For much of the rest of the country you can be on the trails in minutes by bike

So can I…

Its a dump don’t bother

By trails I mean hilly wooded singletrack or moorland, that kind of thing.

I could too. Within about 5 mins I can be on dirt trails and ride all the way to the downs without much road. I just choose not to. More power if you don’t want to live in London; I was born and raised up north and wouldn’t go back up there either.

Spent three years living in London in the mid 90’s. Lived in Soho – loved it, although back then I was a very idealistic young maaaayn. Not sure I’d have the energy for it now though.

I remember various places where I ended up for one reason or another – West Drayton, Chigwell, Finchley. They’d all be good places for you to live.

Got utterly toasted on Brick Lane once and ended up in Stoke Newington, where I had to run into a Esso type garage seeking succor from two nasty hoodies intent on turning me over for my possessions. 🙁

Heh I obviously live in a sh*t hole then sensible (well London sensible) Mortgage, 45 minute ride into the centre of town.

One of the CAMRA clubs of the year on my doorstep and a local pub that usually has over a dozen real ales on for £1.99 a pint.

Epping Forest trails less than 10 minutes away.

It’s all a bit rough and ready and ungentrified but all the more friendly for it I reckon.

Ride acros town and train is a bit of a drag for Surrey Hills, more so in winter but eminently doable.

By trails I mean hilly wooded singletrack

Yep.

Walton Weybridge Kingston Esher basically North Surrey round there would be my call but I live there so I would say that. Esher is 30 mins to London and leafy but well stocked with the things a person needs. Not cheap I’m afraid but cheaper than a proper London postcode. Surrey Hills 30 mins away and plenty of OK riding on your doorstep.

By trails I mean hilly wooded singletrack
Yep

You do not have anything of similar quality as I have within 10 minutes ride of your front door. Or my name’s Fred Dibnah.

Have you ever bin here? Do you actually know what you’re talking about?

I can be in Epping Forest in 25 mins. Maybe not as undulating, but loads of fun singletracky stuff.

I also have this within minutes of my front door, do you?

No. So shut up, you know you’ve already lost.

To be fair Epping is offroad riding and it’s doorstep , it’s er not challenging in anyway and pretty much unridable when the clay isn’t baked solid.

It is entertaining though especially on a cross bike anything else is pretty much overkill though.

When it’s dry and dusty it’s mental good fun though just a case of riding everything as fast as you possibly can and not hitting stuff two or three hours of that on a summer evening is magic especially having a stop at the top of Pole Hill and taking the view over town in.

The best bit about London for me is you can wander outside a pub with a beer, try doing that in Newcastle…

Why can’t you all just live where you live without being bitches about where you don’t live.

Because there’s no fun in that. 😀

Folkestone I believe is actually the 37 minute destination and on the North Coast somewhere around Whitstable, agreed Ashford is exactly as you describe it.

wrong ashford is 37 mins folkstone is 57 or 55min on the high speed line.
(great train service, i use it to visit my folks)

Do you actually know what you’re talking about?

No, but I knew you’d fill me in 🙂

I already said I liked London but the riding was pants. All you are doing is proving me right 🙂 Epping forest in 25 mins by bike? Hmm. I can be on trails in 10 minutes and I could ride all over Wales on or off road. That’s what I’d miss if I lived in London.

Elfinsafety – Member
Steer well clear of Sheppey too unless you are a fan of George Romero.

I have fond memories of The Beautiful Isle of Sheppey from my misspent youth…

You are Joking right Thats pikey holiday town Shoot go there and stitch up your pockets.

If your to use mainline trains do consider how un reliable they are
so check the reliability of the provider.
Especially during winter or for flooding on the line.

If i was to move out of london always make sure there is a plan B to get you into work.

lived in London for 11 years between 96-2007. Tottenham, Finchley, Streatham, Wandsworth, Camden, Dalston. aged 23-35. Good times, bad times. Now in North Wales. I’d never go back to London now, not even for a great satisfying job paying 40 grand. I really mean that. It’s not for me personally, where I’m at now and what I want now. Listen to Elf – he knows his apples.

I even went lived darn sarf of the river! gor blimey

I can be on trails in 10 minutes and I could ride all over Wales on or off road.

Is that all you do in your spare time, ride your bike?

I do other things too, hence why I like living in London. 🙂

Besides, you live in Sarf Whales. Norf Whales is much betterer.

No it is so shut up!

Innit Kev?

of course it is!! but, if I got a good super paid job job in Cardiff that not available in North Wales I’d happily move there cos it’s a good compromise of culture and countryside I think.

no, changed my mind. North Wales is where it’s at.

Why can’t you wander outside with a beer in Newcastle? The Tyne, the Free Trade, The Ship, the Cluny are all are great pubs where you can do this, along with countless others. The worst thing about London, which no one seems to have mentioned, are the arseholes that live there. 😆

Crouch End is the best place in London to live.

Go to London! I guarantee you’ll either be mugged or not appreciated. Catch the train to London, stopping at Rejection, Disappointment, Backstabbing Central and Shattered Dreams Parkway.

Seriously though London is pretty cool just don’t drink the water

Is that all you do in your spare time, ride your bike?

Elf you are not listening.

I said I really like London.

But the riding is not up to much.

So when you talk about all the other non-riding stuff to do, I agree with you.

OP – How important is MTBing to you? How often do you want to do it? Do you want to be able to ride from the door?

Leyton, Leytonstow, Walthamstow, Wanstead all an easy commute to Victoria about 10ish miles each way.

Walthamstow is on the Victoria line so for non bike days it’s perfect. The A406/M25/A10/A1 are all easily accessible for trips up North.

You’ve got Epping on your doorstep so lots of singletrack and forest there’s to play in. Plus Thetford and Aston Hill aren’t too far either.

Elfinsafety – Member
Have you ever bin here? Do you actually know what you’re talking about?

I also have this within minutes of my front door, do you?

No. So shut up, you know you’ve already lost.

Dude those are pictures are of places they make you go to when you’re at school, on a sunny day when you want to be on the beach or riding up the hills, nobody want to see that shit, ‘cept Yank tourists, Eurotrash and Slanty eye dudes. We’re all sorry you have to live up there cos your *parents were cruel and heartless and made you move there when you were a kid, (maybe why you turned out weird and ride with only one speed on a mountain bike)but hey we er actually feel sorry for you and with great hesitation about using such a cruel word as loser to one so obviously damaged, er it’s not us who lost.

*making assumptions here apologies if you don’t actually know them

MrSmith – Member
Folkestone I believe is actually the 37 minute destination and on the North Coast somewhere around Whitstable, agreed Ashford is exactly as you describe it.
wrong ashford is 37 mins folkstone is 57 or 55min on the high speed line.
(great train service, i use it to visit my folks)

Mr Smith ahem it doesn’t take 20 minutes to get from Folkestone to Ashford on a fast bike, I hesitate to play the pedant here, but wrong is somewhere between us, shall we build a bridge and get over it?

It is entertaining though especially on a cross bike anything else is pretty much overkill though.

It was bloody ace fun, far from my normal enjoyment but damn good fun.

derekrides

slanty eye dudes

Racist – Nick Griffin called he wants you to do his PR as you seem to have the same narrow mindset

Crouch End is the best place in London to live.

…unless you want to use the tube, which means an incredibly packed bus ride at peak times. Good if you cycle though. Except for the hill heading south (I live at the top of it, so easy in the morning, hard in the evening).

nobody want to see that shit

I do.

Tring, live in Tring, Tring is where you should live. It’s quite nice and you get to say ‘Tring’ every time someone asks you where you live. And it’s nice to say Tring, I like saying Tring, Tring, Tring, Tring. Live in Tring.

It’s probably quite easy to get back North from there as well

Crouch End is the best place in London to live.

…unless you want to use the tube, which means an incredibly packed bus ride at peak times. Good if you cycle though

I cycle everywhere. No tube for N8 please……W7 bus is plenty, you love it. 😉

Tring is where you should live. It’s quite nice

…and you’d have the Chilterns on your doorstep, Aston Hill, easy access to Up North/Wales etc etc so worth having a look round there or nearer the Chiltern line – Wendover, Aylesbury etc or further East towards St Albans. Downside apart from the 30-45min commute is that the trains take you to the wrong side of London so you need to use the Tube or have a bike at the station to get you to Victoria, or you can walk – walking across London in the early morning when it’s getting ready for work is great on a nice day. Biggest up-side is that it’s a lot cheaper than central London which is where you really need to be to enjoy the place. If I were you I’d forget the outer suburbs, some of them are most depressing and soul-destroying places I’ve been to but if you ask anyone who lives there they’ll always say how great it is – “it’s got a lovely villagey feel not like the rest of London”, yet normal people can’t tell where one suburb ends and the next begins.

Thanks for all of this – some really useful suggestions that confirmed some of my thoughts and gave me some new ideas.

I’m reconciled to the fact the riding options will be fewer down there (I’m spoiled for choice right now) but sometimes needs must.

North west Kent was already on the list, as was scary expensive Surrey, but I haven’t much experience of the areas north and west of London.

I wouldn’t move down there for peanuts so hopefully I’ll be able to afford something half decent.

I’ll just have to go back to me roots. Don’t tell any of me northern mates but I was born in Camden and spent the first year of my life in Walthamstow!

Crouch End is the best place in London to live

Only if you can’t afford to live in Muswell Hill, I spose. 😉

Was down in Wapping last week; estate agent’s window had ads for properties:

ONEPOINTFIVEMILLIONPAHYNDS for a 2-bedroom flat…..

I’m saving to move back hahaha.

but I was born in Camden and spent the first year of my life in Walthamstow

You’ll be ok then, you won’t mind getting lettuce with your fish n chips……