Folding bike & trains

[livpoksoc]

Waterloo to CW isnt a nice bike ride, and would be terrible on a Boris Bike. You also have the issue of finding one at Waterloo and then finding a docking station at the other end. It isnt feasible and will cost you loads as you would never make it in under 30minutes on a Boris Bike.
If you want to cycle then take a fold up, or leave a BSO at Waterloo overnight.
Another consideration is what to wear, would you cycle in a suit. or travel in cycle clothing, as that ride will take you at least 30mins is not more, as it is stop start traffic right through the city.

Excuse my ignorance - BSO?

As for what to wear, it'd be cycle jersey & mtb shorts, with a thin rain coat in the back, would probably stick shoes, shirt, tie & trousers in a pannier. The office I'll be going to has showers though I'll probably get my feet under the desk first and then explore the exact facilities

 

[Beebo]

Excuse my ignorance - BSO?

BSO is "bike shaped object", it means a cheap bike that you wouldnt mind getting stolen or damaged.

 

[jefmcg]

I did this fairly regularly last year and the year before: Waterloo to Canary Wharf.

The Boris bikes are pretty useless, as you have to wait a long time at peak for one. Luckily there is an orderly queue, but sometimes you have it takes two vans full of bikes before you can get one. The situation is probably much the same for going the other way, but I never tried that. Certainly getting a bike from the City back to Waterloo is nearly impossible after 7pm: the racks are empty in the city and they don't bother refilling them as the first commuters in the morning will do that.

Public transport is also pretty hellish: on my first day it took an hour to get from the underground barriers at Waterloo to Canary Wharf. There were problems on the line, so they kept people of the platform to reduce overcrowding, and when you eventually let you on the platform, you join a queue of 4 people at one of the doors; then you find that the trains coming in are so crowded, that not every train had room for one person, so it's still 6 or 7 more trains till you can board. After that, I changed to a bike but used public transport again on that Friday, and had similar problems getting to London Bridge from CW, and eventually went east to Greenwich as the quickest way, as no one was allowed onto DLR west bound or the tube station as the platform is full.

This doesn't happen every day, but I think it would happen at least once a fortnight. Note you can also get from Waterloo by crossing the river, and catching district line to tower bridge and then the DLR, or Waterloo & City to Bank and then DLR, but if one of these is congested, then they all are.

So cycling it is! Not perfect, but definitely the best. There is not a great route between these places, and I had 2 head on collisions with other cyclists on CS2 but it was mostly ok. Here is two of my routes, and note that I am a slow cyclist

http://app.strava.com/activities/12098417
http://app.strava.com/activities/12098347

I'd start with a decathlon cycle. They are pretty decent, and nice and cheap. You'll soon want a brompton (probably) and the CW Evans has them stacked up by the door. (my folder is a mezzo, and I like that). The hoptown is a bit unwieldy, so getting it to your desk is probably the biggest problem, but most CW offices have secure parking underneath, so you could leave a lock there if that's a better option.

hth

 

[livpoksoc]

I did this fairly regularly last year and the year before: Waterloo to Canary Wharf.

The Boris bikes are pretty useless, as you have to wait a long time at peak for one. Luckily there is an orderly queue, but sometimes you have it takes two vans full of bikes before you can get one. The situation is probably much the same for going the other way, but I never tried that. Certainly getting a bike from the City back to Waterloo is nearly impossible after 7pm: the racks are empty in the city and they don't bother refilling them as the first commuters in the morning will do that.

Public transport is also pretty hellish: on my first day it took an hour to get from the underground barriers at Waterloo to Canary Wharf. There were problems on the line, so they kept people of the platform to reduce overcrowding, and when you eventually let you on the platform, you join a queue of 4 people at one of the doors; then you find that the trains coming in are so crowded, that not every train had room for one person, so it's still 6 or 7 more trains till you can board. After that, I changed to a bike but used public transport again on that Friday, and had similar problems getting to London Bridge from CW, and eventually went east to Greenwich as the quickest way, as no one was allowed onto DLR west bound or the tube station as the platform is full.

This doesn't happen every day, but I think it would happen at least once a fortnight. Note you can also get from Waterloo by crossing the river, and catching district line to tower bridge and then the DLR, or Waterloo & City to Bank and then DLR, but if one of these is congested, then they all are.

So cycling it is! Not perfect, but definitely the best. There is not a great route between these places, and I had 2 head on collisions with other cyclists on CS2 but it was mostly ok. Here is two of my routes, and note that I am a slow cyclist

http://app.strava.com/activities/12098417
http://app.strava.com/activities/12098347

I'd start with a decathlon cycle. They are pretty decent, and nice and cheap. You'll soon want a brompton (probably) and the CW Evans has them stacked up by the door. (my folder is a mezzo, and I like that). The hoptown is a bit unwieldy, so getting it to your desk is probably the biggest problem, but most CW offices have secure parking underneath, so you could leave a lock there if that's a better option.

hth

I think i'll end up doing this, will spend first month getting feet under desk & check out what facilities are available at the CW office, then i can make a call & can cancel the travel card part way thru the year if i make the switch

 

[Riverman]

Four thousand pounds just to pay to get to work... I begrudge the two quid fuel it would cost me every time I drive in...

I'd brave the traffic and save as much as possible! Can you cycle the whole route?

Yeah I was just thinking that too. Will his employer not give him an allowance to buy a second home in London?

e2a: sorry forgot that he's not an MP.

 

[livpoksoc]

Yeah I was just thinking that too. Will his employer not give him an allowance to buy a second home in London?

e2a: sorry forgot that he's not an MP.

Lol...there is a 'london weighting' but it doesn't cover private rail companies greed

 

[srw]

This is exactly the dilemma I faced when I started commuting into London 17 years ago. I bought a Brompton fand didn't buy the travelcard extension, and never looked back. I wouldn't bother with a cheap folder myself - there's a reason why everyone in London is on a Brompton, and it's not fashion.

Waterloo to CW is a straightforward little run - probably about 40 minutes. Along the main road to London Bridge, then either right and left over Tower Bridge or go up to Eastcheap and along to the Tower that way. Then follow the CS signs (a bizarre, but effective bit of contraflow) until you hit the CW turning.

 

[Bromptonaut]

I think i'll end up doing this, will spend first month getting feet under desk & check out what facilities are available at the CW office, then i can make a call & can cancel the travel card part way thru the year if i make the switch

Better choice would be to get a season to Waterloo only and then use Oyster (either PAYG or month/week season) until you're ready to start biking. The way refunds on cancelled tickets are calculated mean you'll lose out bigtime. An annual with less than three months remaining validity has next to no refund.

 

[livpoksoc]

Better choice would be to get a season to Waterloo only and then use Oyster (either PAYG or month/week season) until you're ready to start biking. The way refunds on cancelled tickets are calculated mean you'll lose out bigtime. An annual with less than three months remaining validity has next to no refund.

I'd likely swap over come February/March, depending. south west trains have implied that refunds/amendments are pro rata'd based on time left. If it's not linear to how much is left of value, then it's disappointing...but my employer does a season ticket loan so it gets taken from my wages, so maybe they'd just reduce the amount taken if i take the tube ticket off

 

[geekinaseat]

This is exactly the dilemma I faced when I started commuting into London 17 years ago. I bought a Brompton fand didn't buy the travelcard extension, and never looked back. I wouldn't bother with a cheap folder myself - there's a reason why everyone in London is on a Brompton, and it's not fashion.

Waterloo to CW is a straightforward little run - probably about 40 minutes. Along the main road to London Bridge, then either right and left over Tower Bridge or go up to Eastcheap and along to the Tower that way. Then follow the CS signs (a bizarre, but effective bit of contraflow) until you hit the CW turning.

This.

I started commuting on a Brompton when I lived in the suburbs and got the train in. I've since moved to near Canary Wharf and commute to Euston daily using CS3 to Tower Hill. I now use a "proper" bike as my journey isn't multimodal anymore but the Brompton is more than capable and the best folder for a train.

If I were you I would buy one second hand, there is simply no depreciation after the first couple of years.