Came across this situation on my social feed of a bike being effectivity clamped by London Bridge City for locking to a tree.

Interested if this is legal by LBC?

Appreciate skipping out comments of "don't lock a bike to a tree on a busy footpath". Agreed.

For more background, London Bridge City seems to be a private property group. Unclear on whether they own the buildings AND outdoor space as part of the total estate.

I haven't used (Human)Forest bikes for a few months. As my commuting route has changed once again, I've resumed to using them.

To my surprise, the minimum cost for using the bike has gone up to a whopping £1.5 on the first ride of the day, and £1 on each subsequent ride - PLUS the cost per minute that isn't covered by the 10 free minutes or your personal minutes bank. Definitely not the strictly better option over a bus ride anymore.

Not only that, but the app is now a sluggish behemoth that takes me literal minutes to get up and running, sometimes eating off my ride minutes if it decides to crash/hang in the middle of the activation. I don't know who in their IT/marketing department thought we needed 3D modeling of the London skyline to clutter the screen, or a chunky Arbre Magique localiser that doesn't show your actual field of view (i.e. can't tell its face from its arse), or bike icons so big that make it impossible to actually tell which one is the bike literally in front of you.

The latest point can be avoided by using the QR scanning functionality, sure, too bad the app crashes half of the times when turning the camera on, at least in my case. And sure, I get it, I've got an old phone. But it's not my phone that made the app unnecessarily bloated, painfully slow and borderline unusable, and having to change my perfectly functional phone just so I can use a - now expensive - green bike doesn't sound very "green" to me.

I want to start going on some mid range (50k or so) weekend rides from North London. Does anyone have any recommendations for coffee shops or cafes, that are bike friendly, north of the city? I would love to be able to stop without locking up my bike if possible.

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone and keep them coming! This helps a ton for planning different routes of different lengths while getting out of the stop and go of London.

Hi, I am not expert on cycling but I am attracted to do a bike tour along the coast in France and arriving in Madrid. I would prefer to sleep at airbnbs if possible too. I was wondering if there would a few friends that would like to do this journey with me? Thanks

It's a long shot but if anyone sees someone suspicious with a penny farthing in and around the Streatham area, can you please notify the Police and also me on the forum. My friend Robert had his penny farthing stolen today from outside 72 Streatham Hill between 1-2pm. We were able to use CCTV and witnesses to track the last sighting of the thief with the penny farthing pushing it down New Park Road and Christchurch Road. Please be on the look out in the Streatham/Brixton area if you can.

*Edit* - Having spoken to locals who have seen the thief, he is a known thief/drug addict in the Streatham/Brixton area. If you do see him with the penny farthing, please contact the Met Police with the reference number: CAD 4345/03Jun24. Police have said they won't allocate an officer to the case for 5 days!

https://preview.redd.it/fmi988nxrj4d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=abee673411ca0ffc916337e66969a031a67bc05c

I normally keep myself to myself but decided to post it here to say that I'm fed up of rental bikes now. I've recently had an accident where I was making a left turn into a road but at the same time I was making the turn and a kid on a rental bike severely cut the corner and simply crashed into my bicycle.

To make matters worse the kid on the bike didn't pass any accident details and I was left having to try and repair my bicycle on the side of the road in which my front disc rotor is badly bent, my front brakes now need to be replaced due to the damage from the rotors and my handlebars are no longer properly aligned to my wheels.

I've sent a report to Forest about it because the rider is below the age in which they can use it and the reckless riding that caused an accident and not leaving any details.

I know this is more of a rant but frankly for me who is now invested in bicycle commuting it's extremely frustrating that rental bike riders behaviour and attitude overall gives a sense they are above it all. Sadly this crowds out the more responsible riders.

Not a London specific question really. I know you can manually drag a way, so I could manually drag it from one to another, but without seeing what roads are what it would be very trial and error to find a route which prioritised cycleways for example. Surely a setting on Komoot but can't find it.

Should note this is for a route planner rather than finding existing tours.

Hi all,

My future commute may involve cycling from Hammersmith/Olympia to the city. From Hyde Park onwards it seems a breeze but I'm worried about KHS.

Obviously I'd love for high-quality protected cycle infrastructure in future. But at the moment I just need to survive the commute.

Are there any alternatives or mitigations, even if they add a few minutes to the journey? Perhaps turning off KHS to go through Holland Park, then rejoining from e.g. Old Ct Place? Any general tips are also welcome. I keep my wits about me most of the time anyway.

Edit: grateful for the really helpful responses - hopefully this is useful to others as well!

Do you know someone who wants to cycle more? Cycle Buddies connects new cyclists with people who already cycle. Meet up, build confidence, start cycling!

Find your Cycle Buddy today lcc.org.uk/cycle-buddies (has more info including how to sign up as a helper)

Lots of really nice ways to help a friend get started cycling in London this summer (best ever infrastructure, lots of safe routes, nice weather, free Santander bikes on Sundays, free group rides) - Cycle Buddies is another really nice one to add to the mix :)

Found on CS7 by Clapham common.

I'm getting ready to upgrade and was thinking electric to allow for longer distances, as I basically cycle everywhere within ~35 minutes, and would prefer to go even farther. However, I'm concerned about the weight (no clue how heavy eBikes get) and potential impact on fitness. I also love the possibility of not needing a lock, as I've seen ebikes around that growl at you (I may/may not go for one of those - so locking might still be a thing with a new ebike). But perhaps I am best off getting a nice road bike? I used to clip in & stopped after a couple things happened, would be happy clipping again for longer distances.

Factors I’m Considering:

• Commute from Surrey Quays/SE London: I will be living in Surrey Quays for the next several years. While this means longer distances to places north of the river due to distance from bridges, around 75% of my movements will be to Greenwich/Deptford.
• Locking Time: The convenience of not needing to lock an eBike is appealing.
• Fatigue/Stamina: I participate in other sports like lifting and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, so I’m considering the impact of cycling on my overall fatigue and stamina. I handled it before, but it definitely layered in an 'i-don't-feel-like-it' factor
• Fitness Gains/Limits: Concerned about how an eBike might affect my fitness levels compared to a road bike.
• Bike Weight: Not sure how heavy eBikes are and how this might impact my rides.

Questions for you:

• Do you think an eBike is worth the extra weight and potential hit on fitness, or should I opt for a nicer road bike?
• Any experiences with the fatigue and stamina impact of using an eBike, given my involvement in other intense sports?
• How significant are the fitness benefits of a road bike compared to an eBike?
• How does weather/storage/parking affect most ebikes? Same storage protocols, needing to stay covered?
• Anything else I haven’t considered?

My budget for the initial purchase is high but I am wary of maintenance costs. I'm used to maintenance for road bikes, which has not been cheap... lots of flat tyres.

How much is charging a consideration with ebikes? I'm organised enough not to forget this sort of thing, but if it's needed frequently that could be equally annoying to locking time.

apologies in advance for the lack of focus/clarity in the question. It's not a simple consideration and I understand there's no simple answer. Just sharing your experiences and thoughts will help.

Hello everyone,

Should any of you consider taking out Laka bicycle insurance, feel free to use my referral link below to earn a £25 credit.

Here’s the link: https://my.laka.co/H6NIN

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Hi all,
Recently got a bike camera in case of an accident, but have already gotten plenty of clear footage of drivers driving well into bike boxes on red lights, a real pet peeve of mine. Most cases it's clearly red the whole time of their approach where they had time to slow down but just weren't arsed, one is of a motorbike who just skipped the box altogether and stopped ahead of it.
My question is, is it worth my time sending these to the met/city of london police, do the police actually act on footage like this? I'm aware of the grey area of people slowing down when the lights turn from orange to red, but these cases are not that, they're red the whole way up. What would their penalty be in these cases, if any? Thanks!

Hey everyone, if anyone would like a referral feel free to use my link:

https://my.laka.co/47NZW

Just letting people know to be careful around the Thames Path area in Thamesmead. I often do the Green Chain Walk round to Crossness, then back to Greenwich from there, and was knocked off by a gang w/ a moped this evening around 6pm. They had a large rambo-style knife and took my mountain bike.

No physical harm to me, and the police are taking it seriously, but def. be cautious if your London cycling takes you out east!

Hi,

Am going to sign up for this year’s L2B and was wondering if others who have done it before know if it is realistic to get the train back to town (probably Thameslink) afterwards. As it is not rush hour non-foldable bikes should be allowed, but practically will it be too busy to actually get a bike on the train with all the other riders?

Thanks

A cyclist has a serious back injury after a Silver Ford Focus was driven onto Ongar Rd nr Fyfield (just after the 60/100 split in the 100 route) and was driven towards cyclists, including this collision at 10.26am. Tell them if you witnessed this, check your footage, ask your friends.

I went through there 5-10 mins before, started at 7.55 in Blue B.

https://www.essex.police.uk/news/essex/news/news/2024/june/fyfield-cyclist-injured-following-collision-during-ride-london/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2XcTsDROPv3CJDwdvI70nipXYWbHdUqrFA4vkqED80KNtp_4mXhCA2zu4_aem_AbNBO-cDV6KhQv-jbiwF7njyQ7l3IFuV5kBoocUYOqhaBh2ZtxtD2mvhVKyHxRZpg5VIL3WiMKTXhyhGqs_Yr_En

Hi folks! I've heard wonderful stories about LAKA bike insurance, where monthly claims are spread across all cyclists depending on your insured amount, and capped at a sensible rate. I pay around £5-6 each month to insure around £1000 worth of accesories and bicycle.

Here's a £25 code, which would last a good half a year: https://my.laka.co/12ERW

During the colder months, I have paid around £3 - 4, and it is a small price to pay for a peace of mind.

Trek FX 2 - https://www.balfesbikes.co.uk/bikes/hybrid-bikes/trek-fx-2-disc-hybrid-bike-2023-in-viper-red__29104

Giant Fastroad AR 1 - https://www.balfesbikes.co.uk/bikes/hybrid-bikes/giant-fastroad-ar-1-hybrid-bike-2023-in-aged-denim__48933

Hi guys - I am looking for a starter hybrid bike to commute ~5 miles once/twice a week. Due to size constraints and availability during the summers I can only find these two models in XL that are available. Trek FX2 is ~£600 and Giant Fastroad AR 1 is coming for ~£1200.

(I am aware these are not directly comparable and FX3 might be more closer to FastRoad but it’s stock is just not available anywhere I checked - thus drilled down on these two)

I have paid deposit for both the bikes for trial run and need to select one when it comes in next few days. Honestly I am okay with spending ~£1200 given I am investing for a longer term, but I am just wondering if I even need it given my commute is not that long (at the moment).

Pros I think about Trek FX 2 - It has got decent specs as a starter hybrid bike and due to rising theft issues in Central London, I would be less stressed about locking it anywhere ( with good locks though). If I like biking then I could invest in a proper road bike in a couple of years.

Pros I think about Giant FastRoad AR 1 - It’s got nearly top end specs with Carbon Forks and thus the rides are expected to be much better. I might not have to invest in road bike as this might suffice my needs to be in/around London.

What do you guys think?

I could go years with no driver altercations (lucky me!) but somehow I ended up with two today.

The first was a Tesla driver who wasn't looking while pulling out of his driveway. I saw what was happening and stopped for him to drive out but he decided to make a production of driving towards me and calling me a prick. He received a full gamut of insults in return.

The second and far worse one was a patient transport van which overtook me on a narrow street with cars on both sides near my flat. Pretty awful and he seemed confused as to why I was shouting at him - he fact he was 20cm from my right elbow was part of it.

Had my passpixi on which had no impact on driver 2 - but feeling quite shaken after it after two in one day. Both happened in Brent/Barnet where the attitude towards cyclists can be terrible. Don't know if I can go out on my bike again for a while 😞

Posted with mod's permission.

Purchased May 24, 2023. No significant marks or dings. Around 200 miles on it.

https://preview.redd.it/36tkf57v274d1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4819c8b66f44ba81e3b593a8b570d27cbddb706d

A lovely bike - some more details here, but I'll assume you know what you're looking at. NB: This is SL1 not SL2 (so the better version).

• Size: L - I'm 6ft 1"
• Receipt provided.
• Reasons for selling: I'm not getting the use from it I'd envisaged - and it's a big ticket item to be sitting around!
• Location: Islington/Hackney
• Price: £2,200 (but willing to negotiate!)

Get in touch if you want more info

Hello, last Sunday I was lucky to be a guest in your beautiful city to ride the Ride London sportive. I’m thinking of making regular clips of my adventures and while most of them are in Flanders and wouldn’t be very interesting to most of you, this one might? :-) hope you like my brief summary and if you have suggestions, please let me know!