B roads

[Goldcoast]

I'm looking to start extending my routes a little bit so have been looking up routes online. One that comes up is Clacton to Colchester it's about 18 miles which I think is doable for me but the route is pretty much all along b roads. Has anyone travelled along this route (b1037 & 9 I think) would you say it's an ok journey for a beginner?

 

[cervelo chic]

I came back along that route on Sunday, its a pretty fast road so might be nerve wracking for a beginner

 

[derrick]

Trying to workout a descent route london to clacton, it does seem a bit of problem staying on quiet roads, i will persevere.

 

[cervelo chic]

derrick, as you go through Colchester try heading towards Little Bentley, nice and quiet and a slight detour to clacton, flat roads, all fit for good average speed!

 

[derrick]

derrick, as you go through Colchester try heading towards Little Bentley, nice and quiet and a slight detour to clacton, flat roads, all fit for good average speed!

I think that side of Colchester towards Clacton looks pretty good, it's the main route out of London towards Colchester that i am finding a little tricky at the moment, got a couple of months to sort it out,

 

[HLaB]

I'm looking to start extending my routes a little bit so have been looking up routes online. One that comes up is Clacton to Colchester it's about 18 miles which I think is doable for me but the route is pretty much all along b roads. Has anyone travelled along this route (b1037 & 9 I think) would you say it's an ok journey for a beginner?

I did it when I worked in Chelmsford, as a complete newbie to the area I went east out of Colchester to Bromley Cross and join the B1029 to Thorrington and then took the B1027 to Clacton; itd probably be more direct to go via the B1027 all the way. IIRC it was a bit busy at Colchester (but nothing too bad) and when I got closer to Clacton folk were more interested in getting to the seaside than a cyclist leading to some highspeed overtakes but that wont be typical of a cloudy weekday.

 

[HLaB]

Trying to workout a descent route london to clacton, it does seem a bit of problem staying on quiet roads, i will persevere.

I dont know too far south of Chelmsford (Hanningfield is the furthest south Ive been) from there this is the route I took and its all on quiet roads. I believe you can go by Mersea and take a ferry you can miss Colchester all together and make it shorter and quieter.

 

[PRob]

Where about in London would you be starting? From Romford, there are back roads out the back of Collier Row that'll get you to Brentwood. From there pick up the b roads that parallel the A12 from Brentwood and up in the bottom of Chelmsford (via Ingatestone + mountnessing). Once through Chelmsford, take the old A12 through Boreham and Hatfield Peveral through to Witham.

 

[ufkacbln]

There are two useful tools;

CycleStreets and Google maps

The first uses algorithms to plot a fast, combined and quiet route between A and B, and the other allows you to look at the actual roads to see what they are like.

Unfortunately all roads can be busy. Even quiet country roads can be "Rat runs" and busy fast roads

 

[theloafer]

+1 .... http://www.cyclestreets.net/

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I don't know that road specifically .

When I plan a route generally I look at the yellow B roads as option one....they tend to be ok, as mostly the cars take the A roads..an they tend to go where you want to go. I will ride on A roads a lot as well if I need to get from A to B quickly. I'm used to traffic ....but as a beginner b roads in general I the way to go I reckon.

 

[wakou]

NCR1 goes Chelmsford to Colchester