Does anyone commute into central london

[creampuff]

Crossflow Kid said:

CaptainSlow said:

Dr Jekyll said:

No, the handlebars are the widest bit.

But you see and move them. Panniers are a pain in London.

Agreed. Did it once. Never again. Handlebars are steerable, boxes aren't and the extra width, even the few inches of it, on the extremity of the trailing part of the bike make it a nightmare.....unless you're Ewan and Thingy.....then you need 200 litres of aluminium boxes strapped to the back lest someone not take you seriously as you adventure off down the Fulham Road.

I've posted this before - London, bad jam, Pan European, full panniers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6BOsF1GYbk

[CaptainSlow]

creampuff said:

I've posted this before - London, bad jam, Pan European, full panniers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6BOsF1GYbk

Firstly that isn't a bad jam..that's normal. Secondly, that's the slowest filtering I've seen and the width problem was seen by getting stopped when passing the bus.

eta
Whoever is riding that bike would be better to move over and let the queue of bikers sat behind them past!

Edited by CaptainSlow on Wednesday 20th April 10:47

[anonymous-user]

creampuff said:

I've posted this before - London, bad jam, Pan European, full panniers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6BOsF1GYbk

As Capt Slow says, that ain't bad and that isn't really filtering, more like moving with the traffic flow.
Plus I'm only 27 seconds in and already there's a gap (behind the black cab that cuts in from the right) where the rider has to wait for the Polo (?) to pass first even though there's a reasonable gap to filter through. The Polo even budges right a bit.
Bit further on and the Renault Trafic van has to move left to let Pannier Boy through. If it was a good bike for filtering and it was between the thighs of a good rider he wouldn't be relying on the traffic making room.

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 20th April 10:39

[CAPP0]

I know there's another thread for this but I'll put it here anyway Two adys ago I encountered not one but two twerps who had apparently covered their entire bikes in velcro and then done a smash & grab run through the Touratech shop. One of them had a pair of biscuit tins on steroids adorning his bike (plus sundry other unnecessary tat) and couldn't get though a gap which two normal bikes could use side by side. He eventually realised that half a dozen bikers behind him were boring holes in the back of his lid and moved over.

The other one - I kid you not, I have never in my life seen panniers this wide. They were comedic in the extreme. Seriously, the bike was about 5 ft wide at the back; probably wider than a Smart car. If he had dropped it, the only things touching the ground would be a pannier and the front edge of the front tyre.

Relevance and message to the OP - whatever you buy, don't commute with idiot bins!

[CaptainSlow]

"Idiot Bins" love it.

Going up the A40 in the mornings it's always Ewan or Dennis Hopper wanna be's that get in the way.

[creampuff]

Crossflow Kid said:

Plus I'm only 27 seconds in and already there's a gap (behind the black cab that cuts in from the right) where the rider has to wait for the Polo (?) to pass first even though there's a reasonable gap to filter through. The Polo even budges right a bit.

Mmmm, so you think the best thing to do at 27s would be to accelerate into the gap made by the black cab changing lanes and hope that the Polo has both seen you has decided to give way to you and doesn't decide to themselves accelerate in a straight line, making you the meat in a Black Cab sandwich? ... accelerating in a straight line and crunching you being the most likely thing to do if they haven't seen you?

[fergus]

creampuff said:

Crossflow Kid said:

Plus I'm only 27 seconds in and already there's a gap (behind the black cab that cuts in from the right) where the rider has to wait for the Polo (?) to pass first even though there's a reasonable gap to filter through. The Polo even budges right a bit.

Mmmm, so you think the best thing to do at 27s would be to accelerate into the gap made by the black cab changing lanes and hope that the Polo has both seen you has decided to give way to you and doesn't decide to themselves accelerate in a straight line, making you the meat in a Black Cab sandwich? ... accelerating in a straight line and crunching you being the most likely thing to do if they haven't seen you?

However, the rate at which a black cab accelerates, means even someone with limited wrist mobility on a superdream can out drag them to get through the gap, surely?

[anonymous-user]

creampuff said:

Crossflow Kid said:

Plus I'm only 27 seconds in and already there's a gap (behind the black cab that cuts in from the right) where the rider has to wait for the Polo (?) to pass first even though there's a reasonable gap to filter through. The Polo even budges right a bit.

Mmmm, so you think the best thing to do at 27s would be to accelerate into the gap made by the black cab changing lanes and hope that the Polo has both seen you has decided to give way to you and doesn't decide to themselves accelerate in a straight line, making you the meat in a Black Cab sandwich? ... accelerating in a straight line and crunching you being the most likely thing to do if they haven't seen you?

Bit melodramatic isn't it?
Plenty of room to get through here and the cab and the Polo are actually diverging at this moment:

As opposed to this a couple of seconds later when the Polo starts moving back to the middle of his/her lane making th filtering gap smaller.

If you think filtering between converging vehicles beats filtering between diverging vehicles I'm more than happy to do it differently.

[Fleegle]

Is that Finborough Road?

[CaptainSlow]

You'll find that motorists are expecting bikers to go for it and by hanging back you can create more uncertainty.

[black-k1]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I'd have gone for that gap too. There's also a number of other gaps where I would have stopped, folded the mirrors in, then gone through.

[xjay1337]

Crossflow Kid said:

I
I had parking on site at work but I do know of a very good and reasonably unpopulated bike bay in Southwark which is even under cover. PM me for details or the secret will be out.

Edited by Crossflow Kid on Wednesday 20th April 07:32

Tried to email you but says not permitted. Would you email me possibly, pleaaaaase

[happyWanderer]

Crossflow Kid said:

I
I had parking on site at work but I do know of a very good and reasonably unpopulated bike bay in Southwark which is even under cover. PM me for details or the secret will be out.

Edited by Crossflow Kid on Wednesday 20th April 07:32

Hmm, I think I know which one you're talking about, even that one gets quite full these days. I walk past it if I'm on public transport.

I'm lazy though - that's too far from my office

Currently I park on the side of the office building - used to be able to park in the car park, but they closed that for some building work.
Year later the only thing they've done is dig a hole in one corner of it... Annoying cos it was out of sight and under cover.

[xjay1337]

There is a square with some businesses, a taxi cafe thing (Great Suffolk Taxi Grill or something like that) - and some bits and pieces directly next to my work. I am hoping I can speak to an owner of one of the businesses and somewhere out of the way to park and somewhere I can chain the bike to which would mean I wouldn't ever have any parking worries.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5033275,-0.10134...

There's also a Union Car Park just up the road but I've not been able to find any details on parking for Motorcycles (they only list cars and vans) so I have emailed them.

Looks promising. I've also been sent a few places, plus the 2 or 3 bike parks directly around my office. I'm sure we can find something

Of course any further recommendations / ideas / suggestions are gratefully received. I don't mind a 2 or 3 minute walk but I don't want to be trekking halfway across London haha.

Regarding a bike - I have looked at the ZX7R that my friend had, and it really is mint, engine is sweet and at less than 14k on the clock with a good service history it seems like the one for me. It feels rather heavy from riding it up and down the road, but my last bike was a Street Triple R which was a very light beast, and it was about 5 years ago so a long time haha - So I have thought about it and while I think a Fazer would be better for me in the short term, for the price (I'm paying well under the odds) it's a no-brainer.
I'll upload some pics next week when I get it hopefully.

The only thing it needs are tyres - It has almost new Metzler racetec Interacts but they're wayyyy too track oriented for me so I will replace them with Pilot Road 3 or 4 unless anyone can offer any suggestions?

Edited by xjay1337 on Wednesday 20th April 17:49

[happyWanderer]

The one on Lavington St (premier inn side) is quite big, if you're in before 9 you should get a spot.
Half of it has railing you can chain the bike to, this gets filled up quite quick.
Small one at the end of that street gets filled up quickly.

The one next to Vapiano has a railing as well, but gets filled up quick.

That bit in blue is not really a motorcycle bay, but you can park there - side of an office building, anywhere within the bollards is good, gets filled up quickly and don't you dare take my spot!

Theres few spots on Pepper Street as well - no railing, but if you're lucky a lamppost you can chain the bike to.

Edited by happyWanderer on Wednesday 20th April 18:01

[John D.]

dibblecorse said:

Hi



I was doing Caversham to Smithfield Market in 1hr to 1hr10 depending on light sequences and the slow'ish filtering speeds once you hit the A4, you can make decent progress but it won't be quick.

Is that any quicker than the train? I can do Caversham to Aldgate in that on a good run (fastest train in morning and tube is quick, always takes longer on return journey).

Realise you may do it as you can't stand the train.

[xjay1337]

happyWanderer said:

The one on Lavington St (premier inn side) is quite big, if you're in before 9 you should get a spot.
Half of it has railing you can chain the bike to, this gets filled up quite quick.
Small one at the end of that street gets filled up quickly.

The one next to Vapiano has a railing as well, but gets filled up quick.

That bit in blue is not really a motorcycle bay, but you can park there - side of an office building, anywhere within the bollards is good, gets filled up quickly and don't you dare take my spot!

Theres few spots on Pepper Street as well - no railing, but if you're lucky a lamppost you can chain the bike to.

Edited by happyWanderer on Wednesday 20th April 18:01

You are an absolute legend.
The section by the office building - to be clear it's the section vaugely outlined by white lines on Google Maps.. ?

:-)

Edited by xjay1337 on Wednesday 20th April 19:39

[Reardy Mister]

mitzy said:

Reardy Mister said:

Whilst the commuters are looking at this thread, can I ask if anyone knows of a good spot to park in or near Canada Square at the Wharf? I have to be there 3 days this week and permanently from about June. Which is arse.

Hello
I work in Canary Wharf
There is a car park at Waitrose which is underground and that has bike parking and camera's and i think its £2 a day.
Not sure there is anywhere else round there that does bike parking , think there is a canary wharf estate car park for the shops but never been in there tbh as I have secure underground parking for bikes where I work.

If you need any other advice about the area let me know

Mitzy

Thanks Mitzy. I need to be at 20 Canada Square so the Waitrose should work perfectly I think. Will try it tomorrow.

[supercommuter]

CaptainSlow said:

creampuff said:

I've posted this before - London, bad jam, Pan European, full panniers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6BOsF1GYbk

Firstly that isn't a bad jam..that's normal. Secondly, that's the slowest filtering I've seen and the width problem was seen by getting stopped when passing the bus.

eta
Whoever is riding that bike would be better to move over and let the queue of bikers sat behind them past!

Edited by CaptainSlow on Wednesday 20th April 10:47

Bet there is a lovely queue of pissed off bikers behind him!

[happyWanderer]

xjay1337 said:

You are an absolute legend.
The section by the office building - to be clear it's the section vaugely outlined by white lines on Google Maps.. ?

:-)

Edited by xjay1337 on Wednesday 20th April 19:39

ha, no! there's a pathway between two office buildings thats not showing on google maps.