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Hello there, hoping one of you fine fellows can help with this.

Basically I really want to go mountain biking again (stopped since I moved to london) and I live in leyton (half way between leyton and stratford) so only place to get to easily is epping forest which Ive heard is quite good out of winter. Ive looked at a tube map and it seems to say using your bike from leyton going further east is allowed? Is this true?

Also if its true do the people at the station question you when you go through with a bike? And wheres the best place to put it on the tube as I get the tube every day during rush hour going other way lol, so I cant imagine putting a bike in there

Welcome,

Epping forest has got some fast and flowly single track routes in the summer but as soon as it decides to rain, it turns into a mud feast!!

Check the TFL website to check what lines accept bikes, and also depends on what time you want to take the bike on, as peak hours may be a no-go

According to the map its ok apart from peak hours, but I have the feeling the staff might be annoying and say I cant take it etc, so wondered if anyone else has done? Its never busy on that side of the track I notice but dont wanna have a big argument with tube staff about being allowed to take a bike on stood there in me shorts

Thanks for the info by the way, is there anywhere else around to go do you know?

Hi Roy, welcome to the forum



yes:
Central Line
Non-folding bicycles may be taken outside peak times in either direction between: White City and West Ruislip/Ealing Broadway Leyton and Epping Newbury Park/Woodford and Hainault.

But you can also cycle to whips X and ride up north from there



they might question it but what the heck?
best place is standing next to it close to the double door since i don't think it fits on your lap

Good luck

never done it myself but I know people who did even completely covered in mud

dont worry shouldn't be any problem

Ive taken my bike on the tube loads - mainly at the weekend - no issues at all

If your worried look out for a quiet carriage. You can stand out of the way with the bike as from leyton going North the doors only open on one side. During the weekend going North its never busy.

The other option is not to use the tube at all... the southern most point of the forest is green man roundabout and stretches for 20 miles north from there.. the roundabout is only 2 miles from where you live

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=leyton& ... 43344&z=15

Thanks guys for all the information, very helpful and friendly cheers

Going from the green man roundabout sounds good, just had a look on a map at this and I think I can manage to bear east london drivers for 2 miles, so once at this roundabout I see theres a bike path rather than going on that roundabout then the green part north of it is this the forest then? It doesnt say on the map but its green and a lake bit:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=leyton& ... 43344&z=15

So I guess I can just ride up through this and ride round there kinda thing?

Definetely gonna go on the tube as well though full of mud

Good map here

http://www.essexhertsmtb.co.uk/other/OS ... ingmap.pdf

You can see how the green traces a path North - its really narrow to start with but there is some great single track all the way from north to south. Anywhere green is either open plain or forest but its all good for bikes.

The car park to the left of eagles pond is the real start of the single track the area south of that is open but there are still a few trails.

Everyone gets lost in Epping on their first few rides out so just enjoy it!

Come summer / dry weather ill be happy to show people round

I lived Brixton for a while and took my bike (in bits) on the tube for a lift from Highbury a few times- I took the wheels off and strapped them to my back pack and stood out the way at the end of the train I may have annoyed a few people but no more than people with lots of luggage going to Heathrow on the Piccadilly line... I only did this a handful of times so not sure if I was getting away with it but I dismantled my bike right in front of tube staff every time. I wouldn't want to try this during the week though!