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What alternative name would you have given to the London bicycle hire scheme, which is currently called Barclays Cycle Hire?

It’s a great name! I’ll hop on my Barclays bike, ride down to Lloyds Park to feed the Abbey ducks and get some Halifax air, then go and have dinner with my HSBC husband. I know we are supposed to learn to love banks again, but this is not turning me into a fan. Let’s christen London Mayor Boris Johnson’s scheme with a name that Londoners can be proud of and tourists can identify with, instead of having us literally peddle some disgraced corporation’s identity around town.

Anja Klüver, Director, Prospect

I coined the word ’cyclisation’ and the phrase ’A cyclised city is a civilised city’, which I am glad to see that Boris Johnson is now using in his recent report Cycling Revolution London. So I am sure that he will warm to the idea of calling the hire scheme the Barclays Birota. Birota, according to the Lexicon Recentis Latinitatis, is Latin for ’bicycle’. This should appeal to the Mayor’s fondness for Classics.

Peter Murray, Chairman, Wordsearch

Funnily enough, it’s not the Barclays bit I’m disappointed about – I’m used to the Carling Premiership and The O2 Arena – it’s the ’Cycle’ and the ’Hire’ bits I find odd. Yes, I cycle to work, but I definitely jump on my bike. I’m not interested in hiring in a bike; I just want to get from A to B. Isn’t the first half-hour free anyway? London is known for its red buses and black cabs, so let’s keep it simple – Barclays Blue Bikes.

Jim Dawton, Partner, Design It

Alternatives to Barclays Cycle Hire? It wants legs. It should get people talking. How about Cyclon (ie Cycle London)? Lots of dynamic energy in that. ’I got here by Cyclon’ would become the cool way to take short trips around the city. Members could wear badges saying ’I’m Cyclonic’. You could have Cyclon tours and sponsored rides, a fan club. Success enhances the sponsor, but failure won’t harm them. Way to go.

Keshen Teo, Founder, Pajama Consulting

London’s public spaces are being occupied by widespread swathes of characterless corporate branding. It’s time to go against the grain with Bikesy – a warm and informal name that alludes to the greatest visual revolutionary of our time, the one and only Banksy. All about the outdoors, it represents freedom, adventure, fun and creativity. It would also make the Barclays brand corporate cool, and the city feel inviting. I wonder who Banksy banks with?

Karen Cinnamon, Creative director, Cinnamon Creative

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