Some people do the strangest things on the tube.

Today, I hauled an indoor exercise bike halfway across the city. I decided to take public transport, firstly, because I don’t have a car. The second reason is that the bike was a donation and, since a new one could have been bought for about £40, I didn’t want to spend a cent on hiring a taxi to transport it.

I collected the machine from an address in North London and soon realised it was light enough for me to carry to the bus stop. (I’m a pretty strong guy.)

I carried it around the corner to the bus stop with ease but figured out that carrying it for too long would cut off circulation in some part of my body. Bus 187 arrived within a few minutes and I hopped on. (When I say hopped on, I actually mean ‘I struggled to obtain balance and direction by holding the bike with one hand while reaching to scan my Oyster card on the yellow scanner.) I made it on.

Ten minutes later, I ‘hopped’ off the bus and was carrying this soon-to-be-annoying contraption from the bus stop to St Johns Wood underground station. It was a mere 100 meter walk but I swapped carrying positions about 5 times, trying to find the best grip. I got down the escalator and onto the tube easily enough. It was midday so things were quiet, especially that far up the Jubilee line.

After a few stops more passengers stood around me and I heard the odd comment about ‘cycling on the tube’ and ‘if it had wheels you wouln’t be on the tube, mate’. The train filled up around Westminster / Waterloo area and only real benefit I can say I had through the whole experience was that I was guarenteed to have a seat – I just sat on the bike!

I finally made it home… after negotiating my way along the pedestrian-filled streets in London Bridge. I collapsed in my favourite leather chair and stared at this ‘gift’, wondering if it was all worth it. Maybe not for all the time taken to collect it (2,5 hours for the entire trip) but definitely for future rewards… that is if I ever actually use the thing!