Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - OT: London

Hi all,

I guess you know the deal: I'm in London (will be here until 2 feb) and I'd love to hear from Londoners... I know we have 1 or 2 in here.
So, what are the pubs/places/museums/theatres/random events/things to see, do, go to and especially drink?

The weather is a lot better than I excpected so I'm dying to get on a bike and ride around, discover the city and all that... cd somebody help? Can I rent a decent bike on the cheap here somewhere?
Of course, if you lend me a 56-62 cm fixed bike w/a front brake I'll buy you a beer or three and put your name in my prayers (well, if I prayed I would). Of course it'd be great if I cd tag along for a ride w/ a local guy but I guess I get on fine alone, too (if only you fools drove on the correct side...:p) One of my friends wd also like to come ride if he can get hold of a bike... he needs a freewheel.

Also, any good LBS to go to? Not necessarily fg specific.

Background story: I'm here w/ 4 other 25-30 yo Hungarian guys on a study trip of sorts, checking out the interpreter training course at Westminster University (we're doing a similar course in Hungary) Timetable hasn't quite been settled yet but I will have some time to fool around esp in afternoons/evenings.

Thx for any help.

You could try posting this message on the London board, but since I can't remember the address, I used Google and it came up w/ no less than 3 different London FG boards.

condor cycles - quite possibly the best bike shop in london

http://www.condorcycles.com/store.html

also try hanging out at the duke of york pub around the corner - the couriers favorite

http://maps.google.com/maps?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&q=EC1R+5DU&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

brixton cycles and bikefix also have good reputations.

http://www.brixtoncycles.co.uk/find_us.html

http://www.bikefix.co.uk/


DO NOT GO NEAR EVANS CYCLES - you have been warned

Hello matey,

Bricklane bikes and Brixton cycles are the bike shops.

Pubs Jon Snow Pub Corner of Lexington street and Broadwick on a friday night is where many dispatch riders are found.

Sunday bike polo North end of brick lane corner with shacklewell st 2 pm on ish come along and have ago / chat.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=shacklewell+st&sll=51.525447,-0.071754&sspn=0.00271,0.007296&ie=UTF8&ll=51.526982,-0.071068&spn=0.01084,0.029182&z=15&iwloc=addr&om=0

Wednesday bike polo peckham rye lane multi story car park

This saturday a night ride http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/3406/5/australia-day-night-ride-sat-26th-jan/

Just come over to http://www.londonfgss.com/ and I am sure we will beable to arrange an impromptu drink one evening this week.

Hope you come along to something

Tommy

P.S ask on the forum to borrow a bike you may be lucky. People have been before. If not google London bike hire and you will be able to get yourself a bike of sorts.

Damn it, was beaten by tommy

just make sure you introduce yourself, everyone will be very friendly

cavendish cycles is also good

there's also a few hungarians around. Flo was in town recently, he's a courier/hiking guide.

Thanks for all the info so far (yeah, I did know the UK also has cycling forums... only I'm not a member at londonfgss and I don't think I'll sign up because of this. I'd just be a random stranger there.)

TheBrick, cd you tell when/exactly where the Peckham rye lane polo will be? We'll prolly be out of town on sunday but next wednesday we may go over to watch and if someone is reckless enough to lend me a bike I might crash it repeatedly... err, I mean play some polo.

Also, still looking for a bike... I'll google bike renting but if you know about a decent place please do tell.

Plus we're in severe need of a pub that has a foosball (table football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_football)) table and preferably "who wants to be a millionaire" touchscreen slot-in game. WWtbaM rocks when you're a bit drunk and have no idea about british soap operas.

If you know about a not-too-expensive place where one can get a good steak don't hold back.


P.s. London rocks. People ride hot bikes here and apparently you can get away w/ taking the lane.
TX

just join the forum , there are maps of where polo is, its on a thread called brockwell park polo

but just join, so many people join and say nothing at least you'll say something

there will also be more chance of you finding a bike

just do it - londonfgss.com

All the regulars are mentioned, Brixton Cycles and the Duke etc.

You mentioned museums. Gotta go to the British Museum. O once had six weeks off work due to a broken collarbone, I just went there every day. Free and fantastic.

Yeah, def going to BritishM. One more quick Q: any good second hand bookshops?

For 2nd hand books it really depends what your looking for. So what are you looking for?

However, for general fiction/non-fiction you can't beat browsing the 2nd book sellers located near the NFT on the South Bank. Normally there daily (though not as many sellers in the winter months). Has the added bonus that you have to pass the Skatepark thats part of the Southbank centre.

bummer, I am in mexico right now.

Thanks for all the info so far (yeah, I did know the UK also has cycling forums... only I'm not a member at londonfgss and I don't think I'll sign up because of this. I'd just be a random stranger there.)

TheBrick, cd you tell when/exactly where the Peckham rye lane polo will be? We'll prolly be out of town on sunday but next wednesday we may go over to watch and if someone is reckless enough to lend me a bike I might crash it repeatedly... err, I mean play some polo.

Also, still looking for a bike... I'll google bike renting but if you know about a decent place please do tell.

Plus we're in severe need of a pub that has a foosball (table football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_football)) table and preferably "who wants to be a millionaire" touchscreen slot-in game. WWtbaM rocks when you're a bit drunk and have no idea about british soap operas.

If you know about a not-too-expensive place where one can get a good steak don't hold back.


P.s. London rocks. People ride hot bikes here and apparently you can get away w/ taking the lane.
TX

Peckham bike polo is

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/4043/mapkx1.jpg

More info http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/3135/8/brockwell-park-bike-polo/

but do come and join the forum. There is no prob with you coming over and asking the questions that you asking here, the shooting down and bull **** tends to kick off when someone arrives and first post is selling stuff and that is it no intro / respect, really that kind of behavior is rude and it works as a community moderation. Plus as flickwg says you would have a better chance of finding some one with a bike of some sort to lend you. Critical mass is tonight and some people will be going to that (I may but I am not sure what else I am doing at the moment) and people will be pubbing it after. I think there is an Alley cat tonight.

Can't help out with the table football I am afraid. They quite often tend to be in bowling alleys over here so if you are desperate hunt out a bowling alley (they tend to serve beer too). Millionaire games sem to be every where.

The Jerusalem Tavern 55 Britton Street London, EC1M 5UQ is a nice pub as far as beers go but not much in the way of exciting games.

steak not too sure myself.
Check out this thread for places to eat in genral though many very cheap and good.

http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/2897/

THX, I saved the food thread onto my PSP so we can browse it... BTW they serve some pretty f'ing good food in the Three Greyhounds pub so next time somenone disses English food I'm punching them in the face.

As to books: we're looking for Mother Theresa by Christopher Hitchens and a spanish-english false cognate dictionary (both for me and no shop seems to have'em), fiction, oriental/tibetan stuff, history and random fun crap. Most of us ('cept me) already bought what they really wanted so now we'll just browse some 2nd hand stores for fun.
THX fixedpip, we'll go to the south bank. I guess they sell off stands in the street there, right?