[Closed] That London

I'd consider SW London/Surrey borders. Kingston, Surbiton, Esher, Hampton, Weybridge, Walton etc. All easy driving to the downs and surrey hills (oh, and Swinley), M25 is a short drive away so heading up north you can hit the M1 in under half an hour. The river and parks etc are right there and other than Kingston, they're still relatively quiet. I lived in north London for the first half of my time here and I'm much happier down this side.

For other biking, Wales is a couple of hours, Aston Hill, Woburn etc are 30-40 minutes away.

Nice but not OMG expensive

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Sorry.

Unless you move to somewhere right out in zone 5-6*, a 1-bed flat will set you back approx £200+pw unless you want to live in a scummy area. even in scummy areas, you could be paying that and more, believe me. 2-3-4 bed places, you're looking at loads more. Well over a grand, fifteen hundred a month for a 'family' house.

*Could be ok, maybe out West London way, but even then, you're talking a lot for little; London is astonishingly expensive for accommodation mate. And by 'nice' and 'family friendly', I imagine you're talking about something quite suburban, not a council estate.

Plenty of great urban riding around, loads of bike paths and that. West is best for stuff like Surrey Hills, Swinley and that. South is good for that as well, possibly even better.

Be prepared to compromise. Loads. Otherwise you're in for a very nasty shock....

South East, Kent, 37mins on High Speed, Gods Own Back Garden, ride the North Downs, Ride the Cliff tops, visit the bike park and pay homage at former colliery Betteshanger where your forefathers desecrated the peace and calm of Deal.

Wear a white shirt all day without it becoming black, enjoy the driest Sunniest and warmest climate in the UK, use the great hole in the ground to ravage the cheese eaters, steal their women and demand obsequience.

Nobody actually lives in Lunnon, only the undead or Eurotrash.

Oh and 200k will still buy a half decent Gaff and that 37mins gets you to Kings Cross if you must return (you won't you'll wonder why you didn't come down here long ago)

Eurotrash?

😕

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No?

Don't go too far out, the zone 5 - 6 suburbs are the worst IME, all the bad point of London with out the benefits. I vote south London too, just make sure you are riding distance to work so you can save money on public transport.

Eurotrash are trash from Europe who have come to lunnon to work in the city, are at business school or going out with one of my endless supply of daughters who currently reside up Lunnon and complain about Eurotrash (or zombie single speed and fixie riders until it's time for one of them to pedal them home from the theatre)

I must be undead, then.

37mins gets you to Kings Cross if you must return (you won't you'll wonder why you didn't come down here long ago)

but that means living in Ashford, a genetic experiment gone horribly wrong.
it's a shitehole.

Eurotrash are trash from Europe

Still not quite with you; I don't speak bigot, you see. 😐

Back under that bridge. Preferably the QE2...

do it Dan, as a Yorkshire man in London, I can categorically state that it will make Yorkshire seem infinitely more like God's own country than it already is.
I would suggest living North Westish rather than North East.
Relatively speaking, there's nowhere good to live, but some places are better than others. firstly you need to work out what you need (2-bed, 3-bed, etc.) and your budget (buying, renting) then work out where you can get what you want for your money.
right move is your frieeeend.
once you've identified these things, then come on here and ask...

Elfinsafety - Member
Eurotrash are trash from Europe
Still not quite with you; I don't speak bigot, you see.

Back under that bridge. Preferably the QE2...

And you don't get out much either.

Have you ever talked to a girl?

as a Yorkshire man in London, I can categorically state that it will make Yorkshire seem infinitely more like God's own country than it already is.

Relatively speaking, there's nowhere good to live

Why don't you bugger off back to 'God's own county' then if it's so wonderful there? Seriously?

Oh you need a job. Right. Sorry.... 🙄

MrSmith - Member
37mins gets you to Kings Cross if you must return (you won't you'll wonder why you didn't come down here long ago)
but that means living in Ashford, a genetic experiment gone horribly wrong.
it's a shitehole.

Folkestone I believe is actually the 37 minute destination and on the North Coast somewhere around Whitstable, agreed Ashford is exactly as you describe it.

I didn't say anything was wrong with London, just that Yorkshire is much better, but that's stating the obvious - but you knew that already didn't you?
I'm in London because I like it,
and the girls are hotter.

just that Yorkshire is much better

How can you compare the two though?

I mean, the cities are not a patch on London, we know that, and you can't compare rural with urban environments really, can you? And as for rural outdoorsy places; North Wales and Cumbria/The Lakes are better than Yorkshire imo. Yorkshire's ok.

Have you ever talked to a girl?

Yeah; she said she moved to London to get away from her **** of a father....

Near Elfinsafety, the neighbours will be good!

Yeah, come live on my estate! 😀

I'll look after you....

Yeah; she said she moved to London to get away from her **** of a father....

I didn't even know you [i]had [/i]a daughter.

(-:

brakes - Member
I didn't say anything was wrong with London, just that Yorkshire is much better, but that's stating the obvious - but you knew that already didn't you?

They're both bad places for different reasons, turned down two very good jobs once for entirely different reasons, but both involving grimy shirt collars and filthy environment - no amount of money would encourage me to live and work in either of those wretched places.

no amount of money would encourage me to live and work in either of those wretched places.

what about the hot chicks? there's more to life than work and money.
hot chicks for instance.

Elfinsafety - Member
Have you ever talked to a girl?
Yeah; she said she moved to London to get away from her **** of a father....

Not one of mine, you're still alive, mine kill and eat their mates..

For hot chicks, Moscow wins. By a mile.

My job is based in London, and could not be based anywhere else. I love my job, and I love London. My job pays me enough to spend much time enjoying all of the other lovely parts of the UK. And the Caribbean. And the Alps. Etc. 🙂

For hot chicks, Moscow wins. By a mile.

Erm, we weren't talking about the ones you have to pay for, Flashy.... 😐

My job pays me enough to spend much time enjoying all of the other lovely parts of the UK. And the Caribbean. And the Alps. Etc.

Are you a Tube Driver? 😉

Macau for that.... 🙂 apparently. 🙂

Tube Driver? 🙂 not me, guv...! Doesn't pay enough. 🙂

Its 10 years since I moved down now (wow, its flown). I moved from Leeds to Ealing, and I've moved within Ealing from a flat to a house, in Northfields. We love it here, most of our neighbours are really friendly and have moved from other parts of the UK or europe for work. Really family friendly as well we have found since we had twins 3 years ago, loads of council run play centres within parks for example that are superb for weekend mornings out.

For what you need it's ideal IMHO. I can be on the Surrey hills in 50 mins, and at Swinley in 40. I've been in Cwmcarn car park on a Sunday Morning 2 hours after getting out of bed.

Its ideal for access to the M1, M4 and M40 for getting north. I can be in Covent Garden in 25 minutes. Local pubs and restaurants are pretty good and very family focused.

I guess its going to be expensive moving from the North, and not sure what your budget is but anywhere in a half decent area in all of London is going to cost 1.5K to 2K a month for a modest family home.

I too have heard about the wonderous sights of Moscow, but it's even more expensive to live there than London. and you won't even get a whiff unless you're a multi-oligarch.

if you are looking at buying i think only hertfordshire, ie north, has any kind of affordable housing
ridings not bad either, chicksands, woburn, aston, the chilterns all within easy reach

surreyish south/ sw is probably nicest but not cheap
and riding opportunities also very good

saying that i live brentford which is west has some not bad parts i can cycle to victoria in 45mins (i actually go a bit further 5 days a week its very doable)
I can be at swinley in 40mins or cwmcarn in 2 hrs

londons an awesome place, you can never be bored and once you get your head round its size there are endless opportunities for entertaining the kids/wife, partying, culture, food, history, arhchitecture adventure etc

Brakes, Moscow is madly expensive. Of all the places I've been to this year, it's about double the cost. Insane place. Wonderful, but insane.

brakes - Member
what about the hot chicks? there's more to life than work and money.
hot chicks for instance.

I learned to become Gay

Hang on a minute; aren't Yorkshire folk meant to be used to hardship and stuff?

In that case, you'll think Thamesmead is the height of luxury! 😀

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Ooh it's grim down south, in't it?

I grew up in Kent, plenty of pleasant places to live and many <1h by train into London, better value than Surrey too. Lots of good secondary schools if that matters too (the grammar is still alive and well).

Anywhere in North London that's less than an hour cycle from Victoria will either be very expensive, in a shithole, or both. I like where I live (Finsbury Park / Crouch End way) and it's good for getting to Victoria, but to buy a family (as in 3 usable bedrooms) property you're talking half a million really, and can easily spend double that on something "nice". Primary schools are OK but not much in the way of decent secondary schools here unless you're willing to pay. People tend to stay when they have young kids but move further out as they get older.

There's quite a few towns like St Albans on the north side which are pretty nice, easy to get to the motorway to go up north, quick train links in, and with a Brompton you could avoid the tube and still be well within an hour.

*cancels posh holiday. Books a weekend in Thamesmead*

🙂

Do a forum search and ye will find loads of posts extolling the virtues of where to live in Surrey (and thus be near the North Downs and Surrey Hills + 30-60 mins from Victoria).

Flashy, it's proper grim, is that place. At least it was when I went through there a few years ago. I understand they're doing it up now, but by God it were reet grim.

Truth is, that although there are a few nasty little pockets, most areas in London have improved over the last 15 years or so (mainly cos a Labour government 'bankrupted' the nation by actually investing in run-down areas a bit). So nowhere near as bad as people might think. And actually, places like Hackney are becoming increasingly desirable; loads of middle classes living there, some decent schools, and only the occasional stabbing. Proper vibrant varied culture, loads of places to eat and drink etc.

There are far worser places elsewhere in the UK than anywhere in London.

If Victoria is your station then Kent is the place. Faversham, Whitstable or even Canterbury will all get you up to Vicky on the high speed train in under an hour. Nice countryside, plenty of riding, beaches and plenty going on. Plus Manston airport, eurotunnel and the ports for quick weekends on the continent or whatever. Plus houseprices are pretty good for the south east.

Avoid Ashford. It's demise from a pleasant Market town in the fifties to what it is today is criminal. Also avoid Sittingbourne and pretty much all of the isle of Thanet. Steer well clear of Sheppey too unless you are a fan of George Romero.

37mins gets you to Kings Cross if you must return (you won't you'll wonder why you didn't come down here long ago)

Farnborough is only 45 mins from Waterloo, and that's leafy Hampshire!

Yorkshire? Better?
Only if
You like a chip on your shoulder
You don't need a job
Can put up with the dreadful weather

😉

Coulsdon South is within zone 6, only a little bit north of the NDW, and not a bad area.

I like London quite a lot, but I've no idea what I'd do if I had to live there, what with accommodation being what it is. However I do not think I would move there because of the riding.

You lot saying 'you can be in Cwmcarn in two hours' just highlights how bad it is, not how good. For much of the rest of the country you can be on the trails in minutes [i]by bike[/i] and keep riding for hours and hours and you don't even have to do laps! I haven't driven to ride my bike in years.

HAVING to drive nearly an hour to ride.. urgh.

Steer well clear of Sheppey too unless you are a fan of George Romero.

😆

I have fond memories of The Beautiful Isle of Sheppey from my misspent youth...

For much of the rest of the country you can be on the trails in minutes by bike

So can I...

Its a dump don't bother

By trails I mean hilly wooded singletrack or moorland, that kind of thing.

I could too. Within about 5 mins I can be on dirt trails and ride all the way to the downs without much road. I just choose not to. More power if you don't want to live in London; I was born and raised up north and wouldn't go back up there either.

Spent three years living in London in the mid 90's. Lived in Soho - loved it, although back then I was a very idealistic young maaaayn. Not sure I'd have the energy for it now though.

I remember various places where I ended up for one reason or another - West Drayton, Chigwell, Finchley. They'd all be good places for you to live.

Got utterly toasted on Brick Lane once and ended up in Stoke Newington, where I had to run into a Esso type garage seeking succor from two nasty hoodies intent on turning me over for my possessions. 🙁

Heh I obviously live in a sh*t hole then sensible (well London sensible) Mortgage, 45 minute ride into the centre of town.

One of the CAMRA clubs of the year on my doorstep and a local pub that usually has over a dozen real ales on for £1.99 a pint.

Epping Forest trails less than 10 minutes away.

It's all a bit rough and ready and ungentrified but all the more friendly for it I reckon.

Ride acros town and train is a bit of a drag for Surrey Hills, more so in winter but eminently doable.

By trails I mean hilly wooded singletrack

Yep.

Walton Weybridge Kingston Esher basically North Surrey round there would be my call but I live there so I would say that. Esher is 30 mins to London and leafy but well stocked with the things a person needs. Not cheap I'm afraid but cheaper than a proper London postcode. Surrey Hills 30 mins away and plenty of OK riding on your doorstep.

By trails I mean hilly wooded singletrack
Yep

You do not have anything of similar quality as I have within 10 minutes ride of your front door. Or my name's Fred Dibnah.

Have you ever bin here? Do you actually know what you're talking about?

I can be in Epping Forest in 25 mins. Maybe not as undulating, but loads of fun singletracky stuff.

I also have this within minutes of my front door, do you?

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No. So shut up, you know you've already lost.

To be fair Epping is offroad riding and it's doorstep , it's er not challenging in anyway and pretty much unridable when the clay isn't baked solid.

It is entertaining though especially on a cross bike anything else is pretty much overkill though.

When it's dry and dusty it's mental good fun though just a case of riding everything as fast as you possibly can and not hitting stuff two or three hours of that on a summer evening is magic especially having a stop at the top of Pole Hill and taking the view over town in.

The best bit about London for me is you can wander outside a pub with a beer, try doing that in Newcastle...

Why can't you all just live where you live without being bitches about where you don't live.

Because there's no fun in that. 😀

Folkestone I believe is actually the 37 minute destination and on the North Coast somewhere around Whitstable, agreed Ashford is exactly as you describe it.

wrong ashford is 37 mins folkstone is 57 or 55min on the high speed line.
(great train service, i use it to visit my folks)

Do you actually know what you're talking about?

No, but I knew you'd fill me in 🙂

I already said I liked London but the riding was pants. All you are doing is proving me right 🙂 Epping forest in 25 mins by bike? Hmm. I can be on trails in 10 minutes and I could ride all over Wales on or off road. That's what I'd miss if I lived in London.

Elfinsafety - Member
Steer well clear of Sheppey too unless you are a fan of George Romero.

I have fond memories of The Beautiful Isle of Sheppey from my misspent youth...

You are Joking right Thats pikey holiday town Shoot go there and stitch up your pockets.

If your to use mainline trains do consider how un reliable they are
so check the reliability of the provider.
Especially during winter or for flooding on the line.

If i was to move out of london always make sure there is a plan B to get you into work.

lived in London for 11 years between 96-2007. Tottenham, Finchley, Streatham, Wandsworth, Camden, Dalston. aged 23-35. Good times, bad times. Now in North Wales. I'd never go back to London now, not even for a great satisfying job paying 40 grand. I really mean that. It's not for me personally, where I'm at now and what I want now. Listen to Elf - he knows his apples.

I even went lived darn sarf of the river! gor blimey

I can be on trails in 10 minutes and I could ride all over Wales on or off road.

Is that all you do in your spare time, ride your bike?

I do other things too, hence why I like living in London. 🙂

Besides, you live in Sarf Whales. Norf Whales is much betterer.

No it is so shut up!

Innit Kev?

of course it is!! but, if I got a good super paid job job in Cardiff that not available in North Wales I'd happily move there cos it's a good compromise of culture and countryside I think.

no, changed my mind. North Wales is where it's at.

Why can't you wander outside with a beer in Newcastle? The Tyne, the Free Trade, The Ship, the Cluny are all are great pubs where you can do this, along with countless others. The worst thing about London, which no one seems to have mentioned, are the arseholes that live there. 😆

Crouch End is the best place in London to live.

Go to London! I guarantee you'll either be mugged or not appreciated. Catch the train to London, stopping at Rejection, Disappointment, Backstabbing Central and Shattered Dreams Parkway.

Seriously though London is pretty cool just don't drink the water

Is that all you do in your spare time, ride your bike?

Elf you are not listening.

I said I really like London.

But the riding is not up to much.

So when you talk about all the other non-riding stuff to do, I agree with you.

OP - How important is MTBing to you? How often do you want to do it? Do you want to be able to ride from the door?

Leyton, Leytonstow, Walthamstow, Wanstead all an easy commute to Victoria about 10ish miles each way.

Walthamstow is on the Victoria line so for non bike days it's perfect. The A406/M25/A10/A1 are all easily accessible for trips up North.

You've got Epping on your doorstep so lots of singletrack and forest there's to play in. Plus Thetford and Aston Hill aren't too far either.

Elfinsafety - Member
Have you ever bin here? Do you actually know what you're talking about?

I also have this within minutes of my front door, do you?

No. So shut up, you know you've already lost.

*[i]making assumptions here apologies if you don't actually know them[/i]

MrSmith - Member
Folkestone I believe is actually the 37 minute destination and on the North Coast somewhere around Whitstable, agreed Ashford is exactly as you describe it.
wrong ashford is 37 mins folkstone is 57 or 55min on the high speed line.
(great train service, i use it to visit my folks)

Mr Smith ahem it doesn't take 20 minutes to get from Folkestone to Ashford on a fast bike, I hesitate to play the pedant here, but wrong is somewhere between us, shall we build a bridge and get over it?

It is entertaining though especially on a cross bike anything else is pretty much overkill though.

It was bloody ace fun, far from my normal enjoyment but damn good fun.

derekrides

slanty eye dudes

[b]Racist -[/b] Nick Griffin called he wants you to do his PR as you seem to have the same narrow mindset

Crouch End is the best place in London to live.

...unless you want to use the tube, which means an incredibly packed bus ride at peak times. Good if you cycle though. Except for the hill heading south (I live at the top of it, so easy in the morning, hard in the evening).

nobody want to see that shit

I do.

Tring, live in Tring, Tring is where you should live. It's quite nice and you get to say 'Tring' every time someone asks you where you live. And it's nice to say Tring, I like saying Tring, Tring, Tring, Tring. Live in Tring.

It's probably quite easy to get back North from there as well

Crouch End is the best place in London to live.

...unless you want to use the tube, which means an incredibly packed bus ride at peak times. Good if you cycle though

I cycle everywhere. No tube for N8 please......W7 bus is plenty, you love it. 😉

Tring is where you should live. It's quite nice

...and you'd have the Chilterns on your doorstep, Aston Hill, easy access to Up North/Wales etc etc so worth having a look round there or nearer the Chiltern line - Wendover, Aylesbury etc or further East towards St Albans. Downside apart from the 30-45min commute is that the trains take you to the wrong side of London so you need to use the Tube or have a bike at the station to get you to Victoria, or you can walk - walking across London in the early morning when it's getting ready for work is great on a nice day. Biggest up-side is that it's a lot cheaper than central London which is where you really need to be to enjoy the place. If I were you I'd forget the outer suburbs, some of them are most depressing and soul-destroying places I've been to but if you ask anyone who lives there they'll always say how great it is - "it's got a lovely villagey feel not like the rest of London", yet normal people can't tell where one suburb ends and the next begins.

Thanks for all of this - some really useful suggestions that confirmed some of my thoughts and gave me some new ideas.

I'm reconciled to the fact the riding options will be fewer down there (I'm spoiled for choice right now) but sometimes needs must.

North west Kent was already on the list, as was scary expensive Surrey, but I haven't much experience of the areas north and west of London.

I wouldn't move down there for peanuts so hopefully I'll be able to afford something half decent.

I'll just have to go back to me roots. Don't tell any of me northern mates but I was born in Camden and spent the first year of my life in Walthamstow!

Crouch End is the best place in London to live

Only if you can't afford to live in Muswell Hill, I spose. 😉

Was down in Wapping last week; estate agent's window had ads for properties:

ONEPOINTFIVEMILLIONPAHYNDS for a 2-bedroom flat.....

I'm saving to move back hahaha.

but I was born in Camden and spent the first year of my life in Walthamstow