I tried out the Cycle Hire scheme and it really does work quite well:

• the bikes are sturdy - they're not made to go very fast but they do the trick and are comfortable enough
• cycling in London is always exciting - mostly because you never know when you'll get run over by a double decker
• finding an available dock in Clerkenwell proved to be quite tricky on a weekday morning (had to go through 4 docking stations) - but the good part is that you can get an extra (free) 15mins to find one (and they're always fairly close to each other)
• there are now Android apps that also provide you with a docking station's real-time status (i.e. if there are any available bikes or docks)
• the first 30mins are free - and not that I care about paying £1 if my trip takes a bit longer than that, but there's that little motivational voice in the back of my head saying "you can make it, slowpoke!"

All in all, it's good - I have set a goal to cycle to work at least three times per week (except when it's raining or when it's just too cold). Now I just have to watch out for that double decker...

So the Barclays Cycle Hire initiative has been officially launched, and I can't wait for my key to arrive. Here are the main cool facts:

• there are over 300 live docking stations with about 5000 cycles (including 2 stations right next to my place)
• pick it up anywhere, drop it off anywhere else, 24 hours a day
• if you use your cycle for less than 30 minutes at a time, it's free (you only pay the membership fee, which is £1 per day in a worst case scenario)
• the cycles are only available to registered members for the time being - casual use (aka "for tourists") will be available in the next month
• there are already at least two mobile apps available for both iPhone and Android

Here's the full story.