*This post may contain product affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I get a small commission at no extra charge to you. It helps support the running of this website and I do appreciate your help.*
The day I shared a hire bike in London on the cheap
Ride a bike in London either by hiring one or using yours. I chose the former one by hiring a Santander cycle, which is one of the city’s bike sharing schemes. If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you might remember my experience with the Barclays bike scheme. But on the day I shared a hire bike in London on the cheap, I’ve never looked back.
The day I shared a hire bike in London on the cheap
What I really love about this scheme is that I didn’t need to worry about dragging a my personal bike around town, yet alone worry about parking. In the event that you need a break from those pedals or are worried about them getting stolen, I discovered that the scheme allowed me to travel stress free because the docking stations are dotted around London and you don’t need to be attached the same bike to continue with your journey. Which means that the bikes can be placed back in the dock whenever you wish.
The day I shared a hire bike in London on the cheap
Even though they appear huge and heavy, I found that they were light and easy to maneuver.
Cycle lanes
They’re great for discovering London, convenient and ideal for getting to know more about events and attractions. Santander cycles are an alternative to walking, driving, travelling by Tube or catching a train and are affordable.
Docking station
A row of Santander cycles
How it works
Docking stations can be found in many parts of Central London. Hiring a cycle costs only £2 to hire the bike for 24 hours but the first 30 minutes is free. If you decide to travel on a longer journey then the cost is £2 for an extra period up to 30 minutes.
On the other hand, the downside to this scheme is that they must be returned within 24 hours, so give yourself enough time to get back to your nearest docking station. I always make sure my bike’s is well-kept and returned in time to avoid a £300 fine!
Attractions you might see whilst cycling
Street Art
Tate Britain
The City
In spite of the convenience and affordability, helmets are not available but should be introduced and enforced by the sponsors. After all, safety is important and I aim to where mine on my next venture. It’s time to get on your bike!
Do you agree that using this scheme is charged at a reasonable price and how do you think helmets could be part of this scheme? Take some time to drop me a line. Thanks for visiting.
I LOVE bike sharing in France. I did it in Paris and sadly have never done it in Toronto, Canada because the network of bike paths is limited. I wish they’d improve things. I recall London having a great network! It’s a cheap and fun way to explore a city.
Perhaps the network in Canada will improve at some point. London’s network is great! I actually first discovered bike sharing in Barcelona, Spain.
I still do enjoy bike riding in Hyde park with my friends. It is a great way to spend the day outdoors. Thank you for this great post.
With the arrival of the the cycling superhighway, there are a lot more people cycling on their own bikes as well as Santander bikes. But I just can’t understand why the use of helmets has been ignored.