For anyone thinking of commuting by bike...
Discussion
It's only Steyning to Storrington in Sussex, just to the north of the South Downs and 7 miles by car. Trouble is, that road is awful; busy and with two cars going in opposite directions there is very little room for one to pass a bike. So I go the longer country routes, anything from 10 miles to 20+ each depending on weather and daylight and mood. I sometimes go through Worthing if I want a bit commute-at-slow-car-speed action, but not often.
Nice isn't it, your route OP looks a bit like mine
I love cycling this time of year and spring, the changing seasons look great
Mine is all country roads, quite picturesque and very quiet, bar one really nasty stretch, although I can go down a gravel track instead
Sometimes I miss urban comuteing, then I cut through Swindon on the way home and realise I dont!!!!!
Some pics depending on route:
I love cycling this time of year and spring, the changing seasons look great
Mine is all country roads, quite picturesque and very quiet, bar one really nasty stretch, although I can go down a gravel track instead
Sometimes I miss urban comuteing, then I cut through Swindon on the way home and realise I dont!!!!!
Some pics depending on route:
RCBRG said:
Cycling at 5.30am in the rain in the outskirts of West London looks nothing like that...
Having ridden from my office to Hillingdon a few times, I said to myself that should I ever happen to live anywhere in West London I wouldn't commute by bike. Awful ride.Despite still having a London commute, the route in from where I am is actually pretty good, I can skirt the Thames from Surbiton, into Richmond Park out and then through Putney, Chelsea and then down the embankment, some of the more pleasant areas, and a lot of landmarks, and crucially, you can get some speed going so its certainly possible to avg 17-18mph even at busy times. When riding out to Hillingdon I was struggling to avg 15....
okgo said:
Having ridden from my office to Hillingdon a few times, I said to myself that should I ever happen to live anywhere in West London I wouldn't commute by bike. Awful ride.
Despite still having a London commute, the route in from where I am is actually pretty good, I can skirt the Thames from Surbiton, into Richmond Park out and then through Putney, Chelsea and then down the embankment, some of the more pleasant areas, and a lot of landmarks, and crucially, you can get some speed going so its certainly possible to avg 17-18mph even at busy times. When riding out to Hillingdon I was struggling to avg 15....
i was riding to and from Hillingdon for a while, and it really wasn't nice. Not sure it's improved riding near Datchet and Heathrow though...Despite still having a London commute, the route in from where I am is actually pretty good, I can skirt the Thames from Surbiton, into Richmond Park out and then through Putney, Chelsea and then down the embankment, some of the more pleasant areas, and a lot of landmarks, and crucially, you can get some speed going so its certainly possible to avg 17-18mph even at busy times. When riding out to Hillingdon I was struggling to avg 15....
okgo said:
Having ridden from my office to Hillingdon a few times, I said to myself that should I ever happen to live anywhere in West London I wouldn't commute by bike. Awful ride.
Despite still having a London commute, the route in from where I am is actually pretty good, I can skirt the Thames from Surbiton, into Richmond Park out and then through Putney, Chelsea and then down the embankment, some of the more pleasant areas, and a lot of landmarks, and crucially, you can get some speed going so its certainly possible to avg 17-18mph even at busy times. When riding out to Hillingdon I was struggling to avg 15....
I can second that the uxbridge road is like the film death race and the cycle paths are full of zombies I don't cycle it any more as it was just so dull and annoying to ride Despite still having a London commute, the route in from where I am is actually pretty good, I can skirt the Thames from Surbiton, into Richmond Park out and then through Putney, Chelsea and then down the embankment, some of the more pleasant areas, and a lot of landmarks, and crucially, you can get some speed going so its certainly possible to avg 17-18mph even at busy times. When riding out to Hillingdon I was struggling to avg 15....
Can't agree enough. I've had some great rides out of the valley I live in to see the clear blue sky and mist in the valley. I need to remember to stop and take it in now and again. (Pictures never to it justice, although there are some handy PH photographers.
Even when it's pissing it down it's preferable to the Northern Line, which was my old commute.
Even when it's pissing it down it's preferable to the Northern Line, which was my old commute.
|http://thumbsnap.com/3m9FNFAq[/urlOnly trouble with my rural commute is from next week its a pitch black (bar 2 miles) of dark lanes all the way home, I enjoy it but I dread a puncture or mechanical! Not for those scared of the dark, particularly past the graveyard and abandoned railway!
Plus if I want to grab some lunch on the way in, I have a choice of one shop; a s
tty mini Tesco , that's it! I work 4 miles from the nearest town so not easy to pop out and grab something at lunch to eat , not like the ace options and variety you get in London/big city
Plus if I want to grab some lunch on the way in, I have a choice of one shop; a s
tty mini Tesco , that's it! I work 4 miles from the nearest town so not easy to pop out and grab something at lunch to eat , not like the ace options and variety you get in London/big city 
broster said:
I try and commute 3 times a week, but the weather this morning didnt look anything like your pictures.... the car won!
I confess, it did for me today too!25 years ago, I commuted a few times from Hounslow up to Wembley, jeez that was full on. Switched jobs to Richmond, that was a lot nicer. "Commuted" the 45 mile each way trip to Sutton from Steyning a few times when I worked there, proper long day with 2.5 hours riding sandwiching work!
Daveyraveygravey said:
It's only Steyning to Storrington in Sussex, just to the north of the South Downs and 7 miles by car. Trouble is, that road is awful; busy and with two cars going in opposite directions there is very little room for one to pass a bike. So I go the longer country routes, anything from 10 miles to 20+ each depending on weather and daylight and mood. I sometimes go through Worthing if I want a bit commute-at-slow-car-speed action, but not often.
I know exactly where you are and exactly what road you are talking about, my in-laws live in Ferring so when we visit I take a bike and have a scoot around the Downs. If you are climbing the Bostal in the morning then hat's off to you, that's a real leg wakener!!!!Love the area but we only get to visit and handful of times a year so don't get to ride there as much as I would like....
The Walrus said:
I can second that the uxbridge road is like the film death race and the cycle paths are full of zombies I don't cycle it any more as it was just so dull and annoying to ride
Yeh, that and ghetto kids on scooters and what not, just not a pleasant place once you get beyond Shep Bush into Acton and such.Fortunately the road from central to Kingston is generally pleasant places and involves a good couple of miles of Richmond Park, far improved.
Beautiful photos, I live in Brighton but quite often cycle those roads as have friends and family in Worthing, try and avoid cycling through Worthing if I can. Even the coast road is quite annoying.
A283 is mostly horrid when busy. Edburton Road to the East is lovely though. The A272 is also a horrible piece of st, terrible surface, way too busy and driven by cyclist murdering a-holes. Which is shame as it's very useful for travelling East-West.
I'm loving October commute so far but need new brake pads now as when the rims are wet I'm not even locking up the wheels and nearly had a back of emergency stopped VW Polo interface yesterday. My next road bike is going to have discs.
A283 is mostly horrid when busy. Edburton Road to the East is lovely though. The A272 is also a horrible piece of s
t, terrible surface, way too busy and driven by cyclist murdering a-holes. Which is shame as it's very useful for travelling East-West.I'm loving October commute so far but need new brake pads now as when the rims are wet I'm not even locking up the wheels and nearly had a back of emergency stopped VW Polo interface yesterday. My next road bike is going to have discs.
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