This morning's commute and other commuting stories

I've got a front brake if you want it?...

I didn't think so, but in fact it does - then it wiggles down Lambeth Road to St George's Circus, and heads up Blackfrairs from there. Cycle route in joining-up shocker.

Spotted E&C and was finally open too and took it on my usual route southbound. First bit from Newington Causeway is decent but wasn't entirely sure how to get onto Newington Butts. Are you supposed to go straight ahead and share the paved space outside E&C station? I opted to nudge right and follow the road, as I have been doing without the lane; my instincts tend to divert me away from cycling around on pavements, so wasn't a natural choice.

Working out Croydon way and police closed off the last 1/2 mile of my commute, diversion up+down a 14% hill.

Also used the newly-opened bike lanes and hence am considering upgrading to suspension forks. They certainly don't give as much care and attention to surfacing the bike lanes as they do with the roads.

S/B flows quite well and keeps you nicely segregated as it should, but N/B is dire, especially where it spits cyclists out into pulling-in buses, as happened today. I don't know whey they couldn't have routed the bike lane behind the bus stop and filter the traffic turning left into Keyworth St as per Kennington Road CS7 N/B.

Upside; I think it cut 3 mins off my travel.

5/10

I went through E&C on the bus this morning (ugh) and was trying to work out how somebody would cycle from New Kent Road to London Road without having to cut across three lanes of traffic.

I'm pretty chuffed about that - my family are all up norf, so KGX is the station I use to go home. Now I can go from my place in Balham to KGX on superhighways all the way.

As you say, absolute shocker.

Dear commuters, me and the girlfriend are having to ride our bikes with loaded panniers from New Cross to Waterloo next Tuesday morning during rush hour. I'm wise enough to avoid E&C obviously, but would anyone suggest a better route than straight up the OKR, under the fly-over to Borough and straight on? I think I'm big and ugly enough to cope with most things but she's a little timid around lorries.

Yup - if you don't mind riding up to Peckham, then you can cut through the "surrey canal" path (there is no canal), then Burgess park. Back roads to and past Elephant & Castle and then up to Waterloo. That gives you c. 40% of the ride off road, but on tarmac'd paths. Also Rocket Van Hire on Brandon St do a nice coffee.

Like this: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13384414

Also, if you want to cut out Waterloo at the end you can cut through to Webber St and pop out by The Cut.

Ride earlier and get a coffee?
CycleStreets.net suggest nice calm (and windy) routes if you want it quiet, like this one.

^ & ^^, thank you! The Burgess Park route looks like one I can navigate easily enough as I'm more familiar with that neck of the woods. Might try a trial run later.
I'll definitely have a play with cyclestreets.net as well though, that's new to me so cheers for that.

This is my daily route, which cuts out any busy dangerous bits at all, has hardly any traffic lights and uses quiet routes and established cycle routes. It avoids the busy and dangerous route down to Peckham via the main road

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/203824

We're starting nearer the Queens Road end of New Cross, but I like the cut-through around Borough, and Webber Street as also BB suggests, so I'll probably use that. Thanks.

Like this: ridewithgps.com/routes/13384414>

I've just done this with the Webber St cut through and it was most(ly) pleasant. Think that's the way to go. Thanks again.

Commute envy!

@PhilPub i would have suggested smth like @Brookly_Bay nice route and give yourselves time bc you can't go at any pace on some of those roads at morning commuting time

Rode home brakeless for the first time last night. Didn't die - 10/10
Rode to work brakeless for the first time this morning. Didn't die - 10/10

New brake calliper to replace my busted one arriving and being fitted at work today.

Cold, trafficky, still suffering from last night. Hungover/10

CS7 basically empty today - took me far too long to realise that it's the bank holiday weekend.

Perfect time for a second crack at E&C northbound - which actually works reasonably well when it's quiet.

There's still a pink hi-vis officials everywhere keeping the peds on their toes, but I think I made it through the junction quicker than usual. Being able to bypass the first red light is actually a big time saver.

A quiet 8/10

Cold head on wind the whole way from mile end to soho was cunty.

Agreed - but will make for sweet tailwind home tonight!!

New commute from Kennington into Soho was lovely and easy, scooting up behind Westminster, the Abbey and past St James Park. way prettier than my previous commute. looking forward to summer evening commutes home and stopping in the park for a lie down. will commute that route again/10

What's your route? I head into soho from Camberwell, through Kennington... over Westminster bridge then right down horse guards parade.. Been meaning to mix it up for a while

Saw a cab use the cycles only lights/lane at the north end of Southwark Bridge to beat the queue of traffic this morning. Stay classy, chappy.
The first speed bump west of Blackfriars on the E-W cycle superhighway is insane, and now they've given them some kind of 'pavement continuing' texture across the top to make it very clear that they mean business at slowing down cyclists/encouraging blithe pedestrian wanderings. Madness.

I hope so but I'm thinking just to spite me the wind will have magically changed directions. Although at least its blue sky again and not hail like lunch!