Advice on Embankment cycling needed

"Andy Lewis" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I fancy a change from my normal routes between London Paddington and
the City (none particularly pleasant) and have been considering doing
a 'southern loop' which would entail using the Embankment between
about Blackfrairs and Whitehall. (Longer but hell I need the
exercise.)

Anyone regularly ride/have ridden this bit of the Embankment? Is it
as unpleasant as it looks?

I often go that way to get from Paddington to Decathlon. Through Hyde park
and over the crossing at Apsley arch, under the arch down to Buck Hice along
the Mall and down Northumberland Avenue to the Embankment (easier since they
changed the layout at Trafalgar Sq) then all the way along, not too many
lights and fairly pleasant. The tunnel under Blackfriars is a bit fumey and
noisy but fine after that all the way to Tower Bridge.

It's quite a nice stretch of road - the surface is pretty good compared
to a lot of central London, and there are slightly fewer side roads.
You might find it takes about the same or even slightly quicker.

I thought for a minute you were suggesting following the river on the
South side - definitely something to be avoided unless you want to turn
your "journey" into an "experience".

Andy Lewis said:

Anyone regularly ride/have ridden this bit of the Embankment? Is it
as unpleasant as it looks?

When I get the train in to Cannon Street, I ride along Embankment from
Blackfriars down as far as Northumberland Avenue. It's not nearly as
unpleasant as it looks.

The main thing you have to be aware of is the importance of maintaining
the "primary" position on the road, ie keep well away from the kerb so
you have plenty of room for an escape route - those coach-drivers have
a nasty habit of forgetting how long their vehicle is and pulling in as
soon as their front wheel is past you...

Of course, coaches don't actually get to overtake you all that often
because the traffic is usually not moving very fast, if at all - it's
usually you that gets to overtake the coaches.

d.

davek said:

Andy Lewis said:

Anyone regularly ride/have ridden this bit of the Embankment? Is it
as unpleasant as it looks?

When I get the train in to Cannon Street, I ride along Embankment from
Blackfriars down as far as Northumberland Avenue. It's not nearly as
unpleasant as it looks.

The main thing you have to be aware of is the importance of maintaining
the "primary" position on the road, ie keep well away from the kerb so
you have plenty of room for an escape route - those coach-drivers have
a nasty habit of forgetting how long their vehicle is and pulling in as
soon as their front wheel is past you...

Of course, coaches don't actually get to overtake you all that often
because the traffic is usually not moving very fast, if at all - it's
usually you that gets to overtake the coaches.

d.

I ride this route every day from Blackfriars to Buck House is fine,
Green Park has a cycle track to take you up or down from the War
Memorial, I think there may be a cycle track on the Mall next to the
horse track, not sure. Hyde Park is nice, best bit of my trip, I make a
point of going through just to see the green. I often see cyclists of
all descriptions doing this stretch quite happily.
If you are worried a lot of cyclists use the wide pavement next to the
river, not that I am advising you to do that you understand I am mearly
refering to the fact that I have seen it done.

NB did anyone else see the cycle on cycle crash at the War Memorial
yesterday at about 9:40am?

Sniper8052

Sniper8052 <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

davek said:

Andy Lewis said:

Anyone regularly ride/have ridden this bit of the Embankment? Is it
as unpleasant as it looks?

When I get the train in to Cannon Street, I ride along Embankment from
Blackfriars down as far as Northumberland Avenue. It's not nearly as
unpleasant as it looks.

The main thing you have to be aware of is the importance of maintaining
the "primary" position on the road, ie keep well away from the kerb so
you have plenty of room for an escape route - those coach-drivers have
a nasty habit of forgetting how long their vehicle is and pulling in as
soon as their front wheel is past you...

Of course, coaches don't actually get to overtake you all that often
because the traffic is usually not moving very fast, if at all - it's
usually you that gets to overtake the coaches.

d.

I ride this route every day from Blackfriars to Buck House is fine,
Green Park has a cycle track to take you up or down from the War
Memorial, I think there may be a cycle track on the Mall next to the
horse track, not sure. Hyde Park is nice, best bit of my trip, I make a
point of going through just to see the green. I often see cyclists of
all descriptions doing this stretch quite happily.
If you are worried a lot of cyclists use the wide pavement next to the
river, not that I am advising you to do that you understand I am mearly
refering to the fact that I have seen it done.

NB did anyone else see the cycle on cycle crash at the War Memorial
yesterday at about 9:40am?

Sniper8052

Many thanks for the helpful responses. Last night I went down Fleet
St/Strand - not too pleasant to Trafalgar Sq but fine after that.
This morning I came along the Embankment. As you guys say it's really
not too bad - fast traffic but plenty of room. Big plusses compared
with a more central route are far fewer side roads, ped xings, and
lights, and fewer potholes. 28 mins Paddington to Finsbury Sq on a
Brommo's not bad - must be around 5 miles. I'll adopt this as my
normal route.

Cheers, Andy

[PS: I did briefly consider coming along the southern bank but it's
far too fiddly.]

Andy Lewis said:

[PS: I did briefly consider coming along the southern bank but it's
far too fiddly.]

Over the years I've tried both and there's not much in it - coming into
town (i.e. City-ish) from the south-west (Putney, Barnes, etc.) I've
tried south of the river (York Road, Nine Elms, Vauxhall Cross,
Waterloo, over Southwark) or north (over Putney Bridge, Kings Road,
Embankment) and all manner of variations in between.

I must say that the ride back from Blackfriars, down the Embankment,
around Parliament Square, continuing past the Tate, and from then on to
the Kings Road down towards the south-west is one of my favourite routes
in London - generally quite fast, plenty of opportunity for meeting
other cyclists and racing/drafting, and since the congestion charge most
of it isn't as hair-rasingly dangerous or busy as it used to be, either.

I tend to stick to the roads avoiding the 'facilities' where they exist
(e.g. on Nine Elms Lane), while they require more attention (i.e. they
are more dangerous), you can maintain higher speeds (notwithstanding the
regular rests at the lights).

Like anything, once you learn the route, what seemed fiddly becomes
second nature, then you play with it to shave a few metres and seconds
off and you're learning more routes ... you'll be able to do The
Knowledge soon enough.

chris harrison <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Andy Lewis said:

[PS: I did briefly consider coming along the southern bank but it's
far too fiddly.]

Over the years I've tried both and there's not much in it - coming into
town (i.e. City-ish) from the south-west (Putney, Barnes, etc.) I've
...snip....
Like anything, once you learn the route, what seemed fiddly becomes
second nature, then you play with it to shave a few metres and seconds
off and you're learning more routes ... you'll be able to do The
Knowledge soon enough.

Thanks. Might give the south bank a go as well. Coming back west along
the Embankment at evening rush hour wasn't quite the joy of the
morning eastward trek. Lots more traffic, and buses causing
obstructions. Must own up to using the p*vement for part of it.