--To celebrate the launch of Livelo London, we're providing you with 10 great tips to ensure you make the most of your riding experience in the British Capital.
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Eyes on the Road. With so many iconic buildings along London’s streets and riverbanks, it’s easy to get distracted and find yourself zig-zagging down the road
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Go for an early morning ride around Richmond Park. With minimal vehicle traffic and hundreds of cyclists lapping the 10.8km rolling loop, it is easy to see how cycling has taken off so quickly in London. Just keep watch for the herds of deer wandering onto the road.
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Grab a coffee at ‘Look Mum No Hands’. The boom in cycling has been accompanied by the boom in popular cycling cafés. Many of these cafés have workshop tools available for running repairs, and during the classics season will be packed to the rafters with caffeine fuelled cycling enthusiasts yelling at a big screen. An atmosphere not be missed.
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Try out the Cycle SuperHighways. London is becoming more and more cycle friendly. This is evidenced by the increasing number of cycle superhighways that cross the city. With several hundred kilometres designated bike paths and the Superhighway distinctive blue tarmac, cycling is regaining its foothold on London’s roads.
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Take a spare inner-tube, not the tube. With a congested underground network, standard non-folding bikes are forbidden on most of London’s public transport system. So make sure you’ve got a back-up plan if your tyre punctures.
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Ride the Royal Parks. London is blessed with an abundance of accessible Royal Parkland. Much of which can be accessed by bicycle. Pack a picnic and find a quiet spot to rest the bike and tuck into some tea and scones.
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Traffic Handling. As with most Capital Cities, London is a buzzing metropolis of cars and bikes. Avoid cutting up the inside of large vehicles. Where possible get to the front of traffic when vehicles are stopped at the lights. Be seen! High-vis, good lights and intelligent road positioning are all good ways to stay safe on London’s streets.
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While we’re on visibility. It is law in England to ride with adequate lights on your bicycle between sunset and sunrise. So if you’re going out in the evening for a pootle around the city, make sure you’re covered.
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Riding two-abreast is a social and perfectly legal way to ride in London. It’s worth going single file on smaller lanes when traffic backs-up, but just use a bit of common sense and you’ll be fine.
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Stop means stop. Cyclist often earn a bad reputation for going through red-lights. While a few individuals still do so, you’re risking an instant on the spot fine. If you’re tempted to ride the pavements to avoid this, that’s also against the law, although authorities will use discretion.