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Take a Ride Day
London may not strike you as the most cycle friendly city, but there’s no doubt if you’ve been spending time in Shoreditch you’ve probably seen more people on bikes than off them. From fixed-wheeled bearded hipsters going from coffee shop to coffee shop to the spandex army to tourists on rented city bikes, cycling in London is mega popular. It’s just one more reason to love this huge, unwieldy city! I cycle (see the photo above of me looking a little silly, all ready to go!)
In honour of Take a Ride Day, we’ve made a little list of all of the places in London you should go on 2-wheels. This is by no means the most comprehensive guide there is, which is why we included some other guides to cycling on our list.
If you have any questions at all about where to go, how to rent a bike definitely let us know and we’ll help you out!
And just a note – cycling in London is a fun and easy way to get around, but it’s important to be safe and vigilant. Look out for buses, pedestrians and HGVs. Stick to quiet cycle routes if you don’t know the city and remember that in the UK cars drive on the left side of the road. And also, don’t get wasted and cycle – London isn’t Amsterdam, you share the road.
Cafes
Look Mum No Hands – laid back cycle workshop and café in Old Street
Auguste Handmade – shop specializing in handmade, refurbished bikes with good coffee in Hoxton
Rapha – super fancy cycle gear and swish café in Spitalfields Market
Bike Rentals
Santander City Bikes – with portals all over London, it’s the easiest, cheapest and most convenient way to rent bikes. £2 to rent for the whole day with each 30-minute journey included. Its more if you spend more time on it, but not much.
Tokyo Bikes– if you’re looking for something a little bit cooler, pop over to Tokyo Bikes, who will rent you one of their absolutely beautiful one, complete with a light, a lock and most importantly, a helmet for £15.
Bike Tours
Alternative London Bike Tour – Alternative London offers some great tours and 3 of them are on bikes, which is right up our narrow cycle path (see what I did there? Substituted alley for narrow cycle path…). Shoot them an email to inquire on seasonal offers and rates.
London Bicycle Tour Company – They have been running bike tours in London since 1991 so really know what they are doing – and because they have so many tours available, you’ll be sure to find something up your street!
Guides to cycling in London
The Guardian – they have a great section on cycling, with safety tips, trips and some funny articles about life on 2 wheels.
Transport for London – TFL are a fab resource for cycle routes and local guides. All are free!
CycleFox- an awesome online community for cyclists in London.