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London's various e-bike share schemes - a user's eye view

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Richard Peace's picture

Richard Peace

Richard Peace took to full-time outdoor writing/photojournalism after stints in an office and as an English teacher abroad. His cycling route guide books include the best-selling Ultimate C2C Guide and the Ultimate UK Cycle Route Planner plus Electric Bicycles. He has written for various media about many aspects of cycling

2 comments

1 week 2 days ago

It's quite common to see kids cycling around on hacked Lime bikes in London (you can tell as they make a clacking sound as they ride past). Apparently there is a way to get a free ride on it (but with no e-assitance).

1 week 5 days ago

Excellent article, thank you. Having lived in London decades ago (last century!), I was amazed on a recent car journey through London at all the cycle infrastructure and the sheer number of people getting about on two wheels.

These cycle hire schemes answer some of the biggest obstacles to riding in London; the risk of having your bike nicked or trashed, difficulty of mixed-mode and one-way journeys, etc.

I also think that, since they lend themselves to "ordinary" people in everyday clothes (sans-helmet, sans-lycra, sans-hiviz) being seen everywhere on bikes they will dissipate the energy behind culture wars surrounding cycling, whilst simultaneously building critical mass behind popular demand for better, safer cycling infrastructure. With the proliferation of 20mph zones the balance is finally tilting, ever so slightly, towards active travel.