People ask me all the time, “don’t you find cycling in London terrifying?” Apparently, it’s only the most insane amongst us who are actively choosing to take on two wheels in the UK’s capital. That’s not without its reasons. In the last four years, ...
Cycling in London
10 of the greatest joys for cyclists
In a previous video, I've talked about 5 of the greatest dangers facing cyclists in London. Of course it’s not just about avoiding the dangers, it’s also about taking in the joys of cycling in London. In the new video, I wanted to explore 10 of ...
How a cyclist sees London
There is an invisible hierarchy in London. It looks like this: Underground passenger Car driver Bus passenger Cyclist Runner Walker The Underground user is at the bottom of the hierarchy. They get to see little, to none of the ...
Build your dream bike step-by-step with the BYOB workshop
This is a guest post by George of Bring Your Own Bike. Have you ever made your own sandwich? You’ll know the stages: agonising over the individual components, carefully assembling the parts, finally standing back to admire the finished article ...
In praise of a back-street bike shop
Guest post by Joe Plommer, a photographer and writer based in Camberwell. You'll find Joe on Twitter. Illustration via Mayumi Mori. I must first have visited Bob’s Cycles, on Walworth’s John Ruskin street, in around 2006. I was a student, ...
5 odd things we do with our bikes, that we’d never do with our cars
I'm sure many fellow cyclists can relate. 1. Avoid maintenance, until the brakes barely work I was having a chat with a friend of mine recently who runs a bike shop in London. Someone came in to the shop with £200 worth of repairs to their bike ...
8 moments all us cycle commuters have felt
Of course, every mode of transport has its drawbacks - and those who cycle to work will likely recognise a few of these moments... 1) The 'world is against me' moment Some rides go by with barely any trouble - no close overtakes, no ...
How to jump a red light
All the cyclists are patiently waiting at a traffic light. Should they jump it instead? Risking a fine For a start, if they were caught, they would be issued with a £50 Fixed Penalty Notice. In 2013, over 4,000 cyclists were issued a Fixed Penalty ...
9 signs the summer is coming to an end
No one likes to hear it, but summer is slowly ambling its way towards closure. The slowly ambling bit is important - there is still plenty of time to get out and enjoy some sunny rides, and these late season rides are absolutely golden - they'll be ...
The best places in London to buy a singlespeed
Riding a singlespeed or fixed wheel bike is all about simplicity. Both do away with gears, making for a lighter ride which requires less maintenance. A singlespeed bike has only one gear, but the pedals move independently of the rear wheel, ...
5 of our favourite cycle cafes
Cycling and coffee go hand in hand – riders of skinny tyres, fixed wheels, knobbly rubber and basketed bikes are nearly always all partial to a good espresso (cappachino, Americano, or latte). Cycle cafes bring together our love of bicycles and ...
Share your morning routine with London Cyclist
Here at London Cyclist, we like to get to know our readers. Today, we'd like to hear about how you start the day. To kick it all off, I’ll share my own routine – I hope you all get involved and share your own! The nature of my employer ...
12 things that ran through regular cyclists minds during the tube strike
1. What's with all these extra cyclists? 2. Finally, people have discovered the joys of cycling! It's so nice to be joined by all my cycling brothers and sisters. We are living in a new era in London! 3. Oh, no, it's just a tube strike. 4. Hope ...
7 London bike shops you should follow on Twitter
For listings of all of London's bike shops, cycle cafes and bike businesses, grab a copy of our free London Cyclist app. For a laugh, discounts and more, here's a list of 7 London bike shop accounts I recommend you follow. Cycle ...
Cycling Time Trials Decoded
Now the clocks have gone back, you may begin to notice you have gained extra daylight time, that the world seems a little less bleak, and that your bicycle wheels are spinning further and faster. The eagle eyed of you may also notice something ...
Popular London cycing clubs and groups
Riding to get from A to B is usually not a group activity. However, if you want to get out and ride for leisure, and fancy making your cycling more sociable, joining a club or riding with a group is a great way to meet like minded people to share the ...
The 18 scariest videos of motorists attacking and abusing cyclists
The vast majority of motorists in London drive quite sensibly. Unfortunately, since a regular bike commuter interacts with many thousands of cars a year, it only takes a very small percentage of idiots to make unpleasant encounters an occasional, but ...
Cycling events to see in London in 2014
If you plan to make any New Years Resolutions, you've probably done it by now. However, as well as the exciting things you could do by bike in 2014, but there are some amazing events taking place in the UK that you could be a part of. Here are ...
Good things about the recent cataclysmic weather
It’s been raining a lot recently. Something the news loves to report on. If you haven’t had a few days off the bike thanks to floods and high winds, I personally think you’re a lucky rider. Could there possibly be anything good about all this ...
Who will step in to sponsor the cycle hire scheme?
Barclay's are no longer feeling the London cycling love and have left Boris bike commuters without a sponsor, having walked away after paying just half of the promised £50 million. Who will step up to take their place? "Nobody!" I'm sure many of ...