We understand that not everyone owns a bike for various reasons but that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved with BUBR and we’ve pulled together some options for hiring a bike.
London Bicycle Tour Company (LBTC)
London Bicycle Tour Company (LBTC) is offering a range of bikes for the ride. Bikes must be pre-booked and collected from their premises.
LBTC’s hire centre is at 74 Kennington Road, London SE11 6NL, near the Imperial War Museum. Telephone: 020 7928 6838. Nearest tube/rail: Lambeth North or Waterloo.
See londonbicycle.com/directions to view directions from all the closest stations.
TfL Cycle Hire
Another option is Transport for London’s Santander Cycles, sometimes still known as “Boris Bikes” after the mayor who introduced them. Regular users get a key and account, but anyone can use them with a credit or debit card. You do not need an app – just follow the instructions at the docking station, although it might be quicker with the app.
These are intended for short journeys, so please make sure that you understand the charges. You pay £2 for the access fee for up to 24 hours. The first 30 minutes of each journey during that day are free. If it is a longer journey, each extra period of up to 30 minutes costs another £2.
The scheme operates all over London, there are a docking stations near the start of the ride and along the route in the Stratford (Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park), Hackney Wick & Hackney Central, Holborn and Brixton.
You may not be able to collect or return a bike at the nearest docking station, if it’s empty at the start and full at the end, so you need to allow for extra travelling time.
You can check locations and availabilities here.
Dockless Bikes
There are also some “dockless” hire services where you can find a bike then leave it at any location within their coverage area – all tracked by technology and accessed through an app on your phone.
Please see a list of dockless bikes services, it’s important that you check that the dockless bike that you pick operates along the route of the ride as some services have restrictions.
Other cycle hire options
There are many other cycle hire shops. Here are some we are aware of:
On your bike
www.onyourbike.com/rental.php has a minimum hire duration of 3 days. Road and hybrid bikes. 3 – 4 London Bridge Walk, London, SE1 2SX
Phone: 020 7378 666 Email: london@onyourbike.com
London Green Cycles
www.londongreencycles.co.uk have cargo bikes and bakfiets. 4 Chester Court, Albany Street, London NW1 4BU /hire@londongreencycles.co.uk
London Recumbents
www.londonrecumbents.com/ Recumbent bikes. Open weekends & school holidays 10am – last hire, 4.30pm
Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ. Telephone: 020 7228 6843 recumbents@aol.com
Brompton Bike Hire
www.bromptonhire.com/ operates via a pre-registered app with 24-hour hire as standard. Return the bike to any dock. There are several docks, eg at Euston, Russell Sq, Kings Cross, Paddington, Leyton etc.