"I am desperately worried about you cycling in London. You are not a driver and don't realise the hazards of cycling in such a busy area even with cycle paths. I was knocked off my bike when I was young and cars and lorries appear from nowhere." - ...
Safe cycling in London
Sennheiser/Adidas headphones for cycling
While cycling the streets of London there is plenty to keep you distracted: honking motorists, distracted pedestrians, traffic lights and slovenly cyclists. On a long bike ride, it could be nice to be able to listen to some music or the radio. Ah, ...
How one London cyclist got his stolen bike back from eBay
It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. You return one day to find your bike has been stolen. Then, you spot it for sale on eBay. What do you do? Confront the seller directly? Just pay them? Contact eBay? Contact the police? Sometimes miraculous ...
Why do drivers get angry at cyclists
If you sat and thought now about the number of times you’ve been riding happily along, minding your own manners and rules of the road, only to have an angry driver honk, scowl or shout a few colourful words your way? Ever wondered why? Was that guy ...
How to report bad driving
One of the perils of cycling in London is the likelihood of experiencing some bad driving, and the chances are that you’ve been on the wrong end of a careless taxi driver, a wreckless motorcyclist or a tired TFL bus driver who’s thoughtlessly crept ...
Sean and his weird question about cycling
Let me build some context about my friend DJ Sean.. Sean goes surfing and comes back with a huge cut to his forehead that needs stiches. A few days later he goes surfing again and comes back with a sea urchin stuck in his foot. He goes to the beach ...
When can you claim in a cycling accident
I’ve had a few questions from people who’ve been in a cycling accident (official term: incident) and to help clarify when you can and can’t make a claim, I’ve asked Ben Davis from CAMS to help out with explanations of common scenarios. If your ...
Long term bike storage
Question from a reader of London Cyclist Blog: I'm about to move into a flat that has no bike storage. This leaves me and my flatmate with a dilemma: How to store 3 bikes, one of them a high end mountain bike. I ran a Google search to see if there ...
The dazzling bike light epidemic
Have you ever been cycling merrily along and suddenly an ultra bright bike light blinds you? According to a recent spate of emails I’ve been receiving this is becoming a “hot issue” for London’s cyclists. Cyclists tend to love their accessories. ...
When can you make a cycle accident claim
This week we’re covering cycling accidents on London Cyclist. Our first post shared the results of our survey where we found that nearly 60% of cyclists have at one stage been involved in an accident. Today, I wanted to cover some of the ...
58.1% of cyclists have been involved in an accident
Recently we released a survey to the audience of londoncyclist.co.uk. Today, I want to present you with the results. The survey was completed by 1,152 cyclists. We asked: Have you ever been in an incident with another road user?By that I ...
The 5 Secrets to the Un-Stealable Bike
Bike owners have an average of 23 months before their bikes are nicked 26,000 bikes stolen in London last year 4% chance of ever recovering your stolen bike These headlines make me want to haul up inside my new BMW X6M “Chelsea Tractor” and ...
If your bike gets stolen, don’t expect the police to help
A Hungarian thief busting film crew travelled to London to get one question answered: How effective is the UK police force at combating bicycle theft? In London if your bike is stolen, you have a 4% chance of ever recovering it. As previous ...
Kryptonite Bike Lock – Are Kryptonite Locks the Best?
Out of all the bike locks there’s only one that I trust when locking my bike. Can you guess which one? The Kryptonite New York 3000. Kryptonite New York Bike Lock Sure it might be expensive to buy at first (around £55) and sure it’s a heavy ...
Where do you leave your bike at night?
At night, my bike accompanies me in my house. Creating an obstacle course that all guests have to pass, if they want to get to my lounge. I’d be interested in hearing where London Cyclist readers leave their bikes at night. Do you double lock it ...
What an RAF pilot can teach us about being safe on the road
“Sorry mate, I didn’t see you”. Is a catchphrase used by drivers up and down the country. Is this a driver being careless and dangerous or did the driver genuinely not see you? According to a report by John Sullivan of the RAF, the answer may have ...
How to make your next bike ride safer than the last
Have you ever heard any of the below advice that is frequently thrown around: Wear high-vis Wear a helmet Wear appropriate clothing Typically, this will come from a journalist writing for a car publication or someone with a deadline, and ...
How a simple sticker is reducing the number of doorings in New York
In New York City, the Department of Transportation (the equivalent of our TfL) has unveiled a new initiative aiming to reduce the number of doorings. This is when a driver or passenger opens their door in the way of a cyclist. Something that here in ...
How to security tag your bike
Security tags deter would-be bike thieves and help the police recover your bike if it stolen. There are various places you can get a security ID tag, however I recommend: Bike Register Bike Shepherd The tags you can purchase from both are ...
First thing you need to do if your bike is stolen
If you’ve not yet had your bike stolen then please see: How to get your bike stolen. Getting your bike stolen is never a nice experience. However, the next steps you take will greatly improve your chances of recovering your bike. Ideally, take ...