While London might not be one of the most well-known bike-friendly cities in Europe, cycling is actually a pretty common way to move through the city. As a matter of fact, many locals use bicycles as their main means of transport for their daily commute. Like in all big cities, just make sure to be vigilant and to follow safe practices and you’ll be good to go.

Transport for London, the government body responsible for transport in the city, is constantly working at improving cycling lanes and traffic conditions. To help out visitors and locals alike, they have even come up with a few suggested scenic cycle routes in London , so you might want to consult them for inspiration.

If you want to hire a bike during your stay there are some small private shops in London, but they are not very common, and you might find it difficult to park your bike wherever you go. For this reason, if you want to move around by bike in the city, we recommend using Santander Cycles.

Santander Cycles bike sharing

Santander Cycles is London’s bicycle sharing scheme. Once you subscribe to a plan, you can take any of the 12,000 company’s bikes from any of the 800 available docking stations. Once you have arrived at your destination, you can just park your bike at the nearest available station.

Depending on your subscription, you will either have 30 or 60 minutes of free bike use every time you take one out. The way the system is organised, bike-sharing is much cheaper than bike hiring for entire days, and much easier to use.

The system is self-serviced, so the bike hire is available 24/7, year-round. The 800 existing docking stations are distributed all over Central London, definitely more than enough to cover the area a tourist might visit during their stay.

Subscriptions

To be able to use Santander Cycles, you can either get a subscription plan (single-ride, monthly, or annual) or get a pay-as-you-ride ticket at a docking station terminal .

Overall, the pay-as-you-ride tariff (available both as a membership type or at a terminal) is the least convenient, as it costs £1.65 every 30 minutes of use.

The monthly and annual subscriptions - only available with a membership - on the other hand, are much more convenient, giving you 60 minutes of free usage every time you take out a bike. The monthly subscription costs £20.00 and the annual is £120.00.

Remember that once you go over the 60 minutes, you will be charged an extra £1.65 every hour. If you have to cycle for longer than one hour, we suggest you simply park your bike at a station before you run out of minutes and immediately take out another one to avoid paying the extra £1.65.

Nevertheless, you can use the bikes however long you want, but you must return the vehicle to a station within 24 hours of taking it. The fine for not returning a bike or returning it damaged goes up to £300.00.

Rides longer than the established free usage time incur an additional fee of £1.65 every 30 minutes (pay as you ride option) or every 60 minutes (monthly and annual).

If you want to use e-bikes, you’ll have to register online, as the pay-as-you-ride option for e-bikes is not available as a ticket at station terminals. Aside from that, the system is essentially the same, with slightly different fees.

Rides longer than the established free usage time incur an additional fee of £3.30 every 30 minutes (pay as you ride option) or every 60 minutes (monthly and annual).

How do I get a Santander Cycle membership?

You can get your Santander Cycle on the app or by creating an online account . Once you have subscribed to a plan, you can use the app to manage your trips, check your past trips, charges, and activity.

To take out a bike, you’ll have to ask for a bike-release code that will be sent directly to your phone. Additionally, you can also buy your own key to take the bikes out, although that’s not necessary.

Download the Santander Cycles app for iOS here .

Download the Santander Cycles app for Android here .

How do I get a one-time bike Santander Cycle hire?

If, instead, you want to take out a bike for a one-time hire, you can go to a docking station terminal and follow the instructions on the screen to get your one-time ticket. You’ll only be able to pay by card.

You can use a bike however long you want, but you must return it to a station within 24 hours of taking it. The fine for not returning a bike or returning it damaged goes up to £300.00.

Cycling laws in London

It’s essential that you drive your bike safely, especially since London is a busy city and traffic can be dangerous if you are not vigilant. Here are the essential biking rules in the city.

Laws and norms

• Cycling on the pavement (sidewalk) is illegal in London, unless it is specified that the space is meant to be shared between cyclists and pedestrians. The immediate fine for cycling on the pavement is £30.00.
• Bikes must have a white front light and a red rear light, and they must be lit at night. Always check your lights are working.
• You cannot carry another passenger with you unless your bike has been built or adapted for it.
• It’s illegal to wear headphones or earphones when cycling.
• Cyclists must obey all traffic lights and signs like any other vehicle.
• Bikes must give way to pedestrians.
• Cyclists can drive on the normal road alongside cars and other vehicles, always maintaining the same traffic direction.

Safety tips

While not official rules, these are just suggestions to keep safe while cycling in the city.

• Although helmets are not a legal requirement in London, they are highly recommended.
• Reflective clothing is recommendable, especially if you’re going to be cycling in the dark.
• Only take your hands off the handlebars when signalling.
• Signal to other people around you when changing directions or manoeuvring.