We love Radio 1 and, dare we say it, we love a bit of X-Factor (sshhhhh - don't mention that too loudly) so we were intrigued to see Radio 1 presenter Edith Bowman and X factor presenter Dermot O'Leary star as part of Transport for London's new cycling videos.

There are 5 films on youtube and a sixth opening in cinemas soon. Each film concentrates on a different aspect of the Mayor of London’s cycling revolution, such as the flagship Cycle Hire scheme, and tells a story around one of the people taking part. 

The cinema film also features the new Bike Song track by producer and DJ, Mark Ronson which we blogged about last week.

This is one for the casual cyclist we think rather than those who relish the gradient signs on their next mountain challenge.

A bicycle wheel that captures energy from pedalling, before releasing it to power cyclists up hills, is the latest cycling invention to come out of the States.

The Copenhagen Wheel is fitted with a hub containing a small motor charged up solely by the bike's movement and braking. The "engine", designed into a hub on the back wheel, is controlled through a rider’s smartphone docked on the handlebars. It connects to the hub of the wheel using Bluetooth, which can also lock the bike.



The bike wheel contains all you need so that no sensors or additional electronics need to be added to the frame and an existing bike can be retrofitted with the blink of an eye.

At £380 per wheel, this might yet be the latest commuter craze.

Whether it's because we're cyclists we don't know, but we can't help the feeling that cycling is taking over the planet.

Now we're used to seeing celebrities being snapped as they ride around for pleasure or simply to make the gossip pages but never have we heard a celebrity singing about his bike. Step forward Mark Ronson who has just released "The Bike Song". If you haven't heard it, click here to listen via Zane Lowe's BBC page.

It's Friday afternoon at Love Velo's offices and as Mark says, I am gonna ride my bike until I get home.

Au revoir and happy riding…..

Being cyclists, we turn up at most meetings sweating into our bicycle jerseys,  clip clopping in our bike shoes and trying to find somewhere safe to keep our prized possession - the bicycle.

However, for one of our directors, a meeting with a supplier gave him the perfect opportunity leave the carbon frame and campag wheels at home and jump aboard the mayor's flagship bicycle scheme.

So Lee, a few questions if we may…..

Is it as easy as it is made out to be?

Put simply, yes, it is that easy. I finished my morning espresso at Lookmumnohands near Barbican station and found a terminal with about 8 bikes, no more that 200 yards down the road. I am not a member of the scheme so don't have a fancy key card to unlock the bike but two minutes after swiping the credit card I was pedalling towards Trafalgar Square.

So you're pedalling along, what's the bike like?

Very good for its purpose. Nobody will be doing La Marmotte but this is a bike built to get you from A to B with just that small amount of freedom (or as much as you can get in London!) The lights come on when you pedal, there is a chain guard so you don't get your clothes greasy and it feels sturdy and secure which I personally like when riding in London.

How much wonga did it set you back?

A whopping £1! Granted my journey was under 30 minutes and all I had to pay was the access fee but that's not bad. Where else can you hire transportation in a major city for that kind of price?

How do you return a bike?

In exactly the same way as you pick it up. I happened to find a docking station about 50 yards from my meeting point in Trafalgar Square and I secured the bike and went on my merry way.

Any creases to be ironed out?

For this scheme to progress in the next few years, I still think we need wider cycle lanes and more of them but I think this scheme is a tremendous step forward for the bicycle community. Oh and Boris, I beg of you, please fill the basted pot holes.

So there you have it. Burn your oyster card, throw your car keys down the train (please don't actually do this - Ed) and get cycling!

So the biggest race is over for another year. Congratulations to Alberto Contador on winning yellow and to Schleck for winning best young rider and running Contador so close - not forgetting Petacchi and Charteau who won the green and polka dot jerseys respectively.

Here are a selection of our 2010 Tour de France highlights.

The Epic Battle

Forget your sprint finishes, the Schleck-Contador fight up the Tourmalet immersed in cloud will be one of this year's most inconic moments.



……..which brings us to the most controversial moment of this year's Tour. With just 20km to go on Stage 15, Schleck attacked but as he did so, his chain slipped and Contador surged past him, despite the unwritten rule of not attacking during a rival's mechancial failure. He gained 39 seconds. How many seconds did Contador win the Tour by? 39 seconds.

The Redemption

A dreadful start by Cav might have ruined his chances to win green, but he got back on track to win 5 stages this year. His final sprint up the Champs Elysees was like a bullet leaving a gun. Just as the cameras focussed on Petacchi and Hushovd, a speeding Brit overtook from nowehere.....

The unusual face of this year's Tour

and finally, a Tour de France goodbye to the legend that is 7 times winner Lance Armstrong.