing around. The likes of Oxshott etc for less local cheeky trails. The Downs and darkest surrey are easy to get at.

i lived in Hackney and it was rubbish! completely the wrong side of London. Deffo live near Clapham Junction as you can get to far more places such as all parts of the North/South Downs and Surrey Hills for some superb riding.

The biggest problem will be finding all the trails and knowing where to go.

I used a cheapo bike to get round London and found i did so much cycling this way going to meet friends and commuting that i got loads of exercise regardless of what i arranged at the weekend.

I'm N.London, Epping is great for 2-3hr XC, nothing better IMHO in the summer, not triffic right now.

+1 though for somewhere in SW London…Battersea, Clapham, Wandsworth, Tooting Bec, Earlsfield, Putney is a big block of SW that is full of 20/30 something Brits, you will find lots of people you get to know at work etc will likely live around there. Its generally pretty nice, lots of parks and not nearly as expensive as some bits north of the river. Basically stick a pin in Northcote Road and draw a circle a mile in radius……thats where you want to be.

Clapham Junction rail gets you out to Dorking and lovely, lovely trails. Loads of clubs out there for you to hook up with and fantastic road work too if you just want to head out from your front door. Some friends of mine ride out from Richmond Park early o'clock on Saturday mornings for quick 100 milers, happy to hook you up with them.

Oh and bring your SS……I love riding around town, thousands of folk on their bikes, London is a great cycling city.

Theres a set of climbing walls at the West Way sports centre near Ladbroke Grove, not a climber myself but they look pretty decent.

I agree with the posters who suggest Clapham Junction, its a nice area with a bit of open space and there are easy trains to both Swinley and the Surrey Hills, its also just a potter away from Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park which are both nice for a gentle bimble and quite good fun for a bit of after dark cheekyness.

Its also easy for Bank, quick train to Waterloo then a few minutes on the Waterloo and City line and youre there.

The singlespeed will be fine in the Surrey Hills – mucho fun. I live in Dorking, so feel free to PM me if you want any info.

I find the Surrey Hills quite hard work on the ss, is I a bit jey?

You is. Ur bik iz Saracin.

😛

I'm so glad I don't need to live in London…a day visit is more than enough!

I'm so glad I don't need to live in London…a day visit is more than enough!

Good, dont come then. I love it here.

I won't, it's full of tourists and migratory northerners, who think they're cool.

Oh well, I'll bite at the ignorance…

Actually, London is full of some of the most diverse and interesting people of any place in the world. It is also full of some of the most amazing cultural, culinary and artistic experiences known to man. But, if you don't want to come, please don't, we're fine without that sort of blinkered approach, thanks.

I don't particularly love London, but if I'm going to live in a city in the UK (or more precisely on the outskirts), it's going to be London. There's far more positive reasons for living here than negative.

Capt, I think what you are describing is a blinkered snap shot, and why I describe it as touristy – think you're experiencing the real thing, when you are just getting a snippet of various cultures that you can, like a tourist dip in and out of, and leave to the comfort of your own community at your leisure.

I would be more inclined to agree with atlaz than your nimbyism.