I used to use this on my training rides into work in the wharf and home to sunny Essex, 20 miles each way. I think this has been around in one form or another since the war, possibly before. Factory workers at Fort would use these routes to cycle into work at Dagenham and ultimately it went down to Southend. There was a TT course on the A13 I rode in the 80's and there was bits of it visible there around Tilbury. There's also the remnants of a similar route along the A127. I use to vary from your route just after Canning Town, turn left along a shared path and avoid all that faffing with the CS3, comes out past East India DLR and at the back of Majestic wines and onto the Christmas tree lights and up into the Wharf. Obviously everyone is riding gravel these days so I'm finding greenway routes instead of the lanes ! I tried Straford to the Wharf the other day, CS2/Greenway (old sewage pipe)/Manor Road (not great) and then Canning Town and on the funny shared path route. Seems C37 down Burdett Road never got built and I'm not a fan of the Bow Flyover junction.
That’s a lovely bit of background - and I think at least part of C37 is going to be built (south of C2, the Burdett road section) and has funding. The section from Victoria park to the Mile End junction is however in suspended animation as it’s a Tower Hamlets borough road and they’re not playing ball with TfL…
⚡ *I ride down a big main road for pretty much most of this commute usually* 😂⚡ I make this journey fairly often so it's a bit surreal seein it on the channel but different... as much as I enjoy it my "busier" route, it's nice to have the options in this video, really enjoyed this one!! I cannot believe I've never seen the first part of this route. I've skated the second half of the route (except Bank), quite nice. Haha, you might spot a few eBoarders on this route now and then, sometimes a group of us together.
The gate at Saffron Avenue is 24 hour. I've gone through there late at night and they do lift the gate if they see you coming. Worst case scenario you have to bump up the kerb to get round it. Surprised you didn't mention the Battle of Cable Street when you cycled along it. Related to an interesting piece of London's pre-war history.
Thanks that’s useful about Saffron Ave! I’ve mentioned cable st (and the mural) in some other vids that use it but was just trying to mix it up a bit I think!
Another great vid'! Thanks 👍 Limehouse Causeway and Narrow Street bring back memories of The London Marathon 2010, albeit in the opposite direction. 😁🏃♂️
I cycled a similarly long route yesterday, that would have been much longer and winding a few years back. Charlton to the Natural history museum, in Kensington, via C4 and C3. I know the unfinished lower road part is nowhere near up the standards of this channel yet (you can avoid it with a diversion through Southwark park I think), and I sneakily went across tower bridge to link c4 to c3 (which is actually not bad as the traffic is so slow moving) but I was really impressed with how quick, easy and pleasant it was.
Good route. Thanks for sharing. The steps on the footbridge over the A406 are a pain! You can avoid them by turnong left into Fleet Rd heading south beside the Dual carridgeway. Just before the road turns more Easterly you will see a bridge to the Council depot that will lead to an entrance to pathway that will take you back towards the other side of the footbridge. Sadly there are two chicanes on this route but it is better than all those steps AND a chicance IMHO. Obviously you will need to turn left before you reach the footbridge to rejoin your route. As an aside, on the otherside of the road to the bridge on Fleet Rd is a footpath that takes you behind the abandoned cinema complex to a nature reserve next to Beckton sewage works. Its amazing how remote this feels. Less amazing is the atmophere! ride safe!
If they could change some of those entrances to the side streets along Newham Way so that cyclist have priority, this would improve the route. Also, that bridge needs to be torn down and rebuild as a proper pedestrian/cycling overpass. Great sound now with the new mike👍
I completely agree the facade needs to be preserved, while modernizing the interiors. 27 minutes, you need to step up your game bruv and beat your personal best of 34 minutes.
Great video! Would also be interested to see what it's like going the opposite way from Barking, say to Romford. Though i get the impression that cycling infrastructure tends to get worse the further in to outer London you get so maybe there's not really an adequate route.
Without doubt the bridge over the A406 and alleyways after must be some of the worse places I can think of riding a bike. But guessing it's the only link.
A real shame that so much of the route isn't accessible to some riders. Not a criticism of you, more a criticism of the councils over the last few decades for building car-centric crossings and stupid chicanes.
Another great video! You're building quite a collection now - was wondering if you could do a quick one for the best way to cycle from Hammersmith to Hyde Park Corner given that Kensington high Street is so awful, maybe you know a good alternative route?
I would love to do this, the only thing is there just isn’t a way I can find around HSK…. I may do a video specifically about this street and why it’s a problem. Badly needs infrastructure! I’ll make a note anyway as I’m always trying to work out alternatives
I’ve got a few more Canary Wharf videos coming soon! As Liam suggests the Westminster one exists but i could try other bits of central London, where you looking for specifically?
Thank you! I’ve actually looked into this before and the issue is that to be readable the map has to be quite big and take up quite a lot of the screen. You could follow along on the Komoot link though if helpful
Good stuff mate, your mic is better quality, but have you recorded it in a room that is large, or not much soft stuff in? It has a bit of an echo now, not ideal, but maybe consider recording in a smaller, more soft covered room, perhaps put in a couple of duvets or something to soak up the reflections? :)
It seems that London needs a single color bike lane, instead of doing several colored ones. Its rather confusing and annoying in the long term.. Visual language is so important for cycling.. I'm just observing this from a Dutch perspective, but regardless of the shortcomings, its really nice to see UK cycling more then ever.
Yes that would be good - I think the blue was dropped because during the Cycle Superhighways programme the colour was used to as a point of objection to people criticism the scheme. So generally new stuff is just black asphalt, but a colour like red or green would be good (blue is probably silly)
I'd like to see Active Travel England take responsibility for that, but yeah it's annoying when you see different colours used along a single route or in a single borough. If it was consistent then other road users (pedestrians, drivers) would intuitively expect to see cyclists. Red tarmac would be the obvious choice imo.
What’s the difference between a cycleway, cycle path and a cycle lane?…for a noob like me that wants to avoid as many main roads as possible it’s kind of confusing lol
A good question! So really they all mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably or at least overlapping, BUT if you’re being nitpicky - a Cycleway (with a capital C) is what TfL calls their official routes (but with a lowercase c it’s also a word of use for a high quality cycle lane). A cycle path to me would always be something off road and separated from traffic - either it’s through a park or something, or far enough from the road to feel separate. A cycle lane is by contrast part of the road - it can be either protected with a kerb or even just paint, the name doesn’t specific. It’s not too important though!
Dowgate Hill tracks you up the River Walbrook's gradient that had entered the Thames next to Cannon Station , 25:15 takes you past Spanish artist Cristina Iglesias's open flowing water sculptures ‘Forgotten Streams’ of the Walbrook that flows next to the Roman Mithraeum you mention underneath £1Bn Bloomberg building. Free to visit and worth it when time allows.
There needs to be more cycling infanstructure in East and Southern London imo.
There are cycle infra, but most of them are quite doggy and/or long overdue for upgrades. Just like the CS7 and the east part of CS3
agreed!
@@raynoldchow I agree.
I used to use this on my training rides into work in the wharf and home to sunny Essex, 20 miles each way. I think this has been around in one form or another since the war, possibly before. Factory workers at Fort would use these routes to cycle into work at Dagenham and ultimately it went down to Southend. There was a TT course on the A13 I rode in the 80's and there was bits of it visible there around Tilbury. There's also the remnants of a similar route along the A127.
I use to vary from your route just after Canning Town, turn left along a shared path and avoid all that faffing with the CS3, comes out past East India DLR and at the back of Majestic wines and onto the Christmas tree lights and up into the Wharf.
Obviously everyone is riding gravel these days so I'm finding greenway routes instead of the lanes ! I tried Straford to the Wharf the other day, CS2/Greenway (old sewage pipe)/Manor Road (not great) and then Canning Town and on the funny shared path route. Seems C37 down Burdett Road never got built and I'm not a fan of the Bow Flyover junction.
That’s a lovely bit of background - and I think at least part of C37 is going to be built (south of C2, the Burdett road section) and has funding. The section from Victoria park to the Mile End junction is however in suspended animation as it’s a Tower Hamlets borough road and they’re not playing ball with TfL…
⚡ *I ride down a big main road for pretty much most of this commute usually* 😂⚡
I make this journey fairly often so it's a bit surreal seein it on the channel but different... as much as I enjoy it my "busier" route, it's nice to have the options in this video, really enjoyed this one!!
I cannot believe I've never seen the first part of this route.
I've skated the second half of the route (except Bank), quite nice.
Haha, you might spot a few eBoarders on this route now and then, sometimes a group of us together.
I was excited to see one of you in the wild!! Happy riding!
The gate at Saffron Avenue is 24 hour. I've gone through there late at night and they do lift the gate if they see you coming. Worst case scenario you have to bump up the kerb to get round it. Surprised you didn't mention the Battle of Cable Street when you cycled along it. Related to an interesting piece of London's pre-war history.
Thanks that’s useful about Saffron Ave! I’ve mentioned cable st (and the mural) in some other vids that use it but was just trying to mix it up a bit I think!
Another great video, Jon! Thank you for posting and sharing it! the mic quality improvement is great too, congrats!
Thank you for watching! Glad the audio difference is noticeable
Another great vid'! Thanks 👍
Limehouse Causeway and Narrow Street bring back memories of The London Marathon 2010, albeit in the opposite direction. 😁🏃♂️
Oh nice, I hope happy memories haha!
Finally, my area!
Hope it’s handy!
@@Londoncycleroutes Definitely is!!! The CS3 is quite lovely when it's quiet, I use that route a lot
Nice route I live Barking cycle to Islington Barking road then greenway through to hackney Vicky Park, I’ve also Barking to Southend regularly.
nice, will have to check that way out! cheers for watching
I cycled a similarly long route yesterday, that would have been much longer and winding a few years back. Charlton to the Natural history museum, in Kensington, via C4 and C3. I know the unfinished lower road part is nowhere near up the standards of this channel yet (you can avoid it with a diversion through Southwark park I think), and I sneakily went across tower bridge to link c4 to c3 (which is actually not bad as the traffic is so slow moving) but I was really impressed with how quick, easy and pleasant it was.
That’s really interesting - can’t wait until lower road is done! I usually avoid it by cutting onto C10 at Gosterwood Street at the moment
Good route. Thanks for sharing. The steps on the footbridge over the A406 are a pain! You can avoid them by turnong left into Fleet Rd heading south beside the Dual carridgeway. Just before the road turns more Easterly you will see a bridge to the Council depot that will lead to an entrance to pathway that will take you back towards the other side of the footbridge. Sadly there are two chicanes on this route but it is better than all those steps AND a chicance IMHO. Obviously you will need to turn left before you reach the footbridge to rejoin your route.
As an aside, on the otherside of the road to the bridge on Fleet Rd is a footpath that takes you behind the abandoned cinema complex to a nature reserve next to Beckton sewage works. Its amazing how remote this feels. Less amazing is the atmophere!
ride safe!
I think you’re right about that was being better, will try to remember to go that way in future!
New microphone sounding crisp 👌
Thank you, I’m glad! think it makes a difference
Great vid. I used to stay at the Barking Formule 1 and get the tube in. Cheap way of visiting London.
Not a bad idea, accommodation can be pricey in this town!
Really enjoying these videos. Would love to see your take on a safe route from the city to Woolwich in the absence of a complete Cycleway 4
I’ve got this planned actually! Just waiting for some roadworks to end! Shouldn’t be too long
If they could change some of those entrances to the side streets along Newham Way so that cyclist have priority, this would improve the route. Also, that bridge needs to be torn down and rebuild as a proper pedestrian/cycling overpass. Great sound now with the new mike👍
Definitely agree on those points!
I enjoyed this; thank you for making and sharing it. Some parts of the infrastructure are pretty good, and other parts are... really... not.
Yeah it’s a bit mixed… largely does the job but could be a lot better
Great video as always Jon
Cheers Mike, thanks for watching and the kind comment!
Nice!
and thanks for watching!
I completely agree the facade needs to be preserved, while modernizing the interiors.
27 minutes, you need to step up your game bruv and beat your personal best of 34 minutes.
Haha sometimes they just turn out long!
Great video!
Would also be interested to see what it's like going the opposite way from Barking, say to Romford. Though i get the impression that cycling infrastructure tends to get worse the further in to outer London you get so maybe there's not really an adequate route.
yes, you’re right but that could also be interesting! Will make a note to explore it
you can do wanstead to westminster
Yes good plan! I’m going to record this video!
Without doubt the bridge over the A406 and alleyways after must be some of the worse places I can think of riding a bike. But guessing it's the only link.
Yeah it’s not great is it - I reckon those paths could be quite decent with an overhaul but I wonder whether the council would want to spend the money
When I used CS3 eastbound about 10 years ago the poor wayfinding caused me to almost end up in Limehouse tunnel
Haha not a good place to end up!
A real shame that so much of the route isn't accessible to some riders. Not a criticism of you, more a criticism of the councils over the last few decades for building car-centric crossings and stupid chicanes.
Yes completely agree - I couldn’t find another way around or I’d have taken it. Hopefully someone can get it removed
Another great video! You're building quite a collection now - was wondering if you could do a quick one for the best way to cycle from Hammersmith to Hyde Park Corner given that Kensington high Street is so awful, maybe you know a good alternative route?
I would love to do this, the only thing is there just isn’t a way I can find around HSK…. I may do a video specifically about this street and why it’s a problem. Badly needs infrastructure! I’ll make a note anyway as I’m always trying to work out alternatives
Please post Canary Wharf to Central London, it will be very useful 👍
You can basically just join this route halfway along to do that
Here: czcams.com/video/YSwv_sB2-yM/video.html
I’ve got a few more Canary Wharf videos coming soon! As Liam suggests the Westminster one exists but i could try other bits of central London, where you looking for specifically?
Hey I really like your videos. I was wondering if it was possible to include a tiny map on your videos as you go about your cycle?
Thank you! I’ve actually looked into this before and the issue is that to be readable the map has to be quite big and take up quite a lot of the screen. You could follow along on the Komoot link though if helpful
please do cycle route from Ilford to euston square station
Will see what I can do!
Good stuff mate, your mic is better quality, but have you recorded it in a room that is large, or not much soft stuff in? It has a bit of an echo now, not ideal, but maybe consider recording in a smaller, more soft covered room, perhaps put in a couple of duvets or something to soak up the reflections? :)
This is good advice thank you! I’m afraid it is my modern ikea furnishing that have caused that, I’ll have to buy a bean bag
It seems that London needs a single color bike lane, instead of doing several colored ones.
Its rather confusing and annoying in the long term..
Visual language is so important for cycling..
I'm just observing this from a Dutch perspective, but regardless of the shortcomings, its really nice to see UK cycling more then ever.
Yes that would be good - I think the blue was dropped because during the Cycle Superhighways programme the colour was used to as a point of objection to people criticism the scheme. So generally new stuff is just black asphalt, but a colour like red or green would be good (blue is probably silly)
I'd like to see Active Travel England take responsibility for that, but yeah it's annoying when you see different colours used along a single route or in a single borough. If it was consistent then other road users (pedestrians, drivers) would intuitively expect to see cyclists. Red tarmac would be the obvious choice imo.
What’s the difference between a cycleway, cycle path and a cycle lane?…for a noob like me that wants to avoid as many main roads as possible it’s kind of confusing lol
A good question! So really they all mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably or at least overlapping, BUT if you’re being nitpicky - a Cycleway (with a capital C) is what TfL calls their official routes (but with a lowercase c it’s also a word of use for a high quality cycle lane). A cycle path to me would always be something off road and separated from traffic - either it’s through a park or something, or far enough from the road to feel separate. A cycle lane is by contrast part of the road - it can be either protected with a kerb or even just paint, the name doesn’t specific. It’s not too important though!
maybe routes from wanstead
definitely got some planned! Maybe to Kings Cross
Dowgate Hill tracks you up the River Walbrook's gradient that had entered the Thames next to Cannon Station , 25:15 takes you past Spanish artist Cristina Iglesias's open flowing water sculptures ‘Forgotten Streams’ of the Walbrook that flows next to the Roman Mithraeum you mention underneath £1Bn Bloomberg building. Free to visit and worth it when time allows.
Excellent info!
Shame the £1Bn Bloomberg building doesn't look that good.
@@ashyclaret why don't you like Roger's design Ash? 😳
@@pfscpublicWell even though very expensive material was used it still looks like a 70's office block.