Bike restrictions at Brighton Station

[GoneCoastal]

I commute on either Southern or FCC and they enforce it on FCC in the same way as Southern - it's basically if the train arrives in London/travels through london (Zone B) before 10AM - no bikes

From FCC website = Cycles not permitted on trains leaving from stations in this zone which arrive at stations in Zone B on Mondays to Fridays between the following times:
Thameslink Route: 0700 to 1000 (Arrive meaning "goes through" rather than terminates there)

In reverse I would have to arrive back in Brighton after 7PM or before 4PM to use my bike

I've tried and been turned away and I change at Gatwick for Reading and I can't do the Brighton to Gatwick part without using a folding bike - (I tried Preston Park and Brighton) And only about 2 weeks ago I saw three people being stopped from boarding a train at Redhill - they were made to wait there by Station Staff

 

[London_Calling]

Nice! We'd initially considered cheating and getting the train to Caterham and cut out the first 10 miles or so, but I think we're going to start from Sydenham and do it properly

We'd probably head out via West Wickham - Beckenham is nice and leafy, and once you're through W. Wickham you can be pretty much out in the countryside the whole way

I did the route today and I can't let you think it's as straightforward as your Caterham option - on the route I linked to, the ride out from London includes a couple of steep hills which the Caterham route doesn't - basically there are two valleys out of London to the south, Caterham is in one (the A22) and Purley/Coulsden the other (A23). Everything else involves proper hills.

 

[beeboo]

Well we cheated in the end and took the train to Caterham to start with (I was feeling really ropey and thought 60 miles was a bit more than I wanted to do) and did the route I'd linked to. Was a nice route. Ditchlings Beacon was over-hyped - Turners Hill and the route out of Caterham were tougher (or at least my endurance is better than my strength). Shame the weather wasn't great - head wind the whole way and Brighton was grey and chilly.

Anyway that 40 miles was pretty easy so it's the whole 50-odd from home next time.