London cycle hire has a name and first docking stations

With a little over a month to go before its launch, London’s mass bicycle hire scheme has been christened Barclays Cycle Hire and given its first docking stations in Southwark Street.

By the time the scheme is complete, six thousand hire bikes will be housed across 400 docking stations in central London.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “Barclays Cycle Hire is a fantastic addition to the city, and while the name itself is a little dry, the bank has ploughed an estimated £25m into the project so it was unlikely to be anything different.”

Can you think of a catchy nickname as an alternative to Barclays Cycle Hire?

If so, please send your suggestions to Yannick Read

We ride the Barclays Cycle Hire bike

The Barclays Bikes will be ridden off and into kerbs, dropped, scraped and generally made to work hard for a living, but a test ride suggests the bikes are up to the job.

Whilst not the lightest of machines, the bikes feel sure-footed on the road – a quality that will reassure novice riders. The gears are easy to operate and the bike’s lights are on permanently. Verdict: Well-designed, easy to ride and tough

The history of mass cycle hire schemes

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• Bicycle riding is harder than it looks according to scientists

Cycle insurance

Cycle insurance from the ETA includes new-for-old, cover for accidental damage, £1m third party insurance, personal accident cover and if you breakdown, we will even come out and recover you and your bike. Get an instant online quote below.