Commuting by bike in London
Discussion
Hi all,
Over the past 18 months or so I've lost a fair amount of weight with a personal trainer in the gym (and I've been doing my own training too).
It's expensive though (£200 a month, just for the trainer) so I have been thinking of stopping that and buying a bike.
Commuting would be cheaper than the gym, I'd probably still get enough exercise, and under the cycle to work scheme I'd get a great bike worth £500 for about half that. Plus the Olympics will make commuting by public transport hell.
My wife's not too keen as she perceives the risks of cycling to be too great around town. And to be fair I've seen a few cycling messes in my time too.
I guess I just wanted to know if you thought cycling (done properly, ie with all the right kit and not riding like a maniac) was something safer than, say, being bawled at twice a week by a former Olympic wrestler from Slovakia?
Cheers,
Rich
Ps it would be a round trip of 16 miles which I also assume isn't nuts?
Over the past 18 months or so I've lost a fair amount of weight with a personal trainer in the gym (and I've been doing my own training too).
It's expensive though (£200 a month, just for the trainer) so I have been thinking of stopping that and buying a bike.
Commuting would be cheaper than the gym, I'd probably still get enough exercise, and under the cycle to work scheme I'd get a great bike worth £500 for about half that. Plus the Olympics will make commuting by public transport hell.
My wife's not too keen as she perceives the risks of cycling to be too great around town. And to be fair I've seen a few cycling messes in my time too.
I guess I just wanted to know if you thought cycling (done properly, ie with all the right kit and not riding like a maniac) was something safer than, say, being bawled at twice a week by a former Olympic wrestler from Slovakia?
Cheers,
Rich
Ps it would be a round trip of 16 miles which I also assume isn't nuts?
Provided you don't ride like a clueless idiot (wobbling, going up the inside of vehicles turning left, riding in the gutter etc) or a complete bell end (jumping lights, etc) and exercise a little defensive riding, you'll be fine 
Many (but not all) cycling casualties are, dare I say, self-inflicted: poor road positioning, riding in blind spots, GOING UP THE INSIDE OF VEHICLES TURNING LEFT, dodgy overtakes etc.
Many (but not all) cycling casualties are, dare I say, self-inflicted: poor road positioning, riding in blind spots, GOING UP THE INSIDE OF VEHICLES TURNING LEFT, dodgy overtakes etc.
Yes that's what I thought- I've read most people come a cropper trying to undertake lorries in their blind spot, which is never optimal.
I used to have a paper-round and so learnt the hard way to watch car doors as you ride up to them.... Only got caught out once mid you... To be far I'm not sure the back streets of Ballymoney in Ulster are quite the same as getting round the Elephant and Castle, but you never know...
R
I used to have a paper-round and so learnt the hard way to watch car doors as you ride up to them.... Only got caught out once mid you... To be far I'm not sure the back streets of Ballymoney in Ulster are quite the same as getting round the Elephant and Castle, but you never know...
R
I love cycling in London, it's cheap, fun, the (don't mention it) competitive element, if you're as pro as me you look super cool at the traffic lights....
Just act smart as mentioned above - NEVER in the inside of trucks, buses, assume everyone about to pull out of a junction hasn't seen you, ALWAYS check over the shoulder before changing lanes. TBH I'm surprised there aren't more deaths on the streets the amount of muppets I see riding around.
Just act smart as mentioned above - NEVER in the inside of trucks, buses, assume everyone about to pull out of a junction hasn't seen you, ALWAYS check over the shoulder before changing lanes. TBH I'm surprised there aren't more deaths on the streets the amount of muppets I see riding around.
RichS said:
Yes that's what I thought- I've read most people come a cropper trying to undertake lorries in their blind spot, which is never optimal.
I used to have a paper-round and so learnt the hard way to watch car doors as you ride up to them.... Only got caught out once mid you... To be far I'm not sure the back streets of Ballymoney in Ulster are quite the same as getting round the Elephant and Castle, but you never know...
R
I've been riding for just over a year in London and have had one off (into the side of a car who didn't see me and cut straight across my path into a side road), unfortunately you'll never be able to mitigate the risk of other drivers and I do now flinch when I see cars approaching junctions for fear that they haven't seen me but I'm going by the rule that any off in that situation probably won't be a big one. When you see some of the riding that goes on, you understand how people die on bikes in London and it makes you feel safer. The Elephant and Castle roundabout is actually fairly easy to negotiate, just keep to your own lane (i.e. centre of it) so that cars can't squeeze you, the traffic is so slow that you won't be holding anyone up.I used to have a paper-round and so learnt the hard way to watch car doors as you ride up to them.... Only got caught out once mid you... To be far I'm not sure the back streets of Ballymoney in Ulster are quite the same as getting round the Elephant and Castle, but you never know...
R
I thought about giving up the riding after my crash and seeing a few messes in the days following but it's my only exercise and I'd end up being fat, sweaty every day I get to work and poorer without it so think I'd rather move away from London than give up commuting by bike.
Thanks for the helpful replies. Does the "it's as risky as being a pedestrian" stat take account of the fact that there are more pedestrians?
Yes, you are right about the "spend £1,000"... I went into Evans yesterday with a £500 figure in my head, then started thinking "hmmm, if I spent a bit more I could get THAT one... and THAT one looks really good for only £700...". Plus you clearly need to get various essential gear, e.g. (I assume) a decent lock, lights, helmet, some kit to wear, etc etc, which all add up as well!
Yes, you are right about the "spend £1,000"... I went into Evans yesterday with a £500 figure in my head, then started thinking "hmmm, if I spent a bit more I could get THAT one... and THAT one looks really good for only £700...". Plus you clearly need to get various essential gear, e.g. (I assume) a decent lock, lights, helmet, some kit to wear, etc etc, which all add up as well!
I did three years, 20 mile round-trip, 4-5 days a week in London.
I really miss it now I have moved much further away.
I had two offs: one elderly Chinese pedestrian crossed on a red man and I was going too fast to stop in time and one black ice moment during winter.
Knocked my confidence for a bit but no permanent harm done.
Also, after a while I did some cycle training in order to iron out any bad habits I had picked up.
I cannot recommend it highly enough.
This involved facing some pretty "scary" roads such as Hyde Park Corner roundabout (about 10 times) and going up and down the 5-lane part of Park Lane.
I paid out of my own pocket but your council may well subsidise it for you for free!
Check here for more insights: http://www.lfgss.com/thread43906.html
Wiganwill trained me.
I started off on my old MTB with slicks.
Replaced almost every moving part and then moved on to single-speeds. The MTB was genuinely expensive to maintain.
The cost of maintenance was significantly lower on the single-speed: plenty of chains, brake pads and the odd tyre every few thousand miles.
If I had my time again with the £1k C2W I would probably just buy a Langster/Charge Plug and spend the rest on kit.
There really aren't any hills in London so a fully geared road-bike is a little bit of overkill.
IMHO, the most important element for London commuting is the kit.
For example, do you need to carry lots? I would seriously consider panniers. Way better than a rucksack but £££.
Depending on where you park (company underground garage vs. public lamppost) you may need TWO locks: D-lock for rear wheel and frame with a cable lock for the front wheel. (Make sure you swap out any quick release saddle/wheel skewers.)
Lights: an absolute MUST.
Clothing: helmet, gloves, waterproof breathable jacket, shorts and maybe a buff.
Shoes: I would get into SPDs (clipless) asap. That's a minimum of £25 for the pedals and £50 on the shoes.
I really miss it now I have moved much further away.
I had two offs: one elderly Chinese pedestrian crossed on a red man and I was going too fast to stop in time and one black ice moment during winter.
Knocked my confidence for a bit but no permanent harm done.
Also, after a while I did some cycle training in order to iron out any bad habits I had picked up.
I cannot recommend it highly enough.
This involved facing some pretty "scary" roads such as Hyde Park Corner roundabout (about 10 times) and going up and down the 5-lane part of Park Lane.
I paid out of my own pocket but your council may well subsidise it for you for free!
Check here for more insights: http://www.lfgss.com/thread43906.html
Wiganwill trained me.
I started off on my old MTB with slicks.
Replaced almost every moving part and then moved on to single-speeds. The MTB was genuinely expensive to maintain.
The cost of maintenance was significantly lower on the single-speed: plenty of chains, brake pads and the odd tyre every few thousand miles.
If I had my time again with the £1k C2W I would probably just buy a Langster/Charge Plug and spend the rest on kit.
There really aren't any hills in London so a fully geared road-bike is a little bit of overkill.
IMHO, the most important element for London commuting is the kit.
For example, do you need to carry lots? I would seriously consider panniers. Way better than a rucksack but £££.
Depending on where you park (company underground garage vs. public lamppost) you may need TWO locks: D-lock for rear wheel and frame with a cable lock for the front wheel. (Make sure you swap out any quick release saddle/wheel skewers.)
Lights: an absolute MUST.
Clothing: helmet, gloves, waterproof breathable jacket, shorts and maybe a buff.
Shoes: I would get into SPDs (clipless) asap. That's a minimum of £25 for the pedals and £50 on the shoes.
walm said:
IMHO, the most important element for London commuting is the kit.
Couldn’t agree more, for instance a £20-30 set of waterproof trousers makes a huge difference and stops that “Oh it’s lashing down, I’ll just take the train” thing happening and stopping you “saving”. With the right kit you can just cycle everywhere all the time and the public transport is just a distant grimy smelly memory.
walm said:
IMHO, the most important element for London commuting is the kit.
For example, do you need to carry lots? I would seriously consider panniers. Way better than a rucksack but £££.
Depending on where you park (company underground garage vs. public lamppost) you may need TWO locks: D-lock for rear wheel and frame with a cable lock for the front wheel. (Make sure you swap out any quick release saddle/wheel skewers.)
Lights: an absolute MUST.
Clothing: helmet, gloves, waterproof breathable jacket, shorts and maybe a buff.
Shoes: I would get into SPDs (clipless) asap. That's a minimum of £25 for the pedals and £50 on the shoes.
And, given the current "summer", a bike that can take full length mudguards.For example, do you need to carry lots? I would seriously consider panniers. Way better than a rucksack but £££.
Depending on where you park (company underground garage vs. public lamppost) you may need TWO locks: D-lock for rear wheel and frame with a cable lock for the front wheel. (Make sure you swap out any quick release saddle/wheel skewers.)
Lights: an absolute MUST.
Clothing: helmet, gloves, waterproof breathable jacket, shorts and maybe a buff.
Shoes: I would get into SPDs (clipless) asap. That's a minimum of £25 for the pedals and £50 on the shoes.
RichS said:
Hi all,
Over the past 18 months or so I've lost a fair amount of weight with a personal trainer in the gym (and I've been doing my own training too).
It's expensive though (£200 a month, just for the trainer) so I have been thinking of stopping that and buying a bike.
Commuting would be cheaper than the gym, I'd probably still get enough exercise, and under the cycle to work scheme I'd get a great bike worth £500 for about half that. Plus the Olympics will make commuting by public transport hell.
My wife's not too keen as she perceives the risks of cycling to be too great around town. And to be fair I've seen a few cycling messes in my time too.
I guess I just wanted to know if you thought cycling (done properly, ie with all the right kit and not riding like a maniac) was something safer than, say, being bawled at twice a week by a former Olympic wrestler from Slovakia?
Cheers,
Rich
Ps it would be a round trip of 16 miles which I also assume isn't nuts?
To be honest, it's brilliant, and I'm amazed anyone takes the tube.Over the past 18 months or so I've lost a fair amount of weight with a personal trainer in the gym (and I've been doing my own training too).
It's expensive though (£200 a month, just for the trainer) so I have been thinking of stopping that and buying a bike.
Commuting would be cheaper than the gym, I'd probably still get enough exercise, and under the cycle to work scheme I'd get a great bike worth £500 for about half that. Plus the Olympics will make commuting by public transport hell.
My wife's not too keen as she perceives the risks of cycling to be too great around town. And to be fair I've seen a few cycling messes in my time too.
I guess I just wanted to know if you thought cycling (done properly, ie with all the right kit and not riding like a maniac) was something safer than, say, being bawled at twice a week by a former Olympic wrestler from Slovakia?
Cheers,
Rich
Ps it would be a round trip of 16 miles which I also assume isn't nuts?
It's quick, cheap, reliable, consistent, fun and keeps you fit.
After a few months you won't even notice a 16 mile round trip - that should be no more than 30 minutes each way.
Take the advice above regarding what to do, and what not to do, (don't jump red lights), and get stuck in. Ride considerately and defensively and you won't have any problems. Accidents really are rare - there are apparently 500,000 cycle journeys in London each day, and the facilities are getting better which is encouraging more people to ride. There is certainly safety in numbers.
I do more miles by bike than by car now, and I cannot imagine having a regular commute by public transport ever again.
RichS said:
Thanks for the helpful replies. Does the "it's as risky as being a pedestrian" stat take account of the fact that there are more pedestrians?
Yes, you are right about the "spend £1,000"... I went into Evans yesterday with a £500 figure in my head, then started thinking "hmmm, if I spent a bit more I could get THAT one... and THAT one looks really good for only £700...". Plus you clearly need to get various essential gear, e.g. (I assume) a decent lock, lights, helmet, some kit to wear, etc etc, which all add up as well!
In terms of risk per mile on foot or on a bike it's broadly similar.Yes, you are right about the "spend £1,000"... I went into Evans yesterday with a £500 figure in my head, then started thinking "hmmm, if I spent a bit more I could get THAT one... and THAT one looks really good for only £700...". Plus you clearly need to get various essential gear, e.g. (I assume) a decent lock, lights, helmet, some kit to wear, etc etc, which all add up as well!
Do ask yourself what kind of bike you want though. I have a full roadie, but then my commute is 20km each way and I don't need to carry anything (I'll always need to tube it in one day/week so I just swap clothes then). If it was only 4-5 miles I'd probably not bother with CTW and just pick up a secondhand flat bar hybrid.
Where would you be cycling from and to?
I do 16 miles each way, and I'm quite happy that the busy part is up a cycle superhighway, if for no other reason than there's just too many of us not to be seen!
Definitely worth doing.
As for how much you spend on your CTW scheme, think of it this way... The more you spend, the less the taxman gets.
I do 16 miles each way, and I'm quite happy that the busy part is up a cycle superhighway, if for no other reason than there's just too many of us not to be seen!
Definitely worth doing.
As for how much you spend on your CTW scheme, think of it this way... The more you spend, the less the taxman gets.
AyBee said:
I've been riding for just over a year in London and have had one off (into the side of a car who didn't see me and cut straight across my path into a side road), unfortunately you'll never be able to mitigate the risk of other drivers and I do now flinch when I see cars approaching junctions for fear that they haven't seen me but I'm going by the rule that any off in that situation probably won't be a big one. When you see some of the riding that goes on, you understand how people die on bikes in London and it makes you feel safer. The Elephant and Castle roundabout is actually fairly easy to negotiate, just keep to your own lane (i.e. centre of it) so that cars can't squeeze you, the traffic is so slow that you won't be holding anyone up.
I thought about giving up the riding after my crash and seeing a few messes in the days following but it's my only exercise and I'd end up being fat, sweaty every day I get to work and poorer without it so think I'd rather move away from London than give up commuting by bike.
Having stated the above, I then cycled through E&C this morning to see the dreaded Fatal Collision sign (although I'm assuming it was a cyclist and not a ped) - be careful out there chaps!I thought about giving up the riding after my crash and seeing a few messes in the days following but it's my only exercise and I'd end up being fat, sweaty every day I get to work and poorer without it so think I'd rather move away from London than give up commuting by bike.
The key to survival is eye contact, with just about every living thing on the road! It's the best way of ensuring people have seen you.
Have been commuting 12 miles a day through central London for about 6 years and my only traffic-related accident was when I and a motorcyclist were both doing something stupid; lesson learnt there.
Bike-wise; MTB with touring/slick tyres is king. Not fastest (can still sail past lycra-clad lance impersonators with ease) but definitely safest with a decent riding position that affords a good view and phenomenally powerful disc-brakes that mean you can stop in a hurry when needed.
I've been riding bikes for a long time and do everything from DH to BMX and take all my riding very seriously, always wear a lid etc, never use headphones (anyone who does deserves and instant Darwin award) but you wouldn't get me on a skinny tyred, head-down road bike with pathetic brakes to commute in London for all the tea in China.
Have been commuting 12 miles a day through central London for about 6 years and my only traffic-related accident was when I and a motorcyclist were both doing something stupid; lesson learnt there.
Bike-wise; MTB with touring/slick tyres is king. Not fastest (can still sail past lycra-clad lance impersonators with ease) but definitely safest with a decent riding position that affords a good view and phenomenally powerful disc-brakes that mean you can stop in a hurry when needed.
I've been riding bikes for a long time and do everything from DH to BMX and take all my riding very seriously, always wear a lid etc, never use headphones (anyone who does deserves and instant Darwin award) but you wouldn't get me on a skinny tyred, head-down road bike with pathetic brakes to commute in London for all the tea in China.
TBH, despite the popular perception that the general public have, London car traffic is OK if you are a cyclist, mostly because London drivers for the most part are very used to having cyclists around them.
The single most important thing is to keep you speed differential with the traffic that's travelling with you to a minimum. Flying past a queue of stationary traffic at warp 9 is properly dangerous. Riding slowly in fast moving traffic likewise. Plus drivers get more impatient with dawdlers than riders that they think are at least making an effort.
Always be cautious at a junction where you don't have uninterrupted sight lines, whether you have right of way or not. Having right of way won't repair a bike or a bone.
The single most important thing is to keep you speed differential with the traffic that's travelling with you to a minimum. Flying past a queue of stationary traffic at warp 9 is properly dangerous. Riding slowly in fast moving traffic likewise. Plus drivers get more impatient with dawdlers than riders that they think are at least making an effort.
Always be cautious at a junction where you don't have uninterrupted sight lines, whether you have right of way or not. Having right of way won't repair a bike or a bone.
Thanks for all the advice and help; sounds like the view is pretty unanimous then- behave sensibly and you won't come (too much) of a cropper...
As for the bike, I'd like to be able to fit a child seat in the coming year or two, so I am thinking of a hybrid rather than a pure road bike. The chap in Evans pointed me towards a Specialized Cirrus, which seems to get ok reviews. I am thinking of getting the £499 one instead of the £370 as I think the dearer one has better brakes, which sounds like a sensible precaution given some of the stories! Plus that leaves plenty of cash for shiny extras... tax free and amortised over 12 months of course...
As for where I live- Sydenham Woods, just at the top of Sydenham Hill- and I work at London Bridge- so a quick downhill to start the morning, but a painful last haul up College Road coming home...
Rich
As for the bike, I'd like to be able to fit a child seat in the coming year or two, so I am thinking of a hybrid rather than a pure road bike. The chap in Evans pointed me towards a Specialized Cirrus, which seems to get ok reviews. I am thinking of getting the £499 one instead of the £370 as I think the dearer one has better brakes, which sounds like a sensible precaution given some of the stories! Plus that leaves plenty of cash for shiny extras... tax free and amortised over 12 months of course...
As for where I live- Sydenham Woods, just at the top of Sydenham Hill- and I work at London Bridge- so a quick downhill to start the morning, but a painful last haul up College Road coming home...
Rich
It's a little more involved than 'riding sensibly'.
To echo the thought of other on here, safe and progressive urban riding is, like with driving, about seeking co-operation with other road users.
To echo the thought of other on here, safe and progressive urban riding is, like with driving, about seeking co-operation with other road users.
- Make eye contact and get their attention - this is what most novice cyclists forget to do
- Don't to anything 'unexpected'
- If passing very slow or stationary traffic then keep a sensible speed differential
- Unless you're your crawling along, NEVER ride in the door zone
- Ride in the primary position through pinch points, junctions and roundabouts
- Use a lifesaver before moving lanes or turning
Synchromesh said:
It's a little more involved than 'riding sensibly'.
To echo the thought of other on here, safe and progressive urban riding is, like with driving, about seeking co-operation with other road users.
IMO, the most important points... The number of people I see that do neither does worry me!!To echo the thought of other on here, safe and progressive urban riding is, like with driving, about seeking co-operation with other road users.
- Make eye contact
- Use a lifesaver before moving lanes or turning
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