Insane Wheelies in the Streets of London During the 2020 Lockdown 1

One of the world’s most vibrant and bustling cities, empty and deserted; unimaginable not long ago, but a challenging and difficult reality in 2020. With a lockdown in place, London like many cities and towns around the world became completely transformed. It was surreal and gave us a view of London landmarks and streets as they have never been seen before.  

'Sur//real' follows London mountain biker and wheelie protagonist, Jake100, as he explores the deserted streets and neighborhoods of his hometown:

“When we entered the first lockdown here in the UK, I knew that I had to use the permitted time outside to continue doing what I love – riding my bike. The first time I hit the streets at night I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was still London, the buildings were there, the lights were on, but the people were missing. There was none of that London buzz. It was absolutely surreal.”

'Sur//real' was shot over a month-long period during the 2020 lockdown in London by Jake100 and ‘Send It Brad‘ in accordance with the relevant health and safety guidelines and under strict compliance of the rules in effect during that time. Riding in some of the most famous tourist spots the city offers, including: Tower Bridge, Embankment and China Town. Jake brings his unique take on riding to the streets that effectively turned London into a blank canvas. 

“I instantly knew I had to somehow document this, but the challenge was how to do it? I didn’t want to add to the situation, so I knew this had to be a responsibly distanced two-man project. I put an idea down on paper, rang up my mate and brilliant videographer Brad, and together we formed a plan. We spent every night filming on the empty streets of London two hours at a time for the next four weeks.”

“I am extremely proud of how it turned out and how we managed to pull this together with all the restrictions and challenges we faced along the way. While it’s cool to look back on this project, I do, however, hope that I never have to see London like this again.”

More information on Jake100 can be found here: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

More information on ‘Off the Streets’ can be found here: Instagram, Website

Photos: Matteo Andreoli