Learner bike hire before DAS

[Moebius]

Hi all,

I'm new here (first post!) and pleased to meet you all. I did a quick search and couldn't find a thread that covered / answered the question I have so hoping I could get some guidance and suggestions from members here.

My situation is that I just passed by CBT and have a few months before my DAS, I wanted to use the interim period to get as much practice and experience on the road as possible on a 125cc learner bike (with L plates of course!). Problem is that I can't buy a cheap second hand bike as I don't have a garage or any secure space to keep a bike at the moment, and I've asked around a few places in London but it seems like nowhere is currently offering learner bike hires because of issues with delivery people abusing these hire services (in London in particular). I did find one place that was still offering rentals but they were currently out of learner bikes and it sounds like they will be for the foreseeable... so I've hit a dead end.

So my actual question is does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for places in London that do offer learner bike hires?

Any help appreciated! Cheers.

[Bender]

If you have nowhere to keep a bike of your own then what magic place you intending on storing a hire bike?

Anything on the streets of London stands a better than fair chance of getting stolen with or without you on it?

Welcome BTW

[Moebius]

Hehe, I was going to do daily hires (so taking it back to the hire place at the end of the day). Wasn't planning on keeping it overnight or anything; just want to hire the bike for a day at least two times a week. It's not ideal but until I can find a safe storage solution it's the only way I can think of to get some practice in.

Open to other alternatives though (e.g. anyone in East London feel like letting me use their garage for a small fee? )

[Guest]

Can't help you with the hire bike but I had bike(s) parked on the street in East london (walthamstow) for a couple of years without problem; well apart from someone knocking a bike over. Keep them well locked and covered and hope for the best.

[Moebius]

Funnily enough I live in Walthamstow! Love the area but it certainly doesn't feel safe to leave a bike around, there's a been a few scooters nicked in the area (no idea if they were covered and locked up); but yeah, if I can't find any hire options I suppose I'll have to buy a super cheap 125 and cover, and pray to the motorcycle gods of Stow.

[Guest]

Funnily enough I live in Walthamstow! Love the area but it certainly doesn't feel safe to leave a bike around, there's a been a few scooters nicked in the area (no idea if they were covered and locked up); but yeah, if I can't find any hire options I suppose I'll have to buy a super cheap 125 and cover, and pray to the motorcycle gods of Stow.

 

It probably varies street to street. I was on Devonshire road near bakers arms. Neighbours were generally very friendly and quite a community led area which might have helped. Some nice riding out north Essex way.

[Moebius]

I know it. I'm near the St James street end of the market, close to the marshes. Also a lovely community around here in general - people do look out for each other - but there's also some trouble spots around the station and towards Markhouse road. Nothing dangerous, but local dealers and moped crews snatching phones and thieving etc.

[Gerontious]

Is it not possible to have random lessons, not as part of a fixed course but just joining up with a group, perhaps once a week or so?

[dynax]

Just a query but when you do your DAS and you pass, won't you have the same problem with a bigger bike

[Moebius]

Just a query but when you do your DAS and you pass, won't you have the same problem with a bigger bike

That's true; I'm looking into solutions for that - specifically as far as I'm aware every local borough has a certain amount of council owned garages that can be rented out on a monthly basis (or longer), kinda like bicycle hangers, so I'm going to apply for one of those. Only issue is it takes some time to process, but not planning on buying my first bike until next year so hopefully it'll work out.

 

Is it not possible to have random lessons, not as part of a fixed course but just joining up with a group, perhaps once a week or so?

Yep, this is another option. Downside is it's more costly and I'll get less time on the bike than I'd like because of that, but definitely my backup plan if I can't figure something out on the hiring front in the next couple of weeks.

[dynax]

Is there anywhere close to you that does container storage, it might be cheaper and probably quicker to get one

[Moebius]

Yeah thought about this dynax; there is a self-storage place not too far away in Chingford, and I know they have facilities to store motorcycles over winter; but it seems less practical for storage if you intend to take the bike out regularly every other day or a couple of times a week. Saying that, I'm not sure - I just browsed the self-storage company's website - I should probably give them a call to talk it through and see if it's possible to make an arrangement that makes sense.

Thanks for all the suggestions and questions btw folks, reassuring to know I've at least been thinking along similar lines so far.

[Guest]

Just a query but when you do your DAS and you pass, won't you have the same problem with a bigger bike

That's true; I'm looking into solutions for that - specifically as far as I'm aware every local borough has a certain amount of council owned garages that can be rented out on a monthly basis (or longer), kinda like bicycle hangers, so I'm going to apply for one of those. Only issue is it takes some time to process, but not planning on buying my first bike until next year so hopefully it'll work out.

 

Is it not possible to have random lessons, not as part of a fixed course but just joining up with a group, perhaps once a week or so?

Yep, this is another option. Downside is it's more costly and I'll get less time on the bike than I'd like because of that, but definitely my backup plan if I can't figure something out on the hiring front in the next couple of weeks.

 

I applied for one of those garages and did eventually get the offer of one but it was after several months maybe a over a year. I can't remember the cost but It worked out a lot more than any saving in insurance plus the garage was down a dodgy road with some right dodgy buggers living in flats above so I gave it a pass. To be honest though it could have been quite good and would have given me someone dry and off the road to do basic servicing. Definitely worth a try and applying for one anyway, and you can make the decision when you get offered one. Have you got any room out the front of your house/ flat that you could put a ground anchor?

How have the raves on the marshes been this year?

[Moebius]

I applied for one of those garages and did eventually get the offer of one but it was after several months maybe a over a year. I can't remember the cost but It worked out a lot more than any saving in insurance plus the garage was down a dodgy road with some right dodgy buggers living in flats above so I gave it a pass. To be honest though it could have been quite good and would have given me someone dry and off the road to do basic servicing. Definitely worth a try and applying for one anyway, and you can make the decision when you get offered one. Have you got any room out the front of your house/ flat that you could put a ground anchor?

 

Yeah, took a year to get a bicycle hanger around here so expect it'll take a while for this too. Good to know about your experience with it - as you say, I'll see what they offer (if anything) and make a call then.

The space in front of the house is super tight; it barely fits the few bins we have out front so doubt I could comfortably get a bike in there (maybe I could squeeze a 125 in but for anything bigger in the future I'd have to move the bins... which is not really an option my missus or the neighbours downstairs would okay I imagine!). If I was able to use the space I could put a ground anchor there, but again I'd have to get the thumbs up from the ground floor neighbours.

 

How have the raves on the marshes been this year?

 

Not this year I think.

[Bungleaio]

The school I did my cbt and das with offered daily rental for 125’s if they weren’t being used for cbts. I would have a word with your local schools to see if they offer the same.

[Moebius]

Good shout - I checked with the school I got my CBT at but they are super busy with none to spare, but will call around other places in London.