Bike crime is no worse than any other cycling city, but that’s no great commendation: we once emerged from a city centre pub to find a thief applying bolt-cutters to our lock. Another time we had a £2.50 Wilkinsons bike light stolen proving that, if nothing else, Oxford’s bike criminals aren’t exactly choosy. Take lights and bottles off the bike, make sure your quick-release wheels are locked, and consider getting a scabby ‘round town’ bike.

Oxfordshire County Council has liberally sprinkled bike parking around Oxford, so you shouldn't find it too hard to locate a free space. In the city centre, Broad Street and St Giles both have copious parking. The main difficulty is the railway station, where the expanses of racks are inevitably full.