The BBC (that's Boris Bike Commuters)

When the people behind London's cycle hire scheme mark its first birthday tomorrow, they will have ample reason to celebrate. The project, launched last year amid scepticism and teething problems, has become an accepted fixture of London life.

In its first year, Londoners and visitors made over six million journeys on "Boris Bikes", with 128,000 people signing up to use them regularly. And yesterday Boris Johnson announced a further expansion into west and south-west London by the summer of 2013, areas that the Mayor said were "champing at the bit" to be involved.

But from day one the Boris Bike project has been nagged by one important question: is it an expensive gimmick? Johnson admitted yesterday that he uses the bikes "from time to time" but prefers his own bike to commute to City Hall. So what do its regular users think? Evening Standard caught up with a group of Boris Bike Commuters - all of whom pay the £48 annual membership - to find out whether it's a useful transit system or a £79 million curiosity.

Rob Mann, 33
Computer security, Old Street
BBC route: Old Street to Victoria
Alternative commute: Tube
Time saved: Seven hours a month
Money saved: £102.25 a month
It's fantastic - you don't need to commit to going both directions, that's the kicker for me. It saves time, money and beats going to the gym. I'm in a better headspace when I get to work every day after biking. Not wearing a helmet plays on my mind, but I probably wouldn't ride as often if I had to.

Nico Weber, 31
Property developer, Borough
BBC route: Borough to Victoria
Alternative commute: Tube
Time saved: Four-and-a-half hours a month
Money saved: £55 a month
I like the fact I can ride it in a suit because of the chain guards. If I'm out on the booze and I can't find a taxi, I can pick one of these things up.

Daniel Jakabsson, 24
Trader, Victoria
BBC route: Victoria to Marylebone
Alternative commute: Tube
Time saved: Five hours a month
Money saved: £50 a month
I'd seen the Vélib' bike hire scheme in Paris and the bikes are better over there. Luggage holders on the front here could also be better. It's cheaper, quicker and I get to know the city better - if I took the Tube I wouldn't recognise anything!

Jonathan Raggett, 46
Hotelier, East Sheen
BBC route: central London journeys
Alternative commute: Tubes and buses
Time saved: 20 hours a month
Money saved: £100 per month
It's changed my life - I only use my Oyster card when it's chucking it down. I make about five journeys a day between my hotels. In the first six months there weren't enough docking stations but that seems to have been almost eradicated now.

Stephen Hills, 51
Lloyds banker, Essex
BBC route: Liverpool Street station to St Paul's or to Pall Mall
Alternative commute: Tube towards Pall Mall or walking to St Paul's
Time saved: Five hours a month
Money saved: £60 per month
They need to sort out some problems - docking stations near Liverpool Street are often empty or out of order in the morning,. The central customer service isn't very good at replying. On the upside, the day before the royal wedding I was cycling around Trafalgar Square and took all the atmosphere in, which I wouldn't have been able to do on the Tube. Fitness is one of the reasons I do it as well.

Richard Wiseman, 47
IT consultant, Hertfordshire
BBC route: King's Cross to South Bank
Alternative commute: Tube
Time saved: Six hours a month
Money saved: £75
I started bike commuting in October and love it. It's much better than being on the Tube. But you have to have your wits about you, and also know where you are going - I spent an hour on one of them completely lost once. The big thing for me is probably the health benefits.

Louisa Reynolds, 25
Building surveyor, Hertfordshire
BBC route: King's Cross to Southwark
Alternative commute: Bus
Time saved: one hour 45 mins per month
Money saved: £35 per month
I like it for fitness, and it's very cheap. It's a much quicker way of getting to work than public transport, and a lot more pleasant too. I use it in the evenings to get to King's Cross from work, and in the mornings I usually get the bus with my partner, which takes a bit longer because of the waiting.

Jessica Gibbons, 35
Charity director, Hertfordshire
BBC route: Liverpool Street to Long Lane
Alternative commute: Walk
Time saved: Seven hours per month
Money saved: None
I enjoy them, apart from being fined £150 for not returning a bike when it didn't dock in properly. They do need to sort out the system so that it registers properly. It's a shame about the air quality in London - you don't know what you're breathing in.