City bike
a day, from$22
- Upright seat, seven gears
- Front basket and a bell
- Best for the canal and the old town
- A week for $95
Bikes by the hour or the day, helmets included
City bikes, e bikes and mountain bikes, each hired with a helmet, a lock and lights. Take a route card from the counter, or tell us the stops you want and we mark a ride for you.
40 bikessized for riders from age 6
Helmetwith every hire
4 routesstarting at the door
- Helmet, lock and lights with every bike
- Route cards from 8 to 32 km
- Every bike checked before it leaves
- Open daily from 08:00
Pick a bike for the ride you have in mind
Every bike leaves with a helmet, a lock, front and rear lights and a puncture kit. We set the saddle height for each rider before you go.
E bike
a day, from$45
- Charged battery, 50 to 80 km of help
- Riders 16 and over with us
- Makes the lakes route easy
- A week for $210
Mountain bike
a day, from$38
- Front suspension and wide tyres
- Sizes from small to extra large
- Gloves lent on request
- A week for $170
Kids and family kit
a day, from$12
- Children's bikes with a helmet
- Child seat or covered trailer
- Tagalong for confident sevens
- Children ride with an adult
A deposit of $50 per bike, or $150 per e bike, is taken at the counter with a photo ID and returned when the bike comes back.
E bike rules, plainly
Rules for e bikes vary by country and sometimes by city: the minimum age, the speed at which the motor must stop helping and where you may ride. These are our own rules, which can be stricter than the local law.
| Question | Our rule | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| How old do riders need to be? | 16 and over | Legal minimum ages for e bikes vary by country, and some places set none at all |
| How fast does the motor help? | Up to 25 km/h | A common limit for pedal assisted bikes; faster e bikes count as mopeds in many places, so we do not hire them |
| Is a helmet needed? | Yes, always with us | Helmet laws vary by country, but every rider on our bikes wears one |
| How far will the battery last? | 50 to 80 km | Hills, wind and the assist level change the range; a spare battery costs $8 |
| Where can we ride? | Roads, lanes and towpaths | Some paths and parks ban e bikes; the route cards mark them |
A helmet fitted to every rider
Helmets come with every hire, in sizes from small child to extra large, and we fit each one at the counter: level on the head, two fingers above the eyebrows and the strap closed under the chin. We also set the saddle height and let you test the brakes in the yard.
Children under 12 ride with an adult, and we ask every rider to follow the traffic rules of the country they are riding in. If you have a fall or a crash, call the local emergency number first when anyone is hurt, then call us and we come to you.
- Helmets in every size, cleaned after each hire
- Lights front and back on every bike
- A lock and a puncture kit in the bag
- Breakdown help anywhere on the route cards
Route cards from the shop door
Each card shows the distance, the climbs, the cafés and the places where the route shares the road. Ask for the one that suits your riders and the weather.
Canal loop
Along the towpath to the locks and back through the park. Flat, traffic light and good with children.
14 kmabout 1.5 hours
Old town and markets
Short hops between the cathedral square, the covered market and the riverside, with racks at every stop.
8 kmhalf a day with stops
Out to the lakes
Quiet lanes to the lake shore and a lunch stop at the boathouse café. An e bike makes the long drag home easy.
32 kma full day
Woodland trail
A waymarked gravel loop through the forest park with two short, steep climbs. Mountain bikes only.
22 kmabout 3 hours
Saturday guided ride
A relaxed three hour ride with one of our staff, a coffee stop included. Bikes and helmets come with it.
Per personfrom $30
Pick up and drop off
We bring bikes to your hotel or collect them from the far end of a one way ride within the city.
Each wayfrom $15
Collect, ride, return
Reserve online
Send the bikes, the dates and each rider's height. We reply within a few hours to confirm.
At the counter
Show a photo ID, leave the deposit and sign the hire form for each adult rider.
Fit and test
Helmets fitted, saddles set and a lap of the yard to try the gears and brakes.
Back by closing
Return by 19:00 in summer. Late? Call us and we keep the shop open for you within reason.
Where the bikes go
From the shop door to the lakes, the woods and the market square.
From riders who hired here (example reviews)
Helmets fitted properly for both children before anyone touched a pedal, and the canal loop was exactly as flat as the card promised.
Two e bikes for the lakes. The battery still had plenty left at the end, and the staff explained the speed limit without a lecture.
A puncture on the woodland loop, a phone call and a mechanic with a new tube twenty minutes later. Back on the trail before lunch.
Before you ride
Do you hire bikes for children?
Yes, children's bikes for ages 6 to 12, plus child seats, covered trailers and a tagalong. Children under 12 ride with an adult, and every child wears a helmet.
Is a helmet included?
Always, at no extra cost, in sizes from small child to extra large. Helmet laws vary by country, but on our bikes everyone wears one.
How old do e bike riders need to be?
With us, 16 and over. Legal minimum ages vary by country and city, and our rule may be stricter than the law where you are.
What if we get a puncture?
Every bag has a puncture kit. Call the shop from anywhere on the route cards and we bring a replacement bike or a mechanic.
Can we keep the bikes overnight?
Yes. Multi day hires run from the pickup day to the return date on the booking, and the bikes stay with you overnight with the lock provided.
How is the hire paid?
At the counter when you collect the bikes, together with the refundable deposit. Payment is settled directly with the shop.
Reserve your bikes
Tell us which bikes you want, when you collect them and when they come back. The shop confirms within a few hours and has the bikes set up for your riders.
- Helmet, lock and lights with every bike
- Saddles set to each rider's height
- Questions? Call +44 20 7946 0172
Find the shop
The counter opens at 08:00, and the phone is answered whenever the shop is open.
Call or email
A corner shop beside the canal towpath, two minutes on foot from the central station
Opening hours
| Every day, March to October | 08:00 to 19:00 |
| November to February | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| Last hire out | Two hours before closing |
Getting here
The shop sits on the corner where the station road meets the canal towpath, with a red bike painted above the door. Bikes leave from the yard at the side, straight onto the towpath.