London Riding Spots?

[michaelorr]

Getting back in to trials and looking for riding spots in London. I've lived here for about 10 years so know the area, but not where people normally ride - ideally something out of the way because I feel embarrassed riding over war memorials in front of everyone when I'm almost 40. Thanks in advance, FYI I live in Canada Water.

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by michaelorr

[ben_travis]

For a couple of videos I made with Mark I pulled together a private spot map of London. It’s online now after I finished the last video.
 

Hope it’s useful

https://goo.gl/maps/uR26Dxg67uGMetN86

Edited March 3, 2021 by ben_travis

[bikeperson45]

Thanks for that, I'll need to figure out a way to wear my trials bike as a backpack and ride my roadie to get around all these

[Mark W]

If you play your cards right you can use the trains to your advantage - for the last video with Ben, we were battling against the shorter days in winter so we ended up getting a train out in the morning then worked out way back in, or just used it to scope out places further afield then get the train home. 

In all honesty, some of the rides between spots weren't too bad (less so than they looked on the map), and there were random spots we came upon on the way from place to place. "There's got to be something" did become a trip catch-phrase just because so many of the estates we rode past seemed like there were going to be little session spots tucked away.

It really was/is amazing how many great spots there are that never appear in videos. Riders like Charlie Rolls or Jack Carthy could put out some amazing footage from some of them.

[Matt24.]

I live just outside of London and ride their regularly - well did before the pandemic! There is also a relatively active group of riders at the moment who organise rides every couple of weeks in London led by Matt & Ton who do the shin dig podcasts. If you message me through your details I can get you added to the group. You are in a pretty good location for riding. There is a Little Rock section down by St Katharines dock which would be good for starting out on and plenty of spots within a 10/15 minute ride of where you are.

[michaelorr]

Thanks everyone that's perfect!

[Captain Scarlet]

On 3/5/2021 at 7:25 AM, Matt24. said:

 There is also a relatively active group of riders at the moment who organise rides every couple of weeks in London led by Matt & Ton who do the shin dig podcasts.

Yes Matty P and I are based in North London so regularly ride there.

We usually attack a certain area of London each time. I.e start at Liverpool Street, and crack on with the City of London (attempt the Barbican, Brewers Hall Gardens on London Wall, St Paul’s Cathedral, blocks outside Old Bailey)

South but still central ish you have the blocks by Southwark Cathedral (old school trials spot!), continuing west there’s a few bits along the south bank until the south bank skatepark and of course the iMax roundabout.

I am currently in the progress of building more rides in remote areas of London, like Mark and Travis have done (I’m a London cabbie so I’m always trying to spy out new spots as I drive)

If you have a means of getting over there, there are a few riders in the Isle of Dogs area too, they are in the London what’s app group Matt mentioned And there’s usually a ride going on most Sundays.