- Sydney has become the first city in the southern hemisphere to launch the new Lime Bike.
- The new e-bike has several new features, including an upgraded phone holder, smaller wheels and a smoother adjustable saddle.
- They’ve also launched a brand new subscription service called Lime Prime.
In Sydney, it’s hard to walk down a footpath or drive through a neighbourhood without spotting someone pedalling past on a neon-green Lime bike. It’s no surprise that Lime recently announced that it has hit one billion rides globally, cementing its place as the world’s largest shared e-bike platform.
The e-bike giant is rolling out its new Lime bike in Sydney, marking an exciting milestone: the city is the first in the southern hemisphere to welcome them. Sydney will join global cities such as Paris, Seattle and Zurich in unveiling the new, upgraded vehicle. We attended a Lime demo to test the updated model and to get an insight into the company’s plans for Sydney.
The new Lime Bikes: what’s changed?
1. “Designed with Sydney in mind”
Senior Operations Manager at Lime, Lara Nickless, begins by telling us that the new Lime Bike has been “designed with Sydney in mind.”
“In Sydney, we’ve got that hillier terrain, we’ve got great weather all year round (most of the time), we’ve also got longer trip journeys, so we want to build something that’s accessible, stable and really comfortable.”
The Lime team emphasise that the new Lime Bike has been informed by rider feedback, as well as the challenges that might impact a cyclist in Sydney. The e-bike has therefore been tailored to suit riders across Sydney.
2. New helmet locks
They’ve also redesigned the helmet lock, making it simpler to remove and securely return the helmet to the Lime. As the law in Australia states that all bike riders must wear a helmet, this is something that Lime must continue to prioritise in the design of its new bikes.
The Regional Head of Lime, William Peters, tells us that one of the complaints about the previous helmet lock is that it was “too complicated”. On the helmet lock V2, they worked with a product designer in Melbourne to make it much more straightforward, so that you simply take it out and slot it back in when you’re done.
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3. Upgraded phone holder
My favourite upgrade on the new Lime Bike has to be the redesigned phone holder. Unlike the flimsy rubber holder on older models, this new version adjusts to your phone’s size and grips it securely, making navigation a breeze. There’s no more worrying about your phone flying off mid-ride as the new holder holds it perfectly in place. Also, these new holders are portrait secured, making it much easier to go on maps and navigate during your ride.
4. Smaller frame and wheels
The new Lime Bike is lighter, with smaller wheels. We’re told it’s much more accessible for women and shorter riders, as it’s not as heavy, is much closer to the ground, and is much easier to mount. This also helps riders tackle Sydney’s hilly terrain, making them feel safer and more stable when cycling on an incline.
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5. Adjustable seat
Almost every Lime rider has struggled with adjusting a seat before, as the older models have a mechanism that gets extremely stiff and difficult to change. The new Lime bikes have a mechanism that’s much easier to adjust, with a larger lever that you flip up (rather than pry off the saddle tree). So, even though the bike is smaller, the saddle will be easier to raise, meaning that taller riders will still be able to use the bikes.
6. Ergonomic hand grips
To make sure that the new Lime Bikes are more comfortable during longer journeys, they now have new, ergonomic hand grips for a smoother journey. It’s a small change, but the little touches make these new bikes so much nicer to ride.
My review
As someone who’s completed over 100 trips with Lime and over 200 kilometres, I was keen to try out the new bike and to see if there was much difference.
It’s now much easier to get set up on the bike — unlike the older models, whose seats were quite stiff, the new mechanism makes it much easier to adjust the height of the saddle. The lighter frame also makes the bike much easier to manoeuvre off the kerb and onto the street, something that can be quite cumbersome on the previous model.
The changes on the new bike are subtle while riding, but overall, it feels noticeably more stable and controlled. The seat is more comfortable, and the new hand grips make a real difference to the ride. It’s definitely more user-friendly for shorter people who may feel a bit unstable on the much heavier bikes.
The phone holder is a game-changer. On previous models, I always worried my phone might slip out of the rubber holder, but this one feels much more secure. Plus, being set up in portrait mode makes navigation on your phone much easier.
The redesigned helmet lock also makes a big difference. I usually bring my own helmet when riding a Lime Bike, but with how easy it is to remove these brand-new helmets (and put them back), I’d happily rock one of Lime’s neon green ones.
Lime has clearly listened to user feedback and changed the aspects of the bike that impacted comfort, navigation, safety and dismount. Riding the new Lime bike feels a lot safer, and the whole process is smoother, from unlocking the helmet and getting on the bike to ending the ride.
Introducing LimePrime
It’s not just the bikes that are new; Lime now has a subscription service to help riders save. LimePrime is a recurring monthly subscription that auto-renews each month.
For $4.99 a month, members will have access to unlimited 20-minute rides for $2.75, along with waived unlock fees and 30 minutes of reserved riding, meaning riders can reserve their bikes even at busy locations (regular riders are only able to reserve a bike for 10 minutes). For those zipping around Sydney on shorter rides, those that are 5 minutes or less will only cost $1.50.
Nickless expressed that the new subscription model is designed to make riding more affordable and convenient for Sydneysiders, stating, “As adoption rates have grown, we need to think about all the different types of riders. We’ve got those who are commuting, those who are exploring a new city and those travelling to social catch-ups. This new subscription model is intended to be affordable, and it’s intended to be consistent, so there’s no surcharging or anything like that.”
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What’s next for Lime in Sydney?
The new Lime Bikes will be rolling out across the city over the coming months. While some older models will still be around, riders can expect to see the updated bikes more and more as the rollout continues.
Last year, Lime expanded its platform to Sydney’s lower North Shore, bringing e-bikes to Chatswood, Crows Nest and North Sydney. Although Lime has operated e-bikes in Sydney for over three years and has provided over 1.5 million trips, some dislike the thought of the bikes coming to their neighbourhood. Concerns about parking, street obstruction and rider safety have left many people unsupportive.
When asked about how Lime are making sure that people are parking correctly and not clogging up the streets, Peters stated that they’re testing out many new schemes that will help with these issues. They are as follows:
- Real-time verification photos to stop people from parking across the footpath and blocking it.
- Currently testing out a scheme to incentivise riders to park correctly and to identify the riders who are repeatedly parking antisocially.
- Scaling up operations to have more teams on the ground to assist with any issues.
He acknowledged that anti-social parking is the main issue with Lime; however, he emphasises that they’re constantly evolving and looking for ways to combat the issue.
There are currently “No Parking Zones” in place across the city, which include areas like the Royal Botanic Gardens and Centennial Park. The new Lime bikes are also expected to ease parking issues. Lighter and more stable, they’re easier to manoeuvre and less of a hassle to pick up if they’re knocked over.
You can learn more about the new Lime Bike (and how to ride it) here.
