Bike repairs and cycling

This club is here to help the members of Goodenough College

o Love cycling and want to find people to go on a friendly rides on nice weekends?
o Love bikes and want to share your passion for them?
o Want to start cycling in London, but don't know yet how to do it safely?

    o Need an advice on buying a bicycle/want to sell yours?
    o Want to start training and racing in cycling or doing cycling sportives?
    o Want to learn how to maintain and repair your bike?
    o Want to watch cycling related movies?
    o Want to go for longer rides (e.g. London - Brighton)?
    o Word Bicycle makes you smile?

If any of these questions you answered positively, Bike repairs and cycling club is for you!

Getting into Cycling in London

London is one of the most cycle-friendly cities in the world, not least because of the incredibly flat topography which its cyclists enjoy.  The past decade has seen a massive expansion of cycle lanes, mixed-use paths, and other measures to protect and encourage Londoners who take to the saddle to navigate the city. Transport for London (TfL) recently launched the Cycling Action Plan, which has resulted in the construction of dedicated cycling networks which criss-cross the city and make cycling easier, faster, and safer. Even if you don’t typically use a bicycle to get around wherever you may come from, in your time in London we hope that you might become more enthusiastic about using two wheels to get around as well as to stay in shape.

Cycling Safety

• In London, bike lights are mandatory for all cyclists on the road after dark. While not mandated for those who solely cycle during the daylight hours, lights are highly recommended to improve visibility, especially during the regular rainy periods when visibility for motorists becomes limited. High visibility wear is also recommended, especially at night and in high-speed areas.
• Just like autos, bicycles ride on the left-hand side of the road (except in one-way streets where there are two-way cycle lanes), and are considered to be road vehicles in London and the UK. This means that cyclists must use hand signals to indicate navigation and yield to pedestrians.
• Many stoplights in London have ‘bike boxes’ in front of the auto lanes - these are for cyclists to occupy at red lights so that cyclists can advance ahead of autos. Beware: some motorists (and particularly motorcycles) will advance into these boxes all the same, however do use these boxes, as they increase predictability in the eyes of motorists and promote safe sharing of the roads of London.
• London is one of the world’s leading cycling cities, but it is also a capital for bike theft - hundreds of thousands of bicycles are stolen every year in the metropolitan area. This should not dissuade prospective cyclists: secure bike storage (such as is available in the GC quads) and the use of locks are excellent ways of preventing theft.
  • The London Metropolitan Police recommend two locks, although the context of location and quality of locks obviously impacts the security considerations you should pursue. Generally, d-bars (or d-locks) and high-grade chain locks are the most practical way to secure your bicycle properly. A good rule of thumb is to spend 10% of what your bike is worth when buying a lock.
  • Consider your wheels before you go about locking up your bicycle. If your cycle has quick-release levers on the skewers (axles), then ensure that the wheels as well as the frame are secured to the rack. Also, make sure that the rack you are locking your bicycle to is suitable - locking a bike to a fence will typically result in your cycle being removed by the property owner.