LONDON WEEKEND BREAKS - Cycling tours

Taking a cycling tour of London is a different way of using your London weekend break, or at least a part of it. Seeing the city by bike gives you much greater access to many areas of inner London than by using the traditional tourist bus and it is a lot quicker than exploring on foot. It is also green for those who place importance on carbon footprints – or avoiding them.

The typical cycle tour that most London weekend breakers might consider taking can start from as little as £10 per person and usually includes a small group of up to about a dozen bikers. The bikes themselves are usually included, but sometimes at an extra cost, so check this out before you book.

A number of small specialist tour companies now offer London bicycle tours and most offer a good selection of routes covering different tourist sights. If your booking constitutes a group in itself, you may be able to arrange a tour that is customised around your own timetable and sightseeing objectives.

Cycle tour information

Most bicycle tours take in a mix of London's popular tourist hotspots, attractions, museums and parks, but every tour has a different agenda and a different level of physical challenge. Read the details of any tour that you are considering taking carefully before you finalise a booking and remember that tours still run in inclement and wet weather.

Most companies offering cycle tours do include the hire of a bike for the duration of the tour, but make sure that they also include a safety helmet. Some tour providers may also offer waterproof cagoules in the event of rain.

London cycle tour costs can range from £10 upwards and the tour group can vary from two or three people, to a dozen or more. Different companies have different meeting spots for different tours, so make sure that you know your meeting point in advance.

Cycle tour durations vary depending upon the distance covered and the sights that are visited, but a 3 hour tour is typical.

Most tours run in the morning or the afternoon, although some companies offer full day tours for those with sufficient energy.

The pace of most cycle tours is not energetic and you will usually find that hills, busy roads and long distances between stops are uncommon.

London city cycle tours may have minimum age restrictions (for safety reasons), so always check with the tour provider before hand if you have young children.