London route advice?

[Dadam]

Hi all, shortly I'll be going down to that London on the train. I'm intending to take my folding bike, it will be quicker than the alternatives at both ends.
I'll be riding from Kings Cross to Westminster (Victoria St)

Cycle.travel suggests heading straight over to Belgrove St then some right/left/right onto Tavistock Place, left onto Gower St then following that direction down to the river and following the Embankment, then turning right in front of the HoP, past Parliament Sq then left on Storey's Gate, right on Tothill St and left on Broadway.

Any better suggestions, tips, exclamations of you must be mad!?

 

[markemark]

Don’t overthink it. Just ride and enjoy the journey. Central London is bizarrely quite safe as traffic moves so slowly. Just be mindful as there’s a lot of other riders who follow their own rules.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I don't know cycling in London but several times have had to fo Liverpool St to Waterloo (heading to Portsmouth, ferry at start of tour) and just follow cycle.travel and always gives fine routes.

Last time I seemed on cycle paths most of the way.

Only complications have been getting out of station with bike laden with full camping load, even worse on tadpole recumbent.

I've always done it midday and bits on roads fairly quiet. No idea how much traffic might build around rush hours.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Relax the roads directly opposite KX are quiet and the busier roads have bus or cycle lanes and some cycle super highways. I occassional,y ride in London on my recumbent and it is fine. Fairly relaxing in fact for a city as big as London.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Wot other people say. It shouldn't be all that bad.

I would say add in a hefty chunk of contingency so that you can stay chilled with no need to hurry and you have the luxury of being able to get a bit lost.

 

[Sharky]

Google maps, takes you through Green Park, which is a nice route. Used to walk through the park to/from work, a long time ago.

Shows the route as 4.6 miles & 32 mins. Not an insignificant distance. Enjoy

 

[Dadam]

Thanks all. I'm not generally bothered by traffic, was just looking for suggestions for the most pleasant rides.

Google maps, takes you through Green Park, which is a nice route. Used to walk through the park to/from work, a long time ago.

Shows the route as 4.6 miles & 32 mins. Not an insignificant distance. Enjoy

Interesting. None of the 3 routes Google suggests for me go near Green Park. My destination is on Victoria Street closer to the river, not Victoria Station but even putting it as the station or the far end of the street didn't route it that way.

Distance for the cycle.travel route is only 3.3 miles. My normal commute is 4.4 miles with 150m of hill, so the distance isn't an issue.

 

[markemark]

It’s all central London. It’s a great experience. Just enjoy it. If you’re on a horrendously busy road, just turn off it. You can wiggle 100 diffferent routes between your start/end. On the assumption you have a nav that updates as you ride to keep you going the right sort of way.

 

[Dadam]

It’s all central London. It’s a great experience. Just enjoy it. If you’re on a horrendously busy road, just turn off it. You can wiggle 100 diffferent routes between your start/end. On the assumption you have a nav that updates as you ride to keep you going the right sort of way.

Yeah I've got an Edge Explore 2 but I doubt I'd get completely lost if it failed. It's hard to miss the river and the Houses of Parliament.

 

[markemark]

Yeah I've got an Edge Explore 2 but I doubt I'd get completely lost if it failed. It's hard to miss the river and the Houses of Parliament.

It depends how much time you’ve got. Just point yourself in the right direction. And as you say, there big old landmarks. Seriously, don’t over think it and you might see some cool things on the way.

 

[presta]

even worse on tadpole recumbent

I didn't even know you could take those on trains.

Just point yourself in the right direction.

I've not cycled in London, but that's the way I used to drive: point the car in the general direction, and watch for signs that look helpful.

 

[Sharky]

Thanks all. I'm not generally bothered by traffic, was just looking for suggestions for the most pleasant rides.



Interesting. None of the 3 routes Google suggests for me go near Green Park. My destination is on Victoria Street closer to the river, not Victoria Station but even putting it as the station or the far end of the street didn't route it that way.

Distance for the cycle.travel route is only 3.3 miles. My normal commute is 4.4 miles with 150m of hill, so the distance isn't an issue.

I did do it to Victoria station, re did it to Victoria Street and yes, it's just over 3 miles.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Just watch out for pedestrians, having lived and ridden a bike in central London through my 20s & 30s, I can confirm they are a law unto themselves!

 

[mjr]

Hi all, shortly I'll be going down to that London on the train. I'm intending to take my folding bike, it will be quicker than the alternatives at both ends.
I'll be riding from Kings Cross to Westminster (Victoria St)

Cycle.travel suggests heading straight over to Belgrove St then some right/left/right onto Tavistock Place, left onto Gower St then following that direction down to the river and following the Embankment, then turning right in front of the HoP, past Parliament Sq then left on Storey's Gate, right on Tothill St and left on Broadway.

Any better suggestions, tips, exclamations of you must be mad!?

The cycle travel route is fine. You could make it slightly easier by walking to the west side of St Pancras and joining Cycleway 6 there instead of wiggling through the small streets opposite Kings Cross, but that's not that bad.

Even easier but longer would be to simply follow Cycleway 6 south to the river and turn right onto Cycleway 3 along the river to Parliament Square, then Victoria Street is off that.

To be honest, the worst part of the ride is Victoria Street, which is a wide unimproved road with lots of lost drivers. Fine if very busy or very quiet but can be iffy occasionally. If drivers are being silly, consider using the back streets south of it like Great Peter Street.

 

[T4tomo]

Hi all, shortly I'll be going down to that London on the train. I'm intending to take my folding bike, it will be quicker than the alternatives at both ends.
I'll be riding from Kings Cross to Westminster (Victoria St)

Cycle.travel suggests heading straight over to Belgrove St then some right/left/right onto Tavistock Place, left onto Gower St then following that direction down to the river and following the Embankment, then turning right in front of the HoP, past Parliament Sq then left on Storey's Gate, right on Tothill St and left on Broadway.

Any better suggestions, tips, exclamations of you must be mad!?

as a veteran of roughly that commute (albeit) from Euston) rather than Embankment I'd probably as you (presumably) come down thru Seven Dials, ST MARTINS lane, do Traf Sq onto Mall and then Horseguards, Birdcage and nip through the gap into Queens Anne gate (rolling dismount for politeness if pedestrians around) and then pickup Broadway...