London Cycling in London is a daily duel, with riders battling motorists for space on narrow roads, while dodging errant pedestrians and vans blocking bicycle lanes. And then they have to protect their machines from thieves. Although cycling has nearly doubled in five years, mass two-wheeling has yet to materialise in London. That may change as the capital's mayor gushes over an innovative bicycle rental scheme in Paris, the Velib. The scheme lets anyone pick up one of the 10,000 heavy, metallic grey 'freedom bikes' locked at stands across the capital and drop them off at any other rack when they've finished. Typically, most of the 1.2m journeys made so far in the first month were short, under 3km, and cost a little more than US$1, all paid by credit card. London's mayor, Ken Livingstone, says he has seen the future and it works, and has asked transport officials in London to study the Parisian scheme. Initial research shows the bicycles are used by public transport users coming off the Metro or buses and by socialisers heading home at night. The main drawbacks to Velib, it seems, are the complex credit card registration system and the Euro150 (HK$1,581) deposit. There is also a lack of bicycles at the top of hills, compared to the glut at the bottom, and the bicycles are cumbersome and heavy, to deter theft. The bicycles look dated although the retro, unisex design has not put off chic Parisians. And the more battered, less cool the bike, the less chance it has of being stolen. 'Any scheme that gets more people cycling, takes cars off the road and eases the stress on London's creaking public transport has to be a good idea,' says Tom Bogdanowicz, at the London Cycling Campaign. 'Novices soon become experienced and most cycling is done on the side streets. These roads are not dangerous.' He has, however, one reservation. 'A Velib-style scheme would work better in outer London, because there are more places to build bike stands. Central London just doesn't have the space.' What about theft? The Cambridge council introduced garish recycled rental bikes for free common use in 1993 but all were stolen on the first day. But Bernie Hanning, co-founder of a small-scale rental system which has been running for three years, mainly in west London, says theft will be minimal. 'We have special nuts and bolts which you can't get the tools for. There's some vandalism, but only early on - when the gangs steal them they get frustrated at not being able to sell them on. 'After a while, the word gets out that these bikes aren't worth bothering with. The bikes look too distinctive, they are yellow, and you can't get spare parts - even the nuts and bolts are unique.' Of the 100 bicycles in the project, says Mr Hanning, only 10 have been stolen and five of those were returned. Mr Hanning hopes his system will be adopted across the city because it is operated by mobile phone, not credit card. 'People register with us via phone, receive a PIN code by text message to unlock the bike and off they go. Plus there are too few hills in London to cause gluts.' But what about punctures, the other bugbear of cycling? 'No need - our tyres now have a polyurethane strip in the middle which negates punctures.'
