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i don't know that part of london at all, google tells me its 9miles from the finish to stratford, can anyone tell me what the route is like (flat or hilly), what the roads are like (silly busy or ok) and what the best bike friendly route is like?
indeed, is it even do-able to ride back or are the roads in that area an utter nightmare?
It's certainly do-able but the roads are pretty horrid - they'll be a shock after 100 miles of no traffic.
Avoid Mile End Road/Bow Road if possible - I would go via Regents Canal and past Victoria Park for the quietest route ( https://goo.gl/maps/BNHZkVuwj7F2).
I used to go Old Street, Shoreditch, London Fields, Hackney, Morning Lane, Homerton High Street/ Homerton Road when riding out to Beastway. That should drop you back into the QEOP just next to the Velopark.
https://www.strava.com/activities/518311282
If you can get to Tower Bridge you can pick up the Super Highway there and then turn up the canal which takes you straight to the park. The canal path is gravel but fine on a road bike.
I commuted it a few times, its totally flat and 5 miles from Tower Bridge
I tend to bomb straight up Mile End / Bow Road but it's not exactly a relaxing ride. It's the quickest way and there's a few reasonable bits of cycle lane.
TimP's route is good if you want the quietest option.
I'll be riding back to SE London afterwards which is about 8 miles - there's a couple of bits of still-closed roads to negotiate but other than that riding home is fine, provided you remember that there are cars around all of a sudden!
Presuming you do not know the area then the easiest way is head down to the embankment from finish.
Get on the 'cycle superhighway' (CS3) and head east, this is segregegated from traffic all the way to Tower bridge.
Head north about 200 yards and look for signs for CS2 at the Aldgate.
Go east on CS2 it is one long straight road, after 3 miles you will get to a roundabout, keep heading straight on CS2 and you will see the Olympic Stadium on your left.
As Mossimus said use the protected route.
I did the Ride 100 a while back and that last 9 miles was not welcome!
Good luck.
mossimus - Member
Presuming you do not know the area then the easiest way is head down to the embankment from finish.Get on the 'cycle superhighway' (CS3) and head east, this is segregegated from traffic all the way to Tower bridge.
Head north about 200 yards and look for signs for CS2 at the Aldgate.
Go east on CS2 it is one long straight road, after 3 miles you will get to a roundabout, keep heading straight on CS2 and you will see the Olympic Stadium on your left.
All of this. Its a simple, chaos free nice pootle.
Might be worth jumping on the train then as an easier option?
True, you can take your bikes on the DLR out of rush hour and weekends.
perfect, i've found pdf maps for the cs3 and cs2. i'll see if i can map the route on something and save it to my garmin.
the train from victoria to stratford seems like a better option but its a good fall back if there are so many bikes they turn people away.
thanks, chaps.