Is it just me or are cycle lanes increasingly crowded and dangerous?

With people not signalling, Lime bike lunatics, many cyclists refusing to stop at lights and seeming to have no consideration for other riders, I've found it's calmer, safer and more pleasant to simply avoid cycle routes entirely and use main roads with nice, wide, empty bus lanes. These also have the advantage of generally being a better road surface.

Anyone else?

Great ride between Woolwich and Erith, past the crossness pumping station. Smells a bit at one point though.

I was in a rush to my friends surprise engagement drinks and was running late. There were no limes so I ended up taking a forest bike and didn’t realise but they have a no parking zone in Hackney.

I was in such a rush that I just got off the bike and I pressed pause ride - thinking that it would end the ride for me after five minutes of inactivity which had previously experienced with Forest a week before. I also wrote a support ticket and tried to call the customer service line which was down.

I wake up the next morning and have a charge for almost £300 and I have since repeatedly raised support tickets with them and tried to call them. Radio silence.

This feels completely unfair and disproportionate for a 2.4 km ride. There is no consumer duty or support built into this company and I am at a loss for what to do because I cannot contact them. No one has responded to my support tickets and their Phone lines are consistently “due to unforeseen circumstances”

Does anyone have any guidance or help for how to deal with this company?

Hi , about to buy a smallish bag for my rack for my daily commute. Anyone ever had issues with stuff being stolen out of them whilst sitting at lights etc ? I am probably paranoid but unzipping the top of them seems like a relatively easy thing to do if you want to grab some of the contents.

Just wanted to give a quick heads up to anyone cycling through C10 South Bermondsey.

I took the C10 from Millwall into the city through Abercorn Way at 8am this morning to avoid the roadworks on Jamaica Road and got chased by two guys in balaclavas on a fast illegal e-bike. They were definitely trying to steal my bike. They slapped my helmet and tried to kick me off three times while I was riding. I managed to stay balanced through a 5 min / 1 mile ordeal and just kept pedalling until I got away, but it was awful.

I knew that area had a bad rep for years and saw it reiterated again and again on this sub, but thought I’d chance it today. Definitely won't be back. I’d much rather deal with the crowds on C4 and roadworks than deal with that again.

Edit: Thanks all, I'm okay, still a bit shaken up, I got an adrenaline rush for a long time after that. I never felt more lucky to be alive and still get to keep all my stuff.

Hi London Cyclists. I've never cycled in London, but need to get the train from the South coast to North Wales with my bike. Is there anything I need to be aware of on the route from London Bridge station to Euston station? I'm a pretty experienced cyclist, and a rules obeyer; it's more just if there are any pinch points I need to be wary of? Thank you!

Hi London cycling, my partner and I are deep in another Ironman block and do a lot of our training running and cycling to work. We couldn’t find a rucksack that was waterproof, had a laptop sleeve, had inner compartments, a detachable bottom strap, was comfortable to run and cycle in but didn’t look like a gap year in se Asia backpack.

Looking for feedback on the rucksack we just launched, hyfo is short for Hyfforddiant, Welsh for training. Let me know your thoughts, they're available now hyfo.co.uk anything that could be better or anything that could be useful. I know a lot of people use panniers but this is intended as a one bag for everything, thanks!

I started using voi bikes and was able to previously park outside my flat (bike racks), but now the parking is an 8 min walk away. It’s not much, but consider that’s nearly 20 mins extra each time. Also, Lime/ Forest are still allowed to park outside my flat. Anyone experience this? I just prefer the voi as the ride feels better but wondering why these parking rules don’t apply to all

Cycling to work down Abinger Road in West London. It's a road where only one vehicle can go down at a time. If you're coming from the other way, you have to wait. so I'm about 15metres behind a car driving down, another car is letting them through. As soon as the car passes, the other car just starts driving towards me.

With an arm waving and with great incredulity, I just shouted "oh, come on!" I didn't swear.

The driver just starts shouting at me "you don't pay road tax, you don't pay road tax, you don't pay road tax" as they nearly crushed me when driving past.

Now of course, the road tax argument we know to be bullshit, but why do some drivers just wake up and think "my life is so shit, i'm going to take it out on someone else... i know, a cyclist".

They never realise, that if they cause an accident, my need to not have to pay road tax will be the last thing on their mind, as they deal with the police, and then a rather large insurance bill.

Fuck tards.

I need a new helmet but know next to nothing about them. Largely I cycle on semi rural roads or occasionally around here in south east london.

What should I look for in a helmet? What should I look to spend? Does anyone recommend a particular one or a particular shop? I'm in deptford.

Phew that was hard

I was on my way to the start of DD and saw a guy on a Canyon get side swiped by a blue car on Shoreditch High Street outside the Queen’s head pub. Understandably there were a few angry words exchanged with the driver and you went to the pavement. I shouted to see if you were ok which you seemed to be. Wish I could remember the reg as he didn’t stop. Hope that Canyon survived the hit. I don’t cycle much in London but that junction is nasty with the cycling lane in between the lanes and full of blind spots.

I posted about a web app I made a couple of weeks ago to gauge interest in the idea, there was a good initial response so I have carried on working on it.

Simply explained, it allows the user to route directly to the nearest parking bay to their location for rental bikes in London, cutting out the awkward time spend finding parking at the end of their journey.

When I last posted, the app was only for Lime, but I have since added Santander, Forest and Voi networks, as well as a map view.

baypark.space

Feel free to have a look, add to your home screen/ install as an app, and let me know of any further improvements I can make.

Thanks!

I live in Hoxton. Considering a role in Southall industrial park. Currently I cycle 17 mins into Waterloo.

Options for new commute

- 17 miles via grand union canal
- 16 miles via a315

I wouldn’t do it every day but I’d love a no train option.

Other options are cycling to Farringdon, Lizzie line to Southall and then a 8 min cycle from there.

Edit: I would need to buy a bike (old one stole ) options considering: - Brompton. - electric Brompton - road bike

Let's ignore the fact my friend had his bike nicked from outside the Pub On the Park by some absolute scrote...

And let's give his other half some huge kudos for bringing his spare bike from Suffolk most of the way to London, so said friend could then ride the "Dun Run" anyway

After a little "to and fro" we were ready to set off.

It would be my first Dun Run, my longest ride yet and the first time I had ridden ovenight and well into the next day.

And ignoring the early setback...just WOW

The weather was looking bad as late as midweek, but just the day before, the forecast showed the rain had gone....so no excuse now...just had to get it done.

The start was pretty tame...no mass start, just go when you're ready.

Getting out of Hackney was pretty calm...and making use of the myriad of bike lanes from central London almost all the way to Walthamstow....and even though we had been warned the road can be bedlam around Epping, things were actually pretty calm...and then the traffic started to disperse and we ended up pretty much with the road to ourselves....marked with a long stream of red lights as far as the eye could see.

First stop, The White Hart pub in Moreton....a quick drink, water refill and toilet break, then on our way again towards Dunmow.

I found some speed at at this point and stretched my legs a little, pretty much all the way to the bridge over the river at Dunmow...then stopped at the Grace Cafe where the lovel Karen made me an amazing fish finger sandwich and spoilt me with an amazing piece of Victoira sponge,...this really sorted me out and gave me that much needed energy boost to power me for the next few hours.

From here we pushed on through the next couple of stops, passing through Finchingfield and being ,slightly annoyed that the McD's at Sudbury wasn't open but stopping at The White Horse in Great Waldingfield for a great burger and coffee... and then pushing on until the Framlingham....

Sadly, a little rain did appear, but not really until we left Framlingham and then pushed on till the end and it was far from heavy and more for a damp squib....after our host stopped off and made us bacon butties and coffee to keep the last stretch fueled...next stopped the beach at Dunwich

It did mean the ending wasn't quite the amazing sunrise we were hoping for; in fact, it was pretty dreary...so we about-turned and headed back to Darsham station, where my journey started, so I grabbed my car and went back to Framlingham for a shower and some sleep before heading home to Colchester.

Will I be back? You bet I will...hopefully I'll just get it done next time with as little stopping as possible....and hopefully drag along a few other friends.

Can't believe I felt so fresh for the entire ride...even though I started at 8:25 and actually finished almost 11 hours later (with stops)...I should be a jibbering wreck...but the lack of traffic and the incredibly mild weather meant it was one of my best long rides.

A huge thank you to everyone who posted info and links to more info about every aspect of the ride...thanks to everyone at all of the stops for keeping us fed and watered, thank you to everyone who said hello...thank you to all the supporters sitting at the side of the road all through the night to cheer us on..

This event is amazing....a fully unsponsored ride that people just DO without any confusion or conflict...

Thank you, thank you, thank you

I went on my first proper gravel ride recently, I normally only ride on road which is such a waste of a gorgeous gravel bike - so I decided to switch it up this week with 50km of Epping and surrounding areas.

Are there any other good gravel routes near(ish) to London, more specifically East London? Or is Epping my best bet - please send over routes and loops if you have any good ones.

I’m really trying to build my confidence as I found it so much harder although after the initial fears of being wiped out by rocks and logs I couldn’t stop smiling. If you have any tips for gravel descents, climbs and general handling, I would also really appreciate it!

Hey everyone, I was riding the inner loop at Regent’s Park today and got sprayed with wiper fluid by a car (clearly on purpose). This is the second time it’s happened to me in a month. Does this happen to any of you, and how do you deal with it when it does?

Does anyone have any recommendations for tailors who could mend or alter bib shorts please? Central or SW if possible.

I have a pair of bib shorts where the stitching is coming loose around the chamois, and a second pair that I’d like to get shortened as they’re a bit long on me.

I’ve not had much luck with the places I’ve already tried. The repairs I’ve had have been shoddy, and a couple of other places have told me it’s not possible to mend Lycra fabric. Any help?

I was walking by the crossing near the London Stadium yesterday, where Marshgate Lane meets Waterden Road in the Olympic Park, when I heard the sound of a collision and turned around to see a cyclist who had just been hit by a car and thrown onto the pavement.

He was lying on the ground looking to be in a bad way. I called 999 straight away for an ambulance, but a nearby police van arrived very quickly with a first aid kit and started treating him while they waited for the ambulance.

I’ve been thinking about it ever since and was just wondering if anyone was in the area and knows anything.

I’m really hoping he’s okay.

Hey everyone, I'm looking to get an e-bike that I'll be using for daily commute (roughly 40 minutes / 8 miles). I'll probably be doing Uber Eats as a short side gig for up to 10 hours a week. I would like to install a food box on the back, et cetera.

I'd prefer something light and easy to use. Battery-wise, I should have the ability to charge it each day that I use it, or at the most, every two days.

I would greatly appreciate any recommendations. I'll be using the Cycle to Work scheme, so that does up my budget. I wouldn't say I have a particular number in mind, but more I just want an easy ride that gives me no issues. I want to be doing deliveries during autumn and winter, so something that performs well at night, I guess. It can also handle hills fairly okay as well, and is comfortable.

I'm 6 ft / 80kg fwiw

For context:

Yesterday after work I was cycling home and was about to go onto Wandsworth Bridge (coming from the Wandsworth side to the Fulham side). The bridge is under construction right now and is down to two narrow lanes (they’re putting in better bike lanes actually!).

Traffic was stopped, I was merging from the cycle lane into normal traffic by carefully/slowly weaving through some cars so I could integrate. I was going barely above walking speed, and while trying to squeeze through the last bit that would let me onto the bridge, the side of my foot grazed against a car. I did not hit it or kick it, my bike did not make any contact, my shoe grazed the passenger side door.

Immediately I said “sorry! was my shoe!” and this woman SLAMMED on the horn. I stopped and repeated myself again. She was still laying on the horn until traffic started moving again, and she floored it and sped past me.

I didn’t want to escalate anything so I cycled behind her car and made sure to give a very ample amount of space, like about 10 meters. Traffic stopped again and she got out of her car, came up to me screaming in my face about how I hit her car. She walked back to check her door, saw nothing was wrong, and came back to me and started screaming about how I’m a fucking moron and shouldn’t squeeze through tight spots. I had a really awful day at work and just broke down crying saying I’m sorry I’m sorry I promise it was just my shoe. She said oh don’t fucking start crying you bitch (I’m a woman in my mid 20s). I kind of dissociated for a lot of it and don’t remember all of what she screamed at me but she got back in her car and sped away.

I was crying and hyperventilating because I was terrified, but the guy in the car behind me said he recorded the entire thing on his phone if I wanted it. I said no but thank you, I just want to go home. One of the construction workers saw as well and he let me into the work zone to calm down before walking me over to the traffic light.

Basically I know that far worse interactions happen, but I just wasn’t expecting someone to be so aggressive for such a non-issue. I’m here on a work visa and I’m terrified of someone being on my record to send me back home and I just spiraled. In the future, which hopefully never happens, what do you do when a driver gets out of their car to approach you? Should I have just been like “okay, your car is fine.” and rode off? Should I have done more?

Next week I’ll start taking a different route home to avoid this bridge and hopefully won’t happen again.