So I am a very lucky graduate with a job lined up starting in August. I will be based between Bank and St Pauls in the City (working at http://www.altitudecentre.com for those interested).

What I would like to know is how to make the best out of living within 10-15 miles of the centre of London (so its an easy bike commute).

What is the best way to get a MTB fix if its worth it, or should I just bring the roadie and get more serious about racing that?

Any tips for groups/clubs for road or MTB- looks like I will be living north of the centre.

What gems of the south east should a guy from Burnley be checking out in my first few months- riding and non riding (got to fill up my weekends somehow!)

I dont remember the exact train links for commuting to Bank, but Wimbledon is a great place for a biker/city worker to live. The common/richmond park are ok for an after work mtb blast and these link up to other areas that are worth a ride. You’ve got the Downs and other bits and bobs for the weekends.
The Surrey countryside is nice for road-riding too.

That’s just the kind of tip I was looking for thanks! Any advances on Wimbledon?

Two MTB choices really, west (the Chilterns) and south (North Downs). Both are excellent and have miles upon miles of singletrack. Plus Epping is ace, when dry.

Where you live though, depends on budget.

For me, if I was young and single I’d live as close to work as possible.

You would be better living south of the river as you’ll be a lot closer to the riding on the Surrey Hills. The Downs are OK (north downs more interesting than the south downs, but niether are as good as the Surrey Hills).

Surrey Hills riding is accessible from Dorking or Gomshall by train or Peaslake (ideall start point) by car and is very good indeed. I’ve been down here now since 2006 but I grew up in the Peak District so when comparing the Surrey Hills to anything else in the UK, I am making an informed judgement.

Wimbledon would be good as would Tooting, Clapham, Battersea, Brixton etc.

You would be better living south of the river as you’ll be a lot closer to the riding on the Surrey Hills. The Downs are OK (north downs more interesting than the south downs, but niether are as good as the Surrey Hills).

Surrey Hills riding is accessible from Dorking or Gomshall by train or Peaslake (ideall start point) by car and is very good indeed. I’ve been down here now since 2006 but I grew up in the Peak District so when comparing the Surrey Hills to anything else in the UK, I am making an informed judgement.

The Surrey Hills are in the North Downs… 🙄

I am basically in the same situation to you, or was last yr… graduate, single, mountain biker, working in Farringdon (just near St. Pauls).

I would suggest Wandsworth and surounding area as it has the cheapest council tax in the country (correct me if im wrong) or maybe the cheapest in London, so something to think about. Means you are very close to Clapham Junction for trains which is perfect for commute down to Surrey/South Downs/Bracknell etc… Means you have a decent cycle to work to keep fit on the road bike.

(I live in Streatham BTW)

The Surrey Hills are in the North Downs…

Now you say that but I was always told tha the North Downs were the hills north of the A25 Guildford Road and the Surrey Hills were those south. The key difference being that the north downs are a totally different geology to the surrey hills.

You go south of the A25 and the substrate changes from chalk to sandstone suggesting that they are geologically differentiated.

Anyway it doesn’t really matter.

Cheapest council tax is Westminster Council, but Wandsworth is sound advice but slightly far from StPauls. Rotherhithe / Bermondsey would be a better bet to rent. Plenty of new built property down there too.

but new build is poo… pokey little rooms with low ceilings, get yourself a nice edwardian terrace house with massive rooms and high ceilings and big windows 😉

Anus has a point. Bigger rooms equals more bike storage 😀

thanks again- lots to think about (bike storage being high on the list!)

I have a spare room coming up in my house…

Would you share a house with someone whose user name was ‘anus’? 😀

north downs more interesting than the south downs

You mean for the technical stuff ? Otherwise I would reckon that the South Downs are way more beautiful and natural.

Stay southeast, preferably somewhere on the direct line to Dorking for the North Downs. You could also find yourself training it down to Petersfield for the South Downs (1hr15 from Waterloo I think). Lots of good riding, rain permitting. Wandsworth area is fine from a bike commute pov (London is mostly flat), not so much for nightlife. For that, Clapham, Brixton are more interesting. Your advantage is that as a bike commuter you don’t need to be near a tube station, which are few and far between south of the river and attract a premium.

Have you scared yourself with the cost of accommodation yet?

Ey, less of that prejudice Geetee! 😆

yes the cost of accommodation is eye watering (especially on the kind of pay scale I will be on), but it seems to be a balance between how close to work you pay to live, or how much time/cost (season tickets are a no go it seems) your commute is.

Anus- email in profile if you could let me know some more details. I won’t be able to move in until late July though.

We rented a flat in Islington, and the rent was £1200/month + bills.

She was a student, and I was the only one earning…. a healthy salary quickly vaporises into nothing.

Bike wise, essentially took a bike-break for a while. Despite owning several, hardly any got ridden, just didn’t want to part with them 🙂

Brockley isgood place to live. Not too expensive some local pubs that are ok to go to but not an absolute shit hole either. Easy commute to st pauls. A little more hassel to get to surrey to ride but you will only be riding on weekends off road in reality so the other advantages even out. London has a very good bike culture. You there are peopel intereseted in all types of cycling in all diffrent ways. I met a lot of nice people through cycling when I lived their and I do miss that aspect. Its alot club orintated where I am now and not what I’m into.

Edit: that should be stay southwest in my post. Don’t go southeast, it’s horrible.

Graduate working in the city? Aren’t their rules about you having to live in clapham or balham? I thought it went with the job!? 🙂

Mountain biking from London without a car is a pain, but it can be done. Make sure you have an easy link to Clapham junction and from there you have access to Swinley and Dorking. Richmond park, Wimbledon common and the Thames path can be linked up to create 20-30 km with hardly any road, it’s more suited to CX but can be fun for a morning/evening blast though. Richmond park at night is especially fun.

In terms of where to live, there are a couple of trainlines that run from Clapham Junction to London Bridge via some acceptable and not too expensive parts of south London (streatham, crystal palace, dulwich, forest hill) these will give you access to the surrey hills for road biking, Herne Hill velodrome and CJ for MTB. Most importantly you’ll be able to get the train home drunk from east and west London.

Actually I’ve changed my mind, live in Clapham. It’ll be cripplingly expensive but great fun.

East Croydon has great travel links, accommodation that is more reasonable, dirt from your door and is a shit hole.
You takes your choices!

Same as the Brick,it was my time in London that really got me into cycling.Racing at the weekends and commuter training during the week. I worked at Angel but the canal system made it easy to commute without mixing it with too much traffic. There is every type of cycling niche you would ever want (and that’s without stealing someone’s sister’s jeans),and again like the Brick,I met some really good people down there. I stayed in North London as it had good escape routes at weekends and (at the time )it was cheaper.

Just moved down to Teddington – 1/2 an hour to waterloo plus Good park cycling on your doorstep…

Downside being money evaporates 🙄

Bank is an easy commute from Surrey. Waterloo & City Line is a short jump from Waterloo, so you can live where ever you like from Waterloo. Easily find somewhere right near the North Downs.

Bike from Waterloo to Bank is also easy.

Bank’s a nice place to work in London,I used to be based on Cheapside but have since moved to Canary Wharf. Much prefer working in the city.

I used to live in Ramsbottom, Lancs and moved down south 5years ago.. It will be a culture shock and quite a bit different cycling down here!! Work in the city but def won’t recommend living there!! horrible place imo 🙂

Get more for your buck further you go out of town!!! Lived in Kingston and now further a field in Chertsey and cycle to work or use the scooter when tired 🙂 Swinley, Peaslake, South Downs, Chilterns all easy to get too and some nice cycling!

Also joined West Drayton Mountain Bike Club and one of the best things I have done regarding mountain biking down south.. load of trips in UK and aboard, local rides, racing mtb & road… you name it they do it

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I would not reccomend commuting. The rent will not be that much cheaper + you will have extra time on the commute + extra money on the commute vs cycling or a short tube intra London overground. On top of that you are a graduate, not a middle aged famile man, take the potives of living in a city and enjoy them, live centralish not in the suburbs or even further out. Enjoy the pubs, enjoy the food. Don’t be too keen to be middle aged!

P.S. Don’t listen to the bullshit that you can only live in nice parts of north London or s.w London. There are not that many parts within Zone 2 that are that bad, most people I knew (20’s 30’s) who moved to London and into the typical nice N1 and s.w areas moved after a yearor so as they could get so much more for their money. Real mix of people and its not a problem!

On the basis that 5 days a week getting to work and where you live are the priorities and getting out to MTB land is only the priority 2 days a week, and if money is an issue then somewhere SE (someone suggested Brockley) may work as a lot, lot cheaper, good commuting by bike to keep fit and save more money, Overground / E London line if you are tired and only 20 mins longer by car to get to all points west like Chilterns, Swinley, Surrey Hills. And as a place to live it is a bit suburban for my (North London) taste but its improving every week following the new transport links.

I’ve just moved to southfields, great links on to the a3 for getting to Surrey hills, close to Richmond for the park and what not, and rents are not too expensive.

just make sure you cycle to work

the tubes grim in the summer!

I just leave a mahoosive lock at work hopefully youll have access to a shower at work too

dont forget the overground as well as underground, people tend to ignore it and it can often be quieter and more convenient than tubing it

either way have fun- london when your young and single is more fun than you can imagine!

the tubes grim in the summer!

That is an understatement, especially if you are getting on at one of the mainline stations.