Route advice: Brixton to Hainault

I fancy a quick blast to the bike shop Ciclos Uno tomorrow morning. Never been, and one of my bikes has a frame made/branded by that very shop - I know nothing about it! It deserves to visit its spiritual homeland.

I'll go straight into town and over London bridge, but then I'm at the mercy of google maps. Is there a nicer way to go than Mile End Rd, A11, A12, Cranbrook Rd (A123). Looks bleak. But I don't want to be faffing around *all *day, so it might be most direct.

Cheers

Olly

I would keep heading up Kingsland than head east. I've done the Brixton to Dalston bit many of times. However, the eastern journey from Dalston is pretty unknown to me.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Brixton&daddr=Sun+St+Passage+to:A10%2FKingsland+Rd+to:A104%2FLea+Bridge+Rd+to:51.583043,0.013218+to:Hainault&geocode=%3BFQodEgMdhL7-_w%3BFdCDEgMdcNf-_w%3BFcTuEgMdhrb__w%3B%3B&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=4&sz=13&via=1,2,3,4&sll=51.572482,0.023689&sspn=0.056013,0.176468&ie=UTF8&ll=51.549751,0.040512&spn=0.224164,0.705872&z=11

head up to victoria park then out past the olympic site to the north
hook up with epic forest just past leytonstone
then it's pretty much epic forest all the way up there
once you get out of london a bit it all gets quite nice countryside
b roads with gnarly oak trees etc. you get the picture

Thanks chaps. Epic forest.... could you be a bit more specific?
Do you mean Wanstead Park??
Sorry if I missed something

I believe Epic Forest is dicki's name for Epping Forest.

I would go A11, Romford Road, Cranbrook Road, but then that's me. I don't like the faff of the countryside around there.

Cheers all. I'd kinda hazarded a guess at that Andy, but I think it would take me a bit far, hence I wasn't sure quite what he meant. It's a bit like this, innit?

Will probably go something along lines of Horatio or NurseHolliday's suggestions. Fangs very mush.

epping (epic ) forest starts at the top end of wanstead bring your path racer and go up through the forest nice trails lots of nice flowers up there this time of year
avoid the cars

Cool beans, thanks Dicki

While you're in Hainault you could visit the Hog Hill cycle circuit. Not sure if there is any cycling on tomorrow, but there is a slalom skateboard competition.

I did go, but sorry 606 I didn't have time for any of that and alas, my tyres were too skinny for diving off into epic forest. I went NurseHolloday's route. Traffic wasn't too bad for Sat morning, and the sun was blazing. Two comments:

1) East London is a toilet. I knew this before, but seeing from the saddle, in marvelous technicolour, crammed into a decaying sprawl from Liverpool St to Ilford, the mind-boggling array of slapdash development, opportunist commerce and, well - people jabbing at piles of melons with sticks - really reminded me, lest I had forgotten. Don't protest, hipsters; it's what makes it such a cool place to live I'm sure.

2) Ciclos Uno is amazing!!!!! What a bike shop! Dedicated to cycle racing, not a bloody stumpjumper, charge plug, pashley, brompton or bmx in sight. A Colnago Master X-Lite with full record titanium burns your eyeballs upon entry. A curly Hetchins track bike in period attire makes your knees weak instantly. Frame sex is lined up along one wall, everything from the latest titanium and carbon offerings to classic steel from the italian greats. On the opposite wall ane ceiling are wheels. More wheels than you've ever seen, and most of them nicer than you can own/imagine. Early discs? Fine. Track carbon rim - how many spokes will you be needing today? Want campag hyperon? Lightweight? Take two pairs, sir. Araya Super Aero laced to a SA three speed fixed? Can fuckin do. Its right there next to your silly gawping face. Ah sir, the old boy says after regaling me with tales about my bike (mid 90s titanium, owned by a former racer), I can see you like the unusual stuff. Look at my collection cabinet. I did. Fuck me. My eyes would have bulged less if I'd have seen unicorns doing the macarena. First generation dura ace grouppo, boxed. Rare record arranged on every shelf. Everyting pristine. Hi/lo campag track hubs, and a pair of super large flange Hardens, never laced he tells me as I'm fondling them. An H R Morris Special path frame, never built up, with the initials of the master builder formed out of the lugs themselves. I have never seen anything like it. One of 13 made, he says.

With those memories in my mind and a coffee and iced bun in my tum, the return leg in the scorching heat was a pleasure. Made it back to Brixton in an hour and ten minutes. My advice is - call in at Ciclos Uno. Even if you have to go through East London, it's worth it.

"1) East London is a toilet."
" - people jabbing at piles of melons with sticks"

LOL :-)

sounds like a great shop but no tartan top tube pads or NJS butt plugs? plus it's a bit far for a hipster to ride to even from hackney.

some poeple like living in a toilet, i'll have you know

So I gather! Yeah well I'm Brixton, pot calling kettle and so on, but really a different league of toiletresemblence. Remarkable.

I ve met HR Morris

He's still alive and a lea valley club member

Yes, 96 years of age by old accounts. Formed his frames over a coal and bellows. Some things when they are gone will literally be gone forever. Beautiful frame though.

"1) East London is a toilet."
" - people jabbing at piles of melons with sticks"

This is written next to my house in Hackney Wick, and it's true.