For a lot of Londoners, west London is but a vague impression, a land of prams and parks and big houses where you're pretty sure they're keeping the Tories. However, the tube map tells you it's just a few stops away- Earls Court is practically central!- so it makes sense that you'd decide to cycle there when invited to a high tea (loads of high tea happening in west London, probably). Do not cycle there. West London doesn't want your stinking bike and so it has conspired to make all of its miles slightly longer than miles in the rest of London, leaving you exhausted and confused until you eventually pack it in round Chiswick.