KCL / King's College London Cyclists

Moved in today - seems like a very bike-friendly place!
London to Paris didn't happen unfortunately due to mistiming.

which halls are you at?

Wolfson House, Guy's Campus.

I asked the security dude whether I could keep my bike in my room and he shook his head as a firm no. This is bad news! He said he'll have a word with the residence manager tomorrow but it's not looking good. I've just finished building up my bike in preparation for Uni, too, so this is a huge inconvenience, especially if there are no secure bike sheds here.

Any suggestions?

move to KCH ;)

Another guy I knew kept his bike in his room all year round with no problems at all.

i kept my bike in my room for first semester, security knew i had it there (wasn't supposed to be in there, they didn't care), then some bureaucratic knobend reported me to residence manager and had to move it to the bike shed. which as it turns out, wasn't too bad, brick building with key to enter.

@wibble: too late for that now, I'm afraid! I've only just settled in, met my floormates, etc.

@velo: Were you at Wolfson House?

Velo - are you a philosophy undergrad or postgrad? I did the philosophy / psychiatry MSc at Kings. Good times!

I work in the Denmark Hill campus now, and I always see loads of bikes around the institute of psychiatry, but they're mostly wobbly old beaters. Bit risky to bring a plush bike to Camberwell I suppose.

yeah i'm just off to uni next week, and i was wondering about the keeping your bike in your room situation. people just steal everything...

No bikes allowed in rooms for Wolfson House. I have to keep it in a secure bike shed next to the Hodgkin's building on Guy's Campus. It's a short walk so I'm not too bothered, although I have no idea what I'm going to do about maintenance...

@velo: Were you at Wolfson House?

no, hampstead

Velo - are you a philosophy undergrad or postgrad? I did the philosophy / psychiatry MSc at Kings. Good times!

physics and philosophy undergrad

first ride done. 5 of us, one of whom doesn't go to king's.

strand cycle parking was a fucking mess today, and yesterday, and last week..., will be starting a petition to get some better racks. (ho ho)

sneak in and use the somerset house courtyard parking, innit.

get there early & lock to the fence thing rather than a rack was always my technique.

Gone are the days when you could just lock to anything back there sigh

first ride done. 5 of us, one of whom doesn't go to king's.

strand cycle parking was a fucking mess today, and yesterday, and last week..., will be starting a petition to get some better racks. (ho ho)

agree, i just signed your petition. might join up, im in my final year at the strand.

oh, and just so you know, locking your bike outside Wolfson is asking to have it nicked. Halls security are incredibly lazy/selectively blind, and there's an estate full of tea leaves just around the corner.

maybe better off locking it outside the a&e entrance to guys hospital, its well lit and there's plenty of traffic.

there is a covered bike locking facility just behind the war memorial at Guy's. I can't say I've ever used it but a friend forgot his lock once, kept it in there for an evening and it was still there later on. He could just have been lucky though.

there is a covered bike locking facility just behind the war memorial at Guy's. I can't say I've ever used it but a friend forgot his lock once, kept it in there for an evening and it was still there later on. He could just have been lucky though.

Good to know, thanks. I go to Guy's hospital a lot for my research project, and there are a paltry few bikes racks there which are always full. I shall try these next time.

What I often do at Guy's is lock up out the front of Boland House (courtyard just off St.Thomas' St.). Lots of space, never had any problems there and if you place it correctly the security guards at the entrance have a good view of it.

get there early & lock to the fence thing rather than a rack was always my technique.

Gone are the days when you could just lock to anything back there sigh

fence is gone as they are doing building work on somerset house.

really? so there's just a big gaping hole?

no, just a flat white wall.

Kings College types: I know there used to be a cycling club here, but if anyone is still around, I'm seeking something more informal. I leave the library around 8pm most days in the week, does anyone fancy doing moderate evening training rides post library of 10-20 miles before going home? (I'm based in Camberwell, so I normally have a 5 mile run back there)

Are you based at Guy's?

Strand mostly, but I can come past guys on my route home (To Brixton/Camberwell) to lengthen my ride