Bikes on the London Underground

or Hammersmith & City to West Ham, DLR to Custom House.

There certainly is a heck of a lot of misinformation. Bikes are definitely allowed off-peak on the whole of the "Sub Surface Lines"- Circle, District, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City.

You could cycle from West Ham. It's about two miles, but the junction at Canning Town is flat out hostile and Silvertown Way won't be hugely fun

Met line to Aldgate then DLR

A lot of misinformation. Check out the tfl map and guidelines. Certain times you are not allowed to bring full bikes but other times you are allowed on certain lines. Eg. Jublie line you can between Stanmore to Wembley. Metropolitan line all the way to aldgate.

I took my bike from Euston Square to Tower Gateway and then DLR to Custom House on Saturday. You can use the surface / shallow lines like Circle and District lines and northern parts of Northern line but on a Friday it will have to be outside peak periods.

I've taken a bike from Hammersmith to Euston Square or Paddington a few times, at just past 9.30 on a weekday. No one has stopped me and I haven't been given any grief.
As long as you know the routes you can take them on, you're in the right.
My massive backpack causes more problems.

Once 'folded up' a road bike by taking the wheels off and taping it the frame and took it on the northern line (not in rush hour). The bike wasn't much bigger than a large suitcase which is perfectly acceptable. But it does raise a deeper question, what defines a folding bike anyway?

Maybe try the overground? Train from Kings X to Highbury & Islington, change onto London Overground to Stratford, change onto DLR to Canary Wharf. Non-folding bikes are allowed off-peak. It's a bit of a faff, but do-able.

I've taken a bike during weekend off-peak times on the sub-surface lines (District, Circle, Hammersmith & City) and the Overground but there is no way I would even think about any other times and lines.

Officially, bikes are allowed on the DLR and the overground, so you could:

from Kings X, walk to Caledonian Road & Barnesbury station
overground to Canonbury, change
overground to Shadwell
DLR to Canary Wharf

In theory you should be ok as long as you don't attempt it during rush hour. I really wouldn't recommend it, though, it'll be a right faff - if it were me I would ride it if at all possible. Good luck!

As above, don't even think about trying to get from KX to Canary Wharf by Tube with an non-folded bike. Either get a taxi or ride it.

Suggestion: take the canal route. The Regents Canal leads to Limehouse Cut which goes down to the river and drops you about a mile from Canary Wharf. The canal is undergrond past Kings Cross itself but if you take a quick hop up to Colebrook Row in Islington you can join it and ride all the way (give way to peds though). https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers/regents-canal

Circle line to Tower Hill and DLR from Tower Gateway?

Like others have said, do it at a quiet time or you'll get lynched.

The simple rule is, non foldy bikes, can only be taken on overground, DLR, the cut and fill lines (circle, district H&C) and the Emirates sky car thing, outside peak hours, and even then, the staff have the final say. Foldy's are the same, but can be taken on all lines outside peak hours.

Don't even try to take a full-size bike on the Underground. You'll be stopped immediately and if they catch you on a train you'll be fined.

TfL are very conscious about safety issues on the Underground and will act to remove you.

The Tube is heaving most of the day and you'll be annoying a lot of short-tempered people.

There are a very few lines on which bikes are permitted. Stick to them. The Overground is ok. But never on any line at rush hour. It's hard enough to get yourself on, let alone a bike.

Unfolded or non-folding bicycles may be taken free of charge on the London Underground, subject to the following restrictions:

They cannot travel during peak hours: 0730 to 0930 and 1600 to 1900, Monday to Friday (except public holidays).
They must not be taken on moving escalators.
They are not allowed on deep-tunnel sections of the system at any time, for safety reasons. See below for details.
Compact folding bikes such as Brompton, Birdy etc. are not subject to any of these restrictions when folded.

http://www.squarewheels.org.uk/bike/LUbikes

is more clear than the TFL site, IMO.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone bring a non-folding bike on the tube inside zone 1. You can get away with it further out I'd guess, but I suspect they are quite strict for the most part.

You'd have to use the larger gates which are generally manned, so I don't think you could sneak through.

If it was a quieter time of day you might get away with a bus, not sure though.

If you turned your bike into "luggage" by say taking the wheels off, I reckon you could take it on the tube no problem... Though I'd avoid rush hour.