Hefty police bike bills for the not-so-thin blue line

Police are upgrading to sturdier bicycles after the weight of some Met officers caused the back wheels of their mountain bikes to buckle and spokes to snap.

The problem was revealed after a "large number" of repair bills went unpaid when constables and community support officers had work done on their bicycles at Brixton Cycles without the correct paperwork.

A worker at the shop, who asked not to be named, said: "We see the officers in regularly for maintenance work and a lot of them are big guys.

"They burn through brakes and chains, especially in this weather when they salt the roads. We get police guys who weigh 16 stone and then have to carry 20 kilograms of gear.

"It's amazing how much effort these guys exert zooming around after criminals.

"The one thing the bike cops destroy with alarming frequency is their rear wheels, and that's due to the weight they are carrying."

He added: "They are up to date with all their bills now."

A full service at Brixton Cycles costs £70. In order to lower their repair bills, Lambeth officers are understood to be looking at upgrading their Smith & Wesson models for Trek police bikes.

Bosses are believed to have chosen Trek because they are "durable, sturdy and practical" with potentially less need for servicing but for around the same price of about £750.

The payment problems of Lambeth's safer neighbourhood teams were revealed under the Freedom of Information Act in minutes from an internal police briefing.

A spokeswoman for Lambeth police said: "There are no outstanding invoices for Brixton Cycles and officers in Lambeth have been reminded of the correct procurement process."