No need for love or pie if this works for you, but I have always just used a cardboard bike box for air travel. Most throwers know whats up - I haven't had anything damaged yet. Plus, these are cheap (free!) and fit the job. You can throw a lot of padding in, but the Security guys will pull it all out to inspect. I was going to buy a travel box and thought: why bother?

Box your bike in cardboard and have your Mom mail it to you when you get there?

Nah dude too much cash. 165 thanks for the offer but I'm gonna be traveling with the ride a bunch so I was thinking some sort of a bag or case would be a good idea.

do you have to tip bartenders in london?
if so how much?

In honor of the move I just picked my first and hopefully last Brooks b17. Pip pip cheerio mates...

Plenty of cheap accomadation in SE1, since everyone else in London still thinks it's a s**thole. They're wrong, Mayor Ken's thrown a lot of money our way. Waterloo and the Borough are unrecognisable from the way they were 5 or 6 years ago, and the
Bankside is now one of the nicest parts of the (inner city) Thames. Loads of bars and restaurants with most of the ethnic groups covered.

[QUOTE=griffin_]do you have to tip bartenders in london?
[QUOTE]

Almost never unless you are drinking in smart places

Normal tips in restaurants are usually 10 - 15%, so I guess barmen would be about the same (if you in the smart places mentioned above).

SE1 is a mixed bag. Borough Market is lovely - best food in London. Lots of events under the Arches. But then you get to the Elephant and it's horrible.[/QUOTE]

I lived between Elephant and Borough - its the biz! Worked at (eh hem) Evans, and assorted COURIER companies (cuz they have curriers in london and down here in oz, yo!), and slaved niights in a terrible pub i wont name.

London is the worlds best city.

New York aint even close for fun ;)

Ill be on Stamford street, I think it's in Waterloo. Thanks

A whole bunch of bike couriers hang out on Great Marlborough Street at the end of Carnaby Street (W1, near oxford circus) if you want to ask some questions those dudes are usually pretty friendly... also check out streetmap if you dont know what you are looking at in terms of locations or areas, its pretty useful...

Thanks for all the advice, I too am hopping the pond to London in September so keep it coming.

One place definitely worth checking out is Herne Hill Velodrome, which fingers crossed, is going to re-open in August. Its not the worlds greatest track but when I went there a few years back, the people were fantastic and its a really good scene. I would recommend going and attending a training session or a race.
http://www.hernehillvelodrome.co.uk/

Its pretty easy to get to from most of central(ish) London. I'm definitely going to be there as much as possible.

Any word on N1 besides that it seems to be populated by labour party officers? Any locals care to chaparone some ex-pats on a "learn your city fixed" ride?

When do all you other guys leave the states?

when roe v. wade is overturned.

Well said friend. Well said indeed. Unfortunately too scary to be funny...

I'm heading out on sept. 11, of all days. What about you imoncrank

Sept. 18th

There's a London courier track day at the Herne Hill velodrome on September 18th. For more info http://www.addicts.tv

No word on N1 specifically - generally north and west London is gnerally safer and more expensive (and more boring IMO) than south or east London.
Around the North East (Angel & Islington) there are lots of left wing 30 - 40 somethings and some nice pubs restaurants etc. but the area is expensive.
Move towards Kings Cross and Caledonian Road and you find the crackheads that the area is known for. Camden has all the teenage goths and rockers which is quite interesting. These areas have a bit more character and are cheaper than those above.

Old Street and Hackney (East London) have lots of cool bars and clubs but the area is a bit more edgy than Islington. Parts of South London are great and much closer to central than it seems. Borough (as mentioned) is cool area and I think Brixton (where I live) is awesome. It is about five miles from Kings College and Russel Square. Brixton has a reputation for being dangerous (which is slightly justified) but has loads of great clubs and places to go out and an amazing Jamaican community feel.

These are all huge generalisations and one thing that is very striking about London is that you can go from mansions to ghetto in about 100 metres so most parts of London will have nice bits and nasty bits.

That sounds like a good laugh - I'd be up for it.

Thanks for all the info everyone. I can't wait to get me the hell outta here.

I'm heading out on Sept 7th with me bike and no bloody clue where I'm living.

Still not quite too sure what to expect but I know I've been thoroughly spoiled by the fixie culture in SF.

BTW anyone know of a good Burrito place in London? Stupid question really but I'm clinically addicted to them.

I've been searching for just a decent burrito for the past 3 years! There's a few places that try, but just don't get it.

N1's varied, like every other area in London. Barnsbury, Canonbury are lovely. KX is rough, Hoxton is trendy, Dalston is horrible. If you can get close to Upper St/Essex Rd, there's everything you could ever need on those 2 streets.

Re: Tipping. One typically would buy the barman a drink, rather than leaving cash on the bar.

How is KX rough?

I used to walk up the Caledonian Rd or York Way to get home from KX station. Lots of prostitutes, junkies, drug dealers, chavs with big dogs, that sort of thing. They pulled a limbless torso out of the canal down that way, last year.