With two bikes clogging my room and one clogging the hallway, it’s easy to think this house belongs to some kind of fanatical cycling blogger. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The house doesn’t belong to me, I rent.

However, as one reader recently asked me via email, which one do I use to ride around London on a daily basis?

My Voodoo mountain bike

I can see why people ride mountain bikes around London. I truly can. I sympathise that they are reliable and cheap. Often they’ve been a Christmas gift that has been in the family for many years.

However, that doesn’t stop me thinking that riding a mountain bike around central London is an exercise in futility.

Before someone throws a mountain bike at me – here’s why:

1. Dual suspension: Slows you down.
2. Thick tyres: Slows you down.
3. Ultra wide handlebars: Slows you down
4. Heavy frame: Slows you down.

Riding around London is by no means a race. I for one love cutting back on my speed on occasion and just enjoying a leisurely ride home. (Often because I’m totally exhausted from the ride there!). However, on a mountain bike, after riding a short distance to the train station I feel I’ve just competed in some kind of cross country marathon.

The mountain bike therefore, rarely sees any action.

My Marin hybrid bike

My hybrid bike was my go to bicycle for a couple of years of riding in London. It was the bicycle that caused me to fall in love with cycling and indeed London itself. Fairly fast, reliable, incredibly easy to ride and doesn’t really look worth stealing.

Through rain, snow and sunshine the bike has performed it’s duty both in the UK and in Europe. I couldn’t really fault it, until one day things changed for ever.

My Raleigh single speed

The day things changed, was the day I first laid eyes on a beautiful red, slim and sexy Raleigh frame in the Cloud 9 Cycles shop. I knew things would never be the same.

Suddenly my old Marin bike was a little slow, lacking in a more comfortable drop bar riding position and especially lacking in a certain charm that I found in the old Raleigh frame. I’d fallen in love with cycling all over again.

For short rides around London I believe it is perfect. Simple, reliable, light and fast. Also, I’m hoping it doesn’t attract too much attention from bike thieves, courtesy of the slightly worn look complete with tape coming off the handlebars. Although, this can be just as much down to the dual locking system I use.

Your bike of choice around London

Some people will have read this article nodding along and others will completely disagree with me. That’s one of the beautiful things about cycling. Whichever bike you choose to use, you’ll quickly find yourself inseparable from it. There’s a reason many people give their bike a name. They quickly become a part of who you are – it’s why a theft really sets you back beyond the pure monetary loss.

What bikes have you ridden around London or elsewhere over the years?

If you’ve ever stood, ridden or driven through Euston Circus you’ll know it is a nightmare. An area infested with fumes, ear piercing screeches of buses coming to a halt and sirens every 20 seconds. This is a part of London that you can’t wait to get away from as soon as possible. Yet, in one of the worst examples of urban planning, lies the greatest potential for improvement. In amongst this chaos also exists one of my favourite cycling facilities in London that I use on an almost daily basis.

TfL’s 11m makeover plans for Euston Circus

TfL today announced their 11m makeover plan that they are currently accepting public consultation on.

In their press release they recognise that this is “a traffic dominated area which acts as a significant barrier for pedestrians and cyclists.”

The new design has been a collaboration between TfL, Camden Council, Design for London and British Land. It aims to make things a lot easier for pedestrians with fewer crossings and more pavement space.

TfL also state that it provides a safer journey for cyclists with plans to enhance the contraflow (against traffic) cycle lane along the Euston Road.

Camden Cyclists plans for Euston Circus

Whilst the design upgrades look set to improve things for pedestrians with wider pavements, trees and easier crossings, the improvements for cyclists appear severely limited.

Here’s an example of a typical ride currently using the contraflow lane:

The video shows how there is plenty of room from improvement through re-allocation of under used space. However, I see little in the plans that would serve cyclists better.

Instead, cyclists will now have to take a less direct route and will continue to face many of the difficulties shown in the video above.

The main point of contention, is that once again, cyclists are having to mix with heavy moving traffic. Whilst it is something that experienced cyclists are able to grin and bear, new cyclists will continue to be put off switching to a more effective mode of transport.

However, there is an alternative. The below is the proposal by Camden Cyclists:

The proposals make it far easier for cyclists to travel from Camden and the Euston Road down towards central London through a contraflow cycle lane. The space does exist to make this happen. This is a facility I would personally use on an almost daily basis.

They also call for phased traffic signals, similar to the ones that will be installed at Bow Roundabout. This would give cyclists time to move across multiple lanes of traffic without having to battle for road space. The plans do not compromise on the amount of road space available for vehicular traffic.

If the original TfL plans go ahead unchanged, then it is unlikely they’ll be any further major improvements for another 10 years.

Information on the public consultation can be found here.

Whilst there’s no shortage of great rides to do in London, in 2012 we can add a new one to the list. The London Revolution is certain to make its way onto many cyclists calendars.

The ride takes place over the course of a weekend and covers 180 miles. It will be open to 2,500 riders and will take you all around the most scenic parts of London.

But I’ve only just started cycling..

The bike ride is meant to be open to all, so if you are new to cycling and looking for a good way to take your cycling one step further then it will appeal. The organisers will be providing training plans and guidance to help you complete the ride. Along the route they’ll also be teams to help with any mechanical problems.

For the more seasoned cyclists amongst us, the sections up Box Hill that form part of the Olympic Road Race will be a highlight.

Box Hill…Windsor Castle… The Chilterns…

The route covers some of the most popular destinations for London’s cyclists. During the 102 miles (approximate 8-9 hours of riding) you’ll be seeing Epping Forest, Lee Valley and the Chilterns. You’ll then continue onto to Windsor Castle. For those completing the two day ride this is when you rest up, shower and enjoy the evenings entertainment. This will include a big meal (including pasta of course) and then later on a bar as well as Q&A session with various cycling experts.

After breakfast, there’s another 80 miles to be covered. Once again there are some fantastic locations to be seen along the route. Including Ranmore Common, the North Downs and Crystal Palace. The route ends at Tower Bridge. There’s plenty of hill climbing in this section so if you had a few too many drinks on the Saturday night you’ll regret it!

Sounds good?

The London Revolution looks set to be one of the most complete rides around London’s best cycling sights. The places included along the way should be enough to get most people tempted. The evenings entertainment should seal the deal.

If you like your organised rides with all their benefits of mechanical teams, camping, food, hot showers and someone to carry your gear then take a look at the London Revolution.

On Wednesday 21st of December TfL delivered an early Christmas gift to motorbike riders announcing that they’ll now be allowed permanent access to all bus lanes on TfL’s network.

The reason was quoted as the infamous: “Smoothing traffic flow” which as we’ve discovered recently, trumps all other transportation policies such as sustainability and safety.

According to TfL:

As part of the second trial, TfL increased enforcement of bus lanes on the TLRN through daily patrols by the Metropolitan Police Motorcycle Tasking Team. In line with this increased enforcement, the average speed for motorcyclists in bus lanes reduced by 6.5 per cent during the trial, with the proportion of motorcyclists exceeding the speed limit decreasing by one fifth (51 per cent in September 2010 down to 41 per cent in September 2011).

The number of motorcyclists giving little to no regard to the speed limit remains absurdly high at 41%. That was during increased enforcement.

According to TfL:

The trial was also supported by other road users, including 51 per cent of cyclists, and car / van drivers.

The figure of 51% is hardly one to brag about.

I’ve got absolutely nothing against motorbike riders and I believe as a group, two wheelers are always going to be more vulnerable. However, I believe motorbikes in bus lanes discourages new cyclists. It’s simply another danger we have to contend with and it creates a less pleasant environment for cycling.

What do you think? Leave a comment below..

Whilst your typical bike light is outputting around 20 Lumens of light it’s easily possible to get hold of lights that emit 1,200 Lumens or more. Needless to say this is often overkill for London’s roads but can be useful down country lanes with no other light sources.

Have you ever been dazzled by bright bike lights? Do you find blinking bike lights to be tougher to cycle behind?

Discuss…

Say for one horrible moment you couldn’t use your bike to get into work. How would your commute look?

Admittedly, my previous commute wouldn’t have been too bad. It would have been a 10 minute walk to London Bridge station, followed by a short ride on the northern line, switching over to central and getting out at Chancery Lane. Then I’d walk another 8 minutes to the office. Overall, around 10 minutes longer than on the bike.

London Cyclists were once again out in force tonight to protest against the changes to Blackfriars Bridge that will be detrimental to cyclists and pedestrians. TfL has decided in favour of cramming as much motorised traffic over the bridge as humanly possible in an effort to be as green and as popular as possible. It’s not all doom and gloom of course and one person even took the opportunity to cycle with a cone on their head, as you can see in the picture above.

While I was there I even managed to grab a snap of Mark of iBikeLondon fame, who, as you can see, was travelling so fast, not even my high tech camera could capture him.

So where do things currently stand with Blackfriars?

Work is going ahead with TfL’s largely unchanged original plans. The LCC has put forward a proposal for a more efficient use of the space that takes into consideration all of the users of Blackfriars and doesn’t provide unequal weighting to vehicle traffic. However, as things are already in motion it’s unlikely we can have an impact on “our” streets and it would seem cyclists and pedestrians have been brushed aside.

If you are feeling a little down about it all, then perhaps you can take conciliation as I did pedalling home, by overtaking rows upon rows of stationary cars stuck in traffic.

London’s transportation challenges continue..

The 2011 Bicycle Film Festival had the usual selection of odd, interesting and eye opening movies. I attended two showings on the Friday and Sunday evenings.

On arrival on the Friday evening, the amount of bicycles outside suggested it was going to be a sold out event. There was also the Bicycle Library parked outside which people were visiting but as we were running late (textbook behaviour!) we rushed inside.

Friday showing

Inside the contemporary looking Blackfriars centre we settled into our seats. It was sold out and the crowd was very lively awaiting the start of the movies. The Bilenky Junkyard Cross short film got everyone laughing. It featured a race course set up in a junkyard and had short interviews of people who had ridden the course. The dry humour was excellent and it was an entertaining film.

It was then off to Japan with Le Tour De Kagawa which was again highly entertaining in its pointlessness. A load of riders set off on a long ride to visit cafes that sell bowls of udon. Japanese style slurping featured heavily.

Things took a turn for the more sombre with Last Minutes With Oden. A film about Jason Wood and the death of his dog. A chap behind us with obviously strong feelings for not keeping animals as pets kept shouting “Let him be with his own kind”. Which added an annoying dimension to the bicycle film festival as people shouted to him to shut up!

Later on it was Wake Up To Muff. A film which drew large rounds of applause and cheers as it was from London based film makers Thom Gulseven and Ben Pook. The rider Virgil Tibbs rides around London delivering free muffins.

Stefan and Simone was an awe inspiring film featuring BMX tricks around the streets of Barcelona. Finally, things came to a conclusion with Racing Towards Red Hook and then it was off for drinks at the Juno Bar in Shoreditch.

Sunday showing

On Sunday, I went to the With My Own Two Wheels 6pm viewing. The Backwards Rider was a highly entertaining video by Ben Lenzner of a cyclist who always rides backwards.

The Brazilian short film Downhill in a Suit also stood out as two mountain bikers set off on a downhill course dressed in suits. The Trans Andes Challenge provided inspiration of an event to try one day. Finally, With My Own Two Wheels was a heart felt 44 minute movie about the experiences of five individuals who’ve had their lives changed by the bicycle.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this years Bicycle Film Festival and I’m sure I’ll be picking out a screening to visit next year.

See also:

• 10 London Cycling events you shouldn’t miss out on

Cycling is a great way to meet new people and discover new parts of the world.

That’s exactly what I did last Saturday on the BikeMinded Cake and Coffee tour.

BikeMinded is the brain child of cycling enthusiast Kathryn King (pictured on the right) as part of the Kensington and Chelsea plan to expand cycling in the area.

Along the way I got a chance to meet Jools of Velo City Girl as well as catch up with Anthony of Cyclehoop. Unfortunately, I neglected to talk to Jemma of HelpMyChainCameOff (apologies if you read this Jemma!).

The tour had a nice relaxed pace, visited some great location and managed to skilfully dodge busy roads in favour of beautiful back streets you wouldn’t normally discover. I highly recommend it for fellow London Cyclists.

There’s a couple more rides being organised. One of them will be on the 27th of October for Halloween to visit ghostly locations. There’s also a fashion competition in the works and a chef cycling challenge. The BikeMinded website has more on these. Also, if you are looking to learn the basics of bicycle maintenance then a number of courses are being organised.

Once the curtains have come down and the audience has finished clapping (Does anyone even do that at the cinema any more?) then it’s off to the after parties. This year the guys from the LFGSS forum have Friday night covered. The Bright Times DJ’s will be providing the music at the Juno Bar in Shoreditch.

Here’s an overview of what is on the rest of the week:

Friday 7th of October

The festival starts with a short film about a bicycle and a sewing machine that fall in love (I bet you never thought a bicycle could fall in love with a sewing machine – how little you know!). Also, it is the 25th anniversary showing of the 1986 movie RAD.

Later in the evening at 9.15 short films take centre stage opening with the now infamous Casey Neistat YouTube hit “Bike Lane”. At the end of the day, New York’s underground bicycle race scene is explored, in the movie Racing Towards Red Hook.

Saturday 8th of October

At 2pm it’s off to Seoul for a look into better bike lanes. The session closes with Sunchasers which shadows three cyclists who prepare for and compete in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.

Later at 7pm it’s time for Urban Bike Shorts.

The after party will be presented by MixtMeat and co – details have yet to be announced.

Sunday 9th of October

In the morning they’ll be a bike polo tournament at the SE1 courts.

Women about Women is the midday show featuring all-girl short films. The showing ends with a 65 minute film about Canadian ultra-cyclist Caroline van den Bulk as she attempts the hardest endurance race in the world. The Race Across America.

At 4pm it’s all about falling in love in the movie The Wheels of Chance as well as a set of short films.

At 6pm it’s the next set of short films including what looks to be a very interesting short film about the Trans Ades Challenge. With My Own Two Wheels is the final film of the session which looks at how the bicycle can change the world.

Finally at 8pm it’s all about BMX bikes. With a series of short films that explore BMX cycling from Ghana to Estonia. 

The closing party will be at Look Mum No Hands.

I’m going to be heading to a number of the events so if you are there too then leave a comment below and perhaps we can catch up at the festival!

Tickets: http://www.barbican.org.uk/film/series.asp?id=1031