The Boris Bike

Oops, so much for August. Apologies.

Anyway, on a more exciting note, I recently became one of the 15,000 or so people who've joined Boris' 'cycling revolution'. Ignoring the garish branding (and really it's no worse than walking around proudly advertising your love of Aon in a Man Utd shirt) they really are quite a wonderful little idea.

Sure, there are numerous obstacles to them being a success - London traffic being one, the occasional lack of bike or empty docking station being another. But having been a part of the scheme for three weeks now I can genuinely say it has real upside.

The exercise and fitness side of things is definitely a plus, although I'm not sure how much of a difference the bikes really make to this given you can only get up to about 10mph without breaking the laws of physics and sending your legs into warp drive.

No, what is the real selling point for me is the freedom and time that the bikes give you. Despite the ever present threat of traffic and the general requirement for energetic pedalling, the practice of cycling into work is about 67 times less stressful and more enjoyable than standing on the cramped, hot, sweaty, impersonal tube each day.

Don't get me wrong, the tube is a marvellous invention (and I fulfilled a little dream this week by playing on the tube simulator at the London Transport Museum), but there's just something unsettling about playing the sardine game each morning and evening.

Apparently the bike scheme is going to open up to casual users soon as well, giving more people the chance to enjoy its benefits. That might make it a bit harder to secure a bike at certain times, but as far as I'm concerned the more people who embrace this the better.

Just don't tell that to the non-Boris bikers who still tend to give you that rather tragi-comic look as you line up alongside them at the lights and then watch them burn off into the distance as you waddle along in blissful happiness.