The Many New Faces of #LdnOntBike: 2020 Edition

• Posted on 26 October 2020
• By Ben Cowie
• Posted in Customer Feature, New Bike Day
• 0

New Bike Day photo round up of a most peculiar 2020!

What a crazy year. I’m not sure we’ll ever have another “2020” in my lifetime (at least, I hope that’s true), and while this year was memorable for a lot of the wrong reasons, I think it was a turning point in London’s bike culture. In the spring we saw children and families take over our neighbourhoods, our repair queue swelled with bikes that hadn’t seen sunshine in years, and we nearly sold out of bikes completely a few times (and suppliers rescued us, just in time…). The sheer number of people riding this year was more than I’d ever seen in my many years here, and I hope it’s only the beginning of a transformation in our city.

When you buy a bike from us, one of the last things we ask you before you roll out the door is “would you like to take a photo with your new bike?” Understandably, not everyone wants to have their image published online, but about half of you give us an enthusiastic yes! Some people even dress up to match their bike for their photo. We love sharing your new bike stories, and showing that there are all kinds of different people riding bikes in our community. Thanks to all of you who have supported us in a challenging year, and especially to those who took a leap into using your bike for transportation for the first time. You rock!

As we ease into a slower winter season, we have a lot to look forward to in the coming year. New models from Gazelle and Tern are making us excited for spring already! 

Our growing #Frostbike (or #VikingBiking, if you prefer) community of everyday winter riders is growing here in London, and we’re looking forward to keeping more of you on the road through the darker months this year. If you haven’t ordered your winter tires, now is the time! We’re running low on certain sizes already, so order them today! Free installation and seasonal storage is included in the price of purchase, too, so no need to worry about making a mess in your kitchen trying to put your bike’s winter boots on. There’s a Facebook group, too, with lots of tips and tricks for staying warm, finding the best routes, and meeting the friendly faces you pass along the trail (who might have those faces covered by a scarf or balaclava depending on the day!). Join the group here.

Without further ado, these are the faces of ordinary Londoners who have transformed their lives this year by choosing to ride a bike more often. Thanks to all of you.

- Ben & the London Bicycle Café Team

ps - if you don’t see your photo here, and you’d like to get a #NewBikeDay photo and didn’t get one this past season, either drop by the store and we’ll add yours, or send us a snapshot of you and your new ride and I’ll happily post to the gallery!