Biking Tours of London

Picture from Wikipedia. See Wikipedia for credentials.

Where can I go on a bike tour of London? Somebody asked me this on WAYN. Sensible question.

I don't bike but everybody else in my family does. They bike and motorbike, which I feel are opposites, a bit like liking both cats and dogs. Each to his own.

In London, even the far off suburbs, you see the cycle route signs. Seriously, if you don't have a bike in London, the quickest and simplest way is to hire what used to be called the Boris bike (what's now in 2015 called Barclays Bike). Look at their map which is probably online and comes free when you hire their bikes. Pick the tour fitting your time allowed.

Biking To Famous Central Sites
As a tourist you will have to prepare for traffic driving on the other side of the road, the left. How do you remember whether it's left or right? Where were you sitting last time you were driving or passenger in a car at home or visiting a foreign country, or as a passenger on a bus? (Car steering wheels in the UK are on the right (facing forward inside the car). On a bus in Singapore I recall sitting on the left with the driver on the right, same as in England.

If you are from  country which has the same system as the UK that's no problem. If you are used to driving on the other side of the road, you might feel and be safer following a group led by a local cyclist who is used to London traffic.

If you are a tourist you will want to see famous sites. If you are riding solo and want to be alone but to follow the crowd, you could follow the route of one of the London sightseeing buses which take in famous sites. If you have a friend who doesn't like to bike, or they are cultural and you are sporty, put your friend on the bus tour and follow the route.

Or pick one of more sites you want to see. For example, famous buildings in central London. Or look for the pedestrian tours which you see at London stations. Or just aim to to to one famous sites (Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, Thames Barrier, Tower Bridge, or go to a London Park, such as Regents Park, Green Park, or Clapham Common. Then back to your starting point (where you live or stay on holiday or business).

If you are more convivial, join a group. You can sign up for a free guided tour with Sky Ride Local on a website (see end of post for the London biking magazine).

Famous Out of London Sites
If, like me, you are a Londoner and already know London well, and really want to get away from work, and use your bike not to tour but the centre to explore further afield, your mental goals and physical destination are in the opposite direction.

Within London new in 2015 are the Quiet Routes. I would go along the Thames, away from the traffic in the centre of London. I hate traffic. It makes me nervous. We have had several fatal accidents in London. (For facts on this and safety tips see the second Wikipedia article listed below.)

So I would head out along the Thames, out of London, towards the West. Hampton Court direction. Further West, if you've got the whole afternoon or day or weekend you reach pretty areas with trees, Eton, Marlow, Henley.

In the opposite direction, the East End of London, the breezy areas, the Olympic area, Thames Barrier.

Going South, a favourite destination would be Greenwich. Going North, if you don't mind a hill, but like the challenge, there's Harrow on the Hill for a historic area.

Joining Singles and Groups
You could also write to a bike magazine. Browse it in a stationery store or on line. Look for a past issue with an article on London. Then buy and/or read that. One magazine is devoted solely to biking in London. (See websites at the end of this post.)

Or join Meetup and join a biking group. If they don't have one in your area, start your own.

Or go into your nearest shop selling bikes and ask an assistant where you can go on your bike. Or look for another biker browsing the store and ask them.

Transport for London has cycling guides. For more details:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cycle_routes_in_London
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_in_London
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/
http://lcc.org.uk/pages/free-london-cyclist-magazine

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, author, speaker.