Cycling

If you’re looking for a quiet route to cycle in Oxfordshire, check out this online cycling map showing no or low-traffic cycling routes around the county. There are also hundreds of other safe routes, so don’t be put off if you can’t find yours on the map; these are just the particularly quiet ones. Or you can use the cycle.travel website or mobile app to plan a quiet route to your destination.

Some route-planning mobile apps like CityMapper or CycleStreets allow you to decide if you'd like a quiet route or a faster route - or something in between - to get about by bike.

There are loads of great bike shops in Oxfordshire where you can try out both new and second hand bikes and cycles, to find one that suits you. There is a huge range, to suit most budgets, and you can even buy online and pick up in person. Google bike shops to find the ones nearest you that best suit your needs.

Remember that there are lots of different cycle options, including makes and models way beyond the standard bike. For instance, folding bikes - which are great for taking on the train - adaptive bikes for the needs of different bodies, and e-bikes, which are brilliant for covering long distances. Staff at any bike shop should be happy to help you find the right one for you.

If you’re looking to rent a bike in Oxford to help get you to or from the train station, bus stop, or Park & Ride, you have several options.

You can rent bikes from Byke for £5 per day or £20 per month. The bikes can be picked up from Oxford Railway Station and Gloucester Green Bus Station, as well as many other depots around the city.

With the largest rental fleet in southern England, Bainton Bikes offers standard bikes, electric bikes, child trailers, and electric cargo bikes for hire. With short- or long-term rentals available, a collection point in central Oxford, and a delivery service, it couldn’t be easier. If you’re an NHS worker, it’s also worth asking about their bike rental scheme for home visits.

You can also hire a bike on a pay-as-you-go basis through theDonkey Republic app if you work at Milton Park, Culham or Harwell, or rent an e-bike from Voi or Lime. Voi's e-bikes can be borrowed from existing scooter bays by anyone 16 or over, and prices are the same as scooter rentals. Lime offers passes that range from a 30 minute one day pass for £2.99 to a 300 minute 30 day pass for £20.99, saving you up to 50% off the cost of paying by the ride. It also offers discounts for some groups through their Lime Access program. While Voi bikes need to be borrowed from and returned to designated bays, Lime bikes do not.

Looking to also see the sights while you rent a bike? Bainton Bikes offers guided cycle tours around Oxford or out to Blenheim Palace.

If you’re looking to rent a bike outside of Oxford to help you get to or from the bus stop or train station, Google for rental options around you or your destination. For example, Donkey Republic is also offered in Didcot, Henley-on-Thames, and throughout the Cotswolds.

If you’re looking for a deal on a new bike, it’s really worth asking your employer if they’re part of the Cycle to Work scheme. Cycle to Work allows you to lease a standard cycle or e-cycle, as well as safety equipment for your cycle, and pay for it directly out of your monthly pay packet, at a discounted rate. This saves you money on your contributions to income tax and national insurance, since the payments are deducted from your salary before these are applied.

If your employer participates in Cycle to Work, see if they also use Dash, which lets you lease an e-bike for as little as £25 per month. This includes the bike, maintenance, theft insurance, and a helmet and lock. 

E-bikes are a great way to cycle longer distances than you might otherwise be able to, tackle hills or just get an extra boost for your regular riding. To learn more about the rules of riding an electric bike, check out this useful article.

Buying or leasing an e-bike

Several shops in Oxfordshire sell e-bikes – just Google to find the best fit for you.

To help make e-bikes more affordable, there are also subscription options, so you can pay on a month-by-month basis.

If your employer participates in Cycle to Work, see if they also use Dash, which lets you lease an e-bike for as little as £25 per month. This includes the bike, maintenance, theft insurance, and a helmet and lock. 

If your employer doesn’t participate in Cycle to Work, you can still get an e-bike subscription with Hurrecane eBikes for as little as £50 per month. The subscription includes maintenance and you can add theft insurance. 

Interested in trying out an e-bike before you buy or lease one? See the "Hiring a cycle" section above for information on hiring e-bikes.

Batteries

E-bike batteries are made from lithium ion, which is exactly the same as batteries in laptops, smartphones and a host of everyday items which we often leave plugged in overnight and unattended in our homes. 

E-bikes that are bought from a good bike shop, or a reputable supplier based in the UK, will have CE and/or UKCA markings, and will have undergone a series of important safety tests that make fire risk very low.

While there has been some media attention about the risks of fire caused by e-bikes, the fires that have occurred have overwhelmingly been from regular bikes that were converted into e-bikes at home using kits bought cheaply online from disreputable sources. As long as you haven't got a poorly converted bike with low quality components, the risk of fire from your e-bike is no more likely than the risk of a car fire - especially when you follow the Government guidelines for safe battery usage.

Don’t worry - there is a way of cycling to suit every kind of body, age and fitness level - even over longer distances.

Cycling UK offers many good resources on inclusive cycling, including a guide to non-standard cycles. E-bikes can also help make biking more accessible, especially over long distances. See the e-bike section above for more details.

CyclAbility also offers Learn To Ride sessions in Oxford for £3-10. The sessions have an emphasis on making biking accessible to people of all needs and abilities, and there are lots of cycles for different bodies available to try at the sessions. It’s a great way to find out what is available to make cycling possible for you! 

Cycling is a great way to get kids active, outside and - especially on the school run - on time! CyclingUK have put together an excellent guide to options for transporting kids by bike, including trailers, child seats and tagalongs that won’t break the bank. Whether your little one is six months or six years old, there are plenty of options to get them going. 

If your kids will be cycling alongside you, here are some resources for cycling with kids. Enroling your child in a cycle training programme is also a great option.

There are a lot of great options for carrying loads both big and small on cycles. These range from rucksacks or messenger bags, to handlebar bags or baskets, to cargo racks or panniers, to trailers or cargo bikes. Read here for a fairly comprehensive article on your options for carrying stuff on a cycle.

Cycle training:

Whether you're new to cycling, feel a bit rusty, or just want to build your confidence, cycle training can help. Bikeability training is available throughout the UK, including at the Broken Spoke Bike Co-op in Oxford. See Bikeability's availability checker to find services near you.

Windrush Bike Project in Witney offers Rusty Riders bike rides aimed at helping people start cycling or get back into cycling. You will be accompanied by a qualified cycling instructor and a volunteer ride leader.

CyclAbility offers Learn to Ride sessions in Oxford for £3-10. The sessions have an emphasis on making cycling accessible to people of all needs and abilities, and there are a variety of cycles for different bodies available to try at the sessions.

To enquire about the availability of adult cycle training sessions for small groups with Oxfordshire County Council’s road safety team, email roadsafety.education@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Cycle groups:

Do you feel confident about riding but are looking for company? CyclingUK offers a list of cycling groups throughout Oxfordshire, many of which offer group rides. This can be a great way to meet new friends, get more comfortable on the roads and grab some free exercise.

Brakes feeling squeaky? Gears getting crunchy? No worries: most bike shops also do repairs and service checks on bikes to make sure you’re having the easiest and safest ride possible. Just Google bike shops in your area or go in and see what they offer. Bikes should generally be serviced every 6 months to one year.

Some special offerings:

Broken Spoke Bike Co-op and Walton Street Cycles in Oxford and Windrush Bike Project in Witney all do repairs, and also offer bike maintenance training sessions. 

There are also repair cafes that are held throughout Oxfordshire each month, where you can be matched up with a skilled person who can not only fix your item for you, but also help teach you how to fix it yourself if you’re interested. Bikes are one of the things that are often included in the cafes. Check out your local repair cafe and see if they can help you out.

Oxford Cycle Support offers mobile cycle repairs in the Oxford area, meaning that they will come to your home, college, or workplace to fix your bike at a time that’s convenient to you. This super helpful service is also offered by some employers, so check with your employer to see what they offer. 

Halfords offers a free bike health check and many different bike maintenance and repair packages. They have locations in Oxford, Bicester, and Didcot.

There is a lot of room for improvement in making Oxford and Oxfordshire a safer place to cycle. However there are several steps you can take to make cycling as safe as possible.

Safety tips: The Oxfordshire County Council offers resources on cycle safety. Cycling UK also offers helpful video guides to cycling safely and basic cycle maintenance. See the "Cycle training" section above if you would prefer more hands-on training.

Quiet routes: See "Finding a route" above for ways to find routes that have lower traffic.

Cycling in poor conditions: There are special safety concerns that come from cycling in wet and cold weather, and in the dark. Read Cycling UK's advice for cycling in winter, cycling in the rain, and cycling in the dark for helpful tips.

Cycle security: While you can, of course, lock your bike to a lamppost in a pinch, the Oxfordshire County Council has published a special bike parking map that can be used to locate places to park your bike throughout the county. The map includes information about the parking infrastructure, including the type of stand, number of spaces and images where present. So no more tying up to a railing if you don’t want to!

Along with the parking map, County Council gives advice for locking your bike, registering your bike in case it gets stolen, and reporting bike thefts to the police. For added peace of mind, you can also purchase cycle insurance.