Muc-Off: Step 1: Clean

Muc-Off is the secret to keeping your bike in perfect working order. Keeping everything clean and well maintained reduces the damage from grime wrecking your chain, seals and bearings … as well as providing the earliest opportunity to spot any potential problems, both so you can resolve them and also to ensure your steed is as efficient as possible. “It’s the most effective cleaner out there, and it doesn’t even need any of those nasty, dangerous acids or chemicals. In fact, our perfectly pink cleaner is biodegradable, free from acids, CFC’s and solvents, and it’s alkaline based so you can… Read more →

Muc-Off: Step 2: Protect

Cleaned your bike and checked it over? Great! Now to protect it. Muc-Off has a selection of options for coating delicate parts to keep them both looking at their best and also, crucially, resistant to damage from contaminants. Adding a protective layer to maintain a glossy paint job keeps your bike looking as good as the day it chose you, whilst preventing the build-up of moisture on components reduces rust, squeaks and other inefficiencies from affecting your ride. Bicycle Clean Protect & Lube Kit Three of our most loved products that make light work of grime Bike Care Duo Kit… Read more →

Muc-Off: Step 3: Lube

All scrubbed-up and protected … then it’s time for the lube! The finishing touch for all your tlc, is ensuring everything which needs to slip and slide on your bike, does so as efficiently as possible. Having already cleaned off all the dirty stuff from your previous rides, choosing the correct mixture to squirt in the crevices is vital to keep you riding in all seasons. There are specific formulae for wet or dry riding, as well as for all-weather conditions, with a mixture of ingredients to suit each. For that special bike you only ride when the conditions are… Read more →

Auto ban: How Hamburg is taking cars off the road

Source: The Independent. 15th of January 2014. For a country which prides itself on having given the world the Mercedes and the Autobahn, it represents a major ideological U-turn: Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city, is planning to ban all cars from its centre over the next 20 years and put thousands of commuters on bikes. “We envision a network that doesn’t just help residents to get from point A to B in a sustainable fashion,” Hamburg city spokeswoman Angelika Fritsch told the ZME Science urban planning network. “It will offer people opportunities to hike, swim, do water sports, enjoy picnics,… Read more →

Cyclists make up a quarter of London traffic, official census finds

London cyclists have long suspected that there were far more riders on the streets of the capital than the authorities gave credit for, and new figures from Transport for London finally confirm it, with cyclists a staggering 64 percent of peak hour traffic on one road. The Evening Standard reports that a new census of cycling in London has found that one in four road users in the morning rush hour is a cyclist, and that the proportion is even higher on some popular routes. Theobalds Road, Holborn takes the gong as London’s most bike-trafficked street, with bikes making up… Read more →

Vello: Bike Series

Vello have designed a beautifully simple looking bicycle, which can be folded into a tiny package in seconds. Options include a titanium or chromoly steel frame, a rack on the front, single speed, 10x speed, Schlumpf Drive, belt drive and a Zehus motor/battery combo integrated completely within the rear hub. The front fork, handlebars and rear swingarm can all fold independently to an astonishing 57cm x 79cm x 29cm too, so you can pop Vello into a taxi or tube, under the stairs at home or your desk at work (with or without the cover bag). Elastomer suspension features on… Read more →

LEFTFIELDBIKES

Leftfield Bikes: Riding, Re-invented Come and visit us on historic Brewers Lane (TW9 1HH), here beside Richmond Green: We have Family Cargo Bikes, Commuters, Electric, Folding, Gravel, Kids, Mountain Bikes, Accessories and Clothing on display. Whatever your requirements may be, do get in touch! We are happy to offer impartial advise to ensure your perfect match between your individual riding style, needs and goals for years to come. We fit all models in person and offer local delivery to your home or office, along with our nationwide Courier service (by arrangement). We are the Official Dealer for: EarlyRider, Estarli, Hiplok,… Read more →

Grin: Cycle Satiator Series

Grin’s Cycle Satitor is available in three versions which run on any 110-220V power supply, with output rated as 360 Watts at 24V/15A, 48V/8A or 72V/5A. These are compatible with a variety of battery types using interchangeable connectors, offering substantially more tuning ability and throughput than anything else in or outside a laboratory. The programmable interface welcomes customisation for rapid charging, ultra-slow charging and everything in between. You can store up to 20 different charge profiles for different uses, then use one Satiator to manage multiple bikes and batteries. This helps both to preserve the lifespan of your battery and… Read more →

Eskuta: SX-800 Series eMotorcycle

The SX-800 Series models from Eskuta is a 29Mph eMotorcycle, providing a simple and capable option for both commuting and commercial deliveries. The lightweight design offers the convenience of a step-through with the power output to match, remaining 100% street legal for road use with a helmet, license and insurance. It is also exempt from VED and all emissions-based taxes. The SX-800 costs less than the annual Oystercard for Zones 1-3 in 2024 too. Choose your preferred colour, then upgrade for either Personal Mobility or Delivery Riders by including a rear box carrier, technology bar with integrated phone mount and… Read more →

Terms and Conditions

Terms and conditions apply to the use of this website. By accessing this website and/or placing an order, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. Using this website indicates that you accept these terms regardless of whether or not you choose to register with us or order from us. If you do not accept these terms, do not use this website. The leftfieldbikes.com website is operated by 108SQM Ltd, a company registered in the UK, whose registered office is at One Canada Square (37F), Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA, United Kingdom. 1: Introduction 1.1: You will be… Read more →

Battery Pack, Charger and Cradle Combo

Whether you’re giving an existing bike a new lease of life or building a Hotrod, the same key considerations apply: • The more capable your battery pack, the more you’ll get out of it between charges • A pack run mainly between 20-80% of capacity will last much longer Batteries have come a long way over the last few years, albeit with almost all packs using a few dozen rechargeable ‘AA’ batteries inside. Choosing which pack fits an existing bike is a little more complicated, so our Combo packs include the charger and the battery’s mounting cradle, for maximum compatibility…. Read more →

Augmented Riding: infinitely more fun?

Evolution has gone hand in hand with humankind augmenting ourselves. We have progressed from a leaf to protect one’s modesty, to wearing skins and heavy shoes, the monocle, past air-filled trainers, to VR headsets and glasses, sub cutaneous sensors and beyond. Bicycles have progressed too, yet vast swathes of society struggle to see augmented riding as a natural progression: taking what we have into overdrive and making it more fun in the process. ‘Hills and thrills’ perhaps? Digital bikes are to the bicycle what digital watches are to their analogue/wind-up cousins: augmented by the very best of what technology can… Read more →

Bike The Strike!

Click the pic & print the .pdf! bikethestrike.co.uk #bikethestrike Bike The Strike London! Who needs the Tube anyway? Know someone who’s facing another nightmare day ‘off’ the Tube on Thursday? Well, you could give them a little nudge: print-off the picture here and leave it on their desk! Have a picture of you or a fellow commuter with the picture? Send it to us, it may even be included in our next circular! Well, I Didn’t Know That: • There are more cyclists in London with 3rd Party Insurance # than there are taxis in London • The average journey… Read more →

Accessories

Biking Essentials Action Cameras, Ass Saver, Bud Brake, Chilli Air, FoldnFix, Hope, ISM Seat, Muckynutz, QuickFix Once you’re kitted-out with a new bike, it’s time to accessorise. Add bone-conducting headphones to listen safely, a light-weight HD camera to share the ride when you get home… and some nifty mudguard options to stay clean! On-Bike Clothing Half Baked Brand (HBB), Hope, Intrepid Apparel, Visijax, Whackjob Few things can increase overall comfort on a ride than the appropriate clothing. Whilst some see specialist kit as one step aside from dressing like a Power Ranger, there’s little doubt that it helps. Having somewhere… Read more →

City Cycling: Health Versus Hazard? Cities Compared Internationally.

© Sarah Maycock/Handsome Frank http://mosaicscience.com/story/city-cycling-health-versus-hazard Are the fitness benefits of riding your bike worth the risk of an accident? Lesley Evans Ogden takes a tour of seven cities on two wheels to find out. It was just another morning commute. That is, until a bus driver ran a red light, turned right, and drove straight into Ann-Doerthe Hass Jensen. The bus knocked the social worker off her bike, trapping her underneath, a wheel pinning down and crushing her left foot. It was a school bus heading to a Copenhagen kindergarten, and the children aboard were screaming. Ann was rushed to… Read more →

Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and the Cheap EV That Almost Was.

That Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were good friends late in their lives is well-known. They camped together, presented each other with lavish gifts, even owned homes adjacent to each other. Many Ford enthusiasts also know Ford, when he first drove his Quadricycle on the streets of Detroit in 1896, worked for Edison at Detroit Edison Illuminating Company. And historians know Edison, when introduced to Ford some months later and shown Ford’s plans for a gasoline automobile, encouraged the budding industrialist to pursue those plans. What is far less known is Edison and Ford worked together on an affordable electric… Read more →

Major trauma and urban cyclists: physiological status and injury profile.

Barts Health and St Paul’s skyline. At the Barts Charity Seminar on the 31st January 2014 delegates were asked the following question: “Can advances in medicine and research at Barts Health impact the number of killed or seriously injured people from cycling incidents?” Personal safety is a common concern to all cyclists, especially whilst commuting through our city’s streets. What’s less common is the opportunity to meet and discuss public health and care of trauma patients with the surgeons, doctors and health professionals who look after us all. The delegation brought a wealth of knowledge, from injured cyclists describing their… Read more →

Expensive cars and driving psychology

A Range Rover obstructing an ASL. Source: The Peeky Rider. http://hedgehogcycling.co.uk/ 20th November 2013. “I was crossing the road at the same time as a pretty, young, blonde girl to the pedestrian refuge in the middle, then to the other side, crossing two lanes of traffic each time. All the drivers stopped and waved us (her), across. When it’s just me, this doesn’t happen. I watched an expensive Mercedes glide right into an Advanced Stop Zone reserved for cyclists, and come to a halt at the second line. Typical of a Mercedes driver, I thought. I’d think the same if… Read more →

Road.cc’s Buying Basics: Buying Your First Road Bike

Velocite Geos, available now at Leftfield Bikes. Our friends over at road.cc wrote this guide back in August 6, 2012 and it’s such a good read, we’ve included it in full. The original article is here. If Britain’s incredible run of success in cycling this year – with the first ever Tour de France victory courtesy of Bradley Wiggins and dominance in the London 2012 Olympics – has inspired you to take up cycling, and you’re looking to buy your first road bike, you are in the right place. Road.cc’s Buying Basics will steer you through the occasionally confusing world… Read more →

Voxan Wattman

Voxan Wattbike. Liberated from the restrictions which traditional motorcycles must adhere, the Voxan Wattbike is an exquisite example of how an electric bike can take on a new and radical form. With it’s monocoque exoskeleton removing any need for a conventional frame housing fuel, electronics and engine, the sleek aluminium body gives it a style all it’s own. Beyond the raw futuristic styling, the Wattbike delivers 200Bhp in near-silence. Yet it’s batteries can be charged to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes (much faster than your phone). 180Km is possible on a single charge too, with a top speed of… Read more →

Cycling Census Data: 2001 versus 2011

A car recycling area and scrap yard. Census data is absolutely undeniable: there have been massive rises in car-free households here over the past decade. It is now officially the majority-case all across London. Yet London’s borough councils persist in designing our roads for cars rather than for pedestrians, bikes and public transport, in direct conflict with what’s actually happening. Some examples: Kensington & Chelsea households are now 56% car-free, up from 51% in 2001. In Hackney, it’s more dramatic: 65% of households are now car-free, up from 56% in 2001. Lambeth: 58% of households are car-free, up from 51%… Read more →

Credit Suisse, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), London to Paris Charity Bike Ride

Ismet Huseyin‘s KTM Strada 800 Speed. When it comes to Sporting Triumphs we have had more than our fair share in the last 12 months. Gold and Olympic glory for Mo, Jess, Sir Chris et al, British Lions roaring Down Under, Victory for GB and sideburns with Sir Brad in the Tour de France and of course we’ll never forget that Wimbledon win for Andy – 77 years after Fred – expect to see a new T shirt range shortly !! But none of these remarkable achievements come remotely close to the impending triumphs of the Credit Suisse CRES Team,… Read more →

Flying Bicycle

A Canadian-built helicopter that is powered by a human riding a bicycle has become the first winner of a decades-old $250,000 (£165,000) engineering prize. The American Helicopter Society had never given out its Igor Sikorsky Human-Powered Helicopter Award – initiated 33 years ago – until the team from the University of Toronto won it this week. The challenge was to create a flying machine that would be able to reach a height of three metres, fly for 60 seconds by human power alone, and stay within a 10m by 10m radius. “It was long seen as impossible to win this,”… Read more →

LEFTFIELDBIKES Prize Draw Winner is:

Alex Blair! In June 2013 LEFTFIELDBIKES teamed up with The Wharf newspaper to give away this spectacular KTM Road Racing Bike worth £750.  ‘Absolutely chuffed to have won such a great and unique bike. Definitely a much better bike than its rider! The bike was even delivered to me at work and adjusted to fit, which is what Leftfield Bikes are all about: unique bikes and personalised service!’ Alex Blair, Analyst at Accenture 17.06.13 Specifications The outstanding KTM Strada 800 Speed is fast and light, weighing-in at well under 10kg. The dropbar option offers an aerodynamic riding position, which is… Read more →

Bike Belles

The Bike Belles Guide for women who want to cycle more. Riding a bike offers women so many benefits, yet Sustrans’ * research shows that women are much less likely to cycle than men. Sustrans is keen to redress this cycling gender imbalance and is leading the way in encouraging more of you onto your bikes. This essential guide is packed full of ideas, tips and advice to help you enjoy riding your bike. You’ll find sections on buying a bike, choosing accessories, how to look good, staying safe, cycling during pregnancy and much more. Containing numerous real-life quotes from… Read more →