About 50,000 e-bikes can be found throughout central London, from market chief Lime, its “eco” challenger Forest to Transport for London’s pioneering “Boris bikes”, which launched the idea of rent bikes – albeit manual-powered ones – in July 2010.
The e-Boris bike arrived in September 2022. There are round 2,000 on the streets – they usually’re 3 times as well-liked because the “basic” Boris bike.
Nonetheless, Londoners are already spoiled for selection. However which e-bike is greatest? The Commonplace’s journalists bought within the saddle to place them to the check.
However the technique of hiring the bikes was unexpectedly extra sophisticated than we anticipated – particularly in relation to the e-Boris bikes – and, within the case of Forest, dearer than anticipated.
Our check experience additionally ended with a nasty crash and a go to to A&E. Extra on that later.
The place can you discover the bikes?
We started our check experience at The Commonplace’s places of work in Finsbury Sq. and rode on Lime bikes – simply employed from a marked bay reverse our entrance door – through the cycle superhighway on the Embankment to Hyde Park.
Lime has two large benefits over its rivals. The primary is the scale of its fleet – most likely round 30,000 bikes (the agency doesn’t reveal exact numbers for industrial sensitivity causes).
The second is their availability. Lime operates in 17 boroughs, has plans to develop to round 20, and in central London there’s barely a avenue and not using a Lime bike.
In contrast, we needed to stroll a number of streets away from Hyde Park to rent a Forest bike. Forest bikes will be present in 13 boroughs.
A number of Forest bikes had been parked inside Hyde Park – however these couldn’t be employed. Hyde Park has been “geofenced” by Forest – which means its bikes can’t be employed or parked inside the park (although some clearly had been).
This geofencing additionally meant that we encountered issues when pausing our check experience for a couple of minutes inside the park.
The bike’s alarm sounded on a number of events and the brakes locked, because the bike tried to stop itself from being utilized in a “banned” space – despite the fact that the experience had begun outdoors the park.
Boris bikes will be employed from 800 docking stations – together with about half a dozen in or round Hyde Park, together with at Hyde Park Nook, Knightsbridge, the Serpentine and Speaker’s Nook.
Actor Timothee Chalamet arrives on a Lime bike to the UK Premiere of “A Full Unknown” in January
Dave Benett
How a lot did they price to rent?
A 60-minute Lime Go, costing £6.99, turned out to be a sensible funding.
Based on the Lime app, this saved us £16.95 had we opted for the “pay per minute” various to purchasing a “bundle” of minutes upfront.
As a result of issue of discovering a Forest bike, and with time operating out to finish our problem, we forgot to purchase a Forest “bundle” – and ended up with a £13.50 invoice for out check experience of about 50 minutes.
It’s noticeable that the Forest app didn’t supply its greatest offers “up entrance”.
This can be a disadvantage as Forest is definitely cheaper than Lime- it expenses £3 for half-hour and £6 for an hour – however provided that you bear in mind to purchase a bundle.
In distinction, the Lime app has a “Get Lime Go” button seen on its “house” display, serving to riders to get the very best worth.
London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan on an e-Boris bike
PA
What had been the bikes prefer to experience?
Opinions had been divided. The e-Boris bike was the lightest of the three, and arguably the very best constructed (it’s manufactured by Pashley in Nottingham).
The Boris bike additionally had a extra upright using place, because of its “flat” handlebars. And it had three gears – the opposite two bikes solely had one gear. The battery-assist on all bikes cuts out at round 15.5mph.
The Forest bike felt very odd at first, partly as a result of its entrance basket is mounted to the bike body and doesn’t flip with the course of the bike.
It additionally felt the heaviest of the three bikes. Nevertheless it had essentially the most comfy saddle (whereas the Boris bike had the least comfy).
The Lime bike handlebars take some getting used to – they “curve” around the rider, a bit like an old school “Dutch” bike – which means the Lime bike was not as manoeuvrable.
Hiring an e-Boris bike was a large, close to tantrum-inducing trouble.
I made a number of makes an attempt in useless to do that through the docking station at Hyde Park Nook. Regardless of about half a dozen e-bikes being accessible, the “launch code” solely labored for the handbook bikes.
I ended up incurring a number of £1.65 expenses for bikes that I didn’t need to rent.
TfL later instructed me that e-bikes can’t be employed instantly at docking stations – however there was no info on the docking station making this clear.
I switched to TfL’s Santander Cycle Rent app – however then had the trouble of getting to recollect my password, and having to re-enter my financial institution card particulars into the app (this has occurred many instances beforehand at different docking stations).
It additionally feels a giant safety threat – having your telephone, pockets and financial institution card out in public, making an attempt to faucet in a 16-digit quantity and your private home deal with whereas cursing TfL.
After about 10 minutes of making an attempt, I did handle to rent an e-Boris bike, although. However my dislike of the TfL cycle rent app intensified.
There was a motorbike crash on the finish of our check experience. We gained’t title names, however one in every of our crew needed to go to A&E to be checked for concussion.
It was a real “accident” – a bend being taken too sharply. Worryingly, although, it triggered a pile up – one other member of our crew, who was using behind, was unable to cease their Lime bike and crashed into our fallen rider.
The crash triggered cuts, bruises and a variety of shock – these are quick, heavy bikes. The “take-home” message? Using in teams, or round numerous different cyclists, wants fixed vigilance.
Do it’s important to put on a helmet?
No – and none are supplied with the bikes – however the Freeway Code advises (in relation to biking within the UK): “It’s best to put on a cycle helmet.”
Forest tells its riders: “We strongly advocate you put on a helmet.”
How secure is biking in London?
Many collisions and minor accidents – resembling these we suffered – won’t ever be reported to the authorities.
Ten folks had been killed in London in 2024, together with a minimum of two recognized to have been using Forest rent bikes, Cheistha Kochhar and Dean Jones.
By comparability, there are about 1.3m journeys a day made by all kinds of bike in London.
Based on TfL, severe accidents to cyclists decreased by 9 per cent in 2023 in contrast with 2022, regardless of biking journeys growing by greater than six per cent.
What about unhealthy bike parking?
Nevertheless, these guidelines will most likely not be carried out till 2026 on the earliest.
Within the interim, a minimum of 10 boroughs have struck voluntary offers with Lime or Forest that require dockless e-bikes to be parked in designated bays.
These boroughs embrace Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Hounslow, Camden, Hackney, Metropolis of London, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Lewisham, and Lambeth.
Lime sends a warning message to riders who fail to park appropriately. The advantageous for repeat offences rises from £2 to £20 and may in the end result in a ban.
Forest has a “4 strikes” penalty system – a warning adopted by a advantageous of £10 to £20, adopted by a fortnight’s suspension adopted by a full ban.
Ross Lydall and Charlotte Ambrose discovered a lot to love – and dislike – with the bikes
Rhanie Al-Alas
The jury stays out – there was not unanimous assist for one bike. Every had its benefits and downsides.
However by way of ease of rent and availability, the Lime bike was the winner. Love them or hate them, they’re nearly all over the place. They’re simple to rent, cheaper than most comparable Tube journeys and arguably much more enjoyable.
The Forest bikes are barely cheaper than Lime – assuming you bear in mind to purchase a “bundle” of minutes upfront – and their “eco” credentials might enchantment to some desirous to keep away from the “company domination” of Lime.
As for TfL’s Boris bikes, this looks like a system at a crossroads.
The “basic” handbook Boris bikes seem more and more outdated, each mechanically and technologically – their solely actual attraction is a budget rent worth (£1.65).
What’s extra, with declining Boris bike ridership numbers, it may be tougher to discover a docking station area on the finish of your experience.
As for the hiring issues we encountered, TfL instructed The Commonplace that its e-bikes can solely be employed through its Santander Cycles app or by changing into a scheme member (which prices £20 a month or £120 a 12 months). Nevertheless it wants to speak this extra clearly.
TfL says it’s “working exhausting to make sure the app continues to be dependable” and is finishing up a procurement course of for the contract to function its rent bikes.
Can TfL afford to modify to a wholly e-bike fleet? In all probability not. Fifteen years after the then mayor Boris Johnson paved the best way for rent bikes in London, the times of the Boris bike seem numbered, except it could actually match Lime in ease of use and entry to bikes.
That’s a disgrace, because it’s arguably the “greatest” e-bike of the three we examined. However a motorbike that’s frustratingly tough to rent is one which’s shortly going to expire of highway.
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