Bike shops have been cropping up all over London– almost in inverse proportion to petrol (aka gas) stations which all but disappeared from the city center in the past few years. Recent new sightings have included stores in Newington Green and one in Honor Oak. But the sign that the bike phenomenon is well and truly part of the zeitgeist is when you start seeing non-bike activities catering exclusively (or sorta exclusively) to the pedal-phile.

Look Mum No Hands is one of a new breed of cycle cafes. Here you can get your bike repaired while you grab a cappuccino or one of their fine beers (the home brew is a brand called Slag – and apparently a few too many will turn you into one). They organize film screenings in the evenings, and did we mention the food – the pies come highly recommended, as do the homemade cakes. It goes without saying, there’s secure bike parking in the courtyard, and you can meet other cyclists, browse through copies of Rouleur magazine and plot how to eradicate the evil motorcar from the streets of L0ndon once and for all. Rah-hah-hah-hah-hah.