I'll be taking a crack at the route next Saturday, to look for problem spots and stopping places. I'm aiming to be at the start for 8am, anyone who feels like it is welcome to join me for some or all of it.
Some of the roads are quite bumpy, 120 PSI was a mistake, don't do that again.
The pub at Sidcup Place now only opens at 11am, and the nearby public toilets are locked up. There is a 24 hour BP/"Wild Bean Cafe" with toilet on Perry Street (A222) on the route a couple of km from the start. It's on the wrong side of the road to be a stopping point on the ride itself, but it's a good place to stop off on your way to the start.
The Tesco at about 28km is all good, has toilet and good cover if it's raining.
Tried a different route through Croyden, it was better.
A312 Parkway: it was moving fast with light traffic all the way. I mostly went on roadside cycle paths (passable but bumpy in places) but I did try a bit of Parkway as well. There was plenty of room for the light traffic to stick to the fast lane and leave the slow lane for me, but instead much of it seemed to want to drive as near to my face as possible. Did not enjoy.
San Remo Cafe: toilets: check, food/drink: check: somewhere to huddle if it's raining: not really.
Coppets Center Tesco: all good, toilets and plenty of rain cover
Sainsburys near White Hart Lane: toilets: check, rain cover: no.
A406/North Circular: very hostile, but has usable parallel cycle paths. Stay on the road rather than use the cream coloured shared use pavement, but switch to the roadside cycle path when it's black tarmac.
Sainsburys South Chingford: toilets: check, cover in the rain: check.
Approaching Woodford Hall Path at about 102km: grubby smelling bumpy cycle path under a roundabout, followed by a 'path' that's more like a game trail through a knee length grass field. Change route to avoid.
About 112km: right turn from road onto shared use pavement, bad surface on fast descent, then have to dismount and use ped crossing island to get to left hand side of the road. Try to avoid.
137km: descent wrong way down one way street, no contraflow cycle lane markings. Must change route.
I didn't make it all the way round: http://www.strava.com/activities/83959852
Notes:
Some of the roads are quite bumpy, 120 PSI was a mistake, don't do that again.
The pub at Sidcup Place now only opens at 11am, and the nearby public toilets are locked up. There is a 24 hour BP/"Wild Bean Cafe" with toilet on Perry Street (A222) on the route a couple of km from the start. It's on the wrong side of the road to be a stopping point on the ride itself, but it's a good place to stop off on your way to the start.
The Tesco at about 28km is all good, has toilet and good cover if it's raining.
Tried a different route through Croyden, it was better.
A312 Parkway: it was moving fast with light traffic all the way. I mostly went on roadside cycle paths (passable but bumpy in places) but I did try a bit of Parkway as well. There was plenty of room for the light traffic to stick to the fast lane and leave the slow lane for me, but instead much of it seemed to want to drive as near to my face as possible. Did not enjoy.
San Remo Cafe: toilets: check, food/drink: check: somewhere to huddle if it's raining: not really.
Coppets Center Tesco: all good, toilets and plenty of rain cover
Sainsburys near White Hart Lane: toilets: check, rain cover: no.
A406/North Circular: very hostile, but has usable parallel cycle paths. Stay on the road rather than use the cream coloured shared use pavement, but switch to the roadside cycle path when it's black tarmac.
Sainsburys South Chingford: toilets: check, cover in the rain: check.
Approaching Woodford Hall Path at about 102km: grubby smelling bumpy cycle path under a roundabout, followed by a 'path' that's more like a game trail through a knee length grass field. Change route to avoid.
About 112km: right turn from road onto shared use pavement, bad surface on fast descent, then have to dismount and use ped crossing island to get to left hand side of the road. Try to avoid.
137km: descent wrong way down one way street, no contraflow cycle lane markings. Must change route.