London Cyclist Blog » london cycle routes

Cycling Box Hill of the Olympic Cycle Route

Andreas — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 08:49:00 +0000

Much of the 2012 road race will done around Box Hill. London Cyclist reader Ian has been investigating the 15.5km route that will be covered nine times by the male cyclists and twice by the women.

Bike route 884987 – powered by Bikemap

Having lived a few miles from Box Hill for a number of years when it was announced that it would be forming part of the 2012 Olympic road race I had to check it out. Not only out of curiosity but also to scout out great spectating spots.

On a warm February morning I took the opportunity to make the first ascent of the hill. Surprisingly, not only did I find it fairly easy to climb but I also found myself passing a couple of fellow cyclists on the way!

In my personal experience on an aluminium hybrid with panniers and fat tyres the hill is definitely doable at a fast pace. Therefore, any commuters out there wishing to give it a try and have something to relate to when watching the Olympic rides should definitely take on the challenge! I’m looking forward to trying it out again with a lighter setup.

As an overview, the climb is on fairly narrow roads with a reasonable surface (this is Surrey we’re talking about!) once over the top the speed will rise and there are several places where even a cautious descender can top 30mph. Traffic wise it’s not too bad, for the bulk of the loop motorists give you room, and taking primary position helps. The run along the A24 features a cycle lane for some of the way, but it is the fastest section. If you’re not keen on riding with fast traffic, there are a couple of roads that allow you to avoid the A24.

Riding Box Hill

My test ride started at the foot of Box Hill near the hotel. From here the climb begins.

From there you meander your way up the hill. Be aware of other cyclists as you do this.

Once this tough initial section is over you arrive at a cafe but you should keep going as you are not at the top yet.

At the top of the hill you can take in the views.

Then it’s time to reap the rewards with the run back down to the hotel, through Box Hill village. Although you should look out for sunken manhole covers on the road.

The next few sections offer some serious speed although don’t forget the road isn’t closed to just cyclists yet.

Time for some braking again, scrubbing off 20+ mph as the next turning arrives. It’s a left turn at Beaverbrook roundabout onto the A24 and another fast stretch – again 30mph can be reached here even into a headwind! I’ve ridden the loop several times while putting this guide together and every time I’ve gone down this stretch trying to find another gear! With the pros having the roads closed, they’ll be hitting the roundabout at 20-30 so very high speeds are on the cards!

At the next roundabout it’s another left turn, there’s a segregated cycle lane here with some cross hatchings to keep the motorists away.

Finally, it’s back to the services, roundabout and hotel. Your legs should feel fresh after all that fast running – time for another lap!

The Olympic Cycle Route

If you wish to follow the entire ride then it has been plotted on Bike Route Toaster. In terms of good spectating spots you’ll want to grab one of the ascents around the hill. Remember that the riders will be travelling in a counter clockwise motion. You’’ll have to get there early as it is expected around 100,000 spectators will be your competition for prime viewing spots.

For more London cycling routes checkout the 30 London Cycle Routes eBook.

Big thanks to Ian for reporting back on his ride around Box Hill!

East London bike ride

Andreas — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Writing’s on the Wall is an audio and visual journey by bicycle exploring the changing face of London’s East End from Shoreditch to Hackney Wick. Learn about the area through some of the most prolific Street artists who use its architecture as their canvas. Hear about the work in the artists’ own voices, while exploring the back lanes and vacant lots of a city in flux.

Pamela who is a student here in London is responsible for putting it together and it seems like a fascinating ride through the East End of London covering the graffiti and the interesting backgrounds surrounding it as explained by the street artists themselves.

It is a 2 hour free tour that starts very early in the morning (You’ll need to join the email list to hear about the latest rides). All you need to take part is a bicycle, mp3 player and a partner – or you can be matched with someone on the ride.

I believe the next ride is currently listed for next Sunday.

More details are here: http://undercurrentdesign.com/writingsonthewall/

My favourite London bike ride

Andreas — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 08:15:00 +0000

This is a guest post by Graham Hills of Bikers Delight.

Cycle – eat – cycle – eat – cycle – eat – cycle. The perfect day out?!

Combining some of the best grazing in London, with diverse cycling sights, this London bike ride gives a full workout for the senses.

A triangular route visiting three markets, starting with the now famous Borough Market by London Bridge. A favourite haunt of every foodie and good restaurant buyer, this showcase of quality suppliers blows my taste buds every time I visit! My tip is to pick up one or two special items to perk up your dinner that evening. Of course, being cyclists, you need some cake for your saddlebags (pardon the pun) so forage away!

As long as you haven’t eaten too much hop on your bike and head north over London Bridge to the City. On this part of the London bike ride there are great views down the river, especially East towards Tower Bridge and beyond. The City is a treat at weekends, devoid of boring grey suits, you can enjoy the imposing architecture for all it’s worth.

Head up to Bank, the ancestral home of great power and wealth, and site of the Bank of England. Find your way to Bunhill Row and head North until you hit the canal. Take advantage of this waterside cycle super highway! Enjoy the limbo under the bridges as you head East to Hackney’s Broadway market. A richly eclectic street market, parading hipsters buy classic records and breakfast on aromatic Vietnamese Bahn Mi.

Back on the canal, ride all the way down to Canary Wharf. So named as freight from the Canary Islands used to arrive here in the 60′s. Gaze skywards to three of London’s tallest peaks then bike ride southwards down the peninsula to enjoy the fine vista towards Greenwich. Behind the Royal Naval College, on top of the hill you will see the Royal Observatory. The basis of longitude, the Prime Meridian, and Greenwich Mean Time were both established here. If you are there at 1pm you will see the time ball on the roof fall, a sight by which all ships in the Thames used to set their clocks by.

Now don’t worry, you won’t have to swim, there’s a foot tunnel under the river. Be prepared to carry your bike up and down stairs, I’m not sure if the council will ever finish the lift repairs. Wheel down to Greenwich market, that specialises in cool and quirky arts and crafts.. It’s a great place for presents and unique goods. There’s also a fine undercover pub and yet more fantastic food stalls.

Conveniently National Cycle Network route 4 will take you along the river back to London Bridge, weaving through marinas and cobbled streets. To follow this part of my favourite London bike ride make sure you keep your eyes open for the sign posts as they are occasionally hard to spot. If you fancy peel off at Shad Thames and walk along the riverfront to finish the day along this lively stretch of magnificent London!

TFL provide free cycle maps that cover this London bike ride. For those who fancy an easier day in good company I lead this Saturday markets tour, amongst others. See our Cycle Tours for details.

30 London Cycling Routes

Andreas — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:39:14 +0000

The London Cycling Routes eBook has had a major update. Those of you who have already downloaded the eBook will see the update in your inbox tomorrow.

Here are the updates..

5 new routes added

The main feedback people sent me was: “Great stuff! Simply add more of the same!”. That is exactly what I’ve done with 5 exciting new London cycling routes. I’m very pleased with the new rides as they cover some beautiful parts of London.

A new ride in North London covers off some of the undiscovered parks. Then over in South-West London there is a fantastic mountain bike route. I’ve also added an easy traffic-free route along the Lea Navigation and a tough ride along the challenging hills near Biggin Hill that I’m sure roadies will appreciate.

GPS, KML and now TCX

Garmin users can rejoice as the download now includes TCX files so you can easily load them into your device.

How to use the GPS files

What sets the London Cycling Routes eBook apart from other offerings is the included GPS files. Unfortunately, a lot of people didn’t know how to use them. Which is a shame because following the route on your mobile phone makes life so much easier. Therefore I’ve added clear instructions of how to use the GPS files.

Maps are now even easier to follow

If the maps were not easy enough to follow before, they are now even easier. All the original 25 rides have had their maps updated.

Google Maps

The London Cycling Routes eBook now has a link to the route on Google Maps. As was requested by a couple of people. This makes it very easy to visualise the ride before you set off or to print off any extra maps.

Twitter and Facebook integration

Let your friends know about the great rides you’ve discovered and the one your about to head off on.

Now easier and faster to view each ride

The original PDF was 25mb in size! Making it tough for some computers to open. I’ve split it up into individual files. Not only are they faster to load but it is now far easier to pick a ride, view it and print if off!

How to download the London Cycle Routes eBook

If you want to discover some of the best places to go cycling in London then the eBook can now be instantly downloaded from this link. It costs just £6.95 until Wednesday 12pm and you can pay either using a Paypal account or a Credit Card.

Click here to download now

Look forward to hearing what people think of the new eBook…

Using GPS coordinates for cycling

Andreas — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

With the release of the London Cycle Routes eBook the most common question I’ve had is: “How do you get your hair to look so good even though you cycled here?” Oh wait, no, that’s not it. The question I get asked is: “Andreas, thanks so much for the eBook, it is awesome, but how on earth do I use the GPS coordinates?”

Well, here I’m going to explain how you can use GPS coordinates for cycling. After all, it hugely helps when navigating a cycling route and with the widespread availability of GPS devices you too could easily be getting in on the GPS action.

GPS files usually have the extension “.gpx”. An example one is for the quirky London bike ride which you can grab the GPS file for here.

Once you have the file you can do whatever you want with it.

Show GPS route on a map

Lets take for example if you want to see the route on EveryTrail.com. Once you have an account choose “Create Trip”. Upload your GPS file and follow the instructions. You can then see the route on a map.

That’s all well and good but where things really get exciting is when you are actually cycling along the route. This is when you need some kind of GPS device such as…

An iPhone

Yes, that world famous thin device you see everyone carrying around is actually pretty awesome for cycling. Especially when combined with a bike mount and cycling apps.

With the iPhone you generally have a choice between two apps. The first is Trails. Whilst I’ve had a couple of problems with the app crashing on me, everyone else seems generally very satisfied.

The second is Outdoors. I like the simplicity of this application and the way it uses very little battery life. The reason for this is that all the maps are already pre-loaded into the application.

To load a route onto either of the applications you need to first upload it to EveryTrail. You can then search for the name of the route and download it into the app.

A Garmin GPS

If you have a Garmin GPS you can use the software provided to load the GPS files into the device. This is usually done via USB cable.

The most popular models are the Garmin 305 and the Garmin 500. These usually come with a bike mount so you can have it on your handlebars.

Other GPS device

There are plenty of other GPS devices. The SatMap device comes very highly recommended but is a little more expensive. If you have one of the latest Smartphones then it may have GPS capabilities. All you need is a good application to follow the coordinates.

GPS for cycling

As you can see GPS coordinates are very useful for cycling. Especially for longer rides. The simplicity of having a map infront of you with a dot showing your location means you can focus on cycling rather than reading maps. Unfortunately GPS devices are still a little expensive at around the £200 mark. If you plan to do lots of cycling however they are a worthy investment.

Tomorrows post is a roundup of all the going’s on in March on London Cyclist and on other cycling blogs.

See also:

Returning from Brazil

Andreas — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0000

To get back to London from Brazil is a supreme travelling effort. The journey started with 5 hours of being stuck in Sao Paulo traffic to get to the airport. If you thought London traffic was bad, the Sao Paulo traffic creates a new meaning for the word “mayhem”. Our driver was repeatedly cursing everyone around and I didn’t blame her!

After arriving to the check in desk just seconds before it closed we then had a 10 hour flight to Portugal. Luckily this was overnight so I managed to get some sleep in. In Portugal we had to wait 4 hours before departing to London Heathrow. The final flight was 2 hours and 50 minutes long. Overall from setting off in Sao Paulo to arriving at Swiss Cottage in London it was around 23 hours worth of travelling!

However, when I did arrive I had a nice little surprise. The London Cycle Routes eBook sales had surpassed the magically 100 mark! This is fantastic news and what is even more fantastic is that so far the feedback I’ve received from everyone has been very positive. Before the price jumps up to £6.95 I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to download it at its current discounted price. Therefore for another 24 hours the price will be just £4.95.

I think it is much better to let everyone know about the price increase before rather than after!

To grab a copy now all you have to do is click here and follow the download process. If you are still on the fence then don’t worry as I’ve added a 90 day money back guarantee. If you are really not pleased with it you can email me your receipt and you can get your money back.

Tomorrow I’ll be adding a full write up of Brazil including cycling around Rio.

3 of the most circular cycle routes in London

Andreas — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0000

One of the ways to train for a big cycling event is to find some good circular rides that you can repeat. This allows for a constant speed, there is no need to keep checking the route and you can easily keep track of progress.

Richmond Park

Richmond Park is easily one of the most popular cycle spots in London. A round trip on the main route is 7 miles long. Assuming an average speed of 15 miles per hour, it would take you 28 minutes to do the full circle. Some of the sections are tougher than others with a few short but challenging hills.

If you wanted to simulate London to Brighton you would have to do 7 and a half laps! However in the great surroundings of Richmond Park that doesn’t sound that bad!

Regent’s Park

The outer circle of Regent’s Park is relatively light on traffic.If you combine this with a lack of traffic lights then you have a great circular route. The surroundings are not quite as green but there is the interesting architecture of the houses that line the park and also the mosque in the north-west corner. You are welcome to visit the mosque just make sure you step in with the right foot and out with the left. Unless I’m mistaken this symbolises bringing in the good and taking out the bad.

Anyway, back to cycling! This circular ride is only 2.8 miles long so it will take someone around 11 minutes to do a full circle. If you wanted to simulate London to Brighton then that would be nearly 19 laps! Better bring some good music with you to keep you entertained! Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the ride is largely flat.

For a mini-version of the outer circle why not cycle the inner-circle! At just 0.6 miles long you will have to do repeat the ride 88 times! The inner circle is a popular place for cabbies to have a rest and is pretty much traffic free.

Velodrome

Of course it would be impossible to end an article on circular routes in London without a mention of the Velodrome! The only current working one is at Herne Hill. There is also the Olympic one being built in Stratford. Local teams train here and I’m guessing if you are good enough you can join them.

See also:

35 London Cycling Routes with GPS

Andreas — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:40:18 +0000

This weekend you could be riding one of the 35 best cycling routes in London..

You may think: Cycling in London involves breathing in fumes on congested roads with taxis and buses all competing for the same bit of road space. The only way to escape is to head as far away from London as possible!

The reality is: There are some incredible places to cycle in London and it’s amazing how most people have never heard of them. This guide will show you where all the best routes are. You’ll discover off-road nature routes, quiet lanes and a side of London you never knew existed.

The 35 London Cycle Routes eBook can be instantly downloaded with GPS coordinates for just ~~£9.95~~ £7.95. It is perfect for keen road cyclists looking to discover great new cycle routes, new cyclists looking for quieter traffic-free rides and mountain bikers wanting to head off-road.

Finding your perfect London cycle route..

Once you’ve downloaded the eBook you can start to discover which ride you want to try first. Perhaps you fancy a nice short traffic-free ride that you can take your kids on. Alternatively, perhaps you’re looking to cover some more miles and do some longer loop rides on quiet country lanes on your road bike. The eBook covers a great variety of rides starting at a short 5 mile canal cycle routes to longer, more challenging 113 mile rides.

All the cycle routes are pinned on a big map of London so you can quickly get started with the one nearest to you. Alternatively you can pick one out by distance or flick through the rides and see the one that sounds perfect to you.

Once you have picked a good London cycle route you can take a look at pictures for inspiration and flick through the description to see what interesting things there are to see along the way. (Of course, this includes great pub stops!)

When you set off you can choose to print out the map or load the included GPS coordinates. This makes it as easy as possible to follow the route and to start discovering great new places in London to cycle.

Take a look inside..

Here’s a sample shot from inside the 128 page eBook showing the introduction to the route. Each ride introduction includes a link to a Google Map of the route, details on distance, difficulty and nearby transport connections.

The newly updated maps make the route easy to follow showing you the points of interest, mileage markers as well as nearby facilities.

Don’t miss these experiences..

Head to Biggin Hill for gorgeous views, quiet country lanes and testing hill climbs
Escape for the weekend to the seaside and enjoy incredible scenery on the 75 mile route
Discover the architecture, quirkiness and markets of London
Grab the mountain bike and hurtle yourself at speed through a muddy forest
Take in the London relaxed canal life and see the city from a different perspective

GPS coordinates – a first..

I’ve included all the GPX, KML and TCX coordinates in the download. This means you can load up the file on your favourite mapping website, your mobile phone or your GPS device. This is a first in a guidebook and has received a lot of praise from leading cycling figures:

“This is the way forward for bike guidebooks: digital and with attached GPS files. I loved the quirkiness of this book, with lots of head-turning attractions yet not of the usual kind found in mainstream guidebooks. This an e-book to make you want to get out and explore bits of London you might not have considered before.” -Carlton Reid, Journalist for bikebiz.com and author of Bike to Work Book.

The GPS coordinates mean you can follow the route in any way you want. On your iPhone/Android, GPS device such as a Garmin or on a mapping website such as Google Maps.

Free Bonus

With the London Cycle Routes eBook you get free upgrades for life. That means that when a new version comes out I’ll send you a copy for free!

Satisfaction Guaranteed

I only want customers who are 100% happy with the London Cycle Routes eBook. If you are not then simply send me an e-mail and I can arrange for a refund. You have 90 days from the date you download the London Cycle Routes eBook to be completely sure.

Grab your copy of the London Cycle Routes eBook now before the price goes up!

35 rides taking you around the best of London
Variety of rides from easy 5 mile runs all the way up to tougher 113 mile London cycle routes
Push yourself on lengthy but rewarding road routes, relax on quiet traffic-free rides, enjoy bumpy off-road routes and take a friend along on a great route they won’t be able to beat!
Become a London guru and discover the city in a way you have never seen it before
Whether your objective is to get healthy or to escape the hustle and bustle of London then there is a route in here for you
Clear illustrations, easy to follow maps and plenty of useful recommendations so you can make the most of each route
GPS coordinates so you can track and plan your route in any way you want

Click here to instantly get the
London Cycle Routes eBook for just ~~£9.95~~ £7.95

P.S. Don’t forget for the price of a couple of pints you get 35 unforgettable routes and also free updates for any future releases!

Some of the feedback from 100′s of cyclists who have already downloaded the 35 London Cycle Routes eBook

“Loving my 35 London cycle routes. I have been cycling around London all my life, but part of the problem with that is that I know my areas so well that I rarely just go out for an explore. If nothing else, this book is an inspiration to do something a bit different on a sunny Saturday morning. It does that job very well because it has been put together so nicely, with such attention to detail: from photos, to points of interest, to GPS coordinates (which I have stuck on my Nokia along with the book, so it is always handy). Much more than I had expected for under a tenner. Many thanks.”

-Andrea

“This is a superb book, definitely one of the best bike related purchases I’ve done in a long time. This eBook includes a fab variety of cycle routes, from Central London ones to more countryside ones. Whether you want to sight see London’s most famous monuments, test your thighs on some wicked hills, or do some serious distance, you really have lots of choice to pick from. I also liked the way they are rated according to how easy they are”

- Jerome

“Great eBook, bargain price. The layout and pictures are beautifully done, maps are good resolution. Like the variety of routes, can’t wait to try them out. The download process was quick and easy too.”

-Paul

“I purchased this today and wasn’t expecting to go for a ride but then I found the London Night Ride section and as we were only talking about doing this in the week there are a few of us hitting the London roads tonight should the weather hold up.

To those wondering if its worth it I’d say a big fat YES! I hesitated before clicking the buy button as i’d seen some really bad ebooks then I realised that i spend more on coffee for me and the wife than I would on this, so away I went and bought it.

Conclusion : It’s far better value for money than any skinny tall latte I could have had (and this is a calorie burner ) the quality is excellent it’s very clear and well put together and the addition of the Google Earth and GPS files is fantastic, well worth the money.”

-Lee

Find London cycle routes

Andreas — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Here is a highly useful collection of websites you can use to plan your cycling route around London. Some, such as the Sustrans website, help you locate where the cycle network routes are and others are good for discovering other peoples recommended routes. These are useful to consult if your simply looking for a leisurely weekend cycle and don’t know where to go or want to get from one side of the city to the other avoiding traffic as much as possible.

Get 30 London Cycle Routes

Note: I have also released an eBook with 30 London cycle routes that includes GPS coordinates.

Sustrans – National Cycle Network

Lists all the UK national cycle routes and whether they are on the road or traffic free. Unfortunately you cannot export the routes. www.sustrans.org.uk

CycleStreets

CycleStreets attempts to map out the best route for you based on its data as to which roads are friendly to cyclists. It then lists the route with easy turn by turn directions and tells you which roads are nightmarish and which are good. It does so through use of OpenStreetMap and OpenCycleMap which cyclists can add to. It is a bit rough around the edges but a fantastic site none the less. www.cyclestreets.net

Bikemap.net

Place to download others London cycle routes or add your own. It has a good widescreen layout and is advert free. Loving the export functionality to Google Earth or as a GPX file. What makes this site stand out is that it is really good for printing the route (Highly useful for me as I always end up getting lost) www.bikemap.net

Camden Cycling Campaign London Cycle Map

Camden Cyclists come to the rescue with this very useful map which shows you where all the cycle paths are so you can plan your journey around them. http://maps.camdencyclists.org.uk/allroutes/

EveryTrail

This is one of my favourites. It is where I posted my Birmingham to London cycle route and it is a really great site with lots of features. I especially like the ability to add photos of routes you add. It also offers good integration with the iPhone. You can export to Google Earth or GPX. Probably the best site for sharing your route with others. www.everytrail.com

Transport for London Journey Planner

The journey planner on the TfL website now has an option to choose to go by bike. Results can vary but none the less you may find this useful for planning your routes. http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk

Bikely

Big list of bike routes submitted by other users. The site can however be a little temperamental, one day it works and one day it doesn’t. A little like the tube really! Exports to GPX and Google Earth. www.bikely.com

London canal route maps

There are plenty of canals you can cycle down in London and the waterscape website helps list some of them. http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling

MapMyRide

Very in-your-face advertising which can ruin the experience. None the less there is a good number of London cycle routes to have a look through. It can export to GPX or Google Earth. Also there is an iPhone app to go with it. www.mapmyride.com

TfL cycle guides

The TfL website has a number of free maps you can order off them so you can plan your London cycle routes in the traditional tree killing form. www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/

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Image by ankehuber