Bicycle MOT London: The Winter Bike Check That Keeps You Riding

Dark mornings, wet roads, grit on every junction. Winter is when London bikes fall apart, and it is also when you need yours the most. A bicycle MOT is the quickest way to find out what is worn before it lets you down on the way to work.

The short answer: there is no legal MOT for bicycles in the UK, but a "bike MOT" is what most riders call a proper safety check by a mechanic. At NipNip that is our Bronze service, £40 in the workshop. We check the frame, brakes, gears, wheels, tyres and chain, adjust what needs adjusting and tell you honestly what can wait.

Just walk in at Borough, Tower Bridge or Canary Wharf, or book online if you want a set time. New customers booking online get £5 off with promo code Free£5.

Does a bicycle need an MOT?

No. Unlike cars and motorbikes, bicycles in the UK do not need a legal MOT, tax or insurance. But that does not mean they do not wear out. A daily commuter can put a couple of thousand miles on a bike in a year, and London winter grime works through brake pads, chains and cables far faster than summer riding.

That is why so many riders ask for a "bike MOT" before winter. It is a once-over from someone who looks at bikes all day and can spot the things you will not notice until they fail.

What is checked in a NipNip bike MOT?

Our Bronze service is the essential safety check. In the workshop it covers:

• Full safety and bolt check. Every key bolt checked and tightened to stop anything working loose.
• Frame and forks checked for cracks, damage and wear.
• Brakes adjusted so they bite properly and do not rub.
• Gears adjusted so they shift cleanly without skipping.
• Wheels and tyres inspected, wheels trued to take out wobbles.
• Chain checked and lubricated, and measured for wear.
• Tyres inflated to the correct pressure.

If we find something worn out, like pads down to the metal or a stretched chain, we will tell you what it is, what it costs and whether it is urgent. Then you decide what happens next.

How much is a bike MOT in London?

Service	Workshop	NipNip Mobile	Collect and Return
Bronze (bike MOT and safety check)	£40	£50	£60
Silver (full service)	£80	£90	£100
Gold (total rebuild)	£160	£170	£180
Brompton Complete	from £100

Parts are charged on top where they are needed. These are our Borough and Tower Bridge workshop prices, and Canary Wharf is priced differently, so the team there will confirm before any work starts. Our detailed price list has every individual job.

Common winter fixes we find during a check:

• Brake pads fitted and adjusted: £16 per brake
• Inner tube or tyre fitted: £12.70
• Gear adjustment: £19 one, £33 both
• Chain fitted: £16
• Full set of gear and brake cables: £42

If your bike has not been looked at for a year or more, or it rides gritty and noisy, the Silver service is usually better value. It adds a deep clean of the drivetrain, bearing adjustments and the fitting of pads, cables, chain and cassette (parts extra).

Why winter is the time to get it done

• Wet weather eats brake pads. Rain and road grit grind pads down fast, and wet braking is when you need them most. More on that in our brake repair guide.
• Punctures go up. Winter roads collect glass, flints and debris. Worn tyres puncture far more easily. See our puncture repair page, or ask about Tannus puncture-proof tyres.
• Chains and gears suffer. Salt and grime strip lube and wear the drivetrain. A chain replaced early costs £16 plus the part. Leave it and it can take the cassette and chainring with it. If your gears already jump, read why bike gears slip.
• Darker evenings. You want brakes, tyres and wheels you can trust when visibility is poor.

Walk in at your nearest NipNip workshop

No appointment needed for a check. Bring the bike in and talk to a mechanic.

• NipNip Borough, 172 Great Suffolk St, SE1 1PE. Handy for Borough, Southwark, Elephant and Castle and Waterloo.
• NipNip Tower Bridge, 1 Shad Thames, SE1 2PN. Handy for London Bridge, Tower Hill, Bermondsey and the City.
• NipNip Canary Wharf, 6 Westferry Circus, E14 4HD. Handy for Canary Wharf, the Isle of Dogs, Limehouse and Poplar.

All three are closed on Sundays and bank holidays. Check Google for definitive opening times before you travel.

Need your bike while we work on it? We lend you a free courtesy bike, subject to availability, so you can still get to work. Brompton riders get a free courtesy Brompton with our Brompton Complete and Brompton PRO services. See our Brompton servicing page.

Cannot get to a shop? Our mobile mechanics come to your home or office, or we can collect and return your bike.

How long does a bike MOT take?

It depends on how busy the workshop is and what we find. A straightforward check is a short job for a mechanic, but we will not promise a time until we have seen the bike. Pop in, or book a slot to see availability.

How often should I get my bike checked?

For a daily London commuter, a safety check every three to six months, with a full service once a year, keeps most problems away. Weekend riders can usually go longer. Before winter and again in spring is a good rhythm for most people.

E-bikes

We check and service e-bikes too, including diagnostics. Our insurance only allows us to work on road-legal e-bikes, so if yours has been derestricted or goes over the legal limits we cannot take it in. See the UK electric bike rules.

Get your winter bike check

Do not wait for a snapped cable on a wet Monday morning. Walk in at Borough, Tower Bridge or Canary Wharf, book online, or email us anytime at hello@nipnip.co.uk. New customers booking online, remember code Free£5.