Copenhagen vs London 5: Bikes of a different colour

Copenhagen is a superb city for real cycling – for getting from A to B on two wheels. In fact, most Copenhageners say they cycle because it's quick and easy, not for environmental or health reasons (though they're pleasing by-products). That happens to reflect my view, too.


The Danish capital will be in the media spotlight from 7-15 December when it hosts the Climate Change Talking Shop, so look out for more articles like this one in the Independent recently in praise of the city's well-developed cycling culture.


Very pleasing, to me, is the dominance of real bikes and real clothes. Lycra, reflective gear and helmets are definitely the exceptions; most people just cycle in their normal stuff.

And if you go into a bike shop, you find a very different range of machines on sale to those you'd see in London.


In an Evans or Halfords over here, there are only rows and rows of MTBs or featherweight road bikes; you'll look long and hard for anything with mudguards, or a rack or basket, essentials for city shuttling. It's as ludicrous as going to a car showroom in search of a little hatchback to run around town and being told they only sell sports cars or 4x4s.

The bike shop in Christianshavn (right) shows the Copenhagen style: just about every bike I could see on sale was a real bike, with mudguards, rack or basket, upright riding position, and practical additions such as chainguards.


That's the pattern of machine you see jamming the bike parks round the city, such as this one (right) outside the main rail station.


But Copenhagen's bikes could fill a book by themselves. I'm fond of the bright and simple appearance of the self-coloured models you see parked around the city - a small selection is here.

Whoever owns the luminous Pedersen on the right is unlikely to struggle finding it on their way home from their evening out.

Hire and hire, baby: It's a livin' thing

London's Bike Hire Scheme - loosely modelled on Paris's Vélib model - is definitely going to happen. It's a great scheme, and we're all in favour of it.

It will be up and running by May 2010, and preparations are under way. Indeed one borough, Lambeth, has already released a list of proposed locations for 'docking stations'.

On Wednesday evening, Southwark Cyclists had a presentation on the scheme by Gary from Transport for London, the body running the scheme. Bike Show presenter Jack Thurston was there, and his blog entry this morning helpfully summarises what we learned about the scheme, saving me the trouble of doing any hard work.

I was intrigued to be described in his blog as 'the quirky Rob Ainsley'. This probably comes from a radio interview-ride he did with me on the release of my book last year - you can hear it all on the Bike Show website. So it's official now: I am the King of Quirk. The Prince of Peculiar. The Baron of Bizarre. The Sultan of Singular. The Caliph of Curiosity. The Wazir of Weird.

So what's quirky about the Bike Hire Scheme?

First, it will have its own roundel, just like the other 'proper' modes of London transport - underground, bus, boat and so on. The colour and wording are yet to be decided, but they could do worse than my suggestion (above right). So they probably will.

Second, the bikes don't have racks. Otherwise passengers sit on them, apparently.

Third, they will have baskets at the front. I'm a fan of baskets. They carry things like picnic wine and a baguette and pate, or a library book, or a small dog. They make you think of an arty 1960s film featuring a chance meeting between students. Very real-cycling.

Fourth, the docking-stations network. A subculture of esoteric knowledge will grow - the most photogenic, the quirkiest, the hiddenest, the one with the best pubs and restaurants and cafes. There'll be a whole family of new routes to explore London, based on the network. No doubt you'll be able to follow it all here.