Shortish but fast routes in London

Does this ever happen to you? I'm at school in central London, had a kind of exasperating day, and I don't have a ton of time but I want to go for a ride. I don't want to deal with any bullshit and I do want to be able to stretch my legs. 10 miles or so, minimal traffic/signals, in central London... anything like that?

As an aside I'm from Vancouver so formerly I'd do a Stanley park loop on the road, if any of you are familiar with it that's the kind of route I'm looking for.

Laps of Regent's Park (Outer Circle anti clockwise)

10 miles or so, minimal traffic/signals, in central London... anything like that?

Apart from the above suggestion or going round and round the roundabout at London wall, this is not happening. Be prepared to be board riding in circles.

Stanley Park looks good and there's nothing even close to that in London.

I get my quick rage dissipating miles out either at regents park, as above (though more inner than outer circle), or westminster to tower hill and back along embankment/upper thames street. Plenty of traffic lights but get it right and it's fast as.

richmond park?

might be slightly more than 10 miles, but no traffic lights and a clocklwise laps let you test yourself and stretch your legs.

keep riding around soho. its fast

The bus lane up Castelnau up towards Hammersmith is flat (usually very empty and in good nick tarmac wise too) and fast - likewise heading south the other way, bit short but combined with Fulham Palace Road it's good fun.

Victoria Park Hackney ain't too bad

Victoria Park Hackney ain't too bad

it's great during winter but find it getting busy with wobbly school kids now when the weather's good, especially in the mornings

Dunno how it is daytime though, perhaps less people when most are at work?

I get my quick rage dissipating miles out either at regents park, as above (though more inner than outer circle), or westminster to tower hill and back along embankment/upper thames street. Plenty of traffic lights but get it right and it's fast as.

I think these are both pretty good suggestions for me... thanks :)

Victoria Park Hackney

laps of black heath and rotherhithe tunnel ;)

Laps of Regent's Park (Outer Circle anti clockwise)

Very popular - you can usually get in on a chain gang if you want, particularly midweek.

Embankment / Upper thames Street is fucking mental, I wouldn't try to ride there recreationally ever unless in a group.

I have a little hill climbing route round Honor Oak Park that can be grown / shrunk as necessary. Basically:

Dulwich Village, up Court Lane
Overhill Road
Langton Rise
Westwood Park
Horniman Drive
Canonbie Road
Wood Vale
Sydenham Hill
Eliot Bank.
Lordship lane home.

Adjust as required.

You wimp, you need to continue to the top of Sydenham Hill rather than turning left before the steep bit. :P

@mashton: sounds nice and is my neck of the woods, will give that a go. Hooray for Canonbie road in there too.

@skully: I've genuinely never had a problem with it. As long as the traffic is flowing it's all fine, only find it tedious when filtering is required. On a clear morning it's nice to just get a constant run of speed and extra miles to bolster the commute with (and I prefer it to the OKR atm)

+1 OKR is horrible horrible horrible.

Embankment / Upper thames Street is fucking mental, I wouldn't try to ride there recreationally ever unless in a group.

That was my commute a couple of years back and my very first thought on reading this thread. Best commute ever - fast roads, with lights you can see way in the distance so their timing's clear enough that you can slow down and coast through as they go green or attack hard and fly through on amber. At the end of it there is a short little rise up to Tower Bridge and then you can nip over that and hit south London, or you can head down The Highway for a little respite before another long, clear straight. Depending on how hard you want to bring it, head right and go along the river for a quick rest, or head into the Limehouse Link - not strictly allowed, but doable - and pop out the other side (keep left until you're out the tunnel) and head right into Canary Wharf. Marsh Wall gives you another stretch without any lights, but I prefer to go round the island on Westferry Road before taking a left on to the A13 which becomes Commercial Road and heading back towards civilisation and bagels.

You wimp, you need to continue to the top of Sydenham Hill rather than turning left before the steep bit. :P

But where to go from there? Happy to carry on up but need to complete the loop.

But where to go from there? Happy to carry on up but need to complete the loop.

You can go straight on (and descend down Kirkdale then left at next mini roundabout to Forest Hill) or left (along Sydenham Hill Road then turn right down College Road and back to Dulwich village) at the mini roundabout at the top. Or you could do a 180 and descend back down to Lordship Lane.

That was my commute a couple of years back and my very first thought on reading this thread. Best commute ever - fast roads, with lights you can see way in the distance so their timing's clear enough that you...words words words words

Sounds glorious. I can feel the wind in my hair and the pollution in my lungs.

(not being facetious, I have a twisted idea of fun)

Marylebone Road/Euston Road from Kings Cross to Edgware Road can be a real raceway if you catch the lights properly and have scant regard for your own safety

That was my commute a couple of years back and my very first thought on reading this thread. Best commute ever - fast roads, with lights you can see way in the distance so their timing's clear enough that you can slow down and coast through as they go green or attack hard and fly through on amber. At the end of it there is a short little rise up to Tower Bridge and then you can nip over that and hit south London, or you can head down The Highway for a little respite before another long, clear straight. Depending on how hard you want to bring it, head right and go along the river for a quick rest, or head into the Limehouse Link - not strictly allowed, but doable - and pop out the other side (keep left until you're out the tunnel) and head right into Canary Wharf. Marsh Wall gives you another stretch without any lights, but I prefer to go round the island on Westferry Road before taking a left on to the A13 which becomes Commercial Road and heading back towards civilisation and bagels.

One man's poison ...