Cycle Skills / Trainers
There's a lot of great people and companies out there delivering training across London, here's a few who are worth knowing about and who I have worked for or still work with;
Camden Community Cycling Project - Regular group cycling sessions for Camden residents, all equipment provided
Cycling Instructor - Friendly and down to earth cycle skills provider
London Borough of Islington - My home and for whom I deliver both instructor and mechanic services
Cycle Confident - Responsible for cycle skills and Dr Bike in 14 of London's boroughs
Bikeworks - Passionate 'Community Interest Company' delivering all-ability and maintenance courses
Pedal Power - Excellent and popular 'all ability' cycling club run in Finsbury Park, Haringey, North London
Wheely Tots - Charitable start-up delivering toddlers and parents balance bike sessions in North London
Wheels for Wellbeing - Croydon and south London based 'all ability' cycling charity
Shops / Servicing / Services
A good bike shop is to me one that's friendly, unpretentious and full of people who love their work and giving customers a good deal. The same goes for mechanics and bike related services. The list below covers places and services I know well and their location;
Pedal Me (London) - an on-demand bike taxi / logistics service. Serious innovators in cargo bike use
London Bike Studio (Stoke Newington) - Small, busy workshop for bike repairs, good cheer and fair prices
Carry Me Bikes (Hackney) - Small family cycling oriented set up, selling all things bike to families
London Bike Kitchen (Hoxton) - Friendliest, pluckiest bike repair co-op and mentors in bike maintenance in London
SBC Cycles (Hoxton) - Independently owned specialist MTB / cargo bike / BMX shop. Bike nerds to a man.
Banzai Bikes (Newington Green) - a small, fully vegan bike workshop, for repairs and refurbished bikes
Velorution (Islington / Hackney / Chelsea / Marylebone) - Small chain of city bike stockists aiming at the high end
Bikeworks (Bethnal Green) - Scaled down from previous all encompassing remit, but a good place to get your bike fixed
Condor (Holborn) - Serious bike shop with history, a good range of clothing pitched at the roadie market
Look Mum, No Hands (Old Street) - the original hipster cafe / cycling joint. Friendly bike servicing too.
On Your Bike (London Bridge) - Another great indie, with huge range of commuter bikes and fair prices
Brompton Junction (Covent Garden) - If you ride one, this is the place with a hotline back to the factory
Phoenix Cycles (Battersea) - The gold standard for Brompton and Moulton repair and servicing
Halfpipe (North Kensington) - Nominally a skater shop, but they know bikes, a great selection of lights and accessories
Clothing / Brands
Not being a fan of cycle sport or dedicated sport cycle clothing and safety clothing generally, my favoured brands or outlets all favour stylish, clothes or products that work well on and off a bike. Importantly to me, they don't make you look like you'd rather be talking about sportifs over coffee (overrated) with weekend riders, or head to toe in high-visibility fabrics. For lights and gear, I tend to go for good quality, rechargeable over cheap and disposable. For clothing, I take a "buy cheap, buy twice" attitude;
SWRVE - (USA) - Utilitarian, but unparalleled cycling jeans, among other things
SegraSegra (Czech Republic) - Fantastically stylish urban cycling gear with recycled fabrics. A lot of blacks
Muxu (Catalonia, Spain) - Urban style from Barcelona, and very comfortable
Vulpine (United Kingdom) - Somewhat preppy / roadie, but undeniably excellently designed and fitted clothing
Mission Workshop (USA) - Just brilliant if you need a rugged messenger bag
Chrome Industries (USA) - My waterproof cycle boots from Chrome cost a fortune, but they've never let me down.
Sealskinz (United Kingdom) - Warmest, most water tight cycle clothing garments around
Vizavee (United Kingdom) - If you must go with reflectives, this company does them with the most panache
The Cycling Store (United Kingdom) - Excellently curated online store majoring in women's cycle clothing
Always Riding (United Kingdom) - Another very nicely curated collection of cycling clothing
Knog (Australia) - Stylish rechargeable lights, excellent value
Outdoor Tech (USA) - Makers of some of the most rugged waterproof electronic gear on the market, including speakers
Carry Freedom (Germany) - I cannot fault their trailers. Rugged, dependable and easy to tow.