Boris's bikes: we've got a ticket to ride

Dorothy Cortvriend, 22, part-time teacher and performance artist Journey: Soho Square to Whitechapel This is the first time I’ve done it. I just had an urge to cycle because it’s a beautiful day. Wish me luck. I lived in Italy for a while, in Padua, and everyone cycled there. It’s easier in Italy – drivers get out of the way for cyclists and nuns. Also, the health service bureaucracy there means if they hit you it’s worse for them. I should wear a helmet. It’s all right though, I’m not scared. I am going to wing the route, take the back roads. Sadly, I’m not dressed as a nun but we’ll see how it goes. Photograph: Suki Dhanda/Observer Olaeisi Opanugh, 33, works in accounts, lives in Crawley Journey: Cannon street station to Clerkenwell Green I get the train to London every day so I pick up the bike from Cannon Street. I started using it two weeks ago because I’m thinking of getting a bike myself and I wanted to get adjusted to riding a bike during rush hour. The first time I was scared but you get used to it. I haven’t had any accidents yet. The scheme is good because the bikes are so heavy, you don’t go too far on them. The picking up and dropping off works well. Between you and other cyclists there is an unspoken set of rules: we take different routes, we ride differently. We are far more cautious. We respect them and they respect us. It’s a long way off but my purpose is to get comfortable so I can do bigger journeys. I’ll be one of them one day! Photograph: Suki Dhanda/Observer Lise Christoffersen, 44, with her children, Espen, 14, Eirik, 12, and Axel, 11, tourists from Norway Journey: Alfred Place to Covent Garden We came to London this week, having read a lot about the bikes beforehand. We used them yesterday and today. Yesterday, we were a little cautious but today we want to spend all day on them. Cycling is big in Norway. We cycle every day, but it’s a village and there are few cars. It takes a while to get used to cycling in a huge city. The London system is perfect. I think Oslo is attempting to use the same system, probably after the success of London’s. The cycling paths are great. I feel safe but I am a bit afraid for the boys. We’ve been going everywhere today – we will be exhausted tonight! Buckingham Palace, Spitalfields, Trafalgar Square. We want to go to the top of Primrose Hill and look over London. They are heavy, so yes it might be hard. Maybe we will push them to the top. Photograph: Suki Dhanda/Observer Leah Gibbons, 32, receptionist in an architecture firm, lives in Whitechapel Journey: Whitechapel to Finsbury I use the bikes pretty much every day. I live in Whitechapel and I cycle to wherever I am going, work or going out. Someone gave me a bike and I’m still waiting for it but I like not having the commitment of having to nurture it. I’ve done well so far - no accidents, no close calls, I think I cycle safely. I will get a helmet when I get my own bike, promise. I am not a fan of Boris, I don’t like what he’s done for London. I didn’t vote for him. I didn’t think the scheme would work here. But it seems the bikes are respected by Londoners and tourists. But we need more cycle lanes – I’m not terribly brave cycling or crossing the big roads, I often cross with the pedestrians. Photograph: Suki Dhanda/Observer Dylan Parrish, 32, project manager, and Christine Chang, 30, business accounts manager, live in Islington Journey: Goswell Road to Finsbury Christine: I use one daily, as I live quite close. I’m not mad about Boris but the bikes make up for a lot of what he has done to the city’s transport. I don’t wear a helmet but that means I ride extra carefully. I do have a bike, but I like the flexibility of these. If I want to walk home or go for a drink, I’m not tied down. Dylan: I live just up the road but I work in the City. It took a while but we’ve established a backstreet route so for the large part we don’t encounter much traffic. It can be frustrating as the machines, especially around here, are often broken. I’m not a fan of Boris but I think the bikes are great. They’re cheaper than taking a bus or a taxi and it keeps you fairly fit. Photograph: Suki Dhanda/Observer Luke Bartholomew, Sophie Jones and Nick Butcher, all 20, performance artists Journey: Soho Square round trip Sophie: We are west end performers on a day off. I’m in We Will Rock You, Nick is in Lend Me A Tenor and Luke is auditioning. This is our first time. We fancied a pootle, a cheeky ride. Not sure if we’d use them in the winter. One of the guys in our performance class is in hospital after his bag straps got caught in his wheel. He was lucky to have a helmet on, so it makes you think. For me the problem is they are so heavy. Stopping and starting is hard. The other thing is, if you don’t know the laws of the road it’s scary. We’re cycling along and I’m like, “Can you use a bus lane? I dunno, let’s try.” Photograph: Suki Dhanda/Observer Gary McGowan, 50, works for Transport For London, lives in Canada Water Journey: Soho Square to Tooley Street I was involved in the scheme and I use it so it must work! I cycle to and from work in Southwark every day. I used to have my own bike but now I have a thing about commuters in sports gear. I don’t see why you need to cycle as fast as you can. These seem designed so you can’t go as fast. You can cruise and look up at the world. If I am in central London I will only use these. On average, I use them between two and four times a day. I’m in between meetings now. Frustratingly, there is no bicycle station in Canada Water. We need them in zone 2. Desperately. Photograph: Suki Dhanda/Observer