All good things must come to an end. Sadly, today is the end for the London Cyclist Blog. I created the blog back in 2007 because I was frustrated at the lack of information online for everyday cyclists like myself. To my surprise, the blog grew to over 136,000 visitors a month.
I found myself blogging up to 5 times a week, reviewing the latest bike gear, speaking to TfL and politicians and getting to meet the London cycling community. I got the chance to lend my voice to important issues such as the call for safe infrastructure for cyclists in London.
To sustain the site and support myself, I worked on really fun projects including the London Cyclist eShop, the bike maintenance course and London Cyclist apps. It was weird introducing myself as a full time “blogger” and my mum kept asking when I’d get a real job.
My fondest memories are from working on the London Cycle Routes eBook. I would wake up, grab my bike and camera and set out to explore a new part of London. Exhausted in the evening I’d write up my notes and then do the same again the next day. At the time the eBook was published, there hadn’t been a new London cycle routes guidebook in years. It went on to sell over 2,500 copies. I want others to experience that amazing feeling, so today I’m making the eBook available for free.
When my app company Nibble Apps started demanding more of my time, I sought out talented writers with a passion for cycling to keep London Cyclist running. Emily joined for a year and contributed hundreds of posts. This was followed by a number of part time writers, who each added their unique voice to London Cyclist.
Nowadays in the world of influencers, YouTubers and podcasts, London Cyclist Blog feels quite quaint. While the internet can at times feel like a big, nasty place, I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of this little corner of it, which is filled with friendly people, united by a common love for the bike.
I’m hugely grateful to everyone who read, commented, shared and supported the blog over the past 12 years. I’ll be keeping the door open to reviving London Cyclist in future, but for now I won’t be posting any more updates.
What next?
- LondonCyclist.co.uk will stay online and the blog posts continue to be accessible.
- The London Cyclist eBook is now available for free. Please share it around with any friends who would enjoy it.
- The London Cyclist bike maintenance course is now available for free. Again, please share it widely.
- I’ve moved the Bike Doctor app to my company Nibble Apps. I’ll be updating the app for the latest Apple devices.
- I’ll no longer be running the London Cyclist weekly newsletter.
Many thanks Andreas for the Blog, a lovely read over the years, and like you say, a sane corner of the internet amongst all the hate and madness. All the best for the future.
Thank you very much! It’s been a lot of fun running the blog over the years.
I just discovered this blog and I immediately loved it. I will keep it on my RRSS just in case that you decide to make a comeback!
Aw man, got the email and only saw the sender name London Cyclist Blog and not the subject line. Thought, Andreas had made a comeback. Well, there’s always hope… 😉
All the best in the future Andreas!
Thanks Adam!
If you change your mind please let us know
All the best Andreas
I’ve been an avid subscriber for years and although I don’t live in London the reviews in particular were of particular interest.
Good luck for the future and thanks for sharing your enthusiasm and experiences over the years.
Thank you Graham! It’s been my pleasure writing and sharing.
Chapeau sir
I’ve been a fan for a long time
Thank you for reading Richard and being a part of it!
A great venture, Andreas, and I’ve loved following your stuff. Sorry to see you call a halt, but you can be seriously proud of what you’ve contributed. And this from a hardened old London rider who started here in 1973. Riding less now than I did, but you’ve always been on the money with your ideas, and have made a difference. Thanks, and all very best with your new adventures.
Thank you Mark – was fun to be one of the early people on the blogging bandwagon! 😊
Thanks so much Andreas, your writing has basically been my ‘bible’ since I began cycling in London in 2012. I’m hugely grateful. Best of luck for the future!
That’s very kind of you to say Christian! Thank you very much.
I really liked your weekly updates. Sorry it’s stopping and good luck for the future.
I’m sad to be stopping the newsletter too Chris – it’s a tough decision! Thank you for reading and commenting.
Best wishes for the future. Thanks for making the ebook available for free.
rgds, -{db}.
You are very welcome – hope people find it useful! It was so much fun to put together and to get to know all these different parts of London. It shined a whole new light on London for me.
Thanks for all your hard work over the years, and wishing all the best in your ventures.
Thank you Sheldon!
Thanks so much for the blog and the updates. They have always been a nice friday treat and you are guilty of distracting me far too often.
Good luck for the future!
Liam
haha pleased I could be a regular feature in your inbox! Going to miss the routine of getting the newsletter ready for 10.05am every Friday!
Andreas, I’ve been reading and enjoying your blog for years – almost from the start, I think. You have been a reassuring and helpful companion while I’ve been commuting and pootling around London on my bike all these years. I’ve not posted before but wanted to say “thank you” for everything and to wish you the best of luck with everything post blog.
Hey Matthew – was hoping I’d have some readers from way back in the early days so thank you very much for your comment. Very heart warming to read.
Thank you for all the information and furthering the cause of cycling!
Thank you Michael – it’s been a pleasure!
Very sad to hear that :(. London Cyclist had a ton of useful info, and the newsletter was a great company on Fridays.
Thanks for your effort, and good luck!
Very sad to be ending the newsletter and blog too – it was hard to admit that I just didn’t have the time to give it the attention it deserves. Perhaps one day I can start things up again. There’s only about 1,281 blog posts that could do with an update!
Good luck and all the best.
Thank you Simon!
Ah, sad times! Always enjoyed your work. Best of luck with things going forward.
Thank you so much Howard!
Andreas,
Thank you for all your time and efforts you put into this. I started riding early 2012 and of course when you start cycling, it’s all so overwhelming…total information overload. Thankfully I discovered this site early on and found the reviews, news, and community feel really useful. You introduced me to other sites and bloggers and so on and unlike some, I never felt you were pushing for anyone to subscribe to a certain ‘look’ or ride a certain type of bike to fit in and feel part of something, you included all types of people.
Good luck in your future ventures, I look on this site with genuine fondness.
Thanks Jason – I think you hit the nail on the head and that was always my intention with London Cyclist – to be inclusive to everyone – one big happy family of people who ride bikes. I’m very grateful for your comment, very nice to read.
Another happy reader sad to hear your news.
Hope you do manage to revive it an whatever form in the future.
Always really appreciated the insights and trouble that went into your Blog. Many thanks for all your time to the present and wish you well for the future, Tony
Sad to see you calling it a day (been a reader for years!) but thanks for all your articles and advice, came in very handy on multiple occasions.
Best of luck ! 🙂
All the best for the future, and thank you for all the years of updates on positive changes in London.
Shame to hear this but all the very best for the future and thanks for everything.
Very sad you’re suspending the blog, Andreas. I’ve read you with interest over the last few years and will miss your regular emails. All the very best for the future.
Des
Sorry to hear you are stopping the blog, although I live 90 miles north of London I found your site many years ago by accident and have read it ever since as it is a true insight into the London cycling world from people that actually do it! Good luck with your future ventures, I’ll be there if you start up again….
I’ve really enjoyed reading your emails. As a novice cyclist in London ,found them really helpful and interesting.Thanks so much and good luck with your next project…
Andreas, thank you so much for your time devoted to the blog! I am from Germany but I try to visit London at least twice a year and ride a rented bike or a Boris Bike through the city. Not only did I find your advice, stories and reviews very helpful, I also enjoyed getting a newsletter to my e-mail account every Friday. It (and of coury the route book) was always a welcome opportunity to go on a virtual vacation when I couldn’t be there myself. I was surprised when I received yor newsletter this morning and I have to admit: It did make me a little sad. I wish you all the best for the future and I hope to see the blog return some day.
Thomas
Thanks for all your sage advice and articles over the years, Andreas! Good luck in the future.
I always looked forward to the Friday email. I’ll definitely miss it and I hope you will start it again one day. It will leave a big gap for those of us interested in London cycling. Best wishes.
Sorry to hear it’s going into hibernation. I’ve enjoyed it over the years and thank you for keeping it going for so long. All the best for the future.
Thank you for years of informative, friendly and bike-affirming posts. Good luck with your future ventures!
Sad to see you go from a very long time reader. I particularly liked your tutorials (back to YouTube). As others said there was no agenda other than the friendly promotion of cycling. Good luck with everything in the future.
Paul
Andreas,
I only started receiving the weekly newsletter relatively recently, but I enjoyed seeing it appear in my inbox every week. Sad to see you go, but understand your reasoning. Good luck and take care!
Heidi W.
Shoreditch
I have really enjoyed reading it for many years. I am only in London about once a week but ride where I can and have read the newsletter avidly. Lots of interesting links and have used many them for info to help ‘guide’ our local authority to improve (create?) better cycling infrastructure. Great to have read the real user reviews. Best of luck in the next chapter, Andreas.
Your blog started shortly after I moved to London and decided cycling was the way to go. I found it invaluable. Good luck with whatever’s next
I want to add my voice to all the others who have written here to thank you for great work over these years Andreas. You’ve made an invaluable contribution to cycling in London and I’m very grateful.
All the best on your next projects and hope you’ll bring it back from hibernation one day.
Salud!
Hi Andreas, I’ve really enjoyed your emails over the years. After I stopped subscribing to many of the other cycling blogs because of the negativity (both from the comments and the topics) London Cyclist was the one I kept going because of the positive vibe it provided. Good luck for the future you will be missed.
Hello Andreas.
This blog has helped me not get raped in London.
Thank you.
God bless you Andreas
Best of luck for your future.
I genuinely appreciate you.
Just started cycling and just stumbled across the website. Thanks Andrea, hope you’re well 🙂
Curious when you’ll restart
How did the blog grow to 136,000 visitors a month?