the most comprehensive information source
for bikers in and around London
why bike?
If you're reading this - chances are you're a fed up commuter,or
perhaps a motorist driven off London's roads by the congestion
charge, thinking about getting some sort of motorcycle to
get around
quicker. This site tries to be as objective as possible and
below is a list of the many plus points as well as a few
of
the negative points - you can then make your own decision
!
Click each to expand.
Save time
Depending upon your journey to work, you are almost certain to save time by doing it by bike. OK, if you live next to a station, only go a few stops or have a quick service and work near the station the other end then this might not be the case. However, you're not going to be subject to the, "wrong type of snow", "leaves on the line" and other such pitiful excuses for trains being late or cancelled.
I cut my journey from around an hour and ten minutes (sometimes a lot more) each day to about 40 minutes which is a significant time saving.
Save Money
Costs See the section on costs for an example
of the money saved, but to summarise, compared to paying for a rail
season ticket, a brand new 125cc scooter would pay for itself in
around 2 years with an asset to show for it at the end.
Parking
Parking Is usually free and generally easy. There are bike parks all over town (although ones in the City do get a little crowded). Take your
bike to a busy shopping centre such as Purely Way or Brent Cross
on a Saturday and you'll cruise past mile upon mile of car drivers
fed up waiting to park.
It's great fun Not only the sense of freedom but the physical
sensation of riding a bike is great fun.
I felt numb after coming home by train but alive after doing it by bike. A quick detour after work on a summer's evening (Richmond Park for me) can be a fantastic way to end your work day.
Not at the mercy of bus / train delays
You're in charge You're not at the mercy of train or bus time
tables, the last train or delays and cancellations. You can set
out on a half and hour trip knowing that that's how long it's going
to take.
Get to see the great city of London easily
London is a fantastic city but how often do we really get to see
it ? You can't drive around it for pleasure as the traffic is so
awful and taking the tube is only a good way to see bits of it.
With a bike you can easily ride around the City, the West End, get
to the Dome, go to Kew Gardens or anywhere else that takes your
fancy.
It also gives you greater scope where to live. You'll no longer have to ensure you're near a station on on the right tube line to get you to work.
Economy
Fuel costs No one can have missed the fuss about petrol prices - and yes,
of course higher petrol prices means it costs more to run a bike
but some scooters will do up to 100 miles to the gallon.
Start with basic training
Training You don't need to go on loads of expensive courses, you can be
up and running with a day course (cbt) which is
actually great fun.
OK so what's it like riding a bike around Central London?
Here's an example of how nimble even a big bike can be in traffic we fouhnd on YouTube.
Legal stuff - please note, we did not make this video, it is freely available on YouTube.com at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVHbT06H7Hk&feature=related. We do not recommend, justify or promote anything shown in the video which may contravene the Highway code or traffic law. Ride at your own discretion!
Some of the negative points...
Potential dangers OK, people think biking is dangerous and yes, it can be. However,
around London and commuting to work the traffic is virtually at
a standstill and you're safely overtaking most of it. Wearing the
right gear, taking the necessary training and riding safely and
sensibly will limit the risks considerably. (see our safety tips)
Cold / wet It can be cold in winter - but it's fine if you're dressed for
it and I think it's preferable to public transport where you'lll
put of warms clothes, scarf and gloves to walk to the station, then
boil alive on a heated train as there's not enough room to take
it off! Most scooters and bikes have room to store waterproofs so
you're actually drier than pedestrians or those waiting for buses
or trains with only the protection of an umbrella.
No after work beers If you like a drink afterwork, don't. If you want to go drinking
after a hard day, you'll have to leave the bike at home and train
it to work or leave the bike at work and get there another from
home the next day.
do it ! - all the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages!
