FNRttC - new London startpoint?

[dellzeqq]

I'm open to suggestions. I'm not convinced of the need for a change, but I think we should consider it.

Here's the brief
- near to rail termini. Victoria is by far the most popular. Anywhere within the circle line is up for consideration, but bear in mind that all the London rides go south, southwest or east
- a bit of shelter from the rain - HPC scores on this
- 24 hour toilets in the offing
- decently lit
- safe - by which I mean safe for one or two people to hang around, and safe to get to and away from
- mega. As in people roll up and say 'wow'

So far I've come up with
- Smithfield
- underneath the railway bridge outside the NFT (the critical mass startpoint)
- More London

feel free to say that you want to keep it at Hyde Park Corner

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I do this ride that starts from a coffee stall at Victoria Station, sets off, jumps a red light, does some pavement cycling, and then hangs about "underneaf de arch-hez" for ages while some old geezer talks bollards and socialism, and gets tec'd off with some people on the ride who then have to ride at the back.

I like it that way.

 

[srw]

More London's a private enclave, isn't it? That would give the same issues as Paternoster Square, or anywhere close to St Paul's - which otherwise would be good.

How about St Mary Axe, between Lloyds and the Aviva tower. It's notionally private, but of an older vintage and less likely to be beset by security guards.

I don't mind HPC, but the lighting's not ideal - especially since they switch the floodlights off about 10 to midnight.

 

[Aperitif]

Hyde Park? Sloane Square - been done before? Marble Arch - for archy tecs like Greg? Euston Station? We don't need lighting for a night ride.
Ah - St Pauls! "Occufri"

 

[dellzeqq]

we used to go through More London (doing a turn and a half around City Hall) without any problems - but I suppose there's always the risk

hhmmm....St Mary's Axe sounds good.

 

[arallsopp]

St Mary Axe is good, but the temptation to treat the footings of the Gherkin as a velodrome is way too strong for me to refuse whenever I pass.

 

[ianmac62]

For what it's worth - and I realise I am a very recent joiner to these rides - I like HPC because everyone in the universe knows where it is / has heard of it - and so, when dining out on tales of midnight bike riding, starting with "I meet some friends at midnight at Hyde Park Corner ... " just sets the right tone.

 

[Aperitif]

I forgot to add that More London is less fun. Those rills, or whatever fanciful name they are, will only lead to tears and a few wet ar$es, handlebars, saddles etc. I bet.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

For what it's worth - and I realise I am a very recent joiner to these rides - I like HPC because everyone in the universe knows where it is / has heard of it - and so, when dining out on tales of midnight bike riding, starting with "I meet some friends at midnight at Hyde Park Corner ... " just sets the right tone.

Well, it managed to confuse AnythingButVanilla and me, who arrived early and thought that Hyde Park Corner was the corner of Hyde Park. Meanwhile everybody rolled up to the arch out of sight!

 

[theclaud]

If it ain't broke...

A plea for HPC from this end. As in the west, and from those of us coming from afar. It's very handy to have somewhere that's a stone's throw from Paddington, and HPC is easy to find for newbies from either Paddington or Victoria. The only downside is the lights going out and the lack of khazis. But then the toilets at More London are grim anyway. I treat Victoria (or a beer with User482 at the Mad Bishop & Bear) as the social and practical preamble, and HPC as the "official" start. It looks the biz.

 

[ianmac62]

Well, it managed to confuse AnythingButVanilla and me, who arrived early and thought that Hyde Park Corner was the corner of Hyde Park. Meanwhile everybody rolled up to the arch out of sight!

Ah, I was careful to say "everyone ... knows where it is / has heard of it".

I would add that the first time I turned up, I'd made a total mess-up with calculating the train times into Euston and arrived at HPC at ten o'clock. Felt a perfectly safe place for the next hour-and-a-half. Entertaining too with pedestrians, in-line skaters, etc.

 

[User10571]

Mar Blarch?

Horse Guards Parade - albeit that's a bit gravelly.

 

[Davywalnuts]

I think, the biggest question would be, how late or on time will I be on these rides with more of London to navigate through on a Friday night...

When I say I, I do mean both of my thighs, both say HPC is good still. Toilets, well Hyde Park is there... Lights, we all have them and its all very public and safe in my mind.

 

[Wobblers]

If it ain't broke...

A plea for HPC from this end. As in the west, and from those of us coming from afar. It's very handy to have somewhere that's a stone's throw from Paddington, and HPC is easy to find for newbies from either Paddington or Victoria. The only downside is the lights going out and the lack of khazis. But then the toilets at More London are grim anyway. I treat Victoria (or a beer with User482 at the Mad Bishop & Bear) as the social and practical preamble, and HPC as the "official" start. It looks the biz.

Wot she said.

It's easy to get to from most of the terminus stations. That said, I've still managed to get lost once or twice getting there! I shudder to think what would happen were it somewhere else...

As for poor lighting, well, the FNRttC isn't exactly short on lumens. TimO or myself would be more than happy to throw some illumination onto the subject!

 

[Aperitif]

I think, the biggest question would be, how late or on time will I be on these rides with more of London to navigate through on a Friday night...

When I say I, I do mean both of my thighs, both say HPC is good still. Toilets, well Hyde Park is there... Lights, we all have them and its all very public and safe in my mind.

Now you're talking about the 'Royal wee' Davy. What about the bit just beyond the BBC at Aldwych - by the Church there? Marble Arch, as User10571 mentions, obviously has some problem deep in the zeqq psyche...because there is loads of gathering space around there. A promenade through the three thousand sets of traffic lights along Oxford St could be in order (if the digging is finished) or, Park Lane has a big bus lane, in order to get everyone rolling.