1. lf you’re riding in the summer, take plenty of water. Expect to pay £2 for a half-litre bottle of water in the tourist hot spots – that’s five times the supermarket price.
  2. Keep the group small. Riding and shepherding seven other bikes was hard work for me, and I know where I’m going.
  3. Pay for your Westminster bike parking (£1 to park in any Westminster bike bay and move around freely) the day before you set off. See www.westminster.gov.uk.
  4. Only go for very straightforward filters. It is extremely hard for rider four to keep up with rider one, as the traffic will be changing all the time.
  5. If you’re not used to riding in London, let local bikers pass you. There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck behind a motorcyclist who’s not used to filtering.
  6. Keep it simple. London’s routes tend to go west to east along the river, or south to north. Have a meeting point; we chose the bike bay near Cleopatra’s Needle.
  7. Check www.tfl.gov.uk for road closures. Hyde Park is often closed, and during big sporting events like the London Marathon other parts of central London are completely shut down.

Part 2, What to wear

Andrew Dalton
RiDE Magazine
November 2013 Issue