Is Cycling in the City Actually Faster? We Timed It

We had an argument in the office last week. Dom insisted cycling was faster than the Tube for most London journeys. I disagreed.

So we decided to settle it the only way that made sense: a completely unscientific experiment with stopwatches.

The Setup

We picked five common London routes that people actually travel. Not obscure journeys from zone 6 to somewhere in Surrey, but real trips that real people make.

The rules were simple:

• Time everything door to door
• Include waiting, walking to stations, and finding bike parking
• Do each route at the same time of day
• No cheating (looking at you, Dom, for taking that shortcut through the park)

Route 1: Kings Cross to Shoreditch High Street

Distance: 3.2 miles

This felt like a fair test. Far enough that you'd definitely want transport, close enough that the Tube might have too much overhead.

Bike: 18 minutes Started outside the station, cycled down the cycle superhighway, locked up outside a coffee shop. Traffic was light, only hit red lights twice.

Tube: 26 minutes
Northern line to Bank, change to Overground to Shoreditch High Street. The change at Bank took longer than expected, and we waited 4 minutes for the train.

Winner: Bike by 8 minutes

Route 2: Clapham Common to Westminster

Distance: 4.1 miles

This one crosses the river, so we thought the Tube might have an advantage with its direct route.

Bike: 23 minutes Mostly on quieter roads, though crossing the river at Vauxhall Bridge was a bit hairy. Found bike parking immediately outside Westminster station.

Tube: 22 minutes Northern line direct to Westminster. Got lucky with timing and only waited 2 minutes for a train.

Winner: Tube by 1 minute (basically a tie)

Route 3: Camden to London Bridge

Distance: 4.8 miles

Another river crossing, but this time with more complicated Tube connections.

Bike: 26 minutes Longer route but mostly flat. The stretch along the Thames near London Bridge was actually quite pleasant.

Tube: 34 minutes Northern line to King's Cross, change to Metropolitan/Circle, change again to Jubilee. Two changes killed the time advantage.

Winner: Bike by 8 minutes

Route 4: Angel to Paddington

Distance: 4.2 miles

This crosses central London east to west, which is notoriously awkward on public transport.

Bike: 28 minutes Had to navigate some busy traffic around Oxford Circus, but the cycle lanes helped. Slight uphill stretch but nothing too challenging.

Tube: 31 minutes Northern line to King's Cross, change to Circle line to Paddington. The Circle line was delayed by 3 minutes, which made the difference.

Winner: Bike by 3 minutes

Route 5: Canary Wharf to Covent Garden

Distance: 6.1 miles

The longest route, and one where we thought the DLR and Tube combination might really shine.

Bike: 35 minutes Longest ride but surprisingly straightforward. The cycle superhighway through the City helped a lot. Legs definitely felt it by the end.

Tube: 29 minutes DLR to Bank, change to Central line to Holborn, short walk to Covent Garden. Worked smoothly and the DLR was on time.

Winner: Tube by 6 minutes

What We Learned

The results were closer than both of us expected. Here's what stood out:

Cycling wins on medium distances. For journeys of 3-5 miles, the bike consistently came out ahead or tied. No waiting for trains, no changes, just consistent movement.

The Tube is better for longer journeys. Once you get past 6 miles, the train's higher speed starts to overcome the waiting and changing time.

Changes kill the Tube's advantage. Direct routes were competitive, but anything requiring two or more changes gave cycling a clear edge.

The Unscientific Science

Our experiment had obvious flaws. We didn't account for:

• Rush hour delays (we did this mid-morning)
• Weather (it was a nice day)
• Bike maintenance or punctures
• Tube strikes or weekend engineering works
• Getting lost (which happens more than we'd like to admit)

But even with these limitations, the results matched what we hear from customers. For typical London journeys, cycling is genuinely competitive with public transport.

The Practical Bit

The real winner might be having options. Some days the Tube makes more sense. Other days, especially when it's nice weather or you want some exercise, the bike wins.

This is where our folding helmet comes in handy. Instead of committing to one mode of transport, you can make the decision on the day. Bike there, Tube back. Or start cycling and hop on a train if the weather turns.

Having a helmet that fits in your bag means you're not locked into one choice.

The Verdict

Dom was partly right. Cycling is faster for many London journeys, especially medium distances. But it's not a universal truth.

The real advantage of cycling isn't just speed. It's predictability. Trains get delayed, strikes happen, weekend engineering works appear from nowhere. Your bike just sits there, ready to go when you are.

Plus, you get some exercise and fresh air, which the Tube definitely doesn't provide.

Anyone else done similar experiments? We'd be curious to hear how cycling times compare in