London is well known for being a busy, densely populated urban environment, but it may come as a surprise to discover that 47% of Greater London is designated as green space. What better way to immerse yourself in nature and enjoy the wild side of London than with a sketch pad and pastels? Moreover, it is easy to get around London by bicycle so why not pack your sketch pad and hire yourself a bike to discover some great places to draw natural London?

Waterfront Wildlife By Regent’s Canal

Regent’s Canal is a 9 mile waterway winding its way from Limehouse to Paddington via Kings Cross. It is easily accessible by bicycle from central London and cycling along the traffic free towpath of the Regent’s Canal takes you into a tranquil world away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby streets. From a floating park in Paddington basin to views of London Zoo and more besides, there are plenty of delightful options for sketching the local flora and fauna. Try the floating viewpoint at Camley Street Natural Park where the miniature island hideaway is an ideal spot to see birds including as swans and moorhens or to draw dragonflies and damsel flies buzzing around the water’s edge.

Rare Birds At The London Wetland Centre

The London Wetland Centre is a natural oasis in central London found on the banks of the River Thames in Barnes. It is situated on Sustrans Cycle Route 4 and can be accessed from the River Thames towpath which makes for a pleasant ride. Once you have locked up your bike, there are 42 hectares full of wildlife to enjoy, granting you the opportunity to observe and draw a wide range of birds, insects and amphibians. Take a seat in one of the bird hides to sketch rare swans, ducks and geese or stroll through the beautiful flower meadows and alongside the lakes to spot otters, frogs, butterflies and lizards.

City Farms

Spitalfields City Farm offers a different side to natural London. Nestled amongst the buildings of Bethnal Green, the farm has over 70 farm animals as well as stunning panoramic views of the city. Take a seat and capture the hilarious expressions of Watson and Holmes, the kunekune pigs or the grumpy old parrot, Mr Kelly. Or head to the Isle of Dogs to Mudchute Park and Farm where, alongside the farm animals, you have the chance to sketch horses at Mudchute Equestrian Centre. The Isle of Dogs is great for cycling and is served by part of National Cycle Route 1, a long distance route connecting Dover to the Shetland Isles.

London is a large city, full of people and traffic but which also offers tranquil pockets of natural calm where you can take a few minutes to sketch the natural side of London. Cycling is an ideal way to get around and discover the wilder side of London from canals and wetlands to city farms. It is time to get on your bike and discover the natural side of London.

- Jenny H., Freelance Contributor

Cycling usage in London is projected to increase to 45% between 2017-2023 and will soon overtake the use of private cars if growth is sustained. It is not only a better way to move around congested urban streets or a means to reduce pollution levels but also a great form exercise. If you are thinking of taking up the sport or increasing your cycling activity, why not include your pooch in your daily workout? Cycling benefits both you and your pet by improving cardiovascular fitness levels, keeping body weight down and enhancing overall wellbeing. Before you get on the saddle though, there are a few points to remember to make cycling safe and healthy for both rider and animal.

Not All Dogs Are Fit for Cycling and Running

You probably won’t go for a bicycle race with your pooch, but extended rides in the park are not uncommon if you are already on the road. On this note, not all dogs have the endurance of a German Shepherd or a Husky so you might want to assess whether your pet can withstand cycling with you. Start slow and check how well your dog can keep up.

In addition, temperatures play a role in how long a dog can exert physical efforts. Before heading out to the park, check the weather forecast. If it’s going to be hot, reduce the time spent outside and test the pavements to avoid burning your beloved pet’s paws. Carry enough water so you and your pet are hydrated.

If your dog is not going to get very far when you are cycling whether they are ill, old or tired, there are options to get them to ride with you to get a breath of fresh air. Baskets and trailers are great for small dogs whilst dog trailers can carry medium to large dogs. Longtail cargo bikes and trikes are other dog-friendly options.

Use Specialised Leashes for Safety

Cycling with a dog on a leash or tied to your bike can become dangerous if your pet is unreliable or is nervous. One jolt or a careless movement can cause you to fall and your pet harmed. In addition, it will also create an unsafe environment for other riders. Thus, make sure your pet is disciplined and able to move in dense traffic in the park. Use bike or dog leashes that are attached to your bicycle’s seat post or rear axle so your hands are free for steering.

Moreover, be mindful of the laws concerning bicycles. By law, they are carriages and should not be ridden on footways. Hence, if you must use the streets to get to the park, it is probably prudent to walk your bike and your pooch on the leash to avoid getting into trouble with the law.

Getting on a bike with your best friend by your side is a brilliant way to exercise and to stay fit. Sticking to traffic laws concerning cycling, using proper equipment for safety and ensuring that you are both hydrated are essential for a fantastic outdoor experience. You will not only enjoy the physical benefits of cycling but will also improve moods and overall well-being.

In one week, the London Bicycle Tour Company will make history. Wednesday 27th June will make the first day the company operates out of our new location, located at Lambeth Towers, 74 Kennington Road, London SE11 6NL.

After 27 years of conducting business from our small but cosy premises on the quaint, vintage outdoor shopping centre that is Gabriel’s Wharf, we’re taking the plunge and moving to a much larger premises in Kennington. While our base on the sunny Southbank has always been wonderful and our customers have loved cycling from our riverside hire centre along the cycle paths that line the banks of the Thames, the new premises will afford a bigger, more modern headquarters for operations heading into the busiest part of 2018.

The new base at Lambeth Towers will be a proper retail place, with increased services for our guests, who will be able to help themselves to coffee before a tour and enjoy the new facilities, as well as a whole room full of London and cycling-related gifts and souvenirs to take home. The bikes, which have always been stored outside braving the elements while we’ve been based at our small Gabriel’s Wharf office, will all find new homes inside, ensuring they are in excellent condition when they are rented to customers or used on tours.

The location of the new premises is as equally designed to increase the pleasantness of our clients’ experiences with us. Kennington is a vibey, up-and-coming area with wonderful inner-city green spaces and the Imperial War Museum is a mere stone’s throw away. There is also an array of restaurants with international and local cuisine, as well as traditional British pubs to refuel and relax after riding with us. The area is well-connected too, with Lambeth North Underground station just down the road and plenty of bus stops around.

The new location will also be much easier on the eye, with its large windows inducing sunlight and shutters being painted in the company’s classic blue and yellow colours. Even on the non-customer facing side, things will be getting better. The upstairs area will contain new offices for our management team, and the tour guides will have their own common room to chill out between and after tours and socialise. There’ll also be a brand new set of yellow and blue lockers out the back!

So it’s needless to see we’re massively excited to usher in this brand new period of a business with such a rich, 27 year history as the second oldest bicycle tour company in Europe. We’d love you to be a part of it too - why not book a tour with us and experience the great new atmosphere and vibes of positive change that the move will be bringing? We’d love to meet you and show you around - the premises, and the beautiful and amazing city that it’s located in….. See you soon!

Bikes in London were never a huge thing. London is a city dominated by cars, trains, and buses. People rely heavily on public transport for getting to and from work, and are accustomed to having to plan around a bus schedule or train timetable to plan their day trips on the weekend or nights out in the city. Contributing to this pattern as both a cause and effect was the perception that cycling was unsafe, that roads were packed with dangerous drivers and heavy vehicular traffic. Cycling enthusiast Boris Johnson’s election as Mayor in 2008 saw funds begin to be put in place for the capital’s ‘Cycling Revolution’, and the introduction of his successor Sadiq Khan, a pro-cycling politician, saw attitudes towards cyclists continue to improve and London march on in its journey to becoming an increasingly more friendly cycling city.

WIth people recognising the economic, physical, and environmental benefits of cycling and turning to two wheels to get them around, bikes are becoming a more and more common sight on the road. There are also plenty of places where you’ll find bikes off the road - for sale on the internet, in shops, or from private sellers. There’s so many options out there, with a range of quality and price - so how do you go about choosing where to buy from? Read on, as we take a look at the options for buying your second hand bike in the big smoke.

The internet is a key feature of the modern, digital age of interconnectedness we live in, and for the sale of bikes it has made it easier to buy and sell from behind your desk, and get yourself a bike in just a couple of clicks. One of the best places to head to buy second hand bikes online in London is Gumtree. A good thing about Gumtree is that it allows you to contact the seller directly via either phone number or email address, without having to sign up or create an account. This makes for efficiency when liaising with a seller (or buyer), however you should always be careful that you never send money before seeing and collecting the bike. Never pay anything before meeting the seller - there are scammers out there, so stay safe. Also, don’t be tempted if someone offers to bring the bike to your place to sell it to you, despite the convenience - it might mean that the bike is stolen, because they are wary of disclosing their own address.

A newly trusted website advertiser lunched this year, Leftpedal.co.uk https://leftpedal.co.uk is designed to help customers find the bike they are looking for AND to help shops reach people beyond their normal customer base – a bike shop in South London can advertise directly to someone at the far end of the country – or even North London! 

Another thing to be wary when buying second hand bikes online is that they could be stolen. Sadly, bicycle theft is rife in London and crooks use these online platforms to quickly offload their stolen wares. It’s not always easy to know if a bike is stolen, but you can ask the seller for proof of purchase when you meet them to view the bike. Trust your instinct, and if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you have had a bike stolen, this website brings together all the current listings for bike sale in London from various websites, so you can peruse the listings there to see if someone might be trying to sell your bike on.

You can also visit companies like The Bike Project to browse a range of second hand bikes for sale. The upside here is that you can choose and pay for your bike securely online, without the inherent danger that can come with shopping with Gumtree. However, the range of bikes is slightly more limited, and you’re likely to be paying a higher price. The bikes are higher quality, more specialised, and prices start in the region of £175 - £200 for the cheapest models.

Another alternative to an online platform is to head into Camden Cycles, a used bicycle dealership located in Camden, North London. The upside here is that you can physically head into the store and choose the bike that looks and feels best for you. Their staff can also help you to make the best decision regarding this and assist you with technical advice regarding the bikes. However, like its online counterpart The Bike Project, the bikes are of a higher quality and therefore you’ll be paying more; additionally, at the time of writing their website indicated a lot of their models were out of stock, hence with buying here you may ultimately have to settle for an option that isn’t your first choice.

So, what’s the best option? Buy a bike from us!

Here at London Bicycle Tour Company, we have bikes for sale at our beautiful sun-soaked location on Kennington Road, near the Imperial War Museum. Our bikes are Traditional ‘sit up and beg’ bicycles of the Dutch style - perfect for a leisurely cycle around the city or for commuting in and out. The prices start from £70 and have all been rigorously checked and made available for use by our qualified and motivated team of bike mechanics. The advantages of buying from us are that we are a trustworthy source, the bikes are a wonderful price for their quality, and we will always supply the highest level of customer service for those buying from us, and are happy to provide all the assistance and information that is necessary. Plus, while you’re down here with us, why not take your new wheels for a spin on a bike tour of London?!

As you’ve seen, there are naturally caveats to buying second hand bicycles - whether it’s online or in store from companies or private resellers. So don’t face disappointment or risk doing dealings with potential thieves - solve your second hand bike problem and end the search with the friendly faces and solid, trustworthy bikes of the London Bicycle Tour Company.

[picture: Sam the Wheels, Effra Road Brixton]

When visiting London, you must not get swept up in shopping and forget to visit our beautiful parks! And what better way than by bike? Parks are a great place to cycle for those of all abilities, but especially those who may be new to cycling or the laws of London's roads. 

Firstly, I must mention Hyde Park - Hyde Park is a gentle 20 minute bike ride from our base at 74 Kennington Road. This is the most cycle-friendly of the Royal Parks as it has fewer restrictions on where cyclists may ride. It is massive and flat, so a great place to practice your cycling in a scenic location. This is also a nice ride for those with children, given the ease of the ride. There is so much to see here - such as memorials, fountains and statues honouring Britain's history, the Serpentine Gallery and any floral enthusiast's dream - The Rose Garden. St James' Park and Green Park are very nearby, so it's a very convenient location for more cycling.

Battersea Park is also a scenic option south of the river with much to do - there's even a children's zoo inside the park, making it a great option for a family day out. It's less busy than the parks previously mentioned with fewer restrictions on cyclists, so may suit those who are new to cycling more.

For those who want to visit another area of London and see local hangouts, look no further than East London. Victoria Park is a huge park with wide paths and a playground - a great place to go with children. Why not stop for a bite to eat at The Pavillion Cafe and look over the beautiful lake?

A few minutes ride from Victoria Park is the Olympic Park - respectively, the home of the 2012 Olympics. Ride around the park and take in the sights of the home of the Olympics, such as the Aquatics Centre. If you are a seasoned cyclist you could even visit the VeloPark - whether you're into track cycling, road racing, BMX or mountain biking, you're welcome. 

Hire a bicycle from us today to visit London's parks on wheels!  Of course, if you'd like to visit London's parks with someone who knows their stuff... come on one of our tours! Our Love London tour will take you through St James' Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and beyond. 

I have been with London Bicycle for a year now and cycled around the city centre of London about 200 times. As a Dutchie, working on a bike in the city I live and love, seems one of the most logical things to do, as for my Dutch colleagues too. Together with our French, German, English, Spanish and Italian colleagues we thrive to give tourists the best experience possible on a bike touring through London. With 4 different routes leaving daily and a whopping 7 Dutch tour guides, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that people from the Netherlands are most to be seen on our blue bicycles riding through the metropolis of London. 

Rob Graham, owner of LBTC, always says Dutch people were born with a bike in their mouth, which is probably true. Dutch people even tend to give their bikes a pet name: They ride their ‘stalen ros’ (EN: horse from steel). So where does this extensive talent and eagerness for cycling come from? Why do Dutch people always tend to jump on a bike and not walk or take a cab? With regards to professional sports, we are not as far as good on bikes as we are on ice skates, however, we all still do remember Marianne Vos winning the road race on The Mall in the centre of London during the Olympic Games in 2012. A popular place for us tour guides to cycle too, because it brings us to the impressive Buckingham Palace. A route, which is, especially during the changing of the guard, a special place to be: Imagining being the Queen for a few seconds with all those people staring at you, them not always being as familiar with bikes as us Dutchies.

Dutch people cycle 15 billion kilometres together per year, which is not strange, if you realise there is a total of 35.000km of cycle paths in The Netherlands and in 2017 an amazing amount of 957.000 bikes were sold in the country. Needless to say, the favourite way of being guided through the city for Dutch people, even when it’s a busy city like London, is on a bike. Loads of cars, tourists, a few reckless rickshaw drivers or impatient black cab drivers, they are all being conquered by the Dutch people on their bikes. 

Whether you fancy a high light tour (Classic) during your first visit in this amazing city, or the more alternative Love London (West End), Old Town Tour (The City and East London) or the Night Tour where you can enjoy London by night, us guides are more than happy to show you the city we love.

By Tour Guide Contributor Tanja Goossens

With Christmas fast approaching, you may be wondering how you can get your festive fix this Winter - no need to worry there, as London Bicycle have got you covered! We’ll be listing the best things to do in London this Christmas. There’s sure to be something for everyone!

Winter Wonderland:

An article on London’s greatest Christmas offerings would not be complete without mentioning Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland - Winter Wonderland is one of the most popular Christmas attractions, and for good reason. There is something for everyone here - Christmas markets, delicious street food, ice skating, shows like Peter Pan and The Snowman, and so much more. It can be a fun-filled family day out, a romantic date idea for couples or simply a good day out with friends.

Winter Wonderland opens on November 22nd and will remain open until the 6th January. More information can be found here.

Kew Gardens:

For all the plantsmen out there, Kew Gardens is a botanical garden which boasts the largest and most diverse botanical collection in the world. Around Christmas time Kew hold Christmas at Kew - a stunning trail of lights which is sure to enrich your Instagram feed. It’s a beautiful spectacle, with something for the whole family to enjoy. Once you’ve completed the trail, try out the vintage fairground rides and enjoy a meal at one of Kew’s many restaurants!

Christmas at Kew runs from 22nd November to 5th January. More information can be found here.

Charles Dickens Museum:

The Charles Dickens Museum is an interesting visit all year round - the museum is the author’s London family home, and is definitely a blast from the past. With Dickens being the author of  A Christmas Carol, of course his museum has plenty of festive offerings! At Christmas the museum is decorated in the style Dickens would have decorated his home, as a man of the Victorian era. Perhaps you’ll draw some vintage interior design inspiration!

The museum is open Tuesday - Sunday, 10AM - 5PM. There are plenty of Christmas-themed events you can visit at the museum, they can be found here.

Central London is great for Christmas festivities, but it can be very rewarding to leave the WC postcode in favour of more alternative celebrations! Such as...

Curl Runnings:

For example, heading to East London, Roof East’s Christmas offering ‘Curl Runnings’ has been dubbed ‘the ultimate adult playground.’ Paying homage to the 25th anniversary of legendary film Cool Runnings, the rooftop bar will be transformed into a Jamaican inspired Christmas extravaganza where visitors can eat, drink and most importantly - try their luck at ‘curling,’ the sometimes forgotten winter sport. The bar will be serving street food and Christmas inspired cocktails with a Caribbean twist, and is great for adults and kids alike as children can visit from 12 - 4:30 every Saturday.

Curl Runnings is a great option for those who fancy something a little different this Christmas - and curling on the roof of a multi-storey car park is certainly different! It runs from the 1st November - 22nd December, more information can be found here.

Winterville:

South London’s Winterville is a festive experience hosted in Clapham Common. Think of it as an alternative option to Winter Wonderland - there are many similarities, such as the staples like an ice rink and theatre. However, Winterville also boasts an independent craft fair, a backyard cinema screening festive and non-festive films and regular DJ events. This really is an all-rounder - there are plenty of events for children in the daytime, and more grown-up friendly events in the evening such as an 18+ puppet show and the Spiegeltent which hosts raves and comedy shows.

Winterville is open every Thursday - Sunday from the 15th November to the 23rd December, more information can be found here.

Christmas Lights Tour:

Last but not least… Christmas would not be complete without a Christmas Lights bicycle tour! Our tour will show you the best of London’s Christmas lights, including Oxford Street, Regents Street and Covent Garden. Equipped with a Santa hat and a bicycle, you will follow your guide around the adorned streets of London and take in the beautiful sights to the soundtrack of your favourite Christmas hits. Your guide will stop and tell you about the history of Christmas in London, whilst you take advantage of the abundance of photo-opps.

A bicycle tour is a great way to cover a large area quickly, and what better excuse than to see London's famous Christmas Lights displays? Our Christmas Lights tour runs from 22nd November - 3rd January, and is bookable here.

The one and only Rob Graham (director of LBTC!) recently visited South Africa over the festive period, which inspired this blog post. He was looking forward to shark cave diving when he arrived in Gansbaai, but alas, there were no sharks... I guess bikes will do though! 

Rob took a 3-hour Fat Bike Tour in the wilderness of the sand dunes, a thrilling experience to really get the adrenalin pumping. Check out the picture attached!

Cycling is all the rage in South Africa, with more people incorporating cycling into their lifestyle than ever. Cape Town is leading the way with cycling infrastructure, with a record number of cycle lanes. It probably helps that South Africa is a great destination for cycling races - in March, 35,000 cyclists head to Cape Town to participate in the biggest individually timed race in the world, Cape Town Cycle Tour. The race is usually a whopping 109km long. They even host a kids tour, the Cape Town Cycle Tour Junior Tour, so all age ranges can get involved. And we can't forget them keen mountain bikers who participate in the ABSA Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race. Rob would definitely recommend South Africa for all the cycling enthusiasts out there. ;-)

Cycling is a great way to explore the vast city of London, and it definitely beats being stuck on the tube! However, it can be difficult to know where to rent a bike when it seems like there’s new options popping up everyday. This post will guide you through the most popular rental bicycles in London and give you an idea of the pros and cons:

Santander Cycles

Santander Cycles are Transport for London’s official bicycle rental scheme. You’ll probably see these the most during your stay in London. These bicycles cost £2 per 30 minutes, unless you dock them in every 30 minutes at a docking station and choose a new bicycle, then the price remains at £2 for the day. In theory, this price is great, but the constant docking of your bicycle can be very inconvenient and means your route is dictated by this. They are also only available in Central London, so if you want to explore other parts this can be annoying.  The bikes have also been criticised for being very heavy and not so well maintained.

Jump Bikes

Jump is the latest offering from Uber, an electric bike rental service. These are pretty convenient if you have the Uber app. The price is £1 to unlock the bike, and £0.12 per minute. They go up to 15MPH - a decent speed if you’re not in too much of a rush. The biggest downside of these bikes seems to be the docking system, which can incur hefty extra charges depending on where you park the bike.

London Bicycle Tour Company

We offer bicycle rental at a fixed price of £4 per hour - after 6 hours, this caps at £24 for the whole day (24 hours!) Our bicycles are the best option if you want to keep the bicycle for longer than a few hours, as we have a fixed price per day which reduces the longer you keep the bicycle. A massive advantage of our bicycles is that they are maintained on-site by two full-time mechanics who truly know their stuff, so you can trust you’re in safe hands. A common criticism of other rental bikes is that they are heavy which makes them hard to navigate - our bicycles are lightweight, and probably most similar to what you ride at home so there’s no nasty surprises. We also have a variety of bicycles, so whether you want to go mountain biking or racing, we’ve got you covered. 

There are no restrictions when renting with us - you can even take them abroad!

Check out our rental bicycles here.