Matt Gaunt

Right, this is highly regional but there are so many cyclists in the park (of varying ability) that there must be lots of people with experiences to share on BF.

Therefore, I think we should have this dedicated thread to discuss what is in all honesty one of London's best cycling resources.

Also, if anyone fancies getting together for a group ride involving Richmond Park, I'd be more than happy to arrange one.

As you were.

Matt Gaunt

I'll start:

Anti-clockwise is easier than clockwise. Discuss.

Johnny_Monkey

Clockwise is possibly easier as you don't have the wind against you on the front straight. However, I used to ride anti-clockwise as it was all left turns and didn't have to worry about the traffic at the roundabouts.

It was an excellent resource though.

Matt Gaunt

Did you not find the wind was always different? Sometimes the wind is killer on that drag up to the Kingston roundabout and other times it actually helps...

Which of the two short climbs is the more difficult then? The left-hand bend or the S-bend?!

pm63

I love coming in through the main gate in Richmond, and doing a lap around the outskirts of the park, all offroad on my hardtail. It's not exactly 'proper' MTB but if you live in London it's the next best thing, and there are some really fun trails and light downhills. Then I go back the other way, so all of the uphills become downhills and vice-versa.

One thing that annoyed me recently is that the park wardens have put two big logs in the middle of some of the trails, a couple of meters apart and indented in different directions, like you sometimes see with barriers at subway entrances, in order to make you slalom round them in an S-curve and slow you down, it really broke up the flow of the trails. Still a great place to ride.

Matt Gaunt

The rules in the park sort of suck to be honest. The 20mph thing is a joke, especially as the cars don't obey it generally. I don't know why they don't just let people enjoy themselves.

mint-sauce

used to cycle it regulary, both clockrise and anti clockrise, on my MTB on both the main road and gravel track around the edge when i lived in london, would do at least two rd circuts each way, and two track circuts each way

used to love the gravel track though on the MTB, shame couldn't always get it to me self, but even with all the other riders/walkers on it, still had the odd spill and seen others take one as well, the couple of scars on the shins to prove it, great times though. used to love all the signs at the top of some of the steep sections, 'cyclists advised to dismount', never seen the logs across the track back then, but they always had them at the apexs of the turns, forcing you to go round them and slow down

down a few clockwise circuts on the road when in london a few months ago on my road bike, would definatly say clockwise is easier, coming down the s bend was an experience, unfortunaly could not fully open it due to traffic, would have been less fun going up it

take care though coming down one of the hills twoards one of the roundabouts, cant remember if kingston or rohampton gate, possibly saywers hill, when there a few months ago i was going slightly over the 20mph, didnot brake in time, got my cornoring all wrong, and nearly ended up over the handle bars trying to get the sharp right around the roundabout, brakes were slammed on and managed to get feet out of spd's with inches to spare

mate with me actully did go over the bars, when joining the grass verge at walking place, clipped in, and didn't notice the small step between the road and the grass

Johnny_Monkey

The predominant wind is a westerly.

I'd say both hills are on a par.

Matt Gaunt

Correct. This is why, historically, West London grew to be richer than the East. The factory workers were housed in the East because the westerly wind blew all the fumes from the city over them, making the land cheaper to buy.

In the park though, I do notice that on many occasions the wind is not a westerly. YMMV.