Over the weekend there will be plenty of time to get some good testing of the new cycle hire bikes. Hop on them while they are still nice and shiny!

Here 3 great rides you might want to try and here is a map of the cycle hire docking stations for you to refer to.

1# Saturday at the London Markets

Start of at London Bridge Tube station and grab a hire bike after visiting Borough market from Southwark Street. Then follow the quiet, cyclist friendly back roads through Southwark and head over Waterloo Bridge. Stop off at Covent Garden for a quick swoop around the shops. Grab another hire bike from Near Leicester Square.

Head towards St James Park and cycle up the The Mall and Constitution Hill. Enjoy the lovely greenery and continue using the cycle routes through Hyde Park to enjoy a pleasant ride. Head in the direction of Notting Hill on the South side of Hyde Park. Leave your bike just before Portobello Road at the docking station and hit the antiques and unique shops. A very pleasant, gentle ride that can be done for your £1 access fee!

2# Take in the canal life and fashionable London

Grab a hire bike from outside London Zoo and work your way down onto the canal towards Camden. Follow the canal  towpath all the way to Islington. Here drop off  your bike at the docking station and have a wonder around the shops near Angel Tube station. From here grab a new hire bike and follow the road down to Bobbin Bikes and towards Exmouth Market. This area is filled with charming little shops and cafes.

Once you are done wondering around grab a hire bike and head down Old Street stopping off at Look Mum No Hands for a coffee with some fellow cyclists. Continue your journey and finish off at Shoreditch for a wonder around Brick Lane and the surrounding markets.

3# Take in the Quirky Sites

A good final ride to try out is the quirky route around London. You visit the fake houses of Leinster Gardens, cycle down the narrowest street in London and discover the history of the Mandella Way tank. It’s quite a lengthy ride and a little tough to describe here so why not just download the free PDF of the route by joining the London Cyclist Newsletter.

All of these routes and more can be found in the London Cyclist 25 London Cycle Routes eBook.