"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
rth.li...
Hello Londonistanis,

I live in Finsbury Park, and am currently working in North
Finchley. I've been getting there by public transport so far, but
now that the weather is going a bit less jungle-like, i would like
to start cycling.

Any thoughts on a route?
Parkland Walk, from Finsbury Park to near Highgate tube station, is
nice: scenic, off road, with gradient designed so that trains can get
up it.

From there I would just go along the A1/A1000. It's direct, and
graded for horse drawn traffic. If you don't have roundabout skills
yet, it might be advisable to briefly turn into a pedestrian where
the A1 (Aylmer Road) takes off from the A1000. That's northbound.
Southbound is ok

For route finding get the free Transport for London bike map - phone
the bus map number 020-7222-1234, or use TfL's web site to order it
www.tfl.gov.uk or pick it up from such places as bike shops,
libraries etc. Map 3 is the map you want. That's generally
excellent, with my only complaint being that it only shows one way
streets if the street is one of their recommended streets [A sign, I
feel, that TfL is trying to divide streets up into a few "bike
routes" and a large number of "not bike routes"]

The A1000 has traffic on it of course (both motorised and non
motorised), but it doesn't take long to get used to people overtaking
you. A continuous stream is less stressful than the occasional
unexpected noise breaking a silence

Get yourself a copy of John Franklin's "Cyclecraft" It's the bible
on riding in among other traffic

Jeremy Parker

On Thu, 2 Jul 2009, Jeremy Parker wrote:

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
rth.li...

I live in Finsbury Park, and am currently working in North
Finchley. I've been getting there by public transport so far, but
now that the weather is going a bit less jungle-like, i would like
to start cycling.

Any thoughts on a route?

Parkland Walk, from Finsbury Park to near Highgate tube station, is
nice: scenic, off road, with gradient designed so that trains can get
up it.

I've used this many times before for leisure purposes, and had a crack at
it last week with a view to commuting. The surface and wiggliness limit
speed so much that it just does not hold up as a sensible route for
getting places, at least not without more suspension than i've got. It is
very scenic, though!

From there I would just go along the A1/A1000. It's direct, and graded
for horse drawn traffic. If you don't have roundabout skills yet, it
might be advisable to briefly turn into a pedestrian where the A1
(Aylmer Road) takes off from the A1000. That's northbound. Southbound
is ok

Yes, i've only done it southbound so far, and it was fine. I might try the
Archway/Highgate route northbound tomorrow, which will bring me through it
the other way.

For route finding get the free Transport for London bike map - phone the
bus map number 020-7222-1234, or use TfL's web site to order it
www.tfl.gov.uk or pick it up from such places as bike shops, libraries
etc. Map 3 is the map you want. That's generally excellent, with my
only complaint being that it only shows one way streets if the street is
one of their recommended streets [A sign, I feel, that TfL is trying to
divide streets up into a few "bike routes" and a large number of "not
bike routes"]

The A1000 has traffic on it of course (both motorised and non
motorised), but it doesn't take long to get used to people overtaking
you. A continuous stream is less stressful than the occasional
unexpected noise breaking a silence

Get yourself a copy of John Franklin's "Cyclecraft" It's the bible on
riding in among other traffic

I'm guessing from the above that i gave the impression i was new to
cycling. I've only just started riding to Finchley, but i've been
commuting to other parts of London by bike for about five years!

tom

--
Oh, and sometimes in order to survive you have to drink the irradiated
water from an old toilet. -- Jon, on Fallout

Tom Anderson wrote:

Yes, i've only done it southbound so far, and it was fine. I might try
the Archway/Highgate route northbound tomorrow, which will bring me
through it the other way.


There is only one 'interesting' part of that journey - it's just before
where the A1000 and A1 split. A tasty little 'S' bend or chicane that is
one-way.

Best approached in the Primary position at about 20mph.
Lean to the left then lean to the right.
If you're not in the middle and in control of the road the drivers will
take the ****. Cyclists trying to keep to the left down Archway Road and
then work over to the right usually end up having to compete with the
traffic for the A1.

About half a mile further on you get Bishops Avenue on the left which
spews out the rat-runners - beware of the usual 'pull out in to the road
to block anything coming down the hill' - which is generally O.K. for
things that can stop quick from 30mph but bikes at that speed need a
little more time.






--

Come to Dave & Boris - your cycle security experts.

Very good advice. A pity not every cyclists follows it because I've yet
to see a cyclist with roundabout skills!