Commuting into London on a Bike?

[chris_hu_cheng]

I will be doing some work in London a month or so and staying with family in the South East (Bracknell / Reading). Having an internal debate about whether to take my Bike.

I used to live in the South East but been in the West for a couple of decades and may have turned into a bit of Worzel

Got my licence and Bandit 600 at end of last year (maybe on another bike by then possible Street Triple or similar). Putting down a lot of mileage in all weather, and been down to South East on bike during the cold snap, done M4 a few times (prefer the A roads), Rode around Slough/Windsor/Maidenhead through rush hour a few times.

My filtering ability is probably mediocre to passable at the mo. but always pushing everything to get incrementally better and I can make good progress through Bristol and Bath when busy.

London looks intimidating (too many RJ videos perhaps??) how much of shock to the system will it be? The rest of what I am doing will be pretty intense so I don't want to burn out the nervous system totally just on the journey in. I can handle a bit of excitement though.

[A100man]

London, big place. Where will you be commuting to?
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750, SL1000

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600, Skorpion

[MCN]

[chris_hu_cheng]

[MarJay]

I regularly commute to White City. It's not too bad. You get used to it quickly, and drivers in London in general are aware and expect bikes to be there. Some aren't, but most are.

I was petrified at first, but I'm getting more used to it by the week. I've been doing it since September last year, and have been going M3-M25-M4. I used to live in Reading but currently live in Basingstoke.

The main issue at the moment will be the 50 limit on the roadworks on the M4...
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[bigdom86]

I've commuted from South East - Croydon, Surrey and Beckenham, Kent for the past 5 years, 4 years on a 125cc and last year on a 600cc SS - soon to change to an upright as a SS in stop start is a killer, no issues at all really, just get a really loud bike and majority of cars will hear/see you coming and generally are very accommodating, just keep an eye out for the following:

1. suicidal pedestrians who simply run out into traffic
2. suicidal cyclists who feel that have right of way wherever they go and will simply make turns and go from one side of the road to the other weaving through traffic without looking as they are invincible
3. addison lee cars
4. london taxis
5. any form of hire car or a prius
6. female drivers in tractors

other than that it is all good

[MCN]

[R1stu]

Biggest issues for bikes now is the ULEZ!
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Carbon closet tart! https://www.bikepics.com/members/r6stuk/02r6/
Stolen bike. 2000 R1: https://www.bikepics.com/members/r6stuk/00r1/
Current bike 1991 Honda ST1100 Pan European, 1986 Honda cb350sg (Finished)

[chris_hu_cheng]

Sounds good thanks guys, will be a bit of an effort to start with I guess but every step upward from the first wobble on the CBT is a new experience

[chris_hu_cheng]

[bigdom86]

[suburban myth]

side note: if you dint normally commute by bike, check your insurance actually covers you. How they'd know you were commuting in the event of a claim, I don't know, but worth looking in to.

[MCN]

[hellkat]

You'll get better at filtering.

I've been back on two wheels for only a week, after a nearly-three-year hiatus, and I am already filtering like a mofo, despite having a bit of a wanky bike.

Traffic Tetris is one of my favourite things.
But its not everybody's cup-o-tea.
You have to have the right mindset for it, or else every journey in (and out again) is super-stressful.

Belgravia's a very nice part of town to be working, congratulations on scoring a nice area although its hard to find a decent bacon sandwich, got to go to Pimlico or Worlds End for that
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[doggone]

By way of encouragement.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48068457

[doggone]

Mind we have all had a moment or two where it just won't wait

[hellkat]

I was gonna post a link to that hilarious picture of a guy poohing on a platform in shame, but I decided it might be too NSFW to post, and I don't want to end up the same waiting room as Travis Bickle.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[doggone]

That's a minor fib because I saw it before you deleted

[hellkat]

LOL *blushes*
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[MCN]

[GSTEEL32]

I used to commute from Croydon and Essex before moving further afield.

I found it fine, quite enjoyable actually.

I wouldn't do it on a nice new shiny bike though, its not so much the filtering, more the parking. It can be a nightmare in some places. Scooter owners appear to be the worst at just shoving their bike into a space irrelevant of the damage they cause.

As said, London drivers in the main, expect bikes so long as your lights are on and you are in 2 gears lower than you should be ......

[Easy-X]

[Motorhate]

Used to commute from Kent to White City every morning. 140mile round trip every day. Wasn't too bad until I got into London, then the whole shit-show started. Dickhead taxi drivers, pedestrians and motorists doing their best to fuck you up.

Worked out that the cost on the train and the time taken to get there was more or less the same, plus I didn't have every mouth breathing bell end in London to contend with on the road. In the winter it was a nightmare.
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Current - Harley Davidson FXDB Street Bob | Harley Davidson FLTR Road Glide | Harley Davidson Road King
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