Cycling in Cambridge

February 4, 2013August 18, 2014 by Clare Chase, posted in Cambridge

Earlier this week some neighbours who are visiting Cambridge for a few months had a bike stolen from their front garden. It made me feel awful that I hadn’t thought to warn them; it’s not uncommon for bikes in Cambridge to go walkabout if they’re not locked to something solid. Insurers often won’t pay out unless that’s been done, so it’s well worth checking terms and conditions. There’s some advice on guarding against bike theft on the Cambridgeshire Constabulary website here.

There are other issues for cyclists to contend with too. Occasionally bad feeling builds up between cyclists, drivers and pedestrians, as I mentioned here. And the city streets do get busy, as this rather wonderful video from George Williams shows:

I found getting back into cycling when I came to live in Cambridge a little bit daunting. If you feel the same, Cambridge Cycling Campaign has a useful page for those who want to brush up on their skills – including an advice video produced by Cambridgeshire County Council – here.

The organisation also has a great journey planner to help you find a route to suit your level of bravery and stamina. You can plan your ride across the city, selecting the options that suit you best (fastest, quietest or balanced) and the system can also estimate your journey time, depending on how fast you normally cycle. The directions provided include maps showing pubs, cafes and the like, which could prove useful if it all becomes too much. I love it. For information on Cambridge Cycling Campaign membership, click here.

And for those days when you don’t want to do battle with the traffic, there’s always the very lovely walkit.com…

2 thoughts on “Cycling in Cambridge”

Anita Chapman says:

February 7, 2013 at 9:03 pm

Hi Clare, I went to Anglia Ruskin back in the 1990s (think I may have mentioned before). During Freshers' Week I put a cycle lock through the wheel of the brand new racer I'd got for my birthday and left it outside the house where I was living. Of course it wasn't there by the end of the week…I found a great secondhand bike shop though and thought I'd enter into the spirit of cycling in Cambridge-so I bought a proper bike with basket on the front. I couldn't get the hang of it at all and was pleased to have the excuse to take it back when the chain came off. I exchanged it for a red racer which I used for the rest of my time in Cambridge (always remembering to lock it to something or keep it in the hall!)I used to waitress part-time so it was great to have a way of getting home quickly after work. Love reading your posts about Cambridge so I can reminisce!x

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Clare Wartnaby says:

February 7, 2013 at 9:15 pm

Thanks, Anita – loved your comment – it made me reminisce in my turn – multiple bikes in the narrow hallways of Cambridge terraced houses! How could I have forgotten that? I am envious of your red racer. I had a second-hand bike with small bulbous wheels which people used to refer to, rather insultingly, as the shopping trolley… (Cheek!) C x

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