Say you’ve just sat back on your sofa and your hand slips in-between the cushions. You pull out a £100 note! Huh? How did that get there?

Naturally you begin dreaming about all the things you could spend it on. Being an avid cyclist you decide it is something bike related you want to see that money go towards.

After all you spend all that time on your bike everyday why not get something new.

Perhaps you consider upgrading your bike components. It would be nice to have a smoother, faster ride. Perhaps you could have an extra couple of minutes in bed! It is generally accepted that one of the best component upgrades is a new set of wheels. So perhaps that is what you fancy?

Maybe you’re all about the fancy accessories? New bike computer? New cycling jacket? New cycling shoes?

How about time for a new saddle? You’ve heard that the thin ones are particularly good and comfy.

Or perhaps you want to start doing more work on your bike. So maybe a new bike stand is for you?

Or perhaps you want to get really technical. How about a helmet camera or a high-powered bike light?

What would you spend £100 on and why?

One of the ways to train for a big cycling event is to find some good circular rides that you can repeat. This allows for a constant speed, there is no need to keep checking the route and you can easily keep track of progress.

Richmond Park

Richmond Park is easily one of the most popular cycle spots in London. A round trip on the main route is 7 miles long. Assuming an average speed of 15 miles per hour, it would take you 28 minutes to do the full circle. Some of the sections are tougher than others with a few short but challenging hills.

If you wanted to simulate London to Brighton you would have to do 7 and a half laps! However in the great surroundings of Richmond Park that doesn’t sound that bad!

Regent’s Park

The outer circle of Regent’s Park is relatively light on traffic.If you combine this with a lack of traffic lights then you have a great circular route. The surroundings are not quite as green but there is the interesting architecture of the houses that line the park and also the mosque in the north-west corner. You are welcome to visit the mosque just make sure you step in with the right foot and out with the left. Unless I’m mistaken this symbolises bringing in the good and taking out the bad.

Anyway, back to cycling! This circular ride is only 2.8 miles long so it will take someone around 11 minutes to do a full circle. If you wanted to simulate London to Brighton then that would be nearly 19 laps! Better bring some good music with you to keep you entertained! Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the ride is largely flat.

For a mini-version of the outer circle why not cycle the inner-circle! At just 0.6 miles long you will have to do repeat the ride 88 times! The inner circle is a popular place for cabbies to have a rest and is pretty much traffic free.

Velodrome

Of course it would be impossible to end an article on circular routes in London without a mention of the Velodrome! The only current working one is at Herne Hill. There is also the Olympic one being built in Stratford. Local teams train here and I’m guessing if you are good enough you can join them.

See also:

• 25 of the best London cycle routes
• Quirky London cycle route
• Thames Path to Richmond Park cycle route

With the news that online cycle retailer Wiggle would be offering test rides for 30 days on selected bikes, I thought it would be a good time to discuss what sort of things you should be looking for.

After all when you buy a new bike it is fairly essential you give it a test ride. Most retailers will happily take your credit card details and then let you ride around for a couple of hours. You should aim to at least use the full two hours as a new bike is an important decision.

1. Size

One of the most important things you should be looking out for is size. Whilst a bike shop is generally good at advising roughly the right frame size it is always best to try it out. What feels right will differ from person to person. If after riding for a couple of hours you are already feeling strain then either an incorrect adjustment has been made or the frame is simply not right for you.

2. Configuration

A test ride is a good time to test out some configuration changes. If you are used to riding with gears then try a single speed bike. If you are used to V-brakes see how you like disc brakes. If you are used to a wide saddle then see if a narrow one will actually feel more comfortable. It is a good time to test things out that may alter your cycling for the better.

3. Saddle

As you will be parking your butt on your saddle for many hours you want it to feel right. A new saddle by default is going to feel a little weird. However, if it really does not suit you then see if you can swap the saddle or try a different bike.

4. Gears

On a new bike the gear shifting should be crisp and quick. A click of the button should mean instant results in the position of the chain. Try to incorporate some hills so you can test out the chain shifting under tough conditions. If there are problems you can ask the bike shop to correct them or try a different bike.

5. Steering

Test out the steering. It should feel smooth and crisp for taking turns and weaving in and out of traffic. If on a new bike you can feel any resistance to the full range of movement or any bumps as you twist the handlebars then this bike is not good.

Overall one of the most important things to aim to do is to ride the bike under your normal conditions. If you normally ride in a suit. Wear a suit. If you normally wear a clown outfit then wear that outfit to your test ride. Also aim to cycle down similar road or off-road conditions. Make full use of your test ride and don’t hesitate to try a different bike if it doesn’t feel quite right.

See also:

• Choosing the right cycling jacket
• Choosing a good bike lock
• Are you guilty of racing other cyclists?

When I overtake a fellow cyclist I often wonder what they are thinking. Are they thinking “What a jerk showing off?” or “I want to go that fast”.

After averaging some pretty ludicrous distances while researching the London Cycle Routes eBook I have definitely become a much faster cyclist. I typically cycle a couple of gears higher than I use to. It also takes a much tougher hill to slow me down. This, as you can imagine, is a great side benefit of the number of miles I’ve covered on pedal power. You might have noticed similar results after a few weeks of heavy cycling.

So, inevitably I find myself needing to do a lot of overtaking of fellow cyclists. But a small part of me thinks overtaking is a little rude. Perhaps I should hang back and just take it easy. After all I’m not trying to prove anything and I don’t want to make a fellow cyclist feel bad. However, this doesn’t help the situation as I like going fast. In fact I struggle to maintain a slow speed more than I do a normal speed.

This conundrum hit me hard last week when I was cycling back home from Camden. As it’s a short ride I was enjoying giving it some speed. At some point I came across a couple of fellow cyclists. The first was a must overtake as I can’t even cycle that slow. The second however was doing a decent enough speed. So I was stuck in limbo while the two voices in my head battled it out for what to do. (Does voices in my head make me sound crazy? Probably.)

On the other side, when it is me being overtaken I see it as a challenge. I find myself wanting to race up to that person and overtake them again.

What do you think? If you frequently overtake other cyclists do you ever wonder what they are thinking? Or if you enjoy going at a slow speed what do you think when someone overtakes you?

Overall I should probably start focusing more on life’s real problems rather than these silly thoughts!!

After many hours locked away in a dark, small room with no windows the designers came to me with their new logo design. They carefully unwrapped the cloth that had been placed around the document to conceal it’s top secret identity. The London Cyclist logo was there before my very eyes!

And now here it is before your eyes:

It makes me very proud to finally announce the new London Cyclist logo. As you can see it is a work of art. I particularly like the way “cyclist” it spelt. Very creatively. The bike itself is beautiful in its simplicity.

I will now be implementing it throughout the site and using it when sending professional letters to companies. I think it will really say to them: “This is London Cyclist and we don’t mess around”.

The logo cost me just £18,000 which I think is an absolute bargain considering it’s detailed finish.

Okay, that is clearly not the logo. If anyone really likes it you can have it. I’ve not copyrighted it.

New logo say hello to London Cyclists and London Cyclists say hello to the new logo:

There are a few different versions that I’ll be using:

Hope everyone likes it. I think it is simple, effective and clear. (If only I could get my writing to be the same!)

P.S. If you are wondering the “London Saiclist” logo was the work of my friend Mathias who sent me this when I told him I needed a new logo! I’m actually off to visit him in Brazil in a couple of days so things may quieten down on London Cyclist but I do have some great posts scheduled to go out. Also I’ll have my iPhone with me so I’ll be able to keep up with comments and Twitter and let you know about Brazil!

If you are in London what are you up to this Friday/Saturday/Sunday/Monday/Tuesday?

Cleaning my bike. Trying out one of your London cycle routes. Watching all 3 of the Lord of the Rings in one go. Doing some ironing. Selling my horse.

Well, if your not too busy then starting on Friday (5th) and running through to Tuesday (9th) there is the East Festival. The fixie bike (standard when wanting to promote things and at the same time look cool) pictured above has been designed by Pete Fowler (cult artist I’m told) to promote the event.

But what is this magical event that they are so keen for cyclists to visit?

It is going to involve performances around different venues in East London. The idea is that you cycle between each one. The first performance is at 2pm, then one at 4pm and finally 6pm. Each one lasting around an hour. The music is going to include folk music, British Jazz, rap and alt-folk. That is just the first day!

There is also bike polo matches, cooking lessons and bike tours of East London.

If any of that tickles your fancy then checkout East Festival on VisitLondon.

Discover the best cycling in London!

• 25 of the best cycling routes I have selected around London
• Routes all cyclists can enjoy. For the more experienced cyclist some challenging longer distance rides and for the more casual cyclist, fantastic routes that help you discover London.
• Escape from the London traffic and enjoy cycling how it should be
• Great description of each ride so you know where to stop and what to look out for
• Plenty of useful London knowledge so you can become a bit of a guru on the city
• Whether your objective is to keep fit or to entertain the kids for the day you will find a suitable route
• Easy to follow directions with colour maps and GPS coordinates meaning you can follow the London cycle route in any way you want
• Find a new passion with great mountain biking routes and discover the joys of Epping Forest
• Routes that no one else knows about and that all your friends will want you to take them on

London is filled with plenty of amazing greenways, towpaths and cycle routes that are a pleasure to cycle down. You just have to know where they are.

The London Cycle Routes eBook will help you discover them. The eBook is a little like having your own personal cycle guide to London. There are routes that will show you some of the most interesting and quirky parts of the city you never knew about. For an example of the quirky side grab a copy of the free London cycle route here.

I’m going to be showing off this eBook to lots of people but I want to give you the opportunity to grab a copy before everyone else with a major discount on the price.

For the first 100 97 87 38 downloads the price will be just £4.95. Then it will jump up so it’s definitely best to get in there!

The best part about this is that as it is an eBook it is instantly available to download. You could be planning an awesome weekend of cycling in no time!

Why eBook and not book?

A couple of people did ask me why I went for an eBook format rather than just release it as a book. It is a good question and my answer is because I love my freedom! (As most cyclists do!). If I went with a book format I would be tied down to a publisher that would keep telling me what I want to do isn’t possible and keep changing everything. With an eBook I can release it today and I can add cool extras such as the GPS coordinates. One of the really big benefits for you if that you can print off any pages you need to take with you on your cycling instead of having to carry a bulky book.

Finally an eBook means I’m able to send you free updates! After all why should you have to pay again when a new version comes out?

In future, who knows I’ll probably release it as a book as well but why wait?!

Click here to instantly get the London Cycle Routes eBook while the price is still £4.95

Download process

1. Click the Add To Cart button

2. Choose between Paypal and Google Checkout. If you are paying by credit card choose Paypal.

3. On Paypal page you either login or choose the option on the left for credit card without needing an account

4. Fill in all your details

5. You will be presented with a download page

The Hyde Park Pet Cemetery, the façade houses of Leinster Gardens, cycling down the narrowest street in London and the Mandela Way Tank. What do they all have in common? They are all a little bit random.

They also make for an amazingly quirky bike ride around London.

After visiting Lithuania who are well known for their quirkiness (On their equivalent of the river Thames they have arranged on one side flowers to spell out “I love you” and on the other “I love you too”). I wanted to find some quirky things in London.

Luckily I found out there are plenty! My favourite story is the one behind the Mandela Way tank. Anyway, I’ve put these together and made them into a great little cycle route around London.

You can grab that route for free by right clicking the link in this text, this text right here, or here, or here, or.. and choosing save file as and then saving it.

If you’re on a Mac then you don’t have a right click button so I have no idea what you do. Maybe go out and buy a computer then come back and download it.

The route is part of the London Cycling eBook I’ll be releasing tomorrow that has 25 awesome cycle routes around London.

And before I forget as a bonus if you join the newsletter then you get 2 more free routes. Which, In my biased opinion, I think is pretty cool! One of them will show you a great canal towpath route and the other will talk you through a great evening ride over the Thames bridges. You can join the newsletter by using the form in the top right.

If you have come across any more weird and wonderful things in London then I would love to hear about it in the comments.

• Click here to read about the full eBook with 25 amazing routes in London

Whenever something goes wrong on a bike the typical course of action is as follows.

Step 1 – curse the cycling gods! Step 2 – Try to ignore the problem for as long as possible. Step 3 – give in and visit the nearest bike shop. You then find someone who looks knowledgeable and describe the problem. This invariably ends up being a test of the grasp of advanced English language as bike problems tend to be a little tough to describe. “The thingy at the front is making a weird grinding sound like grank grank when I pedal”.

This will cause the bike shop assistant to look at the bike and assess how dirty it is. This I always find a little strange considering I did not ask for an assessment of my bike cleanliness. I could ask any old stranger if that’s what I needed: “Excuse me sir how clean would you say my bike is on a scale of one to ten?”.

The bike shop assistant will then test out the bike, confirm it doesn’t work and tell you how much it costs.

At this point you either just go yes, hand it over and walk home in a miserable state or go home and think about it. In a miserable state.

How do you know if what they have quoted you is a good price?

Well, during a recent ride to Chichester my front derailleur seized and I decided this would be a good time to test out the different prices of London bike shops.

New shop down Theobald’s Road

The first was a new small bike shop that has just opened down Theobald’s Road.

I went in, described my problem, got my bike cleanliness assessment and was quoted a price. £10 for labour and £25 for the part. I could leave the bike there and then if I wanted.

Evans Cycles

The next day I found myself cycling around Canary Wharf and spotted an Evans. I cycled past it and then remembered I wanted to write this blog post. So I cycled back and asked how much the repair might be.

£25 for labour and £20 for the part. I would need to book it in for the repair.

On Your Bike, London Bridge

Later on I’m around London Bridge area and pop into an old favourite shop of mine On Your Bike. I ask an assistant who points me in the direction of the repair workshop. Inside there I find three people sitting around swirling on their chairs. It looks like fun. I interrupt their swirling and ask how much their repair would be. They bring out one of their mechanics who takes a look and then tells me it will be £25 for the labour and £25 for the part.

However, he also advices me I may be able to un-seize it by taking it off, giving it a good clean and spraying it with plenty of lubricant while working it side to side.

This is the only bike shop that gives me this bit of extra advice and I really appreciate it.

Cycle Surgery

I walk into the Cycle Surgery near Kings Cross and ask how much the repair will be. £20 – £25 for the part and £20 to £25 for the labour.

So let’s compare these:

New shop: £35 total
Evans: £45 total
On Your Bike: £50 total
Cycle Surgery: £40 to £50 total

The winner is..

The new shop down Theobald’s (I really should find out its name rather than calling it the new shop). Whilst there wasn’t a huge difference in prices it shows that it is worth shopping around. In particular smaller independent shops may be able to offer a better price. The added bonus is of course that you are supporting local businesses.

What am I going to do? I’m going to take the advice of the On Your Bike mechanic and try and fix it myself. Wish me luck!

For the past couple of months I’ve been working on something really big. I’m very excited about finally announcing it to everyone and lifting the curtain on this because I know a lot of people will be interested.

Early next week I will be launching an eBook with 25 amazing cycling routes around London. I have to admit something to you. When I first set out to put together the eBook I thought what on earth have I got myself into?

A couple of my friends gave me that worried look you occasionally get from friends when I told them my plan. I mean I love my cycling but I thought about how much time this would take and how I didn’t want the blog to suffer due to putting time into the eBook. However, I decided to dive right in and go for it. After completing the first couple of routes and writing them up I actually began to realise how much I was enjoying this.

I’ve loved discovering new parts of London and in the past couple of months I’ve been having the time of my life. Instead of the worried look my friends are now giving me the look of "wow I never knew that about London". Some of them have even recruited me as a tour guide to show them round! I find myself unable to stop telling people about how much fun it is cycling around a certain part of the city that no one had ever told me about before.

This is the reason I’m so happy everything has come together (There have been a couple of moment where I’ve not been sure it would!). Now I’m able to share all the great locations I’ve found with you. Whilst I love cycling around the busy streets of London I do occasionally find that after a while dodging taxis and buses gets a little bit tiring. You may have experienced the same thing?

When I picture cycling I picture empty roads, plenty of room to breathe and enjoy cycling the way it is was truly meant to be. I think I owe that kind of great cycling to my bike!

That is what this eBook is about. Amazing cycling routes that anyone can do to discover parts of London you didn’t know existed.

What on earth is an eBook..

At this point I’ve been babbling on about eBooks and not even taken the time to explain them. They are basically an electronic copy of a book. The great benefit of this is that it is instantly available and you can print off any pages you need to take them with you. Perfect for cycling routes!

The good news…

The good news is that I’ll be giving away three of the routes next Monday. However you’re going to have to join the newsletter to get all three. Luckily doing this is easy and you can use the form in the sidebar. Of course you are welcome to unsubscribe at any time if you don’t like the news I’m sending.

This will be a great way to take a look at the routes and see if it is the kind of thing you might be interested in.

At this stage you may be thinking one of a few things…

The first is "awesome, I can’t wait to find out about some great new places to go cycling and experience new things in London." Fantastic! You are the reason I put together this eBook and I know you’re going to love it.

The second is "this isn’t for me". That is absolutely fine. I recognise this eBook is not for everyone and neither was it ever my intention to be, otherwise it wouldn’t be amazing for those people who are interested.

The third is "I’m on the fence". No problem at all, over the next few days I’ll let you know more details and I’m sure you will know enough to make the right decision.

It feels great to finally get this announcement off my chest and the next few days will be very busy putting together the final touches so I’ll let you know how things are coming along.