Stepney to Chelmsford commute = idiocy?

My girlfriend starts an MSc in September at Writtle college in Essex, she is debating trying to ride there as the train is really expensive an she wants to get fit. Great, however she hasn't really cycled before (I'm going to try an get her riding a bit generally first obviously and get her on the cycle training) but it is 30 miles each way (we live in Stepney Green), involving the A12. She would only have to do it twice a week.

How long do you think it would take more or less? and how hideous would riding the A12 be? Anyone ride a similar distance to work?

The A12 is HORRIBLE.

Are the days consecutive - that would be tiring.

How about a train part of the way?

You're not actually allowed to cycle on the London end of the A12. This is a non-starter.

Oliver Schick might be able to suggest a good alternative. You could PM him, or just wait for him to post a dad-pun in this thread.

You wouldn't go on the A12, i've ridden from Shoreditch to romford before, went via Ilford, then Chadwell Heath, then straight through to Romford.
Chelmsford is about an extra 18 miles or so from there (although mostly flat which is nice), but by bike it is a complicated route if you don't know the areas, and its certainly not something I would like to do every day, and then have to try and sit down and do a whole day at college!

Madness to do it daily, every week. I would say alternate, one week on, one week off the bike, is she used to cycling these kind of distances already? If not its going to be a massive shock to the system to jump straight into it with no preparation.

My girlfriend starts an MSc in September at Writtle college in Essex, she is debating trying to ride there as the train is really expensive an she wants to get fit. Great, however she hasn't really cycled before (I'm going to try an get her riding a bit generally first obviously and get her on the cycle training) but it is 30 miles each way (we live in Stepney Green), involving the A12. She would only have to do it twice a week.

How long do you think it would take more or less? and how hideous would riding the A12 be? Anyone ride a similar distance to work?

drive the route during the hours she's going to be commuting. I might consider this but TBH only in summer and out of peak hours / off the A12. And I'm not her.

If you're intent on driving the route, do it late at night, on a week day or early sunday morning, otherwise it will take you hours!

Yep A12 is nasty and full of foolish drivers. it has to be one of londons angriest roads (after the north circ)

Thanks folks. @ James and Fred i have no car so shall not be driving it.

I thought the A12 was probably going to be a big no no.

it would only be two days a week. i'm thinking maybe she can do part of it on the train and then slowly reduce it. I will be getting her to ride further before she even attempts it too. just wondering how far it will up the distance to if not on the A12

By the way I also used to live in Barkingside (near Ilford) for quite a few years, and for a Job I had when I was a few years younger, I often had to travel to Chelmsford for work, it was a pain in the arse in the car, and that was nearly half the distance she would be considering doing on a bike.
I would say it doesn't hurt to try, but she should attempt the route on a quiet day, and on a busy day, way before she starts at college/uni, so she knows what she's letting herself in for.

TFL cycle guides no5/7/8 (might be some in your LBS)

http://london.cyclestreets.net/journey/

2 days a week is totally doable.

a11 instead!

roughly http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3095912

what about when winter starts, cycling in the rain/snow/cold for the 30 miles each way isnt going to be fun

I was just going to post about the weather too. tricity's route is probably the simplest option, but it's quite exposed in parts, and rush hour commuters on the A113 and A414 aren't very sympathetic, irrespective of conditions.

Something to build up to, perhaps.

I know 16simon used to commute from the Brentwood area to Hackney, but then, he's a national level time-triallist.

I used to ride a route out of London past Chelmsford on my scooter - got there in no time.

Thanks for the route Tricity. Will have to give this a go when we both get a day off together and she has had a bit more riding experience.

BMMF i think you're right definitely something to build up to. the good thing is her sister and brother in law are just in the middle of riding from John O Groats to Landsend for their honeymoon, with no preparation, and i think she is a bit competitive.

her sister and brother in law are just in the middle of riding from John O Groats to Landsend for their honeymoon, with no preparation

Awesome. Hope they're having fun.

Thanks folks. @ James and Fred i have no car so shall not be driving it.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=stepney&sll=51.540905,0.71149&sspn=0.277592,0.529404&ie=UTF8&ll=51.574322,0.025063&spn=0,359.950562&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.574264,0.024916&panoid=xu0344LNdr5Jron2nPVWWQ&cbp=12,64.96,,0,5.53

Awesome. Hope they're having fun.

yeah they're having a great time they're stopping off in Glasgow at the moment and then they're going to Edinburgh for the festival for a bit then carrying on down south. i think they're doing it over three weeks, stopping off at nice B&B's on the way. quite jealous i have to say

I ride on the roads round there which you would probably have to use. Or at least similar ones.

I would not want to be on them in the dark no matter how well I was lit - which doing a commute of that distance would probably be unavoidable.

The roads are often 60 mph single carriageways with HGVs & LGVs. A cyclist is pretty insignificant on them at the best of times. I tend to avoid them like the plague in daylight.

The alternative of country lanes is attractive, but again a bit dodgy in darkness - although good lighting might see you through.

But the potential for getting lost is huge and I don't think you would be able to avoid the A roads altogether.

Having looked at Tricity's route, IMO it is fine until you get to the A414. Which is the road I had in mind when I wrote the above comments.

There are some good lanes though through Navestock, Kelvedon Hatch, Hook End, Blackmore, High Wood, Edney Common & Writtle. I would be happy to do a route through those. It is worth a recce.

For a commute you would need to be totally self sufficient as there is not much round those lanes.

And if you start to bonk, those lanes either side of Blackmore are like the Twilight Zone. You could go round in circles for hours until wild dogs finally put you out of your misery.

if she moves to somewhere near chelmsford probably yes

Ha, I've just realised that the A414 is the road me and Scott got stuck on for fucking ages in torrential rain, in the dark, with a broken GPS and no idea where we were going, at about mile 240 of our 270 mile Dunwich and back trip.

happy days.

Also a bit Klu Klux Klan / American Werewolf round there....