10 things you need to know if you cycle in London

Here is a totally incomprehensive list of how to stay safe and enjoy cycling in London…

1. The Bike

If you are going to be cycling regularly in London, Boris bikes aren’t really a feasible solution. The best thing about buying a bike for London is that it’s flat! This opens up a huge range of possibilities in terms of what you buy. My personal recommendation is to get yourself a single speed or cheap road/hybrid bike, from a reputable company.

2. Helmets

Just wear one. Trust me.

3. Locks

So you have your dream bike in London that looks super cool, and you can’t wait to tear up the cycle superhighways, but this is all going to be very short-lived if you don’t get proper locks. A general rule of thumb for London is to have two locks: a D-lock (the university security does a pretty good deal on these) for your frame and back wheel, and a cable lock for your front wheel and saddle (yes people in London steal saddles, it sucks).

4. Punctures

These suck. Well… blow. The last thing you want when you’re rushing for your 9am lecture (ha) or labs is to get a puncture and be stood on the side of the road with no way to get where you’re going. Firstly, learn how to mend a puncture. Secondly, get some tougher tires. I like going quickly as much as the next person, but a slightly tougher tire won’t slow you down much on your commute. Get some GatorSkins or some Schwalbe Marathons – they are genuinely amazing and will fend off all but the toughest London junk.

“I don’t want to be killed by a driver who hates cyclists because you couldn’t stop for a light to turn green”

5. What to wear

For those of you how didn’t already know, it rains. A lot. Get a cycling jacket. They are waterproof, can be scrunched into the smallest pocket of any bag, and light enough so that you don’t get super sweaty on your way to uni. Get a fluorescent one: they make a huge difference on how visible you are at night. They are a tad pricey (£60) but Proviz Reflect is a really good jacket and it is kinda trendy.

6. Lights

On the subject of being seen: please don’t cheap out on lights. London is so well lit at night that crummy lights just won’t be visible at night, at all. For front lights, you should be looking at something like the Exposure Switch or the Cateye Volt 800. For backlights, something like the Exposure TraceR rear bike light or the Bontrager Flare R rear light are really good options. The other light I would seriously suggest getting is a light for your rucksack, the iQualTech Backpack light is not a replacement for a proper backlight but is a really cheap (£10) way to help you be more visible at night.

7. Learn to fix your own bike

You’ve managed to get yourself into university, you can definitely learn how to fix a bike. There are several bits of basic maintenance you can easily teach yourself and carry out with a basic bike multi-tool, and the Global Cycling Network has some really good videos online that take you step by step on how to fix pretty much any problem with your bike. Alternatively, befriend someone who knows how to fix bikes…

“For those of you how didn’t already know, it rains. A lot. Get a waterproof cycling jacket.”

8. Don’t be a dick

Cycling in London gets a bad rep for being really dangerous, and part of that is the attitude of some drivers towards cyclists. These drivers are, thankfully, in the minority at the moment but they seem to be growing. The big driver of this anti-cyclist sentiment is that there is an unfortunate number of cyclists who have no regard for the rules of the road. So: stop at red lights and zebra crossings; signal before you turn; don’t cycle on pavements; when available, use cycle paths; and please please please don’t go up the inside of cars or buses when lane splitting. I don’t want to be killed by some driver who hates cyclists because you couldn’t wait for a light to go green.

9. It’s not all doom and gloom

If you read the papers you would be forgiven for thinking that if you cycle in London you will die. Now, I know it’s a bit rich coming from someone who has been hit cycling, but it really isn’t that dangerous. There is loads of guidance online on how to cycle safely in London, like The London Cyclist website.

10. Have fun

Cycling should be an enjoyable experience. It is such a good way to learn the city and see parts of London that you would miss on the tube.

If you like your road cycling then you can join ICU Cycling Club and explore some of the Surrey or Windsor countryside.