Home Chat General Chat

Across London Commuting. How far do you go?

Just wondering how many of you cycle across London on your commute; how far and how long it takes?
Looking at a new job just now that will take me from Twickenham into Covent Garden each day.
Tubes/trains are out - they're soul destroying at that time of day.
Most cycle-friendly way seems to be via Putney > Mayfair > Thames Embankment.
google maps is telling me it'll be about 22K each way, which given rush-hour London traffic will probably take about 50 mins.
So I'll be clocking up over 200Km on my weekly commute alone. Too much?

Comments

  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    My cycle commute is from Greenwich to Mayfair, which is 8.4 miles (according to google maps) and takes me ~33mins in and @35 back (best in either direction was 31mins). given the trafic situation and resd lights etc I quite often use it as a 'sprint' session. I will go as hard as i can from one set of lights to the next then recover while they're red and go again. i try and do this once a week, although as my mojo seems to be missing at the moment I haven't riden to work in about 3 weeks... but when i do I do that once a week, then take it nice and easy once a week and then just get there the third day - i figure any more than 3 days is pushing my luck with London traffic, myopic drivers etc, but that's just an excuse as i'm lazy at heart
  • I live near Boxhill and work in Battersea, that's about 20 miles each way.

    I probably ride in for half my shifts so that about 10 shifts a month - that's then 400 miles a month just on commuting - I will say though that I drive alot more in the winter..... so that will drop down to about 3 or 4 rides in over the darker months.

    I use commuting as a way of training - I don't bimble in. I have very little free time so I have to.

    Only you can tell if that distance is good for you - good luck
  • Sounds great GFH!

    I'm only 5km from work (Mile End to the City) so try and find longer routes home via North London to increase my mileage. Incidentally, is there a kilometre version of mileage? Is it kilometreage?

    Anyway, as Ben says, treat is as part of training. Just make sure you get a hi-vis jacket and some decent lights and keep your wits about you... Went past a road block today for what looked like a fatal collision on Whitechapel road.

    Sometimes its just better to arrive at work 10mins later.
  • willtriwilltri Posts: 436
    20Miles each way from Watford to Liverpool street. (100 - 140 miles per week - i sometimes leave the bike there and train home)

    It's most of my bike training at the moment - so the same as md6 - hammer it until you get stopped by one of the million traffic lights or have to slow down as there's "danger about"

    I have my lights on even during the day - flashing light on my helmet and if its cold a bright yellow jacket.

    Was thinking of getting a head torch for the winter to shine in drivers eyes so they really see me!!

    Good luck and ride defensive!!
  • Well I don't cycle in London (obviously ) but I did commute in central Auckland which was a bike haters paradise - I really like those reflective bands that go round your ankles - the white ones are best. They seem to really make people think "what the f***"

    Good luck
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    durhamvam wrote:
    I really like those reflective bands that go round your ankles - the white ones are best. They seem to really make people think "what the f***"

    Good luck
    You've seen my sock 'sun-tan' haven't you????
  • You're right Md6 I could probably use my "walkers tan" for the same purpose this winter as I haven't had the benefit of a Kiwi summer Oh well going back in November so might get some sunshine then although it's a bit early.........
  • BmanBman Posts: 442
    Im doing 10km each way averaging just over 22min most days, but thats across SW london and after many changes to the route. Its a really good distance for everyday commuting, cos you can really go for it sometimes and know you wont be shattered afterwards. A few years back I was doing 18km each way from NE to SW London, down the A10 past liverpool street and over london bridge down the A3. I found sticking to major traffic arteries is definitely the way forward to get speed and avoid pedestrians. However, it was killing me doing that distance. I was shattered every night and it wasnt great. Granted I was less fit, but still, I wouldnt do that distance again.
  • deeessdeeess Posts: 150
    Lewisham to Fleet St - about 9km and takes about 30 mins on my MTB. I tend not to push it - see it more as a session to keep the cobwebs at bay.

    Heart rate still manages to reach 180bpm on the Old Kent Road though - generally due to pot holes+buses+motorbikes+taxis all waiting to ambush me.
  • I am doing Kingston to Piccadilly 5 days a week, 20k each way. On Friday mornings I first go out to Surrey to add another 50k to my route, no riding on the weekend - family time! I do 200-250km a week.

    The usual cycle time is 40-45 mins plus a few minutes for red lights. PB was 35 mins at xmas with very little traffic and red lights. Nicest route is via Richmond Park, down Priory Lane, Putney, Putney Bridge and Kings Road. As soon as you hit the Putney Bridge the traffic is bad .... that's why I cycle early in the morning, sort of 6am and do my running in Hyde Park, Green Park, Regents Park, Embankment. This way I get all my training done before work and then take it easier on the commute back.

    When it rains badly, I take the train as the car drivers just don't see you. Otherwise I ride all year round and there are surprisingly few days where the rain is really bad!
  • Cheers just2tri. Interesting.
    Can't see me leaving at 6am though!
    It's a lot of riding in 1 week. How much other training do you get in? What distance do you race?
  • 6am - pah - I start work then, up at 0415 and on the bike by 0440, get to work, shower, change, eat, do work stuff and out on 1st job at 0600

    ... finish at 1800 hrs ( provided I don't get a late job) then ride home.

    After 4 of those days I can't move for 24 hours.

    Nights are even worse
  • deeessdeeess Posts: 150
    jeez will that is a long day - what work do you do?
  • deeess wrote:
    jeez will that is a long day - what work do you do?
    He's a cycle courier

    BTW I thought his name was will for ages as well!
  • Will.... LOL

    I work for the infamous London Ambulance Service - you ring 999 and my ugly mug turns up with a few bags of tricks, drugs and experiment on you.

    Best job in the world. ( apart from never getting annual leave and the long hours - my days off make up for it though)
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    All you long distance ride to work folks, do you manage to have a shower when you get to work, or do you just smell sweaty all day?
  • willtriwilltri Posts: 436
    Were lucky and have a shower - i would be stinking come lunch time if not! Although i do sweat a lot!!
  • I see a life of baby wipe-baths ahead of me.

    For all you high mileage commuters, what kind of distance do you race?
    Do you have a killer bike split?
  • about 4 miles (limehouse to waterloo) - and slowly as using it mainly as to avoid taking the jubilee line (although quickly on Tuesday pm when it was pouring and I hadn't checked the weather and so was the only idiot wearing a t-shirt and shorts).....

    it must be a good workout though - the trusty stead weights a tonne! like the idea about sprints between lights, might give that a go sometime and am very impressed by the high mileage riders I must say!
  • Lucky enough to have full shower and change facilities and 2 lockers ( one wet and one dry) so it's not an issue. My govnor even out in bike lockers recently.... so pretty easy to commute.

    I am getting so used to doing 10 or 20 mile rides that I seem to have neglected the longer sessions.... I can do a 20 mile ride to work in under an hour but after that I just seem to blow up and die.... so my aim over the winter is to increase mileage in the pool... my weakest of the the 3 disciplines and carry on riding and split that with runs to work.
  • Gunforhire - my normal training week is 200-250k cycling including the long commute of 50-80k on Firdays, 2 swim sessions (total of 3000m) and three runs (total of 25-30k).
    Mon: 5k run, 2k swim, 20k commute, work, 20k commute home.
    Tue: 20k commute, 15k run, work, 20k commute home.
    Wed: 1-1.5k swim, 20k commute, work, 20k commute.
    Thu: 20k commute, 6-10k run, 20k commute.
    Fri: 50-80k commute, work, 20k commute and sometimes 40 mins swim lessons
    Sat+Sun family time. Every 4th week I reduce the volume of the longer sessions.

    Normal work day is 10-12 hours (I have shower and changing room, lucky me or them!). I am happiest when my kids sleep thru all night ....
    I have done sprint and OD so far and would like to do HIM next year, but I am not sure I can find the time for the longer training sessions without having to cut into family time on the weekend, which I do not want to do.
  • risris Posts: 1,002
    my bike commute is 18-19k each way and at peak i was doing it 4 days a week, i needed the fifth to bring clean clothes into the office (i get shocking shoulder and back pain if i bike with a rucksack, even a good deuter one). i can do it in 38 on the way out and 36 on the way home (on a really good day, 35). it's hilly, i have a 1.8mile solid climb in the middle of the return route. i also have some longer home routes for when i feel the need to increase the distance.

    i've reduced the frequency of bike days recently though to bring in some car-run commutes as i realised i wasn't running often enough. i park 4miles from work and run in from there 2 days a week now, and bike 2, maybe 3 if i think i have enough clothes! i figure i can park a little further out soon and increase the distance.

    my bike splits are usually my strongest in events, particularly hilly ones. that's why i've started running more!
  • I'm same as Ris - Bike is my best by far (last tri - Swim - 140ish, Cycle 77, Run 120ish)

    I commute 16k each way 2-3 times a week - I tried doing it each day but found that my run training quality was suffering. My time is usually about 35mins.
Sign In or Register to comment.