# Cycling on the north circular



## LLB (30 Mar 2008)

I saw a roadie navigate the Hendon junction (heading north) on the north circular yesterday morning  5 lanes of 50mph traffic and he was hoping across the 2 inner ones to carry on up the north circular. I was sticking up sineage to the bikesafe at Hendon police centre/academy. 

Is there no alternative to the north circular for cyclists cos I saw 2 cars nearly take him out as he cut across the lanes ?


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## Tynan (30 Mar 2008)

scootered around the north circ for years but I wouldn't cycle it, the section I'd use is two/three lanes and built to be driven at speed, long slip lanes and approaches etc

I used to pass a cyclist every day that did though


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## LLB (30 Mar 2008)

I'd say he was doing about 10/12mph as he made his way across the lanes. It was scary to watch, and he should have thanked his lucky stars for ABS.

Point taken on the long slip roads, he cut across at the last minute instead of earlier, but whichever way it could be done, it was a risky manouver.


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## zimzum42 (31 Mar 2008)

I ride roads like that, but I'd certainly not be going 10-12mph!

Having said that, that junction's not fun, not much of the North Circ is fun to ride on, but I do like the eastbound stretch around Finchley, you can get some speed up, long stretches with no traffic lights and wide lanes


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## yorkshiregoth (31 Mar 2008)

Have done the North Circular stretch from Staples Corner to Hanger Lane only twice on the bike, I had to average about 30 mph just to get off it as soon as possible. Don't fancy doing it on a daily basis though.


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## ChrisKH (31 Mar 2008)

I will happily cycle on some fairly busy roads including much of the A13 home. However I always dread getting past the North Circular intersection which has absolutely no provision for bicycles. You either have to go down an underpass with cars doing 50/60 mph or go onto the North Circular roundabout above the A13 and hope you can negotiate the lights without being mown down. There isn't even a pedestrian means of traversing this part of the A13.


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## Tynan (31 Mar 2008)

yep, it's all rather bleak down there isn't it, bad enough in a car when I do it


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## LLB (31 Mar 2008)

Tynan said:


> yep, it's all rather bleak down there isn't it, bad enough in a car when I do it



Its fairly intimidating on a motorcycle TBH. I noticed that a few of the houses front straight onto the road going north by the chicane before you get to Ikea. It must a bum clenching experience for those who are reversing their cars onto the main road (illegal I know)


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## 008 (31 Mar 2008)

I've recently seen a guy on a couple of occasions riding northbound on the A41 by Hendon (just past the Evans store) heading towards Mill Hill/Edgware. Could be the same guy. He wasn't exactly motoring along and to make matters worse, it's almost all uphill from 'five ways corner' all the way up to the A1 roundabout.

The first time I saw him, he was holding up a bus and long queue of traffic by the retail park next to the Nissan dealer and the second time he was riding up between Mill Hill r/about towards the A1 r/about which is quite a narrow section and again was holding up traffic.

Although the road is a 50 mph limit (iirc), many vehicles are going considerably faster!

Suicidal if you ask me!


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## LLB (31 Mar 2008)

It was a newish dark blue roadie (quite a nice one), but I didn't get to see what make it was, (maybe a Spesh, or Giant)


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## LLB (31 Mar 2008)

008 said:


> I've recently seen a guy on a couple of occasions riding northbound on the A41 by Hendon (just past the Evans store) heading towards Mill Hill/Edgware. Could be the same guy. He wasn't exactly motoring along and to make matters worse, it's almost all uphill from 'five ways corner' all the way up to the A1 roundabout.
> 
> The first time I saw him, he was holding up a bus and long queue of traffic by the retail park next to the Nissan dealer and the second time he was riding up between Mill Hill r/about towards the A1 r/about which is quite a narrow section and again was holding up traffic.
> 
> ...



The average speed of the cars was about 55-60 in the 50 limits, and 45-50 in the 40s.


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## catwoman (31 Mar 2008)

There is no way I would consider riding on the North Circular. 
I ride busy roads but the traffic is going very slowly. The North Circular would be very frightening indeed.


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## sheddy (31 Mar 2008)

Those were the days - 
View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lg2oqZQpY9c


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## Eat MY Dust (1 Apr 2008)

I ride _over_ the NC every day at the ACE Cafe and to be honest most days the cars are doing about 20 mph tops!!! I've almost been tempted to go down the slip road and fly down the middle of the lanes for a laugh!!


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## LLB (1 Apr 2008)

Eat MY Dust said:


> I ride _over_ the NC every day at the ACE Cafe and to be honest most days the cars are doing about 20 mph tops!!! I've almost been tempted to go down the slip road and fly down the middle of the lanes for a laugh!!



South to the A40 maybe, but not north from that point.


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## Tynan (1 Apr 2008)

used to sccoter about ten miles from Walthamstow to Bent Cross and at least half the time the traffic was stationary

but it tears along in other places and in the evenings when the roads are clearer there were all some race track wannabes, it's a big fast road at the end of the day


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