Since the Boris Bikes sprouted up in London there has been a massive increase in new cyclists on the streets of London town.

In conjunction with the cycle to work scheme this has meant lots of Londoner’s have adopted bikes as their preferred method of transport. I have been cycling around London for quite a while now and much prefer it to taking the bus or getting on the dreaded tube!

Taking to two wheels on the streets of London can be dangerous so I have put together a list of safety precautions for new cyclists.

Some of these tips may seem like common sense and quite obvious but you will be amazed at some of the stupid things you see people doing on the streets of London.

I would recommend cycling in London to anyone with some road sense, as it can be much more convenient and enjoyable than public transport. Also cycling around London gives us a warm smug feeling inside because you are helping to save the planet.

Cycling in London has become quite the trendy activity and you see all sorts of people on bikes of all shapes and sizes pedalling around the capital.

There are loads of place to cycle in London and routes you can take when cycling around the city. There are also a number of ebooks available full of cycle routes, 30 London Cycle Routes with GPS from London Cyclist is particularly good and has some great routes for new London Cyclists

Below are 24 top tips for new cyclists in London:

1. Make sure the bike’s frame size fits your requirements. If you are not sure what frame size you should be looking for in a bike then consult a good bike shop like one of the many branches of Evans Cycles around London.

2. Get the right safety equipment – reflectors (white on the front, red on the back), lights (flashing and fully charged) and bells. All essential when travelling along busy roads and dim lit areas.

3. Check your brakes, tire pressure and any loose accessories before you ride. You’ll find it a lot harder to ride with flats and much harder to brake if the brake pads have fallen out of line. Brake pads can also cause wheels to rub creating friction and slowing you down.

4. Always wear a properly fitted bike helmet – test the helmet by placing it on your head (without fastening the straps) and nodding your head. The helmet should stay on easily whilst not being uncomfortably tight, helmets save people’s live so don’t worry if you look stupid wearing one!

5. Reflective and bright clothing is essential. Ensure you have something reflective on your back – if your bag is in the way consider getting a reflective cover or attaching badges onto your bag. A lot of couriers in London attach their lights to their bags meaning that they can be seen from behind at night.

6. At night, wear a reflective jacket or vest or a safety triangle, bikes are much harder to see at night you should make extra efforts to be apparent to other road users.

7. Know the rules of the road and any specific bicycling rules for your area – tfl.gov.uk has excellent mapping facilities and even suggests the best cycle routes. You can also request cycle maps of the main London Boroughs – these detail all the relevant cycle routes and one way streets.

8. Plan to travel in slow or residential areas when possible to avoid fast-moving downtown traffic, sometimes this is impossible to do but high traffic areas should be avoided where possible until you get some road confidence.

9. Avoid narrow roads and opt for wide roads where there is more room for bicycles and cars to manoeuvre if you can.

10. Never ride with headphones or an ipod. And NEVER use your cell phone while cycling! Expect to get abuse from other cyclists if you are riding with distractions, it’s not just your life you are risking.

11. Don’t allow other road users to bully you into make rash decisions as these are often the worst ones! Remember that it is difficult for large vehicles to see cyclists so make sure you stop where you can be seen and don’t pass on the inside incase you get trapped or pinned in!

12. Use your lights at all times this will ensure that drivers can see you, this is also important in Winter as dark get dark surprisingly fast.

13. Do not cycle on the pavement – you bought a bike didn’t you!? It is in fact very much an illegal activity… only children are allowed to use pavements.

14. Use hand signals – useful for both cars and other cyclists to know what you are doing. Your actions may be obvious to you but other road users can’t read your mind. Also keep your distance from other cyclists in case they make rash decisions at the last minute.

15. Resist weaving in and out of traffic and try to stay consistent – only stray into the middle when you are over taking or there are no cars on the road, or when it is raining heavily.

16. The left side of the road is the slow lane – do not try and over take other cyclists on their left if they are turning and don’t see you, you will be trapped against the curb.

17. Use your horn or bell if you will be crossing in front of another vehicle so you give an audible signal—it’s more likely to get the other motorists attention.

18. Make eye contact with motorists if possible, so you know that they see you especially with frequent road users like bus and taxi drivers.

19. Watch for hazards such as holes in the road, loose gravel, people opening car doors and animals running loose.

20. At red lights either use the cycle areas to get ahead of the traffic or stay behind a car – never wait directly beside a car or large vehicle in case they decide to turn left suddenly. Dont expect people to indicate all their turns as this just isn’t the case!

21. When you follow a vehicle that is moving slow, be patient. It may be getting ready to make a turn. Slow vehicles are often travelling at dangerously crawling speeds because they have no idea where they are going and will make last minute decisions like u-turns!

22. Always look behind you (over your shoulder) before making a turn—for other vehicles, for other bicycles, and for pedestrians, check regularly as cars and motorbikes are fast moving.

23. Treat everyone else as an idiot and that they will make the most unlikely move next as again this is often the case!

24. Don’t run red lights! It’s just plain dumb…

If you are new to cycling in London and a little unsure on the roads then make sure you get plenty of practice in before tackling your commute to work. A good starting point to build confidence on your bike is to try out some cycle routes, this will build your awareness of London roads and build your taxi driver knowledge of how to navigate around the big smog.

If you have any other top tips for cycling around London drop them in the comments below or send us an email!