RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2014!!!) Anyone?

[w00hoo_kent]

last year i paid for parking at 02 then rode the 3 miles in, blackwall was great fun
if id got a place i would park at b and q for free and ride to the start, was fun seeing about 10 people punctured on the way....

I've arranged to stay in a friends house within a mile of the start on the Saturday night, but if there's a chance I could ride through the Blackwall I _might_ just leave the car at work in Greenwich and cycle in from there for the experience...

How easy was it to get back across the river afterwards?

 

[ianrauk]

I've arranged to stay in a friends house within a mile of the start on the Saturday night, but if there's a chance I could ride through the Blackwall I _might_ just leave the car at work in Greenwich and cycle in from there for the experience...

How easy was it to get back across the river afterwards?

Bikes not allowed through the Blackwall Tunnel. If they dont manage to stop you entering the tunnel on your bike, they will shut the tunnel then charge you for their trouble.
Use the Woolwich Ferry or the Greenwich Foot Tunnel instead.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Wot @ianrauk says. Even if you could cycle through the Northbound Blackwall tunnel (which you can't) it's a very old tunnel with many wiggles in it and the lanes are (or feel) very narrow. I find it stressful enough to drive. The very thought of cycling through it gives me the collywobbles.

The two options Ian gives (Woolwich ferry or foot tunnel) are both interesting ways to cross the river, and if you're doing it for the experience these will add to it.

 

[bicycling_nurse]

I thought the Blackwall tunnel was shut to motorised traffic early in the morning so that cyclists travelling to Ride London could use it last year? I'm sure I read that in Ned Boulting's book - or am I totally wrong?

 

[Dogtrousers]

I thought the Blackwall tunnel was shut for cyclists travelling to Ride London to use last year? I'm sure I read that in Ned Boulting's book - or am I totally wrong?

You may be right come to think of it. (Racks brains) I have a memory of seeing a video of the event made by people at the club I sometimes ride with (based in Bromley) and it included a bit of them riding through a tunnel before the start.

 

[benb]

You get to cycle through it on the route anyway, I think.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

May have misread the post I replied to, seemed to suggest the Blackwall was closed to allow cycles to ride to the start on that day. No way I'd try to ride through it otherwise ignoring the illegality with motorised traffic in it it would be a death trap from the fumes if not the crushing vehicle death.

I was sure I'd seen elsewhere that it was closed on the Ride London day, but hadn't twigged why. The route does do Limehouse Link I believe but doesn't do the Blackwall, there's nothing South of the River until you are nicely West.

You can ride through the Rotherhithe, I've not done it, people I've read that have talk of it being hellish (similarly you can walk through it). I've done the Woolich Ferry, which is OK but a bit mixed as some staff make you carry the bikes downstairs which is a pain. I've also 'walked' through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel with a bike more than once. If there's something unique open just because it's that day I could be tempted, otherwise I'll go back to using my mates house within spitting distance of the start and not make it more complicated than it need be.

 

[jifdave]

I've arranged to stay in a friends house within a mile of the start on the Saturday night, but if there's a chance I could ride through the Blackwall I _might_ just leave the car at work in Greenwich and cycle in from there for the experience...

How easy was it to get back across the river afterwards?

i got on a thames clipper which was very busy but very cool im sure they'll be available for free again

 

[benb]

You're right, it's Limehouse I was thinking of, my mistake.

 

[ianrauk]

May have misread the post I replied to, seemed to suggest the Blackwall was closed to allow cycles to ride to the start on that day. No way I'd try to ride through it otherwise ignoring the illegality with motorised traffic in it it would be a death trap from the fumes if not the crushing vehicle death.

I was sure I'd seen elsewhere that it was closed on the Ride London day, but hadn't twigged why. The route does do Limehouse Link I believe but doesn't do the Blackwall, there's nothing South of the River until you are nicely West.

You can ride through the Rotherhithe, I've not done it, people I've read that have talk of it being hellish (similarly you can walk through it). I've done the Woolich Ferry, which is OK but a bit mixed as some staff make you carry the bikes downstairs which is a pain. I've also 'walked' through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel with a bike more than once. If there's something unique open just because it's that day I could be tempted, otherwise I'll go back to using my mates house within spitting distance of the start and not make it more complicated than it need be.

I have been on the Woolwich Ferry more times then I can ever remember. The staff are very polite and have not once asked that we carry bikes downstairs.

The Rotherhithe Tunnel is ok. It only has a 20mph limit so is east to keep up with the traffic. There is also the path option, you hardly see anyone walking down there anyhow. But the fumes...yeukkk.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Must have just got the one jobs worth when we were sent downstairs on the ferry then, that was about a year ago, I don't have much cause to go north of the river by cycle.

Can see a 20mph limit in the Rotherhithe would make if better. I'm old so most of the stories I've heard of people going through are probably ancient :-)

 

[Beebo]

Must have just got the one jobs worth when we were sent downstairs on the ferry then, that was about a year ago, I don't have much cause to go north of the river by cycle.

Can see a 20mph limit in the Rotherhithe would make if better. I'm old so most of the stories I've heard of people going through are probably ancient :-)

You are making a mistake here. The ride starts at the Olympic Park, but finishes in the Mall, so you can cross the Thames much further west to get back to Greenwich.
Best route maybe to cross at Westminster, then follow the A2 Old Kent Road all the way back to Greenwich

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I'm just being unclear :-)

I've got an option to stay at a friends in Stratford about half a mile from the edge of the park (it's almost literally at the end of his road) on the Saturday night. Or I could drive to work in Greenwich Sunday morning (staff can park on site for free during evenings and the weekend) and then ride in from there.

Pro's for Stratford are more time in bed, less chance of a mechanical before the off, easiest of rides to the start
the Con is I'll be heading home from the wrong side of the river, although everything should be back to normal by then I hope.

Pro's for Greenwich are secure parking for the car, easier journey home once I get to it, possible chance to ride a route that's normally closed to get to the event
Con's are pretty much all the opposite of all the Pro's for Stratford.

I thought I'd read that the Blackwall Tunnel was open to cycle through in order to get to the start of the event further up this thread. If that's the case then it makes Greenwich the lead option, just 'because'. If I'm just all kinds of wrong and it isn't the case then Stratford pretty much wins all bets.

I'm doing the Freecycle on the Saturday with my wife but that doesn't really change my options, our life would be a little bit easier if I wasn't going on to Stratford, although equally she might just join me there rather than go home.

 

[ianrauk]

@w00hoo , there is also the cable car option. It's very cycle friendly and good fun to boot.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I'll probably use the cable car to go and sign on to the event on the Thursday night, I believe you're allowed up to two normal bicycles per car, but I'll check the facts before I turn up there.