London Cycling Diary

The first few minutes in the saddle

Oh my god, it's August already! Summer's on the wane and I've barely cycled through any of it. I decided to rectify that situation this morning and dug my bike out of storage -- covered in builder's dust it was -- and hit the road early.

I love that first few minutes in the saddle after you haven't cycled for a long time, because you suddenly remember why you love commuting by bike so much. There's no hanging around train platforms waiting for trains that don't turn up. There's no pushing and shoving to get onboard over-crowded carriages. There's no delays. No annoying passengers pressed up closer than what would be socially -- and legally -- acceptable in any other situation.

Oh. And there's the fresh morning air (or as fresh as it can be in London) and the quiet stillness before the city truly comes alive. You see people walking to work, or the tube, or heading off to school. And there are delivery vans dropping off produce and supplies at local shops, and there's the promise of a whole new day in front of you. That's why I like commuting by bicycle -- aside from the health (mental and physical), financial and environmental benefits.

Total distance: 12.16 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 11min and 38sec | Average speed: 10.73mph | Top speed: 18.1mph

Drenched -- and lost!

What other city in the world would close its main thoroughfares at peak hour so that military marching bands could put in a bit of practice on the streets?

I couldn't understand why tonight's traffic was at a standstill until I went to take my exit off Parliament Square and found the whole street cordoned off. Don't tell anyone, but I ignored the NO ENTRY sign and cycled up the street until I came to a policeman blocking the rest of the route down Bird Cage Walk.

"Can I  go down there?" I asked him.

"Sorry, no."

"What about Horse Guards Parade?"

"No, that's out of bounds too. But you can take your bike and walk through St James' Park."

"Great," I replied. (I might point out it was pissing down with rain at the time and I didn't much like the idea of taking a stroll through the park as if I had all the time in the world.)

"But if you get back on the bike," he said, "I'll pretend I didn't see you."

Nice idea, although I'm not sure his hundreds of colleagues swarming through the park would be prepared to turn a blind eye. So I walked. Slowly. Through the park. And admired the pelicans on the pond, the lupines in bloom in the flower beds and the beefy-looking soldiers marching by me all immaculate in green wool capes, berets and shiny black boots.

Some handy tips for newbie cyclists

In the words of British band the Kaiser Chiefs, "oh my god, I can't believe it!"

Yes, after yet another extended hiatus (almost 6 weeks -- a combination of annual leave, yet another upper respiratory tract infection, back pain and sheer bloody laziness) I finally took my poor trusted treadly out of storage and trundled into work this morning. I'd forgotten how exciting it is to battle with London traffic, but by goodness where did all you cyclists come from? Honestly, I've never seen so many two-wheels out and about at 7.45am -- normally the influx doesn't hit the roads until after 8am.

I have such mixed feelings about seeing more cyclists on the road. Yes, it's wonderful that so many are ditching motorised vehicles (or the tube), but I can't stand all the idiots who ride their bikes as if the entire world revolves around them.

Here's some handy tips you newbie cyclists might like to take note of:

WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING!! OR, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WATCH WHERE OTHER CYCLISTS ARE GOING -- DON'T EXPECT THEM TO GET OUT OF YOUR WAY BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T SEE THEM!!

DON'T WEAVE ALL OVER THE ROAD -- TRY TO KEEP A STRAIGHT LINE

DON'T CUT OTHER CYCLISTS UP (SEE ABOVE)

USE HAND SIGNALS -- WE'RE NOT ALL MIND READERS, YOU KNOW

DON'T OVERTAKE BUSES WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR INDICATORS ON (UNLESS YOU FANCY  BECOMING SOMEONE'S DINNER)

TRY TO TAKE OFF FROM THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT A FAST PACE; WHEN YOU PUTTER ALONG IT CAN PUT OTHER CYCLISTS BEHIND YOU IN A DANGEROUS POSITION.

DON'T WEAR YOUR FRIGGIN' iPOD -- HOW CAN YOU HEAR WHAT'S APPROACHING IF YOU'VE GOT AMY WINEHOUSE PUMPING INTO YOUR EARS AT 20 DECIBELS?

There. Glad I've got that off my chest.

See you all tomorrow for more tales of commuting across the capital!

Total distance: 12.28 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 13min and 31sec | Average speed: 10.64mph | Top speed: 18.5mph

Wet morning, sunny evening -- but roadworks all the way!

Two contrasting rides today.

This morning was slow going, with a seemingly endless queue of red buses snaking up Kensington High Street making it impossible to get very far very quickly. It didn't help that I caught EVERY red light along a one-mile stretch, so it was pretty much stop, start, stop, start all the way.

And then, once I'd safely entered the parks (Kensington, Hyde and Green) and exited out the other side, it was roadworks hell. Practically the whole two-mile stretch I traverse along the south side of the river is undergoing some kind of work right now, whether it be new water pipes being laid or new road surfaces been put down. This means there are temporary traffic lights everywhere and dangerous situations in which motorised traffic is forced to drive through cycle lanes, leaving bikes to fight it out for road space.

To make matters worse, it rained. The whole way. That kind of misty, get-into-everything type rain. By the time I'd arrived at the office I'd felt like I'd already done a full days' work and was ready for a bit of a lie down and a wee rest!

The commute home was exactly the opposite weather-wise: beautiful and sunny! How lovely it was riding down Birdcage Walk and seeing all the plane trees coming into bud. It won't be long before I am cycling down a green, leafy corridor again and musing about the beauty of London in the summertime!

Unfortunately,  I was still plagued by roadworks and had to change some of my route to avoid the worst of it. This meant cycling around a rather hairy roundabout I'd never cycled through before and getting a little bit lost in the process, but eventually I got back onto my normal route without adding too much time to my journey.

The rest of the ride home was fairly uneventful, although I did survive an almost-crash with a fellow cyclist who thought he could cut me up while I was just setting off from a temporary traffic light on the South Carriage. He came within an inch or two of knocking me off my treadly and gave me such a fright -- I had not heard him approach at all -- that I'm afraid I yelled a rather shocked "For f**k's sake!!" at him while he disappeared into the distance. Typically, it's not the motorised traffic you have to be wary of in London, but the other cyclists who lack manners and knowledge of the road rules. I've got a funny feeling my whole summer is going to be filled with them.

Total distance: 12.37 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 14min and 19sec | Average speed: 10.85mph | Top speed: 19.0mph

Summer's getting closer

You know summer is on the way when:

• you get to ride to work in daylight
• you get to ride home in daylight
• you need your sunglasses for both commutes
• there are more tourists hanging out on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace that you have to trundle past without running over
• the daffodil blooms look like they are about to wither and die, if they haven't already
• you notice green shoots on the trees
• there are more cyclists everywhere (where, by the way, did all these fat blokes come from?)

Total distance: 12.13 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 09min and 17sec | Average speed: 11.10mph | Top speed: 18.7mph

Slow

After an 11-day hiatus (caused by increased workload, laziness and Easter hols) I finally got back on the bike this morning. Typically, after a long weekend of snow flurries and very cold temperatures, the start of the working week dawned bright and sunny!

I thought it would be incredibly cold on the bike and went so far as to don my Icelandic socks (which are made out pure Icelandic wool ... and are the warmest socks known to man) to protect my little footsies from the (expected) zero temperature, but I needn't have worried. The weather was remarkably pleasant.

However, I did struggle with my fitness. About 2km in I felt like I'd hit a brick wall. I had absolutely no energy levels and could barely make it up the Broad Walk in Kensington Gardens. Fortunately, the second wind came shortly after and I got to work in my usual time. I just found it hard work.

The return journey was better. I caught most of the green lights, which helped, and I got a real buzz zipping down Kensington High Street with a pack of about 12 other cyclists of all ages, sizes and descriptions. When you "take the lane" as a  group it feels so much safer -- there's definitely a noticeable difference in the way that motorised traffic behaves around you, giving you more room and driving more slowly.

Total distance: 12.29 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 14min and 13sec | Average speed: 10.56mph | Top speed: 19.1mph

No wind, but some rain

After three days of horrible gusty wind, which I refuse to ride in, this morning arrived with nary a breeze in the air. I clambered on board my bike and made my way to work, battling busier-than-normal traffic. I arrived slightly sweatier than normal owing to my having to wear an ordinary t-shirt and not a wicking one, because our washing machine is on the blink and I am running out of clothes to wear!

The journey home was a wet one, a cold drizzling rain that looked worse than it felt. Still, it was lovely to finally get indoors so I could thaw out under a hot shower.

I wonder what tomorrow's weather will bring?

Total distance: 12.39 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 14min and 48sec | Average speed: 10.45mph | Top speed: 18.1mph

Rainy weather

The prospect of riding in pissing down rain is not one I relish, but whenever I brave the wet weather it is never as bad as I expect it to be. This morning's commute was a case in point.

It was chucking it down when I left the house. I was almost tempted to change out of my cycling clobber in order to catch the tube instead. But no. It's only a bit of water, I told myself.

To be honest, the first mile-and-a-half was pretty damn wet. The rain was coming down so heavily it hurt. I tucked my chin down and used my helmet visor as a kind of shield.

The rain eventually eased off and became that kind of misty rain that gets into everything. But, surprisingly, when I arrived at my destination I wasn't too wet. My feet, of course, were soaked. But the rest of me -- hair included -- was dry.

I must remember this mantra in future: whenever it rains, cycling in it is never as bad as it seems.

Total distance: 12.43 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 15min and 31sec | Average speed: 10.56mph | Top speed: 20.1mph

'Lost' in Victoria

I spent last week in deepest, darkest Cornwall enjoying some much-needed rest and recreation, so getting back on the bike this morning took quite some effort. But tonight's return journey took even more!

At about 3pm I was feeling absolutely knackered. (I think I was missing my mid-afternoon beer.) I had to  go for a brisk walk to get some fresh air and then drank a pint of water to wake myself up.

Still, I didn't feel much better when 6pm rolled around and I knew I had to cycle 6-and-a-bit miles in the dark to get home! Ironically, the journey got lengthened slightly when I missed my turn on Parliament Square (I wasn't in the mood to fight with the traffic to get in the right lane) and so I found myself trundling through the oh-so confusing back streets of Victoria looking for the correct route.

A year or more ago this would have sent me into panic-mode, but tonight I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. It helped that I recognised some of the streets and so, despite some doubts (is this the right way? am I supposed to go around this roundabout or turn left? should I take this junction or the next? do I usually go past this pub? I don't think I've ever seen this building before -- or have I?) I managed to get myself back onto Buckingham Palace Gate without too much stress -- and no wrong turnings!

Hopefully tomorrow's journey will be much more straightforward!

Total distance: 13.12 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 21min and 52sec | Average speed: 10.24mph | Top speed: 18.5mph

Cycling into the sunset

Tonight's sunset was one of the most amazing urban sunsets I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

I stepped out of the office at about 5.50pm and everything seemed to be aglow. It was almost dark but the sky was lit up in the most vivid orange imaginable. The light was bouncing off everything: the river, the glass buildings, the road. And it was stunning.

All the buildings along the Embankment, lining the river, were in shadow, but the sky behind them resembled the skin of a juicy, ripe orange. The whole scene looked like a stage set. Not quite real.

Then, over Westminster Bridge, I held my breath at the beauty of Westminster Palace bathed in a dazzling gold light, the sky forming the most perfect backdrop of apricot and tangerine.

By the time I cycled around Parliament Square, the sound of Big Ben chiming 6pm, the heavens had turned a deep navy blue, and it was all over, just a small orange smudge fading in the distance.

Total distance: 12.38 miles | Ride time: 1hr, 14min and 46sec | Average speed: 10.50mph | Top speed: 20.1mph