Who cycles to work from East Dulwich?

[DaveR]

I would normally shower in the morning anyway, so if I cycle and shower at work (in theory) it evens out because I'm taking less time to get out of the house. I reckon I take less time showering at work than at home as well. But, as others have said, it's more about freedom/control than saving lots of time. You can vary your route and your pace depending on how you're feeling.

You can also save some money, but you have to resist the temptation to spend a fortune on your bike and gear - in my experience lots of cyclists really struggle with this!

[boosboss]

What's the shower time got to do with the journey time? Showering still takes the same amount of time whichever end of the journey it's at. Lucky enough to have showers,locker room,drying room and a safe bike store at work. I do the Peckham/Surrey Canal/ Burgess Pk (Daylight)(OKR- NKR in the dark)/ Back rd (rt 23) coming out at New Kent Rd and finishing at Elephant. Easy and quick :)

[benmorg]

I've been cycling to work for 16 years, but only 6 months from ED. my route is dog kennel hill, camberwell grove, peckham back streets, burgess park, heygate estate, waterloo bridge. I can't stand walworth road or the first roundabout at elephant and castle, which is lethal.

I get hotter and sweatier using public transport than cycling. Have never showered at work and never needed to. The trick is to wear shorts and only a t-shirt, except when it's freezing or raining, so that the breeze keeps you dry and sweat cant build up. Also a huge help to wear a proper high-tech cycling t-shirt, as the polyester fabric doesn't hold moisture and become soggy and smelly as cotton does.

am happy to cycle in any weather, but crisp cold winter days are by far the best.

[mrs f]

Sean,

Good point, and for some I am sure you are right, however if you take out of the equasion showering at home, then it is only a little longer to get dressed twice.... weather you shower at work or at home it is only another 10 mins and I know I save 30 mins each way so I know even with the extra 10 mins I am still saving 40 mins a day.

Personally I only bother showering in the summer when it's really hot because I don't get that hot, but I am very lucky to have the choice. Plus the time not spent waiting for bus/train.... sweating away in a crammed bus/train.... and generally the energy it gives you to cycle far outweigh any downsides. Believe me I work in Fashion and my cycling look is not a cool look but it's worth it!

[Wisey]

I have been riding to work the last 6 months and have loved it, and plan to continue as the nights draw in.

I am also lucky enough to have cycle store, showers etc at work, so weather shouldn't deter me.

My journey to work is Crystal Palace Road down to Bellenden Road, Canal Path, Burgess Park, Portland St up to E&C, then Southwark Bridge Road to Southwark St and i'm there.

Takes about 25 mins, however not keen on using Canal Path or Burgess Park come the dark nights - any suggestions or is it Walworth Road or nothing?

[jim_the_chin]

depends where you're going it seems, up there Klaus said this:

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> The route i use everyday into Soho goes down

> Bellenden Road, through Warwick Gardens, down

> Camberwell Groove, up Camberwell New Road, turn

> right at the cricket ground, then through back

> streets to Lambeth Bridge, across it, then back

> streets up to Horse Guards Parade, under

> Admirality Arch and in to Soho.

while i'm here - i've been trawling gumtree for bikes but i keep seeing ones that i reckon are nicked - 1 year old and no history, that sort of thing. i wanted a 2nd hand one so it's not quite so nickable, or such a hit if it is nicked. should i just bite the bullet and get a new one - do edwardes still do 2nd hand bikes?

[mlteenie]

I never shower after cycling to work. I think a change of clothes is the key. You only smell if you didn't shower before riding - fresh sweat doesn't smell. Also, I would recommend the crystal deodorants which are clean, affordable and non-polluting/more environmentally sound. I used one on a two-week cycle tour in Italy, and they really do work as long as your pits are clean first.

As has been said before, it's the control freak aspect and predictabiity of route time (apart from the other benefits) that really win. The key moment for me (back in the early '90s when nightbuses were hell and sarf-bound cabs too expensive) was when, one beautiful summer evening in Green Park, my friend got on his bike and rode off as I contemplated how to get home to Herne Hill. Never looked back.

I ride everywhere and as long as you look out for yourself and obey the Highway Code as much as possible (tut tut, geh!) you should be fine. I rarely have punctures or mechanical failures, nor too many scary moments with other road users. Like driving, cycling looks a lot more daunting from the pavement than it does when you are in the traffic. Anyone can do it and the more of us that do, the better off we will all be.

BTW, Jim-the-chin, Edwardes do still do 2nd hand, but you need to look every day to catch something nice. They are usually outside by the front door. If you want a cheap new bike, I am quite impressed by Decathlon's offerings (I think the Rockrider is about ?100). Then there's always eBay.....

[mattham]

Agree with above, but as mlteenie notes, you do have to look out for yourself. I've fended off a couple of road rage incidents recently; in both cases obnoxious drivers who've taken exception to a cyclist being in front of them. The last one was truly sad ? I was a bit slow of the lights (my shoe cleats aren't clicking in properly), must've delayed the driver by all of three seconds...result: honking, swearing out the window (kids in the back too)...I called the police. Am sure it's illegal to use a phone while cycling but I really felt I had to report it. Pissing in the wind I know but what else can you do? Wanted to tap dance on his bonnet but I'm sure it wouldn't have been wise. What think other cyclists? Any similar experiences? Sorry ??don't mean to put anyone off with cycling scare stories ??it's mostly a wonderful way to get around.

[benmorg]

I think when you've been cycling for long enough you learn that energy is precious and wasting it getting angry at useless drivers just isn't worth it. Also you become quite skilled at avoiding problems before they happen.

I love it when I see other people road raging at each other - kind of fun to watch.

[mlteenie]

One memorable mental driver came so close to me in a back street in Kennington that his bumper was actually in contact with my right heel as we approached the lights. I turned round with the words 'What the f*** is your problem!?'. This was in retrospect a bit silly, though thankfully nothing happened and we parted ways. One must learn to keep one's mouth shut most of the time, although it's not easy.

Anticipation is definitely the key to road survival.

[theratprincess]

See below - I just had an email about this. Don't know if it's any use to anyone.

I don't road rage people (or I try not to). If something has really bothered me and the driver doesn't look too scary, when I catch them up, I politely knock on their window and say "do you realise xxx, if you hit me you could really hurt me". Invariably the driver apologises. The only drivers who I have had respond negatively to this are black cab drivers.

Dr Bike, HGV Awareness event, Nov 3, 7-11 am

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr Bike - HGV Awareness event

Mon 03/11/2008

07:00 - 11:00 AM

Location

St Georges Road, London, SE1 6ER

St Georges Road is an exit from E&C near Imperial War Museum

Description

A free Dr Bike, supporting an HGV awareness event with LB Southwark Road Safety and Met Police.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

I just though of another reason why I never wait for the lights to change before I cross a junction, especially if it's an uphill start. The cars coming towards you try to turn right across you before the oncoming traffc makes them have to wait, and the ones turning left going the same direction as you are just as bad.

You have to leggit before they all start rushing about to get to wherever they think is so important to get to that safety of other road users is unimportatnt to them.

[Clinker]

benmorg Wrote:

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> I think when you've been cycling for long enough

> you learn that energy is precious and wasting it

> getting angry at useless drivers just isn't worth

> it. Also you become quite skilled at avoiding

> problems before they happen.

>

> I love it when I see other people road raging at

> each other - kind of fun to watch.

I agree with this 100%.

I still get peeved when people don't use their indicators... (hardly ANYONE uses their indicators these days!!) but I don't lose the rag...

[misscheese]

Hi,

I have just moved to ed, and work in Holborn, I have looked at the tfl planner and it says to go through the back roads to avoid walworth road, and elephant and castle, then crossing at blackfriars bridge... does this sound like the best route? Bit worried about having to navigate e+ c on a bike?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

If you take a left by the defunct petrol station on Walworth Rd, road curves round to cycle crossing. Go straight over, bear right in front of school in the square(Charlotte Sharman?). Wiggle on backstreets through Waterloo to Blackfriars Bridge.

[DaveR]

I cycle to Blackfriars every day and my current route is Barry Road, Peckham Rye, Rye Lane, the canal path, Trafalgar Ave, Old Kent Road, Great Dover Street, Trinity Street, Great Suffolk Street, Southwark Street, Blackfriars Bridge. About 20-25 minutes, plenty of other cyclists most of the way, and the only slightly hairy bit is turning right into Trafalgar Ave off OKR on the way home when you have to move across 3 lanes.

[d803cn]

@ daver - i take the same route to holborn. Its the quickest route i have found - but i am open to other suggestions. My route has evolved over the last 18m. Tfl says london bridge and cheapside this route is awful. I avoid burgess park because its too dark at night. Southwark bridge is good but the pedestrians coming out of canon street are too irritable...

[EDdownunder]

Awesome thread, its inspired me as it takes me a good hour to get to Liverpool Street from ED and that's about 12minutes a mile. I spend most it walking anyway, so cycling sounds a great solution.

I contemplate it often, but the thought of London dealing with London buses and taxis doesn't thrill me. After reading all the posts I am thinking maybe its not as bad as all that.

Does anyone scooter instead of ride a bike, or for those that chose to ride instead of scoot, what was your reasoning?

[theratprincess]

To get to Holborn, I would do:

Rye Lane, Peckham High Street very briefly, with a quick but not too difficult right turn onto Sumner Road, left onto Commercial Way, Southampton Way, Rainbow Street, Wells Way, briefly Albany Road, Brandon Street (runs paralell with Walworth Road and has loads of cyclists) then right onto the cycle track which runs along the pavement on Old Kent Road and then accross Old Kent Road, round to the cycle crossing accross Newington Causeway, from which you can bear left to go up to Waterloo (or bear right for Blackfriars Bridge or Southwark Bridge). By the way, my cycle instructor told me that the back route cycle crossing for E & C is one of the first cycle lanes/routes that was set up in London! I find it quite a useful way of getting over E & C without going on the roundabouts. It's quick too.

Waterloo bridge is ok to cycle over. You can then go up the cycle route that is straight over at the bridge and runs parallel with Kingsway.

d803cn is right London Bridge and Cheapside is an awful route. I also avoid Burgess park when it's dark.

It's definitely worth exploring and following some of the cyclists that you see around, to see what their route is.

[benmorg]

EDdownunder Wrote:

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for those that chose to ride instead of scoot, what

> was your reasoning?

advantages of scooting: faster, more fun, easier, can ride in work clothes

advantages of cycling: healthier, safer, much cheaper, easier to pass traffic, easier to park, use of cycle lanes and bus/taxi lanes, less maintenance, warmer in winter (no heavy jackets etc. needed)

[bawdy-nan]

I wish there was a way of seeing these routes on a map - is there a way we could plot our routes? I think there's a site where you can do this but not sure how good it is

[mlteenie]

Re: scooting (and let's keep this on topic), how's about the main reason for cycling - it is more ecologically sound! Quiet, non-polluting and sustainable. Scooting is faster but the internal combustion engine's days are numbered.

For anyone feeling nervous about riding/commuting, I think cyclinginstructor.com provide some free training if you work or live in Southwark (google them)

[jctg]

bawdy-nan Wrote:

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> I wish there was a way of seeing these routes on a

> map - is there a way we could plot our routes? I

> think there's a site where you can do this but not

> sure how good it is

There used to be a great site called cyclemaps.net which had a 'direct route' journey planner, instead of a journey planner that relied solely on cycle paths. However, for some reason, it no longer exists and I have not managed to find an adequate replacement.

On a similar subject, I'm cycling to work tomorrow (to the West End) for the first time in over 6 months after breaking my ankle coming off my bike. Wish me luck!

John

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

There is a shop called Karavan (I think) in L Lane, just past Chandelier, that has free copies of cycle maps.

[misscheese]

Thanks, I will let you know how I got on!