Hatch End, Harrow, Kenton and Pinner Cycle Rides

Group Ride Etiquette 

The rides listed below are suitable for social rides so it is worth learning ride etiquette. Remember your ride leader - if there is one - may be sacrificing their own ride to lead so be on time, follow the highway code, be prepared to fix your own bike, be responsible for your own safety, take sufficient fuel and hydration,  and don't race ahead.

Bike components do break, punctures happen, and these things can't be avoided. However, bike maintenance can reduce the risk of failure during a group ride. The LCC has some well worded advice on bike checks.

Use the correct mount and dismount routine.

Hatch End Rides

The start point is at the sundial opposite the Elliott Hall main entrance at Harrow Arts Centre (HAC). Free parking is available on nearby Milne Feild (sic) and Sherington Avenue. The postcode is HA5 4EA. Note that the nearby Hatch End Morrisons website says that parking is limited to 2 hours. There is also free parking in the Harrow Arts Centre car park.

For rides that start at Hatch End or Kenton and head out via Pinner there is the option of requesting a pickup by one of the entrances to Pinner Village Gardens (PVG) at the roundabout where Rayners Lane meets Marsh Road, HA5 5NS. 

The Pinner pickup time is 15 minutes after a Hatch End departure time, and 30 minutes after a Kenton departure time.

Pinner Rides

The start point is at one of the entrances to Pinner Village Gardens (PVG) at the roundabout where Rayners Lane meets Marsh Road, HA5 5NS.

Harrow Rides

The start point is by the Seva Park Café in the middle of Harrow Recreation Ground. There are multiple access points including one off Cunningham Park, Harrow HA1 4QW. The park has a free car park and there is parking on some local streets though look for any parking restrictions. 

Kenton Rides

The start point is at the pump track in the Kenton Recreation Ground just between the playground and the bowls club. This is 100 metres into the park from the Kadwa Patidar Centre on Kenmore Avenue, HA3 8LU.  The what3words reference is ///fleet.jeeps.sends

The Recreation Ground has a car park and there is parking on local streets though do look for any parking restrictions. 

Rides starting here will often have a pickup at Pinner or Hatch End.

Timings

9:30am is a useful start time on weekdays as people joining a ride will miss most of the school and work traffic. 9:00am from Kenton works as it allows a pickup at Hatch End or Pinner at 9:30am.

8:30am is a useful Kenton start time on a Sunday as it avoids the Junior Parkrun which starts at 9:00am.

Subject to the time of year, weather, ride duration and people's availability there is the option to alter the standard start times so do check the specific plan for each ride and request a Pinner Village Gardens pickup if you want that. Arrive at least 10 minutes before the departure time for chat, introductions and briefing. 

The Small Print

The terrain for each ride will be suitable for road bikes, hybrid bikes (any tyres) and mountain bikes. The rides may embrace the hills rather than avoid them. They will be mostly on surfaced roads and cycle paths with some hills and will sometimes be on faster main roads though they avoid routes with heavy traffic. These are no-drop rides so no one gets left behind and are suitable for people who can maintain an average of 10 mph for one hour of continuous riding. Rides over 25 miles will usually have multiple breaks. Sometimes rides may be tailored to those starting out and will be 9 mph; please respect the pace of slower riders as pushing too fast too early only kills the ride for everyone in the second half. 

There will typically be a 30 minute picnic break around halfway for a drink and a snack so do bring something though there will often be a café nearby. You will need to have the tools, knowledge and experience to repair a puncture and replace an inner tube, your bike must be in good working order and you are responsible for your own safety including making your own way home if you need to leave the ride.

Dress for the conditions and consider a change of gloves for the return trip on those really cold and wet days, or cap and sunscreen for sunnier days.

You can calculate the estimated return time by taking the start time, duration, a 10 mph speed assumption, the 30 minute break plus an <n> minute contingency where <n> is the number of miles. As a practical example a 25-mile hilly 11mph bike ride with a coffee break and no other stops took 3 hours from start to finish. 

The picnic break sites either have public toilets or a café nearby. There are public toilets at Aldenham Country Park, Little Chalfont, Denham Country Park and Rickmansworth Aquadrome and this toilet map could help you out if hiding behind a bush isn't your thing. In colder weather the breaks will be indoor café breaks.

The Rides

1. Pinner to Aldbury (52 miles) - Komoot Route - Bring a picnic for this long ride with multiple breaks. There is an excellent cycle café in Aldbury. 
2. Pinner to Aldbury via the Rickmansworth Aquadrome (50 miles) - Komoot Route - Bring a picnic for this long ride with multiple breaks. There is an excellent cycle café in Aldbury where we have a long stop and optional pickup at the Aquadrome which we stop at on both the outward and return legs. There is a café at Ashley Green on the way out and at Boxmoor (Hemel Hempstead) on the return. It is 38 miles if you do the Aquadrome-Aldbury-Aquadrome sections only.
3. Pinner to The Chiltern Velo Café at Hawridge via the Rickmansworth Aquadrome (50 miles) - Komoot Route - Bring a picnic for this long ride with multiple breaks. There is the excellent cycle café at Hawridge Common where we have a long stop and optional pickup at the Aquadrome which we stop at on both the outward and return legs. There is a café at Ashley Green on the way out and at Boxmoor (Hemel Hempstead) on the return.
4. Kenton to Burnham Beeches via Gerrard's Cross (46 miles) - Komoot Route - This route takes you out via Harefield and Gerrard's Cross to Burnham Beeches then back via Iver Heath and Uxbridge. 
5. Kenton to Chesham (45 miles) - Komoot Route - This route is designed to be one continuous ride out, a break, then back in one though stops can be factored in. There is a café break on Sycamore Road in Amersham where there are options. There are the big roundabouts in Rickmansworth to navigate and the main road from Amersham to Chalfont St Giles so confidence in traffic is required. 
6. Pinner to the Chiltern Velo Café (44 miles) - Komoot Route  - This route is similar to the 40-mile route below but spends less time on the busy roads.
7. Pinner to the Chiltern Velo Café (40 miles) - Komoot Route - This hilly ride heads out and back via the Rickmansworth Aquadrome and uses slightly more main roads than other routes to reduce the distance so is useful for the reduced daylight hours on winter days. The destination café is closed on Mondays. The outward route is hilly and the return uses a gentler route with one main hill at Rickmansworth. Chenies is a natural pause on the way out to refuel with whatever you have brought with you. Later on there is a café at Ashley Green. The Velo Café itself has a bike shop and track/floor pump for customers. The return could be done in one 2-hour ride so don't worry if it took a long time to ride out.
8. Kenton to Bovingdon via Moor Park and Croxley Green (40 miles) - Komoot Route - This route includes a pickup at Pinner 30 minutes after the Kenton start and returns via the Pinner pickup point. The café stop is at the Garden Centre just beyond Chipperfield unless we decide on one of the Chipperfield village or Bovingdon options. The return is fairly easy though there is a hill to climb by Oxey Woods. As the route goes out to Bovingdon there are options to shorten it such as a) cutting across from Flaunden, b) cutting across to Chipperfield c) cutting across from Sarratt to Bucks Hill, d) train back from Croxley met line, or e) cutting that final South Oxey loop with the hill.
9. Kenton to Burnham Beeches (40 miles) - Komoot Route Out and Back - Bring a drink and snacks for this longer ride out and back with optional pickup in Pinner. The route passes Uxbridge Station both ways if you wanted to shorten the ride.
10. Kenton to Flourish via Rickmansworth and Bricket Wood (39 miles) - Komoot Route. 
11. Pinner to Little Chalfont and Denham (36 miles) - Komoot Route - Bring a picnic for this fun ride with a stop at Chalfont Saint Peter and two short breaks at Little Chalfont and Denham Country Park. There is an amount of easy trail riding from Denham Country Park so you could double back to Chalfont Common and return from there.
12. Pinner to Bovingdon via Chorleywood (35 miles) - Komoot Route - This ride goes out and back via Moor Park and uses slightly different routes to get out towards the Chilterns. Hilly, but avoids some of the harder hills so something of an entry level ride with 430m of climbing. There is the excellent café at the Garden Centre between Bovingdon and Chipperfield, the Cake Shack in Chipperfield and Blackwells in Chipperfield. Also, Simmons in Bovingdon itself. Base One Café near Bovingdon is not open to the public.
13. Hatch End to Little Chalfont (34 miles) - Komoot Route - Bring a picnic though cafés are available, public toilets by the roundabout, and the ride can be easily shortened. Duration 4 hours 30 minutes including a break.
14. Hatch End to St Albans (30 miles) - Komoot Route - This route takes you along the Sustrans routes 61 past the Tasty Bean and Lazy Llama cafés into St Albans. It is an out and back route. Duration 4 hours including a break.
15. Hatch End to Chipperfield (28 miles) - Komoot Route - At Chipperfield you picnic on the common or eat at Blackwell's café or at the Cake Shack. You can pause at the Aquadrome on the outward leg and Cassiobury Park on the return leg. Sarratt makes for a lovely stop just before Chipperfield and there is a village store with café though the café is only open Saturday 9am-12noon. Duration 4 hours including a break.
16. Kenton to the Ice Cream Farm (30 miles) - Komoot Route - This somewhat hilly route takes you out past Radlett and Shenley to the Lewis of London Ice Cream Farm with excellent cake and ice cream. The start is at Kenton Recreation Ground and there is a pickup point at ParkLife Café, Harrow Weald Recreation Ground, Aka Boxtree Park, High Road, Harrow HA3 6EJ. Duration 4 hours including a break.
17. Kenton to Croxley via Pinner (27 miles) - Komoot Route - This route takes the familiar roads out to Harefield then down to the Aquadrome before heading up to Croxley on the main road. The Croxley Kitchen is a coffee option before heading down Mill Lane to pick up the Ebury Way back to the Aquadrome before the familiar Moor Park route back to Pinner and finally Kenton. Duration 4 hours including a break.
18. Hatch End to the Ice Cream Farm (26 miles) - Komoot Route - This somewhat hilly route takes you out past Radlett and Shenley to an ice cream farm with excellent cake. Duration 4 hours including a break.
19. Hatch End to Shenley (26 miles) - Komoot Route - Picnic at Aldenham Country Park or the Orchard café just outside Shenley. This route takes the long climb up into Shenley. Duration 4 hours including a break.
20. Kenton to South Kensington (26 miles) - Komoot Route - Ole and Steen café on Kensington High Street followed by a ride through Hyde Park and a loop of Wembley Stadium on the return leg. Duration 4 hours including a break.
21. Hatch End to Bricket Wood (25 miles) - Komoot Route - This route starts by climbing up Clamp Hill to Bushey Heath then on to Garston and School Lane. In late April to early May you will see the bluebells in the woods. We stop at the excellent café at Bricket Wood station café. The return is partly along Watling Street to Radlett then we go via Letchmore Heath to Elstree and on to Stanmore.  There is 350m of ascent.  Duration 4 hours including a relaxed break.
22. Hatch End to Lazy Llama (25 miles) - Komoot Route - This uses NCN 61and is a fairly easy ride to the outdoor café at Chiswell Green. Duration 4 hours including a break.
23. Hatch End to Maple Cross avoiding steep hills (24 miles) - Komoot Route - Tea Shack stop with portaloo so perhaps buy a tea at least, or you can stop at the Aquadrome café. Duration 4 hours including a break.
24. Kenton to the Rickmansworth Aquadrome (23 miles) - Komoot Route - a short and easy ride with a short ramp of a hill towards the end. Duration 3 hours 30 minutes including a break.
25. Hatch End to Maple Cross (23 miles) - Komoot Route - Tea Shack stop with portaloo so perhaps buy a tea at least, or you can stop at the Aquadrome café. Duration 3 hours 30 minutes including a break.
26. Pinner to Chalfont Common (23 miles) - Komoot Route - This somewhat hilly route passes through Harefield on the outward and return legs with the Epilepsy Society café in Chalfont Common. Duration 3 hours 30 minutes including a break.
27. Kenton to the Rickmansworth Aquadrome via Moor Park (20 miles) - Komoot Route - This simple route goes out and back via Moor Park taking in the rolling hills of Northwood Hills on the way out. Duration 3 hours 15 minutes including a break. 
28. Hatch End to Aldenham Country Park (20 miles) - Komoot Route - picnic benches, a kiosk selling snacks, and an excellent café though not open Mon/Tue. Duration 3 hours 15 minutes including a break.
29. Kenton to Harefield (20 miles) - Komoot Route  - This lumpy route has 210m of ascent with a steep hill into Harefield which isn't the best stretch of road to walk. This is a fantastic route to practice your gear changing on as the gradientsare ever changing. Duration 3 hours 15 minutes including a break.
30. Kenton to Elstree Aerodrome (19 miles) - Komoot Route- This route takes you out from Kenton up Kenton Lane and Clamp Hill before reaching Bushey Heath ready for the glorious descent down Little Bushey Lane. After passing through Letchmore Heath we reach the aerodrome. The return is via Watling Street which can have fast vehicles then back via Stanmore. This is a fun ride with hills and does require some level of fitness and road confidence. Duration 180 minutes including a break.
31. Hatch End to Harefield (18 miles) - Komoot Route - Village Green benches and cafés. Duration 180 minutes including a break.
32. Kenton to the Hare Krishna temple (18 miles) - Komoot Route - This route takes us to the small café at the temple which comes towards the end of the ride. We take the steep Green Lane hill up out of Kenton. If you don't want to come all the way into Kenton then the Duck In The Pond pub is a good place to request a pickup. Duration 180 minutes including a break 
33. Hatch End to the Flourish Bakery (15 miles) - Komoot Route - this route goes out via the Tasty Bean café in Oxhey Park then on to a bakery and café. The return is on a busy road but with an option to return the same way. Duration 160 minutes including a break.
34. Kenton to the Neasden Temple (10 miles) - Komoot Route - a short route to visit the temple. Duration 150 minutes including a break and temple visit.
35. Harrow to Eastcote V4 (10 miles) - Komoot Route - This 10-mile flat route takes us towards Pinner and on to Eastcote via the River Pinn and back touching Yeading Brook and along the side of Pinner Memorial Park. The route uses some main roads but is excellent for those wishing a short ride and those wanting to boost their confidence on roads and junctions. There are plenty of opportunities to pause for a rest if required for those getting used to longer distances. Duration 100 minutes assuming no coffee break.
36. Harrow to Eastcote V2 (9 miles) - Komoot Route - This 9-mile flat route takes us towards Pinner and on to Eastcote House via the Celendine Route along the River Pinn and back along the side of Pinner Memorial Park. The route uses some main roads and is excellent for those wishing a short ride and those wanting to boost their confidence on roads and junctions. There are plenty of opportunities to pause for a rest if required. Duration 90 minutes assuming no coffee break.
37. Harrow to Eastcote V3 (8 miles) - Komoot Route- This 8-mile route goes out past Pinner Memorial Park, along the Celendine Route, through Pinner Village Gardens and along Yeading Walk. Duration 80 minutes assuming no coffee break.
38. Harrow to Eastcote V1 (7 miles) - Komoot Route - This 7-mile flat route takes us towards Pinner and on to Eastcote via the River Pinn and back along the side of Pinner Memorial Park. The route uses some main roads and is excellent for those wishing a short ride and those wanting to boost their confidence on roads and junctions. There are plenty of opportunities to pause for a rest if required. Duration 70 minutes assuming no coffee break.

                 Mont Ventoux - May 2023

Q&A

Q1: Why do some bikes make a rapid clicking sound when freewheeling?

A1: The clicking comes from pawls on the freewheel hitting against the splines on the engagement surfaces which makes up the ratcheting unit. Better quality freewheels/freehubs tend to have more splines, springier pawls and thinner lubricant which can lead to more noise.

Q2: What minimum bike maintenance skills do I need to go cycling?

A2: You need to have practiced removing the front and rear wheels, replacing the inner tubes, inflating tyres and replacing wheels. Different tools are needed for different wheel fixings and there are different valve types. 

Q3: How do I maintain my bike chain?

A3: Simple approach to drivetrain (chain) cleaning. Equipment consists of lots of old rags, chain degreaser and chain lubricant. Do this every 100 miles. Click here.

1. Apply degreaser while rotating the cranks backwards so everything gets covered. Let it soak in for 2 minutes.

2. Use rags to clean the chain, holding a rag against the chain while turning the cranks backwards. 

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 if required 

4. Clean with warm soapy water as you wash the rest of the bike then rinse with clean water.

5. Allow to dry; use a hair dryer if in a hurry 

6. Reapply chain lube focusing on lubricating the joints rather than the flat plates at the sides. Keep turning the pedals to let the lubricant work into the mechanism; or go for a quick ride.

7. Wipe off excess chain lube to stop dust and dirt sticking.

The key is getting the bike secure so you can turn the cranks backwards thereby getting the chain moving continuously while you follow the steps. A bike 'handbrake' to help keep the bike stable is useful. 

Q4: People keep telling me to use my gears more but then they struggle to tell me what to do.

A4: Gears aren't difficult but you do need to spend time learning how to use them both on and off the bike. There is a useful guide here. Once you know the words and theory you can ask for help again.

Q5: I am using my gears but someone told me I am cross-chaining and that that is bad.

A5: The short answer is that using small-small or big-big isn't such a bad thing on modern bikes and may even be the right thing to do for short climbs, pulling up at a junction and when you only want to come off the big chainring for a short period. More information here.