Happy birthday i b i k e l o n d o n!

i b i k e l o n d o n is one this week, happy birthday to us! 

I'm amazed that a little blog which I started for personal reasons one year ago has grown into something so big in my life, and astonished that the year has gone by so quickly!  I started out because all the cycling websites I found seemed hell bent on selling me 'stuff' that I didn't consider necessary to cycle, and I didn't think there was enough focus on the everyday and ordinary potential of bikes in the city, or enough attention being focused on how our streetscape can be planned and designed to help bring about the realisation of that potential.  Since those humble beginnings of scribbled thoughts and bad photo posts with just a few hits a week, the blog has grown and grown, undergoing a makeover to make it easier on the eye and picking up a loyal following of readers, contributors and friends along the way.  I'm very humbled that people from 111 countries around the world (Hello Palestine! Hi there, um, Isle of Man!)  have found the time to check in with my ramblings, and am even more excited when they take the time to join in the debate..  The comments and conversations that take place here between readers are the most gratifying aspect of the whole writing process for me. So a big thanks for visiting over the year, and don't be afraid to pitch in with your ideas!

I have great plans for the website; we'll be keeping perennial favourite our weekly interview with London's cyclists "youbikelondon", but introducing new features too as time moves on; more videos, more photographs of London's fabulous cyclists and more features on cool bikes and cool schemes designed to make our passage through the city easier.  And of course I'll be keeping up with the political shenanigans going on at Westminster and City Hall for you and making sure our leaders give cycling the priority it deserves, and calling them out when they don't.  And I really must get back to finding out what the other 76 reasons are of '101 reasons to love cycling in London'.  If you've got an idea that you'd like to see on the blog let me know.

Most Popular Posts in Year One

It can, sometimes, be a wearisome task keeping abreast of all the latest cycling developments here in London: another cyclist death at the hands of an HGV, another poorly designed cycle lane, another bike stolen...

So it gives me great pleasure to share the year's most popular blog post and to know that it was one born out of pure unadulterated fun.  If you weren't there, you missed out on a spectacular day; it's the Tweed Run 2010!

IMG_2140

Coming up a close second and proving that the old debates are always the most contentious is 'The Myth of the red light jumping cyclist'.  Read the stats and decide for yourself on that one!

My little film made on International Women's Day last year asking "What's stopping women from cycling?" comes third, whilst the case for segregated cycling provided some of the most fantastic debate here and rolls in fourth.

Learning how to ride around HGVs in our built up city has clearly been at the forefront of many cyclist's minds as 'Know your enemies; know your limits - riding with HGVs' is in the 'popular blogs' list, whilst more positively, and just scraping in, "Love London's Cyclists" my film on why we're all fabulous and London can't do without us rounds the year's hits nicely!

Here's to another year and hopes for continued growth and success and I hope you'll all come along for the ride!

Thank you,

Mark

Share |

9 comments:

Clive Chapman said...

Happy Birthday ibikelondon!

Cheers

Clive

ibikelondon said...

Thanks Clive!

Andreas said...

Happy Birthday I Bike London - Keep it going!

Anonymous said...

Love your blog and couldn't agree more with most of your conclusions - particularly regarding cycle paths and segregation.

I particularly like your entries relating to campaigning and infrastructure, so keep them up, please!

Anne said...

Happy Birthday, I Bike London! I've been enjoying your excellent blog for more than half its life--I had no idea!

Your future plans sound great: I'm looking forward to watching the site develop. Thanks for all you do for city cycling worldwide!

MELI. said...

congrats mark --- i love your blog and seeing all the london riders you interview
much foggy sunny hugs from San Francisco Calif.
♥xxo.meli

Branko Collin said...

Congratulations. My favourites are the portraits of cyclists, but the rest is good too. Keep up the good work.

ibikelondon said...

Thanks everyone for all your really kind comments - here's to another year (and many more I hope)

Alex said...

In the world of hacking we are the best when it comes to client satisfaction. Bestapphack is an experienced online Private Investigator/Ethical Hacker providing investigative solutions and related services to individuals. You might be curious that what hacking group services can provide? .. If you hire a hacker, you will need to be taken along with the progress of the hack till it is completed and that is what we provide at cyberapphack. We render: +University Grades Hack, +Bank Account Hacks, +Control devices remotely hack, +Facebook Hacking Tricks, +Gmail, AOL, Yahoomail, inbox, mobile phone (call and text message Hacking are available) +Database Hacking, +PC Computer Tricks +Bank transfer, Western Union, Money Gram, Credit Card transfer +Wiping of Credit, +VPN Software, +ATM Hack Contact at: BESTAPPSHACKERS@GMAIL.COM OR WHATSAPP +1(602)609-4730