The first product I’m testing the water with, is the Tigra iPhone bike mount. The product is also part of the idea from which the shop came from. I was getting a lot of reports of dodgy fake copies of the Tigra mount circulating on the internet and I wanted to be sure I was directing readers to the correct product. Then, I thought to myself, why don’t I just sell it through the blog?

This would mean I could be sure of its quality and help people decide if the product is suitable for them.

I can’t really say for sure which products will follow but it’s an exciting side project and we can see where it leads.

The good news is, to celebrate the launch I’m able to offer the Tigra mount at a strong discount. Normally, it costs £39.99. However, until the end of August it is £29.95 with free delivery. I rave about the Tigra mount all the time so it’s a good chance to grab it at a nice discount.

Have a quick click around the shop and if you’ve got any thoughts then drop me a line in the comments or by email.

It’s that time of the year again. When Boris calls me up and says: Andreas, will you, and all the beautiful cyclists on the blog, take part once again in the London Cycle Challenge. And I’ll say, I’ve told you before Boz, don’t call me before 8am – I need my beauty sleep.

So, here it is:

Team London Cyclist Blog

As you can see we currently have one lonely member (me) so if you’d like to log your miles this summer then please do join.

I’ll be posting inspiring speeches and so forth like the one at the start of this post which I haven’t plagiarised from a certain prime minister during a certain world war.

Oh, and grab one of these:

https://cyclechallenge.tfl.gov.uk/sites/all/downloads/Individual_mileage_log.pdf

Print it off (using the office printer) and pin it near your computer screen so you don’t forget to log miles. Optionally, draw funny moustaches on the people in the pictures.

Finally:

Post a prediction in the comments of how many miles you’ll be covering from the 18th of June to the 15th of July (28 days). It’s always good to set a target I’m told!

Here’s our team page:

https://cyclechallenge.tfl.gov.uk/team/590

When people approach you all teary eyed that their bike was stolen you’ll be able to cold heartedly say to them: Didn’t you read that blog post on London Cyclist with all those good bike locks?

Cold but it’s for their own good!

Top 50 cycling blogs 2010

The monster list of cycling blogs as always pulled in a big crowd. There’s some great blogs in there. Bookmark them and love them!

30 London Cycle Routes eBook

My London Cycle Routes eBook got an enormous 23,304 visits! The second version that I released upped the ante to 30 routes and to date I’ve not had an unhappy customer! Check the eBook out and discover great places to ride in London.

Barclays Cycle Hire

The popularity of this blog skyrocketed around the launch time of the Cycle Hire scheme. The page has been visited 17,108 times. In the survey however it’s the one thing you’ve asked me to talk a little less about so I’ll stop talking n..

Cycling iPhone Apps

Ah the iPhone. Loved by its users and hated by everyone else. This follow on post recommended three new application I was enjoying using: Cycle Meter, Run Keeper and Outdoors.

Where is your nearest cycle hire stand?

This post answering a question everyone had in their minds. Unfortunately for me the answer was “nowhere near”.

7 Mistakes You Are Making With Your Cycling and How You Can Correct Them

This true monster of a blog post helped cyclists changed their erroneous ways and put them on a path to safe cycling. Since then I recommend one-on-one cycle training at every opportunity!

Cycling apps for the Android

Android users not wanting to be outdone by the iPhone have a similar dazzling array of applications to complete all functions imagined.

The Winter Cycling Gear that will make your cycling more comfortable and enjoyable

As the winter this year was a particularly painful one there was a need to grab the gear that keeps hands, legs, feet and pretty much all body parts warm.

Riding around London on the new Cycle Hire Bike

I got a sneaky test ride on the cycle hire bike before it was released and put together a big write up for London Cyclist.

All in all an amazing year! Can’t wait for next year’s big posts!

Last Wednesday I posted up a survey to find out what everyone wanted from London Cyclist in the new year. An impressive 438 people responded within a week! Thank you to you all.

I wanted to post up the responses here and give some insider information on where I’ll be taking London Cyclist in the new year. This post should help you get an idea of what to expect as well as act as a reminder for me to keep pushing out the content you guys want to see.

What type of cyclists frequent London Cyclist

As expected the vast majority of London Cyclist followers are commuters. A lot of people also use their bike for leisure.

Who’s joined the newsletter

Apparently most of you is the answer to that question! That is positive to see and in 2011 I want to keep delivering lots of good exclusives to newsletter subscribers.

What content you want to see more and less of

A score of 3 was the average for “About the same”. Therefore, anything above that is more of and anything below is less of. According to the results the only thing people wanted to hear slightly less about was Boris Bikes.

Right at the top that I’ve largely been ignoring is Bicycle maintenance tips and great places to cycle in London. Therefore, in the new year, I’ll do a new series of Bicycle maintenance videos and tips. I’ve already got the London Cycle Routes eBook out but I’ll try and occasionally look into offering some new routes.

It looks like you guys would also like to see more cycling technique tips and safe cycling tips. So I’ll step up my game on that front.

From the results I’m happy to report the Comment Fridays are well enjoyed so I’ll definitely be continuing those.  The gear coverage also seems well appreciated so we’ll have more reviews of great cycling gear.

Have you ever recommended London Cyclist?

Around 40% of you said you had recommended London Cyclist. Here is what some people had to say about the blog:

“The best blog about cycling in London”, “Friendly chatty for real people.”, “Told my cyclist boyfriend he should give it a read”, “If you ride a bike, read this blog”, “Interesting and accessible”, “Cycling mecca for London”, “Mentioned it to friends at the pub”, “Maintains your excitement for cycling!” and  “Great blog that you need to read”

What the future holds

Apart from content that I’ve mentioned previously here is what else to expect.

Bike Doctor and London Bike Shop

The Bike Doctor iPhone and Android app that shows you how to repair your bike should be getting a series of updates. These have been slow to arrive as the developer hasn’t had much time to devote to the application. However, in the new year someone else should be taking over his role.

As for London Bike Shop we’ll soon be adding bike rental places and also hopefully discount codes for some of the bike shops in the app.

Another two eBooks

I’ve got two new ideas for eBooks that I think haven’t been covered elsewhere and there seems to be a lot of interest in.

Hiring a writer

I’m keen to have someone help me out with some of the writing on the blog. I’ve already had a couple of applications but if this is something you might be interested in then drop me an email.

Here’s to 2011 on London Cyclist!

Quick heads up to Romster Bike Wear who sent me this awesome cogs t-shirt! They’ve even set up a 10% discount code for any London Cyclist readers who likes one of their designs. Isn’t that nice? Use the code LONDON10 at checkout.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Access Legal who provide legal assistance for cyclists in accidents – make a note of them! And Going Going Bike who are building an awesome bike auction site – make sure you sell your stuff on there!

This Month on London Cyclist (17 awesome posts!)

We launched the London Bike Shop app which got featured by Apple for about 3 weeks (might still be up there!). Around 600 of you have already downloaded. If not grab it from Apple App Store (It’s only £1.19 and contains all of London’s bike shops with opening times).

Other than that we also did an awesome giveaway of some Proviz gear and Breezeblockers for anyone on the newsletter.

In the comment Friday’s we checked out how everyone’s winter cycling was coming along and asked whether HGV’s should be banned from the city centre. There was also some interesting reviews of a great looking eBike and the Knog bike lights. In cycling gear we took a look at waterproof cycling trousers.

This Month on other cycling blogs

• Safer riding in the cold tips by Road Cycling UK
• Dear Mr Angry Taxi Driver – a letter many of us no doubt want to write!
• Mark asks “How can we encourage cargo bike culture?”

We joined Facebook!

Shock-shock-horror! We’re now also on Facebook where you can “Like us”.

As soon as my delayed Easyjet flight landed in London around 1am and I got my very tired self home I remembered the post I had written last week. I asked all of you to send me in some birthday wishes. I was worried to check it because what if there was just 2 comments in there!

I created the post before my short trip to Jordan and Israel. Two countries that I thoroughly enjoyed and would happily recommend.

As my laptop loaded and I clicked on London Cyclist I found there was more than 2 comments. There was around 85 and all of them really nice and reading through them instantly put a huge smile on my face! So thank you so much for everyone who took the time to leave their birthday wishes. It was also the perfect thing to read upon my return to London.

I wanted to pick out a couple of them:

“Your blog has not only made me feel safer about cycling but also allowed me to pass on your tips and advice to my boyfriend when he first started cycling to work (and I was worried about him!). So thanks for everything – keep up the good work.”

This comment by Caroline sums up perfectly why I run this blog. Making it easy for people to start cycling safely and enjoy it.

…you did a review of cycle cafes once upon a time. One of them was near my work; I wandered over to check them out. I got along brilliantly with them, and am now building a new bike with the lovely people.

Elena – happy to help you discover some new things in London!

OK a few things … discovering Wiggle…finding your recommendations for good waterproof jackets…Micycle workshops….bike cleaning ….. buying a floor stand pump (thanks- brilliant!)….bike marking schemes with local police (my local plod emailed me the next day)…the low-down on overtaking and waiting-at-lights etiquette …and also I like your style of writing about bikes so makes me feel good about cycling in London.

Thank you Claire for picking out so many things!

Encouragement to a not-so-confident cyclist to become a much more confident one!

Definitely one of the best outcomes of the blog! Thank you Ann.

I also really liked this image that was sent to me by Brian of a GPS drawing that took 2 hours to do!

Just pretend it says Andreas!

All of the comments were amazing. So thank you so much. Was interesting to see how useful people are finding the maintenance guide and also the cycling routes.

Which brings me on nicely to the big update…

The London Cycle Routes eBook, which has been downloaded just over 400 times, will be receiving a major overhaul. Just yesterday, I was busy improving the maps on the first three routes. Now they are far clearer and easier to follow. It made me wonder why I didn’t just make these improvements sooner!

Above that I also listened to all the feedback emails I received and I’ve started adding a Google Maps version of them to make it extremely easy for someone to use.

Of course the biggest suggestion people had was “more of the same!”. So I’ll be adding 5 more routes to the eBook for people to enjoy.

I’ll reveal more of the exciting new features in the coming weeks but needless to say I’m sure there’s going to be some very happy customers!

The good news is, as promised, anyone who has downloaded the eBook will receive a copy of the new version for free. Though, I’m not quite sure how I’m going to send it out yet as I have to figure that one out (hopefully it won’t involve a painfully slow one, by one email – but if that’s what it takes then I’ll do it!)

The new version will really complete the guide and I’ll be proud when I add it to the website 10 days from now.

Thank for for reading the London Cyclist Blog!

Today I’m releasing a second eBook to subscribers called “Guide to Cycling in London”. Most of the content from it is applicable to cycling in any city. It is a 37 page eBook filled with great cycling advice catered for everyday cyclists.

Here is quick overview of what you get:

• How to find the perfect cycling route through London
• 3 must-try London Cycle Routes including an impressive 25 mile Grand Tour of the Grand Union and a quirky 5 mile gentle ride around the unusual sights of central London.
• How to undertake and enjoy your first long distance bike ride
• The three tricks you won’t learn at cycle training
• How to never have your bike stolen
• How to meet fellow cyclists and go on group rides
• Turning your cycle commute into a workout
• London’s coolest bike shops and cafes
• Guide to buying a second hand bike
• All the best gear that makes a difference
• Storing a bike in a “cosy” London flat
• How you can make London a better place for cycling

Plus more but I don’t want to list everything and would prefer you just download it and have a look through for yourself!

Of course if you are a subscriber you also get another free eBook that guides you through the basics of Bicycle Maintenance. I’ve lost count of downloads of that guide but it is well in the region of 5,000 to 6,000 downloads. I’m very pleased it has done so well and is helping so many people look after their bikes. I hope this guide will be equally well received.

To get these two free amazing guides all you have to do is join the 1,211 cyclists who receive the London Cyclist newsletter. You’ll get plenty of great cycling tips and a weekly roundup of the posts on London Cyclist. Also you can unsubscribe whenever you want in just 2 clicks by following the links at the bottom of the email.

If you enjoy the guides then all I ask in return is I would really appreciate you spreading the messages to others by pointing them to this blog post using your blog, Twitter, Stumble Upon, Facebook or good old e-mail. Thank you very much for helping!

Note: I’m expecting high demand for the eBook so I apologise if the download crashes / becomes unavailable. Currently I’m hosting the file on Dropbox and will move it around if that becomes an issue.

1. Exclusive tips

Every month I send out a new exclusive tip not available on the blog. This can help save you money, get more enjoyment out of your cycling or solve a frustration you have!

2. Weekly roundups

Never miss out on an interesting post or tweet on London Cyclist or on other cycling blogs. The weekly roundups that go out on Friday are a quick and easy summary that allow you to stay on top of cycling in London.

3. Exclusive competitions and offers

Newsletter subscribers are the first to hear about a free giveaway and often the only ones to hear about it! Vouchers and great cycling gear are up for grabs. I also keep my eye out for great offers that I think will be of interest.

4. Free guides for you

Get my free eBook which shows you the maintenance you should be aware of on your bike to be sure it lasts for longer and doesn’t cause you a problem. Also, receive a 37 page guide to cycling in London.

5. Be the first to know

As a newsletter subscriber you’re the first to hear about unmissable events, news or free eBooks and competitions you might want to enter.

6. No messing around with spam or overloading you with emails

I know your busy and I know you hate spam. I’m the same! Therefore, on most weeks you will not receive more than 2 emails from me and of course your email address is kept completely private.

7. You are my first class passenger!

I treat my newsletter subscribers like they are in the BA executive lounge! Therefore, I’m always making sure I’m only sending interesting and relevant content that will be useful to them.

8. You can unsubscribe at any time

If you decide its not for you then it is very easy to go back on your decision to join. Every email contains an unsubscribe link at the bottom which will instantly remove you from any future emails.

9. Decide what London Cyclist is about

I’m always open to emails from my newsletter subscribers both with news they think will be interesting for others but also about the direction they want to see London Cyclist go in.

10.  2000 cyclists must know something..

2000 cyclists have already joined the newsletter and I regularly hear a lot of positive feedback about it. This is why I think you’ll love it too.

How to Join

Either visit the blog and use the box on the top right or use the box below:

(10 London Cycling Events you shouldn’t miss out on)

I arrived at the starting point in Hyde Park and was soon happily down to my boxers. So far, so comfortable, if a little chilly. The people around me were busy body painting each other, listening to music or having their picture taken. There didn’t seem to be any organisation and as more and more body parts were being revealed I was debating what to do about the boxers I was still wearing.

I knew my friend visiting from France would find it very funny if I bear all and I also knew that running a London cycling blog probably means I should go for it. After sending a couple of tweets I dropped my boxers to my ankles, shoved them into my bag and went to join the naked mass that was waiting to depart. I quickly sparked up a conversation with the naked cyclist next to me – which was a strange experience. Soon, I was anxious to get going. Though, as you can imagine, a big mass of cyclists trying to get through a tight road is a slow experience.

The streets to exit Hyde Park were lined with photographers and this was the most daunting part of the ride. Luckily, I spotted my friend from France and flashed her a big smile as she waved and grabbed a picture. If you join the newsletter you can have a copy of the picture. Joke

Her big smile and riding onto the open roads put me more at ease and I was soon enjoying the fun atmosphere. Darth Vader, the gold cyclists and “safer cycling for grannies” painted on someone’s back were amongst the best sights. Of course, the favourite sight being a load of naked cyclists riding past Big Ben. Something that the tourists lining the roads found equally bemusing. Definitely providing a much more interesting holiday snap for many.

The naked ride didn’t have many problems with aggressive drivers and the mass rarely came to a standstill. Throughout the ride a few people removed more clothes, some finished early and some spontaneously joined in. Next time I cycle down Oxford Circus I’ll have a big smile on my face remembering listening to the Simpsons theme tune surrounded by naked cyclists.

I rejoined my friends and my clothes at London Bridge.

(Find out how to get around the no shower at work problem)

The London Naked Bike Ride gets over a thousand participants each year and it follows a planned route around London. The purpose of the ride, if you have to have a reason to get naked, is against car dependency and to promote cycling. There are also similar rides in other cities of the world. You are free to get as naked as you feel comfortable doing and you can just turn up whenever you want. There is no pre-registration for the ride and details can be found on the website.

See also:

1. 10 London Cycling Events you shouldn’t miss out on
2. The London SkyRide experience
3. Folding bike ride from London to Paris
4. Abus Granit Steel O Flex review

Dave from Cycle Training UK shows me how I should be cycling around London for better safety and efficiency. Full write up next week with some amazing tips I learned.

Cycling on the way back I came across the horrendous Oxford Circus roadworks currently taking place. Along the course of the roadworks is the tribute to Jayne Helliwell. The cyclist who was hit by bus 390 last week. This is London covered the news.

I met up with Amy from Cyclodelic earlier this week who I’m helping with her website. Waiting at Angel tube station I noticed how overboard the bicycle advertising is getting. Considering the lack of available cycle parking in the area it seems a little irresponsible of these companies to place their adverts here.

I also cycled past the new cafe just opened on Old Street. Unfortunately I didn’t think to grab a picture. It’s called Look Mum No Hands and is open for business. The official grand opening is happening next week on Thursday.

I hope the weather stays as gorgeous as it is now and wish everyone a great weekend!

See also:

• 30 London Cycle Routes
• Upload your bike to 21bikes.com
• Pictures that will make you want to grab your bike and see where it takes you
• How to make your cycling escape in 2010