How would you cycle from Colindale to Marble Arch?

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Cycleandhike

New Member
Hi guys, I've recently made a decision to start cyclling to work. I've got myself a bike, locks, helmet etc... I'm not new to cycling, however I've never cycled in London and still feel a bit unsafe to go on really busy roads. I live in collindale and all the traveling apps suggest just flying down the a5 all the way to Marble Arch however I started reading about A5 and apparently it's not really cycle friendly, especally when you are a new guy on the block. Do you have any suggestions what would be the safest route to central London? I'd rather add extra time in my journey but get there safe. Thanks all!
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
all the traveling apps? cycle.travel seems to like heading a bit east to use London Cycle Network routes 85 and 50, while cyclestreets offers a range of options - all of which some of the A5, which is mostly LCN 5 and has bus lanes, so it's not awful. I'd probably go straight down the A5 when I needed speed and use the side streets when I had time, but there's probably not a huge amount to choose between them for safety because while there's less traffic on the smaller roads, there's also less space, often worse visibility at junctions (because borough council highways don't seem as good as TfL have become - and TfL is far from brilliant) and motorists just don't pay attention as much because I think they also feel safer there.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Give it a go early on a Sunday morning when the roads are quiet, to try some routes out and see if it’s manageablr time and distance wise. This is a good time of year to start when it’s dry, warm and light and roads are quieter at least for a couple more weeks
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Going in might be OK, but it would be a long, nagging drag up as far as Cricklewood on the way home.

I wouldn't fancy that after a day's work, although the OP may be made of sterner cycling stuff.
 

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
It will take you two weeks to work out the optimum route, so dont give up in the first week as you ended up on main roads, in the wrong lane, going up hill that you did not need to do
 

alicat

Legendary Member
Location
Staffs
Welcome to the forum. Give it a go on a Sunday morning as Vickster suggests. I love the fact that the A5 is a Roman road so you are going as the crow flies and not adding extra distance.
 

Lonestar

Veteran
I find those travel apps crap.They tend to direct me onto the crappiest roads when I know there are better quieter roads.
 

mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
I've done this route a few times and just whip up the A5. sometimes I go over the Cricklewood Flyover, sometimes I go thru the roundabout. On the odd occasion I go thru that set over overhead bridges at Brent Cross.
 
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