Brompton Bike Hire is based at Stratford Docks
(Picture: Brompton Bike Hire)Brompton Bike Hire will offer free bike hires in London during the next planned train strikes, from December 13-17.
Strikes are planned for December 13, 14, 16 and 17, affecting rail services in London and across the country.
However, Brompton Bike Hire will let you swap the train for a set of wheels free of charge as it brings back the offer it launched during last month’s travel disruption.
It offers 48 hours of free bike rental using the code “STRIKE”. Rental normally costs £5 a day. This promo effectively offers £10 of credit for use during the rail-strike period.
There’s no risk of the deal being snapped up by the time you read this, either, as reservations can be made up to only 24 hours in advance.
These reservations are made using the Brompton Bike Hire app, available for Android and iOS. There are around 20 bike docks in and around Central London, typically near train stations. Ealing, Walthamstow Central, King’s Cross, and Shepherd’s Bush are among the more popular spots today, and the app lets you see current bike availability.
Bike rentals in London shot up during the the train strikes in November as commuters embraced alternative methods to get to work. According to bicycle hire service Lime, there was a 70 per cent increase in e-bike trips and 140 per cent increase in e-scooter trips during the three days of strikes last month.
Lime is one of several bike rental services available to Londoners, along with Dott and Tier. All three charge £1 to unlock an e-bike, with prices ranging from 17-19p per hour thereafter for your journey.
A widely available option is Santander Cycles, which charges £1.65 for 30 minutes’ hire on the Pay as You Ride plan. This means fees will mount up if you don’t use the system as intended, for short journeys.
Another, more niche option is HumanForest, which is available in a designated zone that spans from Islington in the north to Sutton in south London. The service is free for the first 10 minutes and 19p per minute afterwards. HumanForest also offers 24-hour bundles that range from £4 for one hour to £10 for eight hours.
Brompton Bike Hire’s bikes can be returned to any of the company’s docks at the end of your hire period, although they are much less plentiful than Santander Cycles’s. Some planning is advisable.
Bromptons are folding bikes and are allowed aboard London buses. But, according to Transport for London (Tfl) guidance, the driver may refuse entry if the bus is busy. Buses are likely to be busier than usual during strike days.
To sign up for Brompton Bike Hire, you will need to enter credit/debit card details. It’s a sister company of Brompton Bicycle, maker of the bikes. The models you will find in the bike docks are mostly “C Line Utility with Mid Handlebar Model”, according to the Brompton Bike Hire website. These sell for up to £1,250 online.
