London Bike Scheme merry-go-round

Like many people, we've been intrigued by the installation of bike stands to house the new London Bike Hire Scheme bikes close to our offices. Excitement rose as it became clear that were to be lots and lots of bike hire points, making the idea of grabbing a bike and freewheeling off into the sunset for a few precious minutes become a practical travel option as well as a fanciful notion.


Armed with a year's membership of £45, an electronic key for which a £3 deposit had been paid, and an active account, we looked forward to Friday 30th July as the date on which an interesting lunchtime cycling interlude could take place. With  all the above in place we could be among the first Londoners to get to enjoy a 'free' half hour of cycling. To encourage the 'free movement' of hire bikes, the first 30 minutes hire won't cost you anything but it's £1 for every hour thereafter.


Unfortunately, we ended up with a 'free' half hour or more of entertaining merry-go-round as we inserted our electronic key in first one then almost every bike's electronic lock at Cartwright Gardens in Bloomsbury. Frustrated by consistently getting the amber processing signal followed by a fixed red light, we consulted the helpful map on the electronic information post and found there was another cycle hire stand two streets away. Here, all but a handful of bikes were absent (unlike our first stop where only one had been hired and a would-be hire bike returnee tried in vain to dock his steed). Someone was clearly finding it easy enough to hire a bike. Why not us?


Having tried our key without success in more bike stands we turned in frustration to the telephone helpline. They confirmed our suspicions - a dodgy key was spoiling our fun. A reset was in order - something they were good enough to call back and inform us was in motion after the telephone system cut us off (sheer weight of frustrated wannabe cyclist calls or simple first-day overload). Amazingly, some minutes later we were able to enjoy our first bike ride.


The bike is hardly something we'll be using for a quick getaway. (We mused on how quickly the Boris Bike as getaway vehicle storyline would be written into EastEnders and whether it was worth having a flutter based on it being within the next fortnight.) But the ride is comfortable and reassuringly stable and overall we totally love the idea of a convenient bike to hand whenever you fancy taking to two pedals. Now to iron out the kinks.