We will be in London in July- 2 couples, comfortable riding bikes. I noticed there are excursions to ride ebikes from London on Thames river bike path out to Hampton Court and picnic. Wondering if we can do this on our own? Has anyone done this or something similar? I would appreciate recommendations for easiest way to rent e-bikes in London. Spots for a picnic in Hampton Court area, and places we might pick up picnic food? Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Land of La
9663 posts
Great that you are comfortable riding bikes but are you comfortable with traffic flowing the opposite way than you are used to.
Throughout London neighborhoods you’ll find Santander cycles.
Look for picnic supplies at Tescos, Sainsbury or Asada markets. Can even get sandwiches, salads and crisps at Pret a Mangers.
Lastly, having walked the Thames River path on countless visits will say it’s not conducive to bicyclists. It’s made for people strolling with babies in prams, dogs on leash and tourists stopping to take photos.
You want to ride out to Hampton Court…use the road ways and dedicated bike lanes.
Posted by
London
481 posts
I'm not sure if you have Lime where you live, but Lime bikes have become pretty ubiquitous here (and frankly a bit of a nuisance when people ride or leave them on the pavement!). However, that's probably the easiest way to rent an e-bike. I agree that the Thames Path is more for pedestrians than cyclists so would recommend looking for dedicated cycle lanes. I'm sure it will be a very nice trip out there. The palace is within Bushy Park and there are lots of nice places there you could sit and eat (just watch out for deer). Good luck with your planning!
Posted by
OP
24 posts
Helpful info so far, thanks! If anyone knows of a route that works for casual cyclists, please chime in! Thanks again.
Posted by
Preston UK
1508 posts
Have a look at the TFL (Transport for London) website. I just checked cycling options on there from Westminster to Hampton Court. As well as tube, train and bus options it gives cycling options too. On this specific route the website produced 3 routes, a fast (20kph), moderate (16kph) and slow 12kph), taking roughly 1, 1.5 and 2 hours respectively. The fast route is shorter, taking more main roads but does go through Richmond Park. You could recalculate based on your accommodation or bike hire spot.
What I can’t do is recommend somewhere to hire from, although I’m sure that there will be places. I don’t know how the likes of Lime bikes work but assume that they might get expensive for a longer trip. They are also big and heavy bikes, necessarily to withstand rough treatment. I would look for someone who offers good quality bikes for hire.
Posted by
London
481 posts
It's true, people are quite rough with the Lime bikes (especially the kids who hack them to ride them for free, which explains the loud alarm noises you may often hear on otherwise quiet streets) so they're not in the best condition. They are the easiest/fastest to access but probably not the best quality. However, a lot of people use them to commute so they're certainly usable.