Mountain biking in/around London, and Sinclair A-Bikes...

[AlecG]

Hello

I will be moving to London in the next month or so, and taking my Commencal Meta with me, so, the question is where is good to cycle around london? I will be living near Angel, and wont have my car. At the minute I live near the ridgeway, and about 25 minutes drive from Swinley forest, and love cycling there!

Also, obviously I don't want to commute on the Commencal as she is a bit of a heavy beast, so was looking at those Sinclair A-Bikes when browsing for folding bikes. Are they any good? Any other underground/bus friendly bikes that anyone can recommend?

Thanks!

[AlecG]

Anybody any info on the A-bike? No...?

[Mekon]

The reviews I've seen reckon it's absolutely terrible. The Strida is the A-bike done properly, as far as I know.

The best site for advice is http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/

Bromptons are the obvious choice.

[AlecG]

Cool, thanks!

I'm looking for one which is easy/small enough to fold up for the tube...

[Chris71]

AlecG said:

Hello

I will be moving to London in the next month or so, and taking my Commencal Meta with me, so, the question is where is good to cycle around london?

Hi,

There are places to ride, but they're not always obvious!

Whereabouts in London are you going to be?

I'm up in North London and I've just discovered some really entertaining XC trails in Broxbourne Woods (and the surrounding woods up to Hertford Heath). There's also Epping - which, crucially, is accesible from the tube.

If you get desperate there are also places like Trent Park and Whitewebbs near me, but you wouldn't travel for them!

Otherwise you need to head a little further afield - Danbury (east of Chelmsford on the A414), Escher Shore (Surrey) etc.

We're trying to organise a PH ride for the South East at some point, so keep an eye open.

[Fer]

I bought an a-bike clone, but I doubt it would hold up to anything, so have bit the bullet and bought a Brompton, which is small enough for the tube, but robust enough to take the run to and from the station and pottering about when I cannot be a**ed to get the big bike out, or take the car.

[AlecG]

Will be moving to Angel, I cant wait

Thanks for the info on rides, I will check them out! Will also be keen to hook up with new people as although I'm moving in with two friends neither of them ride, and I wont know anyone else!

I will be using the as yet undecided folding bike to go about 4 miles a day - a mile to the tube, then on the tube, then from the tube to work and back obviously, so nothing major, thought the A-bike seems quite compact, but as I'm the top end of the recommended weight think I will pass...

[Fer]

AlecG said:

I will be using the as yet undecided folding bike to go about 4 miles a day - a mile to the tube, then on the tube, then from the tube to work and back obviously, so nothing major, thought the A-bike seems quite compact, but as I'm the top end of the recommended weight think I will pass...

I had the same weight issue with the a-bike. The Brompton is not cheap, but well up to the task, the a-bike wheels are a tiny, and seemed to choke on small pebbles. (Unless you want to buy mine off me, in which case it's the best ever, and you will have hours of fun walking next to it).

[Tampon]

AlecG said:

Will be moving to Angel, I cant wait

Thanks for the info on rides, I will check them out! Will also be keen to hook up with new people as although I'm moving in with two friends neither of them ride, and I wont know anyone else!

I will be using the as yet undecided folding bike to go about 4 miles a day - a mile to the tube, then on the tube, then from the tube to work and back obviously, so nothing major, thought the A-bike seems quite compact, but as I'm the top end of the recommended weight think I will pass...

I am 6ft 5 and 18 stone, way over the limits on height and weight. It is fine, depends on the riding you are doing, nothing and I mean nothing come close to the size it folds up to, the wheels are small but you have to think of it more of a way of getting you moving 2-3 times the speed you walk than a bike ride. It is a tool to use to help you get to the station and from the station to work, a 20 min brisk walk becomes a 7-8 min ride on a A bike. If you need to do 4 straight miles then definitely get something else, if it is a mile here and a half a mile at the other end it is perfect. Some people have gone miles on them with a different seat on them, i have ridden home from wembley to uxbridge on mine at 3 am when I was out of money and that was the nearest I could get on public transport, I would hate to imagine how long it would take walking.

Get yourself a cheap copy ( some even do bigger wheels which make it more stable ), wack on a proper bike seat ( the seat it comes with it designed to be small but it isn't the most comfortable ) and see for yourself for the cost of £50, if you don't like it you can off load the bike pretty easily and then splash out on a Bromton ( that is designed to be a normal bike that you could easily do 20 miles on ).

Try going for a quick pint after work with a bromton in tow, in soho, and you will find that the fact you can throw the a bike in a ruck sack a god send.

[AlecG]

Could be interested in buying yours, how much we talking

Failing that where can you get the cheapie copies/the ones with bigger rims? I've got the Commencal for proper riding, so just after something cheap to shave a bit off the commute really!

[Chris71]

Do beware riding on the roads around London. The natives aren't very friendly!

[Tampon]

AlecG said:

Could be interested in buying yours, how much we talking

Failing that where can you get the cheapie copies/the ones with bigger rims? I've got the Commencal for proper riding, so just after something cheap to shave a bit off the commute really!

Check out www.abikecentral.com

They have all the info on real ones and copies. There is a new one out now which addresses some of the old problems. The bigger wheeled one are quite rare ( and copies ) but really don't worry too much about that.

If you want to grab a copy or a real secondhand one check out ebay, some times they go for as little as £30 but normal price is £50ish, real secondhand ones £60-£100.

Weight wise they can take more than they state, Sinclair was on tv and stated tha what they put on for legal reason but it has been tested higher, but if you buy a copy and weigh as much as me and ride with backpacks full of shopping be realistic, it not going to last years and years, but for £50-£60 who cares, if you "get" them they really are a great bit of kit for urban transport, just completely forget about "real" bikes when you go in there, they are different machines to folding bikes as well.

New copy
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/A-Bike-Folding-Bike_W0QQitem...

Used real one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/A-Bike-folding-bike_W0QQitem...

Also a forum selling used ones
http://abikecentral.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3

Hope that helps

Edited by Tampon on Wednesday 13th August 17:44

[cjs]

Not many places to Mountain/XC bike around the Angel, maybe Hampstead Heath?? Don't know if they allow cycling though?

If you don't mind a tube ride out west then Ruislip Woods are accessible from Ruislip tube. No great climbs or hills but plenty of trails and XC stuff.

[AlecG]

Thank you very much for all that info tampon, most useful!

I think now I will keep my eyes peeled (not moving to Angel for a month...) so have a while to wait for the right one! Seems a pretty cool idea actually, and ideal!

CJS thanks for your help also! Figured there wouldn't be much too local to Angel...

Another question, is it possible to take a "normal" bike on the tube?

[Fer]

From what I read the bike has to fold... I was hoping for a folding mountain bike, but not found one yet.

[cjs]

You can take normal bikes but there are restrictions. Most of the time outside peak hours your okay. There is some info here.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/974.aspx

[Tampon]

cjs said:

You can take normal bikes but there are restrictions. Most of the time outside peak hours your okay. There is some info here.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/974.aspx

As long as the tube station isn't underground and has a escalator, which rules out alot of central london.

A-bike doesn't have a problem on any transport, even a plane ! fits in as carry on no problems.

Circle, District, East London, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines
On these lines non-folding bicycles are permitted on all sections outside peak times.

Bakerloo Line
Non-folding bicycles may be taken between Queen's Park and Harrow & Wealdstone in the morning peak and vice versa in the evening peak, and in both directions outside peak times.

Central Line
Non-folding bicycles may be taken outside peak times in either direction between: White City and West Ruislip/Ealing Broadway Leyton and Epping Newbury Park/Woodford and Hainault.

Jubilee Line
Non-folding bicycles are permitted outside peak times in either direction between: Finchley Road and Stanmore Canning Town and Stratford.

Northern Line
Non-folding bicycles may be taken outside peak times in either direction between: Edgware and Colindale Hendon Central and Golders Green East Finchley and High Barnet/Mill Hill East.

Piccadilly Line
Non-folding bicycles are allowed outside peak times in either direction between: Barons Court and Hounslow West/Uxbridge Cockfosters and Oakwood.

Victoria Line and Waterloo & City Line
Non-folding bicycles must not be taken on the Victoria Line or the Waterloo & City Line.

All stations
You cannot take non-folding bicycles on moving escalators at any underground station.

London Buses
London Buses will take folding bicycles at the discretion of the driver. This is consistent with rules for pushchairs and other larger shopping, luggage etc.

Docklands Light Railway
Docklands Light Railway only takes folding bicycles that are completely enclosed in a container.