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London 100. Getting there and getting about
Hi,
I've been lucky enough to get a place in the London 100 (2nd year for me), but unfortunately my travel and cycle buddy has had to drop out.
I was going to pay the £85 to get my bike ferried to London and home, but £85 is a bit much for me at the mo (inc the £85 for the train and £10 for the boat back from the Mall).
Here's my question, how easy is it to cycle from London Euston to the Excel Centre. I'm a pretty confident cyclist, but I cycled a bit in London last year and didn't find it an enjoyable experience. 9 miles from train station to hotel with a rucksack on my back as well doesn't really have me jumping for joy at the moment.
It is a completely ludicrous idea to rock up at London Euston, flag down a black taxi and put my bike in the back with me? Or can anyone recommend a decent cycle route from Euston to Excel?
Oh, if anyone is facing a lonely and expensive drive from the North West and fancies a bit of company (and lashings of petrol money), let me know. I'm an excellent passenger and I always have sweets.
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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17 comments
Hopefully everyone get to the start line on time. One of my Surrey News colleagues has made a video about how to survive the three toughest RideLondon climbs. If you fancy getting a cyclist's eye view of the climbs at Newlands Corner, Leith Hill and Box Hill, I'd recommend it. The link is http://bit.ly/1o5FjLl
Sme for me - I parked at Surrey Quays and getting to the start was a joy. So many other bikes around you didn't need the signs, and the mood was great. It helped make it the fantastic day it turned out to be.
Bottlenecks - I didn't start til 7.58 last year (I don't think the supposed stagger worked; people who said they would take longer than me started before) and none of the hills were a problem. Leith was the worst but it was possible to find a way up past the walkers and wobblers. The feed station at Newlands was though; top of the hill, they make you walk and it is quite a long way in and out.
Oh, why do you say that? Found it really easy from my home in SE15 - they even closed one branch of the tunnel crossing to allow bikes to easily get through.
Last year was a fantastic event - the best thing I'v e ever done - but getting to the start line was farcical.
I have to agree, road closures for the event started at 5.30, yet when I turned up at 5.00 the roads were already closed - although riding down the A12 without cars, by myself, in the dark was a wierd but fun experience.
It's an easy ride as you can go on the canal towpath to the Olympic park and then the Greenway for a lot of the way, avoiding the majority of any nasty traffic. The canal is fine on a road bike with skinny tyres as it's mainly well surfaced. I do it quite a bit.
From Euston get to just past Angel then pick up the canal. Just past Victoria Park enter the Olympic Park, ride down to Stratford High Street, go east for a bit and pick up the Greenway. Come off that at Prince Regent Lane in Newham and take that road down to the Excel. 17km Easy! I've mapped it on ride with gps for you...
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/5280349
If you still have your mate's ride entry I'd be interested!
If you were allowed to transfer it over, it would've been snapped up by now.
Frustrating that 5 of us got a place and I'm now the only one doing it, especially when I see how many people are desperate for a place.
Thanks everyone for the advice on cycling about. Think I'll save the £85 TNT fare and spend it on a slap up meal on the Sunday
Leith was the only major bottleneck for me last year, only climb people were actually struggling on. Could be because one of our group had a poo break, and then we dicked around on the next couple of feed stops taking pictures of ourselves flexing - so we were a little behind our actual abilities in terms of ride time and riders surrounding us.
Still, expect holdups on the hills as you always would on well-populated sportives.
Advice - hold your line, especially on descents. Be aware of everything around you - more so on these closed roads than you would be on open ones, because there will be the occasional berk who wants to take a descent like Pantani, or decides that a sprint across your line is a good idea.
If you really don't want to ride another option would be to cycle from Euston to Camden Rd London Overground Station take the train to Stratford change to the jubilee line to Canning town then the DLR for 2 or 3 stops depending on where you're staying.
Bikes are allowed by this route and its any easy ride to Camden Rd basically following Chalton St and Royal college st from the Euston Road.
Also if you have an Oyster card and remember to touch the pink validator (ooh er) by the stairs off the overground platform at Stratford it will only cost you £1.50 using this route by avoiding zone 1.
If you're paying cash £4.70
I am staying centrally to the finish for a treat. I will be cycling 6 miles on Sunday morning to the start. I anticipate it will be very quiet at 6 am . Looking at the course, the 3 hills Newlands, Leith and Box. Are these bottle neck points where there isn't enough room to climb freely?
Partly depends on how early you start - Newlands should be fine whatever time you set off as it's a fairly wide road, Leith Hill and Box Hill were busy but rideable for me last year (06:30 start). Assuming everybody has put down a reasonable expectation of their time
the stagger should work.
My start time has been set at 7.40 my last two centuries were 6hr45 including stops.
Cycle...its cheaper, quicker and you get to take the sites in. There's less heavy traffic on Saturdays, just ride patiently and you'll be safe.
Alternatively, ride from Euston to Bank and get the DLR. Bikes are allowed on there during off peak hours.
Bikes are allowed on the DLR but *not* from Bank unless they've changed the rules recently.
I'd just ride it. Take it easy, and keep your wits about you if you're not used to riding in London (and even if you are...)
Nice one. Cheers for the info
I'll be arriving on the Saturday morning to give me time to register, and heading back Monday approx 11am (or how ever long it takes for the celebration hangover to clear).
Cycle it. Firstly, it's going to be early on a Sunday morning, so very little traffic. Secondly, you can do pretty much the whole ride on cycle paths, if you don't like riding city roads.
Cycling from Euston to excel is not that bad but it depends what time of day ?
First up, stay off the Marylebone/city road road as it is way too busy. A quick search on Google cycling routes gives a decent route taking you through UCL/Bloomsbury, into the city and then pick up the docklands cycle route at tower hill which is segregated. It is approx. 9 miles.
Alternatively most black cabs will take a bike but you might need to take your front wheel off.
Either way both are options