Kingston upon Thames to the City

BobbinBird and I are thinking about buying a house in Kingston. I work in the City. I rode there and back from Bethnal Green today and got very knackered. There are lots of long hills that just go on forever, and the A3 is particularly unpleasant. I cannot see myself commuting that way on a bike every day - I'd probably end up motorbiking it and getting fatter.

Does anyone know of a nice shortish route that gets you from Kingston to the city without the hills or that bit of the A3?

I know the Cycle Superhighway Scheme thingy includes a planned link from Kingston to Westminster. Have you tried the TFL cycle route planner?

I'd never go that way, it's a shit route. This is a bit longer but way better.

Kingston - Richmond - Chiswick - Hammersmith - Kensington - Trafalgar Square - City

My ex-boss cycled from Kingston to Waterloo every day- took him approx 45 mins each way.

If he could do it then you can- HTFU and find a better route.

the A3 is hard to avoid, especially coming back
If I was coming from the city, I would prob come across chelsea bridge, through clapham (there is a hill coming up to clapham but its short and sharp) through tooting->colliers wood, merton park down the a238, the only annoying bit is the kingston flyover.
Might be worth asking Jimbilly he used to commute there every day when he worked in Evans in Kingston.

Edit: Dov's route is longer, but much nicer.

thinking about buying a house in Kingston. I work in the City.

Won't your chauffeur take you that far? :P

If you do, welcome to a pretty nice area in my opinion.
Where abouts are you thinking of moving to in kingston?

I'd never go that way, it's a shit route. This is a bit longer but way better.

Kingston - Richmond - Chiswick - Hammersmith - Kensington - Trafalgar Square - City

this is the best way i recon. Propeller, you from kingston? not many of us riding fixed here

Kingston - monstrous hill.

I cycle to Kingston Uni from Wimbledon there.

The Kingston - Chiswick route is better than the Kingston - Wimbledon - Clapham one.

Might be worth asking Jimbilly he used to commute there every day when he worked in Evans in Kingston.

He took the A3, and it nearly killed him!

Monstrous hills in Kingston? Where, exactly?

kingston hill!

There are no hills here. Hill fail.

Monstrous? It's a fucking pimple.

Monstrous hills in Kingston? Where, exactly?

Coombe Lane.

it's my most direct route to Kingston.

I've ridden up Coombe Lane in the big ring after a 100 mile ride. Man up.

No, you man up on a singlespeed dutch bike.

Buy a proper bike.

Dutch bike = man up fail.

Kingston - Richmond - Putney - Fulham - Westminster - City (along Embankment).

That would be my route.

They are not really that steep, it's just that they go on a bit. Especially Kingston Hill. I could do without that. I prefer short and steep if I really have to.

I like the Chiswick idea. I used to commute that way in reverse when I worked there. It would add a bit of distance and time I guess but I liked cycling that route.

@Propeller. I'm not sure where yet. I could do with some pointers. Near the park or the river if possible as BBird has breathing difficulties and needs clean air (hence the move). I have a possible 300k to spend which doesn't buy you a lot of house round there.

@hippy - Sadly I work in the city only in the geographical location sense, not the being paid a lot sense.

BlueQuinn - I live in Shepperton, so not far from Kingston. I reckon Hampton/Twickenham are nice places. Shepperton is quiet, but possible a little too far out of town.

I cycle from Shepperton to Chiswick every day. My route - Lower Sunbury, Hampton, Twickenham, Richmond, Chiswick. 12 miles and a lovely route. A steady 45 minutes.

Through R.Park...upper rich rd........slink thru Putney accross Iron Bridge....bit of Kings Rd...then a bit of the Fulham rd...maybe thru St James ....then flow thru W/E..Boom...
...........M
ETA.....test hill in R.Park short and steep unlike long and not steep Kingston hill.

I have lived round Kingston since Sept and love it, I know its not proper London but after spending 2 years in Stratford upon Avon it can be just as pretty and agazillion times more exciting. I live in Surbiton and it takes about 5 mins to fly down the hill from my front door to TK MAXX, which makes Jelly Bean purchasing pretty easy.

I would deffo stay round here, rent is nuts and can't really afford to buy round here hence looking at Key Worker flats in Isleworth (near Twickenham) and Croydon. I like living in Surby cos I can get to Kingston when I need to but I can also get a fast train to Waterloo in 20mins. There are some sweet properties by the river for around your budget - might be worth a nose.

How far in miles is it?

Getting a road bike sounds like a better idea than getting fat !