Cycling in London: A Guide to Getting Started

London is becoming more accessible by bike. Here are some hints and tips from the Rosebery Hall Warden team on how to navigate London on two wheels. 

You can explore so much more of the city by cycling

Arsalan: "I only started to see the city of London when I got a bike and started exploring. Immediately the whole city becomes just a bike ride away. It's efficient, green, almost always faster, and good exercise! But most importantly, it is super fun!"

London has so many cycle routes

Jack: I enjoy a few early morning laps of Regent’s Park followed by a coffee at Espresso Bar in the centre of the park. The Park’s roads are closed off to traffic before 7 am so if you can get up early enough, you have the park to yourself! 

📍 Look, Mum No Hands!

This is an iconic cycling café in London. The space is part bike repair workshop and part café. The vibe is relaxed, and the coffee is great.

Arsalan: One of the most enjoyable places to ride is by the canal through Angel and King's Cross. Perhaps not a good idea at weekends as it tends to be too crowded. On most weekends, I just go out and ride with no destination in mind trying to explore areas I have not been to before. When I am about to get tired, I just set a map home and start back. One of the most amazing ways to get to know the city in my opinion.

It's so easy to hire a bike in London

Jack: super easy and a very good alternative to owning your own if you won’t be cycling every day or you don’t want the hassle of locking your bike up. 

Two of the best options are:

• Lime bikes – you can find these on the Uber app, and they’re electric!
• Santander bikes – cheaper option and a tank of a bike. Hills are a bit of a workout, but they are very reliable, and coverage in Zone 1 is good. 

My top tips for cycling in London

Jack: Take it easy, don’t try and ride too quickly. You will have more time to enjoy the views and more time to make decisions. Oh, and don’t jump the lights; too much stress and you don’t save that much time. 

Arsalan: Go out and do it. No other way to put it. Of course, if you can get some friends to come along, the experience will be even more enjoyable.

Bikes are easy to get hold of but there are a few things you should bear in mind

Arsalan: I got my bike from eBay. In my experience, a cheap, somewhat light, simple to maintain, single-speed is the best first bike for London. Ride it every day and learn to maintain it. Once you are ready, invest in a better bike (and a good lock)!

Stay safe whilst riding

Jack: I tend to ride on the roads that I know well, and I avoid large junctions. If I don’t feel safe, I step off my bike and walk. I have a good set of lights and a helmet, and keep my bike in good condition.

Arsalan: If you are worried about safety, start riding on cycling highways first. Or inside streets away from traffic. Then once you are confident, try the roads. Stay in the bus lane and just stop behind a bus when it pulls over first. In my opinion, biking is safe as long as you are not taking any unreasonable risks like running red lights! Sometimes crossing a busy junction is easier on foot so just dismount and cross.

It's important to maintain your bike

Arsalan: The level of maintenance depends on the type of bike and how much of the work you are willing to do yourself. I have mechanically simplistic single-speed and fixed-gear bikes. Most maintenance comes to changing a tyre tube, lubing the chain and tensioning it. Getting this done from shops is pricier; a tube change will cost you 10-20 pounds. You can get a set of 3 tubes for a tenner on Amazon and another 10 for the basic tools and do it yourself (a good skill to have). Moreover, a clean bike is a happy bike, and you can prolong the life of bike components by cleaning them regularly (especially after rain).

LSE's Sustainability Team run termly Dr Bike pop-ups on campus, where you can take your bike for basic repairs and checks.

Be smart when keeping your bike locked up

Arsalan: An unfortunate reality is that bike theft happens, but taking reasonable precautions to deter bike thieves mitigates most of the risk. Most thieves are opportunistic and will attempt to steal bikes that have a high value-to-effort ratio. A low-value bike that is hard to steal will be safer. A simple second-hand single-speed worth £100 with a £20 U lock has a low ratio and is unlikely to entice a thief. But the same lock on a £1000 road bike will catch the eye of any thief. As a rule of thumb, invest 15% to 25% of the value of a bike in locks and two locks are better than one. Always lock in easily removable parts and make sure the lock goes through the frame of the bike and is secured to a sturdy, immovable rack.

There is lots of bike parking on campus available too so pop your helmet on and get cycling!