Riding in London can be quite scary, as there are not nearly enough bike lanes and you're often forced to ride on busy roads and share bus lanes with taxis and London's much detested (so says Boris Johnson) bendy buses. And the quieter roads tend to be quite narrow with rough surfaces, particularly compared to those at home in Adelaide.
Nevertheless, there is a great sense of freedom on a bike with the wind in your face, and I'm sure one of the reasons a lot of drivers hate cyclists is because they're envious (particularly when you cycle past them in a traffic jam).
From Mile End, where I live, to work in Westminster is about 9km and I have managed to get my travel time down from 40 mins to about 30 mins by discovering shortcuts during the week. That's almost the same time it takes door-to-door when I travel by Tube!
There's something to be said for cycling past the Tower of London, Somerset House and parallel to the Thames each day, with Big Ben and The Eye coming into view as I approach work. I have also discovered buildings and streets I never knew existed, as you're oblivious to exactly where you're travelling when using the Underground.
Hopefully I can maintain my enthusiasm and get fit while I'm at it!
