Cycle commute london

anything I don't mind · 13 Mar 2012 at 15:59

I am thinking about moving as close to central london as i can afford and then purchasing a bike and cycling to work. Can anyone think of a place within cycling distance to st pauls, 3-4 miles at the most. I would be looking for a one or two bedroom with a garden or balcony preferred for £850 excluding bills. Do you think i have any chance of finding a place? Which areas do you think i should look in? Does anyone else cycle to work?

Ahleckz · 13 Mar 2012 at 16:07

£850 p/w?

I can't help, just curious about London rental prices.

touch · 13 Mar 2012 at 16:12

You'd probably be surprised at how far you can actually cycle.

It will be hard at first, but after a couple of weeks you'll get used to it.
Maybe try up to 10 miles away? and get a bus/train a few days a week for the first couple of weeks to ease yourself into it.

londonbairn · 13 Mar 2012 at 16:18

London is fairly easy to commute on the bike because it's flat. Only gripes I have is mainly pedestrians, and where you have slow moving traffic, people I find are more likely to act irrationally (e.g. try and suddenly change lanes etc).

As a result you can go further out to be honest. I do Ealing>City everyday (it's approx 14 miles each way). You could live out West for example, the commute in is easy as it is more or less a straight line following Central Line.

uvarvu · 13 Mar 2012 at 16:23

Or east and get a place in mile end or bow etc.

rickjames · 13 Mar 2012 at 16:31

Trying to find a free bike on Gumtree/Freecycle is proving a mare.

Planning on cycling from Mile End to Chigwell when I do get it sorted, Around 10 miles each way and the route looks pretty easy/flat.

Imagine I'll save at least a grand over the year, whenever I need to go into central/north its just a bus ride.

Deleted member 66701 · 13 Mar 2012 at 16:45

Get a cheap electrically assisted cycle - I use mine 5 days a week -- that's 100 miles a week.

uvarvu · 13 Mar 2012 at 16:46

Boris bikes are up along cs2 now (as far as bow) which might help

rickjames · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:02

Also is anyone a part of that cycle2work scheme through your employer? I asked the place where I'm about to start and they said it had been discussed, but just wondering how easy it is for them to get the ball rolling?

I only need a cheap bike, less than £100 etc.

touch · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:20

rickjames said:
I only need a cheap bike, less than £100 etc.

The cycle scheme is only for new bikes, and you wont get a decent bike for £100.
Best to keep looking on ebay/gumtree.

Rich_L · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:26

Flatshare in Limehouse or Docklands there's a cycle path along the river all the way to Tower Hill

King Damager · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:26

One thing I would say is get some kind of mask etc... Carbon fumes will probably annoy you relatively quickly if you're cycling in.

kd

theNude · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:35

Rich_L said:
Flatshare in Limehouse or Docklands there's a cycle path along the river all the way to Tower Hill

This!

I used to do it from mudchute to the city. only takes about 17minutes and is a nice cycle along the cycle path.

Dude.

MacRS4 · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:43

Rich_L said:
Flatshare in Limehouse or Docklands there's a cycle path along the river all the way to Tower Hill

Yup - great route, fast, and easy.

MacRS4 · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:44

rickjames said:
Also is anyone a part of that cycle2work scheme through your employer? I asked the place where I'm about to start and they said it had been discussed, but just wondering how easy it is for them to get the ball rolling?

I only need a cheap bike, less than £100 etc.

100 quid bike will be a pig to commute on. Wouldn't budget less than 250/300 as a minimum.

anything I don't mind · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:45

That was 850pm, haha per week, what do you think i am, a politician? I work in IT.

10 miles? I could never ride 10 miles to work. Well it would take me months before i got to that level of stamina.

I currently live in romford and googlemaps puts that at 12miles to my work.

PapaLazaru · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:45

Got two mates who cycle from Lavender Hill into the City every day. You should be able to find something near Clapham for your budget.

Judgeneo · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:46

groen said:
I am thinking about moving as close to central london as i can afford and then purchasing a bike and cycling to work. Can anyone think of a place within cycling distance to st pauls, 3-4 miles at the most.

You can do 3 miles in 10-15 minutes very easily. Maybe expand your search to maybe 10 miles?

groen said:
That was 850pm, haha per week, what do you think i am, a politician? I work in IT.

10 miles? I could never ride 10 miles to work. Well it would take me months before i got to that level of stamina.

I currently live in romford and googlemaps puts that at 12miles to my work.

You would be surprised, its a LOT easier than you might think, especially on a good new bike. I do a 7 mile each way hilly route fairly regularly and don't consider myself fit at all. London is pretty flat as well

MacRS4 · 13 Mar 2012 at 17:58

groen said:
That was 850pm, haha per week, what do you think i am, a politician? I work in IT.

10 miles? I could never ride 10 miles to work. Well it would take me months before i got to that level of stamina.

I currently live in romford and googlemaps puts that at 12miles to my work.

IT? You should end up earning more than most MPs then if you're any good

10 miles isn't anything like as hard as you imagine - I used to cycle in to the City from Richmond 3/4 days a week, during the summer anyways.

Romford to the City though would be an awful ride through rubbishness.

thewanted · 13 Mar 2012 at 18:02

MacRS4 said:
10 miles isn't anything like as hard as you imagine - I used to cycle in to the City from Richmond 3/4 days a week, during the summer anyways.

Did you go through Hammersmith? I want to cycle from Hampton to my friend's place in St. John's Wood but Hammersmith scares the living **** out of me, even in a car. Couldn't imagine cycling through there.

Cycle commute london

Deleted member 66701

Deleted member 66701