The Freewheelin' London Bike Tour Company

Our BIKE TRACKS are available on a PRIVATE HIRE BASIS for indivuduals, families and travel bubbles.

The date/time for your tour is your choice (subject to guide availbility.) Just choose your itinerary (or theme or neighbourhood of interest) and email or ring us to book!

Some tracks easily link together for guests wishing a more 'full day' London Experience

Private Hire Options feature the exclusive services of your tour guide. Private tours are the date/time of your choice, subject to guide availability, on either a half day (2 - 4 hours) or full day (4 - 8 hours.) We have set cycling routes to follow, but as this is your private/custom tour, we can tailor to your core interests and priorities as conditions permit.

Private Hire BIKE TRACKS HALF DAY (2 - 4 hours) Cost: £155 flat rate for 1 - 6 riders; additional riders £25 per person up to 10 riders max (larger groups are possible with multiple tour guides)

Full day tour (4 - 8 hours) possible, price on request based on specifics. Contact us for a rate quote.

Many of the half day 8 Tracks itineraries can be combined for a full day London adventure.

THE 8 TRACKS Rock and ROLL London Bike Tours include:

SOUTH/SOUTH CENTRAL

Brixton (2 or 3 hrs; start/finish Brixton station with option to finish at Battersea Park) Bowie to the Ram Jam & Electric Avenue, Celebrate London's Afro-Caribbean Community

Battersea Park - Chelsea (3 hrs; start/finish choice of Battersea, Sloane Square, Vauxhall or Victoria) High End Bohemian Quarter, The Chelsea Set

Belgravia (3 hrs; start/finish choice of Sloane Square, Vauxhall or Victoria) Hippies/Mods v The Establishment plus TV settings

CENTRAL

Soho – Covent Garden (2 hrs; start Waterloo station/finish Carnaby St area or back to Waterloo) Uncover the Entertainment District, 1920s to 1980s

Mayfair – Marylebone - Abbey Road (3 hrs; start Waterloo or Carnaby St area/finish St John's Wood/Marylebone) Beatles, Punks & Bowie

WEST CENTRAL

Kensington – Holland Park (3 hrs PM; start/finish Shepards Bush station/Holland Park station) Royal Kensington Queens: Royal Family, Fashonistas & Freddie Mercury's Queen

Notting Hill - Maida Vale - Abbey Road (3 hrs; Start Shepards Bush/Holland Park station/finish St John’s Wood/Marylebone area) Celebrating the Windrush Generation + Rastas, Punks, Hippies & THAT Zebra Crossing...includes Little Venice

NORTH

Camden – Primrose Hill – Abbey Road (3 hrs; start St Pancras/Kings X station/finish St John's Wood area) "The Capital of Alternative Culture" and THAT Zebra Crossing

WEST

THE 'B' SIDE - THE SUNDAY SPECIAL

Chiswick – Richmond – Eel Pie Island – Twickenham  (THE SUNDAY SPECIAL, full day Sundays only, 10:00 - 17:00 with meal breaks) Beatles, British Blues, Stones & The River in West London

Private Hire Basis, date/time of your choice (per guide availability)

Start: Brixton Station/Saltoun Road bike dock OR if using own bike option of Herne Hill station

Finish: Brixton Station/Ferndale Rd bike dock OPTION to finish at Battersea Park/Queen's Circus bike dock for guests wishing to link up with the Battersea Park-Chelsea 8 Track

Half day tour. Typically 3 - 4 hours

Tour Outline: "It’s the birthplace of David Bowie, home of one of London’s best-loved music venues and the location of Britain’s first cultural centre dedicated to black heritage." Welcome to Brixton! Adele, Sharon Osbourne, Danny Kirwin of Fleetwood Mac, Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of The Clash have all called Brixton home. Alabama 3, Basement Jaxx and Flesh For Lulu among others were 'born in Brixton.' Explore the local heritage of the area's vaudeville past, roots of the riots, celebrate the local Carribean culture, discover Winifred Atwell and artists including Dreph. See some of the Brixton murals including the Bowie shrine and Michelle Obama, plus the latest street art. Explore the famed Brixton markets and Electric Avenue. See Bowie's childhood home, locations of famed venues past and present such as Brixton Academy, Gunnell brothers' Ram Jam Club and The Frig.

At the conclusion of our Brixton tour, guests have the option to be guided to scenic Battersea Park, to join the Chelsea 8 Track. Will any pigs be flying above Battersea Power Station? Alternatively, the option to check out Van Gogh House in Brixton, about a mile from our core route, or simply finish to relax in the eateries of the markets.

Option to link up with the Chelsea 8 Track for a full day out

Private Hire Basis, date/time of your choice (per guide availability)

Start: Battersea Park station/Queen's Circus bike dock (5 minutes from Battersea Park station and 10 minutes Queenstown Rd station) OR if using your own bike, choose a start from Vauxhall station or Victoria station

Finish: Sloane Square Station/Sedding St bike dock OR back to your choice to finish at Vauxhall station or Victoria station

Half day tour. Typically 3 - 4 hours

Tour Outline: Battersea Park, take a green path 'in the shadow' of Battersea Power Station, setting of the famous Pink Floyd album cover. Travel across the bridge, and the scenic river setting, to Chelsea.

What a treasure trove of artistic heritage! Chelsea is the high end Bohemian quarter, it was the heart of 'swingin' 60s, central to the punk revolution, and playground for the Sloane Rangers of the 80s. Discover Rolling Stones territory along the river. See places of Beatles, Eric Clapton, Sex Pistols, Clash, Poly Styrene, early Pink Floyd, Marianne Faithfull, swingin' fashion hubs and a legendary wedding location. Along the way, glimpse the heritage of royals, writers and artists who called this place home. Discover the leafy lanes and quaint flower filled squares, some so quiet you might forget you're in the city and in the heart of rock n roll history!

Option to link up with Brixton 8 Track and/or Belgravia 8 Track

Private Hire Basis, date/time of your choice (per guide availability)

Start: Sloane Square Station/Sedding Street bike dock OR if using your own bike, start from Vauxhall station or Victoria station

Finish: Sloane Square Station/Sedding Street bike dock OR back to your choice to finish at Vauxhall station or Victoria station

Half day tour. Typically 3 hours

Tour Outline: Hippies/Mods v The Establishment Our exploration of this 'ultra rich' area is centred around the squares - Sloane Square, Eaton Square, Belgrave Square - and their surrounding small streets and mews where, back in the 60s, was an idiological battleground of young musicians and fledgling 'Hollywood-ites' against the older 'bowler hats' of The Establishment.

See early London homes of The Beatles, of their manager Brian Epstein, the home where he died. Our route takes in the former homes of Pete Townsend, Lambert & Stamp, Stones' Brian Jones, a Bee Gee, Marianne Faithfull, The Pretty Things, and Hollywood legends Judy Garland and Vivien Leigh. This is where a young Sharon Tate began her film career, where Jim Morrison hung up his leather trousers, and where Donny Osmond washed out his purple socks! This is also the setting for popular costume dramas, Upstairs/Downstairs, Downton Abbey and Julia Fellowes' recent Belgravia. Weekdays, the evening break can be at a place known to the Fab Four!

A Vauxhall start or finish is a CLASH EXTRA OPTION! See what was Vanilla Studios, where the band played football on breaks and several places where they hung out.

Option to link up with Chelsea 8 Track

Private Hire Basis, date/time of your choice (per guide availability)

Start: Waterloo Station, Tension Way exit (by the Costa Coffee,) Cab Rd bike dock

Finish: Carnaby Street/Golden Square bike dock (5 minutes walk Piccadilly Circus station) OR 2 miles ride back to Waterloo station

Half day tour. Typically 3 hours

Tour Outline: Explore the heart of the Entertainment District! From 'Tin Pan Alley,' music publishers' row, to the epicentre of the Swingin' 60s Carnaby Street. Fashion and tunes! Here is a French Quarter of London, the beatnik coffee houses, skiffle and jazz clubs of the 1950s; here are the 'basement and attic' venues for 60s folkies, R&B-ers and bluesmen, 70s punks, where New Wave bands started, where hip hop first hit the UK, where the '2nd British Invasion' 80s bands became the New Romantics and the Goths. This area has grown from plague pits to gin palaces to supper clubs to peep shows to posh boutiques. Here is the capital's Chinatown and hub for the LBGTQ community. This area has connections to just about every band/artist one can think of - Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Bowie, Queen, The Who, Cliff, Paul Simon, Duran Duran, Judy Garland, Josephine Baker, Yes, Boy George, Jimi Hendrix, Guns N Roses to name a few.

Think you know Soho? If we had a penny for every time a Londoner said, "I've walked by there so many times, but I never knew..." Join us and peel back a few layers of heritage, 1920s through 1980s!

Option to link up with Mayfair-Marylebone-Abbey Road 8 Track

Private Hire Basis, date/time of your choice (per guide availability)

Start: Carnaby Street/Golden Square bike dock (5 minutes walk Piccadilly Circus station) OR if using your own bike, start from Waterloo station

Finish: St John’s Wood/Grove End Rd bike dock or Wellington Rd bike dock (each 5 minutes walk St Johns Wood station) OR if your own bike, option of either Marylebone station or West Thankeslink station

Half day tour. Typically 3 - 4 hours

Tour Outline: Beatles, Punks & Bowie! Explore places of ‘Beatlemania’ such as Ringo's flat and other Beatle homes, where Paul wrote Yesterday, Apple & EMI offices, where the famous rooftop concert took place, plus some Beatle film locations. There's a Bowie album cover 'to get into' and the plaque for Ziggy Stardust. See where Jimi Hendrix shared space with 'the ghost of Handel' and locations that inspired some famous songs including Stones' Street Fighting Man and Hendrix's The Wind Cries Mary.

See the place where tons of iconic tunes were recorded, artists including: Duran Duran, Culture Club, Beach Boys, Tina Turner, Tom Jones, Bananarama, Spandau Ballet and George Michael. Want Punk? We got you! Follow the 'Punk in Marylebone Trail,' see Joe Strummer's one time squat, his blue plaque, where the Clash got together, the Sex Pistols' 'office' and locations for Chrissie Hynde, The Slits and The Damned. And yes, of course you can experience the ultimate photo op at THAT zebra crossing, our adventure concludes at Abbey Road!

Entertaining and fun, with lots of photo stops! Plus the option to finish at a local chippy frequented by The Beatles.

Those choosing the West Thameslink finish will have the BONUS of seeing what was Decca Records and Klooks Kleek!

Option to link up with Soho-Covent Garden 8 Track

Private Hire Basis, date/time of your choice (per guide availability)

Start: Holland Park station/Lansdowne Road bike dock OR if using your own bike, Shepards Bush station

Finish: Holland Park station/Lansdowne Road bike dock (option to finish at the bike dock next to Holland Park entrance) OR if using your own bike, Shepards Bush station

Half day tour. Typically 3 - 4 hours

Tour Outline: Royal Kensington's Queens -- Royal Family, High Street Fashionistas and Queen (the band) Bohemian Rhapsody, attention fans of Queen and Freddie Mercury! See where the band was born, some former homes, what was Kensington Market, and where Freddie passed. Kensington is Queen's neighbourhood! This route sees the Royal Albert Hall, Roxy Music's high street fashion boutiques, the 'working class Carnaby,' and the history of Biba, some famed Stones locations and campus venues. Option to go past former homes of Dusty Springfield, George Michael, Jimmy Page and others.

There's two parks, the lovely green spaces of Princess Diana's Kensington Gardens, home to Kensington Palace and Queen Victoria's stunning Albert Memorial, and our route is adjacent to Holland Park (Those with a bike hire, there's the option to conclude at the entrance for guests wanting to explore Holland Park's Japanese Kyoto Gardens on foot; note the park is pedestrian only. There is a bike dock there.)

Option to link up with Notting Hill-Maida Vale-Abbey Road 8 Track

Private Hire Basis, date/time of your choice (per guide availability)

Start: Holland Park station/Lansdowne Road bike dock OR if using your own bike, Shepards Bush station

Finish: St John’s Wood/Grove End Rd bike dock or Wellington Rd bike dock (each 5 minutes walk St Johns Wood station) OR if your own bike, option of either Marylebone station or West Thankeslink station

Half day tour. Typically 4 hours

Tour Outline: Celebrating the Windrush Generation + Rastas, Punks, Hippies & THAT Zebra Crossing. Notting Hill was thrust into the spotlight 20 some years ago with the iconic Julia Roberts/Hugh Grant film, but this West London neighbourhood has a deep cultural heritage. Here is one cradle of London’s Caribbean community. Learn about the cultural shift of London’s post war, racial strife and hardship of the Windrush Generation. Celebrate their heritage and the origins of the Notting Hill Carnival.

See All Saints and the Mangrove. Our route takes us via some very scenic housefronts, cheery garden squares and nearly hidden mews. Explore places for Bob Marley, The Clash, Pink Floyd, T Rex, Adele, Chrissie Hynde, Sex Pistols and more. There are classic recording studios and perhaps find Love, Actually.. Pay respects where Jimi Hendrix died. Here is where Sir Bob Geldof's Band Aid was born, where Paula Yates passed, where Sid & Nancy partied. See a posh hotel that has inspired artists for decades; punk venues and homes; of course a few famous film locations; and perhaps a glimpse of the local markets.

Then head north, through a few quiet 'secrets' of Maida Vale, along a stretch of scenic canal of Little Venice, to another famous studio. And yes, of course you can experience the ultimate photo op at THAT zebra crossing, our adventure concludes at Abbey Road! There's the option to finish at a fish and chippy known to The Beatles.

Those choosing the West Thameslink finish will have the BONUS of seeing what was Decca Records and Klooks Kleek!

Option to link up with Kensington-Holland Park 8 Track

Private Hire Basis, date/time of your choice (per guide availability)

Start: St Pancras/Kings X station (Goods Way Bike Dock)

Finish: St John’s Wood/Grove End Rd bike dock or Wellington Rd bike dock (each 5 minutes walk St Johns Wood station) OR if your own bike, option of either Marylebone station or West Thankeslink station

Half day tour. Typically 4 hours

Tour Outline: A scenic stretch along the Regent Canal Towpath and into Camden Square kicks off our adventure. Camden has been called "the capital of alternative culture" as it's a base for numerous artists and musicians. The area's 'All Welcome/Come As You Are' atmosphere never fails to make one smile! Long before Amy Winehouse made this area her playground, here was the stomping ground for hippie London, The Clash and the punk revolution, then Madness and U2 in the 80s, Oasis and their Brit Pop rivalries in the 90s.... The list of bands playing Camden venues is long and illustrious – Pink Floyd, Sex Pistols, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lady Gaga, Prince, Killers, Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, Wolf Alice and Blondie to name a few. Glimpse the world-famous Camden Markets, the scenic canal, and the latest street art.

Also, sample the lovely greenery that inspired about a dozen songs and hosted many photo shoots: Primrose Hill. Our route is via the charming 'village' of St John's Wood. And yes, of course you can experience the ultimate photo op at THAT zebra crossing, our adventure concludes at Abbey Road!

Those choosing the West Thameslink finish will have the BONUS of seeing what was Decca Records and Klooks Kleek.

Alternatively, link into Marylebone for the 'Punk in Marylebone Trail.' See Joe Strummer's one time squat, his blue plaque, where the Clash got together, the Sex Pistols' 'office' and locations for Chrissie Hynde, The Slits and The Damned. Plus the option to finish at a local chippy frequented by The Beatles.

Chiswick – Richmond – Eel Pie Island – Twickenham

FULL DAY Private Hire Basis, Sundays (per guide availability)

Start: 10:00 and Finish: 17:00 approx, St Margaret's rail station

Tour Outline: Beatles, British Blues, Stones & The River - West London has many attributes, most notably exceptional parks and gardens and the easy flow of the riverside. Our day out visits some Beatles film locations for A Hard Days Night and Help! plus the chance to have a relaxing drink in two 'Beatle' pubs. Explore the lovely Chiswick House Gardens, where you can 'put yourself into' some famous Beatle photos.

Here, too, West London is where the British Rhythm & Blues movement began. These western suburbs nurtured the talents of many, The Stones, Alexis Corner, Eric Clapton, The Who and others. See the venue where the Stones and Yardbirds had their first residencies, an epicentre of the hippie movement, and some former homes of famous rockers.

This is a full but evenly paced day out in a few cityscapes, several parks and gardens and along the tranquil and scenic river paths. We will have several breaks, meal stops and many photo ops!

(Note this itinerary is for more serious cyclists, there are a few hills en-route and a lack of bike hire docks in areas visited. Bring Your Own Bike. Approximately 12-15 miles in total throughout the day.)

Booking Policy for Scheduled Bike Tracks: Advanced bookings requested on all tours please. Cancellations accepted/refundable for scheduled product prior to 48 hours, a £5.00 per person admin fee will apply for cancellations. Within 48 hours, tickets are non-refundable. Flexible re-scheduling policy.

MORE ROCK AND ROLL LONDON TRACKS (private hire suggestions)

Notting Hill – Ladbroke Grove

Camden – Highbury – Islington

Chelsea's 'Rivera' Cheyne Walk & Stones Country

It Came from the 80s - New Wave, New Romantics & Goth

The Ballad of John & Yoko

British Invasion: Beatles, Animals, Stones, Who, Hollies, Zombies

Woke Up in a Soho Doorway - The Who in London

Rock Island Line - Skiffle & origins of Rock n Roll in 50s London

Rock Goddesses - Women Artists in London

All you Need is Drugs - History of dope/LSD in London

Legendary Rock Hangouts

London Calling - The Clash

When Pirates Ruled the (Air)Waves- Radio & Broadcasting History

Two Riders Were Approaching- Jimi Hendrix in London

The Management - Brian Epstein, Don Arden, Peter Grant, Allen Klein, Gunnells and more

Jazz in London & The Great Supper Clubs of Soho

27 Club & Friends – Lives of 'Dead Rock Stars' in London

Never Mind the Bollocks - History of Punk

Overpaid, Oversexed and Over Here - Americans in London 1920s-1960s

Soho & Notting Hill: The Windrush Generation, Race Relations in the Capital

Ramble On - Led Zeppelin in London

Makin’ Tracks - The Studios

French London - Gainsbourg-Birkin-Hallyday-De Gaulle-Piaf and more

LITERARY/THEATRE/ART TRAILS (private hire suggestions)

Bankside, Southbank & Soho Theatreland - featuring Shakespeare & Dickens

Highbury & Hampstead - featuring Keats, Highgate Cemetery & The Heath

The Chelsea Set - Writers and Artists

British Intelligence - MI5/6 James Bond Trail & Ian Fleming Inspirations

Comedy London - Monty Python and the Goons

GARDEN PATHS (private hire suggestions)

Chelsea Physic Gardens, Kensington Palace Gardens & Kyoto Gardens Holland Park

West London, Kew and Chiswick

Hidden Gems, Gardens and Inns in The City

EVEN MORE LONDON THEME OPTIONS (private hire suggestions)

London Plagues and Pandemics Tour - Death and Disease in London - Smog, cholera, plague & more

Sinister London - Jack the Ripper

Haunted London

Historic Pubs of London

Police and Thieves - Crime and Enforcement

Scandal - Profumo/Christine Keeler and more

Princess Margaret & 'Offbeat' Royal Encounters