HumanForest Vs TIER Vs Lime: Which London Electric Bike Is Best?
And with car ownership declining and the ULEZ set to expand again to cover the entire city by 2023, London’s electric bike hire schemes are becoming increasingly vital.
All of which begs the question: Which of the London electric bike services is the best?
There are three big contenders in the capital when it comes to shared pedelec e-bikes: HumanForest, Tier, and Lime.
To help you sort the brilliant from the best-avoided, we’ll be comparing the three e-bikes on:
- The Contenders: Human Forest, Tier, And Lime
- How Much Do London Electric Bikes Cost?
- Which Of London’s Electric Bikes Has The Widest Coverage?
- Which Shared London Electric Bike Is The Best Quality?
- Which E-Bike Service Has The Best App?
- The Verdict: Best Electric Bike London
Ready for the lowdown on London’s e-bikes?
Let’s hit the road!
The Contenders: Human Forest, TIER, And Lime
#1. HumanForest
The new kid on the block, HumanForest bikes hit London’s streets in the summer of 2021 after a trial period the year before.
The only London-specific service on our list, HumanForest has an emphasis on sustainability. This FOCUS is backed by an all-electric fleet of maintenance vehicles, renewable-only battery charging, and a commitment to zero-emissions operations.
#2. TIER Bikes
European micro-mobility giant TIER launched in London with 500 e-bikes in late 2021, having already run successful programs in over 150 cities across 17 countries.
TIER runs e-scooters alongside the bike service, and has committed to a climate-neutral pledge – not quite as good as HumanForest’s zero-emissions promise, but still nothing to be sniffed at!
#3. Lime Bikes
Remember the distinctive red Jump bikes that used to be dotted around London before suddenly disappearing a couple of years ago?
The Uber-owned brand was struggling on the verge of collapse until it was snapped up by Lime back in 2020, and their e-bikes are now back on London’s streets with the new owner’s branding.
Like TIER, Lime also runs an e-scooter hire service.
Honorable Mention: TfL Santander Cycles
Often nicknamed for a certain Tory PM, TfL’s Santander bikes are now a staple of London’s transport network.
We’ve left them off this list as their fleet is currently made up of pushbikes rather than electric bikes, but they’re so familiar to Londoners that they provide a handy benchmark for new startup services to compare to.
And with 500 new e-bikes due to join the network in summer 2022, the Santander bikes might soon be challenging their electric-powered rivals on London’s streets.
BRAND NEW LIME BIKE HACK OFF THE RADER (ELECTRICS FULLY WORKING) ��
How Much Do London Electric Bikes Cost?
(correct in April 2022)
Based on the headline price for a single 20-minute journey, HumanForest is the clear winner when it comes to London electric bikes’ value for money.
Even when the free 10 minutes are used up, HumanForest rides still end up cheaper than TIER or Lime as there’s no unlock fee.
Both Lime and TIER are trialling ‘safe pricing’ schemes that pause the clock while you’re at a standstill to discourage dangerous riding (such as jumping traffic lights). While this should remove the frustration of being charged for sitting at the lights on a HumanForest, it’s unlikely to make enough of a difference to make them more cost-effective.
However, if you’re making multiple journeys in a day, the trusty old Santander bikes can’t be beaten for absolute economy. Once you pay the £2 unlock fee, you get unlimited rides for 24 hours (provided they’re shorter than 30 minutes) – but you won’t get the electric boost of an e-bike!
Colorado Springs EBike Reference information
Urban Trails
This City Urban Trail reference and Map describes types (tiers) of urban trails, note that some of these examples are inconsistent with the current trail network.
COS EBike Reference
The city EBike Page shows that some trails are open to e-bikes by name, excludes their use on “multi-use” trails, with a definition that is inconsistent with the Urban Trail descriptions. There is no definition of “system trails”, typically thought of as more narrow, soft surface walking/hiking trails in places like Palmer Park, Pulpit rock, etc.
TOSC Bikeway Map
This document was first produced by TOSC as a map showing where EBikes are allowed on Colorado Springs Trails. The map has since been change to the Urban Trail Map but is currently the clearest understanding that we have of where EBikes are currently allowed in Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs E-MTB Trails
Cheyenne Mountain State Park
Most trails within Cheyenne mountain State Park in the southwest corner of Colorado Springs allows E-Bikes including E-MTBs. According to state park policy ebike are treated as bicycles and allow on the same trails as any bicycle. Policy quote below
Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are allowed the same access as road bikes and mountain bikes, while class 3 e-bikes are only to be allowed on roadways and in designated bike lanes.
Cheyenne Canyon/Ntl Forest
Aside from state parks the only Colorado Springs singletrack Mountain Bike (MTB) trails that officially allow Electric Mountain Bikes (E-MTBs) are those that also allow Motorcycles. This includes the iconic Captain Jacks trail that stretches from North Cheyenne Canyon Park into the Pike National forest.
State County EBike Reference information
Colorado State EBike Law
Enacted in January of 2018 the State of Colorado adopted regulations defining ebikes and where they are allowed. While the state defined these rules EBike regulations are ultimately controlled by local jurisdictions.
Unless otherwise restricted, Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles, and scooters are allowed on the same bicycle and pedestrian paths as conventional bicycles.
Local jurisdictions have the authority to prohibit the operation of electric bicycles and scooters on any bicycle or pedestrian path under its jurisdiction.
Local laws pertaining to electric scooters must be no more restrictive than those pertaining to class 1 electric bicycles.
El Paso County Parks EBike Regulations
EBikes are allowed on primary and secondary trails within the El Paso County park and trail network.
El Paso County EBike Regulation Text Class I and Class II Electrical Assisted Bicycles may use El Paso County Parks Primary and Secondary trails up to a maximum speed of twenty miles per hour. Class III Electrical Assisted Bicycles are not permitted on any County trail.
Colorado State Parks EBike Regulations
E-bike use on CPW Lands – Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are allowed the same access as road bikes and mountain bikes, while class 3 e-bikes are only to be allowed on roadways and in designated bike lanes.
BLM/National Forest EBike Regulations
In August 2019, Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt issued Secretary’s Order increasing recreational opportunities through the use of Electric Bikes (e-bikes). While the BLM intends for the rule to increase accessibility to public lands, e-bikes would not be given special access beyond what traditional, non-motorized bicycles are allowed.
The rule provides that authorized officers may authorize, through subsequent land-use planning or implementation-level decisions, the use of Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes on non-motorized roads and trails. The rule does not, by itself, open any non-motorized trails to e-bike use.
EBikes are an ever growing part of the bicycle market globally, in the US, as well as in the Colorado Springs Market specifically. EBikes and E-Mobility devices (Electric scooters, one wheels, Electric skateboards, Etc.) are also a growing piece of the urban mobility puzzle world wide and make a lot of sense in Colorado Springs. EBikes are an efficient, cost-effective and fun way to travel, and have been shown to change transportation habits. Nationally, 45% of all vehicle trips are 3 Miles or less, while trips over 6 miles account for 40% of all trips. This data shows that there is a large percentage of vehicle trips that are well within the range of an average bicycle rider, a distance that is that much more reasonable for people using an EBike. This is especially true in our city as we do have some challenging topography, EBikes remove that barrier as can be seen with the growth and success of PikeRide ever since our local bike share provider introduced EBikes to their fleet. EBikes make it possible to travel longer distances in less time, making EBikes a great solution for the sprawling nature of our city with fairly large distances between destinations. It’s been shown that EBike riders ride more frequently, which is one of our goals at Bike COS. EBikes remove barriers making bike riding more attractive so more people do it.
Official Colorado Springs E-Bikes, E-Scooter, and EPAMD Definitions
Below are the official vehicle definitions as outlined in the February 2021 revision of the Colorado Springs Traffic Code
BICYCLE: A vehicle propelled by human power applied to pedals upon which a person may ride having two tandem wheels or two parallel wheels and one forward wheel, all of which are more than fourteen inches in diameter.
ELECTRICAL ASSISTED BICYCLE: A vehicle having two or three wheels, fully operable pedals, and an electric motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power. Electrical assisted bicycles are further required to conform to one of three classes as follows:
- CLASS 1 ELECTRICAL ASSISTED BICYCLE: An electrical assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour.
- CLASS 2 ELECTRICAL ASSISTED BICYCLE: An electrical assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance regardless of whether the rider is pedaling but ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour.
- CLASS 3 ELECTRICAL ASSISTED BICYCLE: An electrical assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty-eight miles per hour.
How does the New Jersey law define e-scooters?
The word “scooter” can apply to a range of consumer products. Under the previous regulatory framework, all forms of scooters, aside from electric personal assistive mobility devices (mobility scooters for the disabled), were illegal for use on public streets in New Jersey.
The new law created a new vehicle type called a “Low-speed electric scooter” which is defined as “a scooter with a floorboard that can be stood upon by the operator, with handlebars, and an electric motor that is capable of propelling the device with or without human propulsion at a maximum speed of less than 19 miles per hour.”
E-scooters must follow all the laws that apply to bicycles. That means that riders must comply with all the laws that apply to vehicles, such as obeying traffic signals and following the direction of traffic. Like e-bikes, e-scooters will be allowed to be parked on sidewalks, as long as they do not block pedestrian access. Operation on sidewalks and trails is up to local municipalities.
Low Speed Electric Scooters:
- 19 mph max speed
- May be parked on sidewalks without blocking pedestrian traffic
- Riding on sidewalk up to each municipality
- No license, insurance, or registration required
- Must follow all laws applicable to bicycles
- Helmet use is required for those under age 17
How does New Jersey Law define other micromobility vehicles?
What about motorized skateboards, hoverboards, and more? They fall under the category of “motorized scooter.” This designation means a miniature motor vehicle and includes “ bikes, super bikes, scooters, mini-scooters, sport scooters, mini choppers, mini motorcycles, motorized skateboards” as well as other vehicles with motors which are not manufactured to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Motorized scooters exclude motorized bicycles, low-speed vehicles, low-speed electric bicycles, or low-speed electric scooters, motorized wheelchairs, mobility scooters, or other similar mobility devices used to assist persons with physical disabilities.
New Jersey state law prohibits the operation of motorized scooters on public roads, sidewalks, or public lands. These devices may only be operated on private property and only with the consent of the owner. There are exceptions for persons with mobility-related disabilities, but they are restrictive and require a special placard from the Motor Vehicle Commission; however, the “motorized scooter” category does not include traditional motorized wheelchairs, mobility scooters, or other similar mobility devices used to assist persons with physical disabilities, so using these devices does not require permission from the MVC.
LA Tech Week Day 5: Social Highlights
L.A. Tech Week has brought venture capitalists, founders and entrepreneurs from around the world to the California coast. With so many tech nerds in one place, it’s easy to laugh, joke and reminisce about the future of tech in SoCal.
Here’s what people are saying about the fifth day of L.A. Tech Week on social:
#LATechWeek has been on Yes the events are super cool at amazing venues. But, I’m blown away by the people. I’ve met so many founders building generative AI companies from the ground up. I’m so bullish on LA right now. LA is for builders #longLA
Successful LatinxVC Avanza Summit 2023 in LA! It’s been an amazing few days near the beach w great company. Thank you to our panelists participants.
Huge thanks to our incredible sponsors SVB, Chavez Family Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, PledgeLA, Fenwick West, Countsy! piccom/oVuGIgFurk— LatinxVC (@LatinxVCs) June 9, 2023
30 gaming startups presented at the A16z Speedrun Demo Day in LA yesterday. Great thanks to the @a16zGames team for an awesome day of events! #LATechWeekpiccom/DKq8IFo5QZ— Grace Zhou (@graceminzhou) June 9, 2023
What’s the buzz? It’s #LATechWeek from @TechstarsLA @TechstarsHealth joint demo day with the #Techstar HC team where our @fyelabs founder/CEO Suvojit Ghosh mentored both cohorts! #TechStars demo day highlighted 12 amazing emerging #startups in #healthtech#innovation. piccom/0RXClCtfDQ— FYELABS (@fyelabs) June 9, 2023
Another successful Coffee On Slauson in the books for #LATechWeek.
Special thanks to the good people at Pledge LA, SVB and @GundersonLaw for the ongoing support and the @findyourhilltop staff for providing the space, eats vibes. ♻️ piccom/51cMDoEn30— Slauson Co. (@SlausonAndCo) June 9, 2023
The perfect combo to start #LATechWeek Day 5: pastries, coffee, and great convos with industry founders ✨
My favorite event from @Techweek_ has to be Modern Storytelling Business Building. Hosted by @STHoward#LATechWeekpiccom/SV1eexMJ4k— JonnyZeller (@JonnyZeller) June 9, 2023
And the finale of the night was courtesy of the one and only @zedd for an unforgettable end to the City of Games party! Hosted by @a16zGames and @100Thieves#LATechWeekpiccom/hliI9yLKse— Tech Week (@Techweek_) June 9, 2023
Excited to be at the @a16zGames Speedrun Demo Day! Loved the energy and excitement from the companies that pitched there. It was also great to see @Tocelot and @ndrewlee at this amazing #LATechWeek event piccom/NfLQO5lR27— Andy Lee | andypwlee.bit (@andypwlee) June 9, 2023
Thank you to everyone who joined the Sony Venture Fund US team at #LATechWeek for our screening of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Last summer, we started building a presence in LA. Today, it’s exciting to host such an event with the @Sony family and the LA VC community. piccom/wdDm6qtHdL— Sony Innovation Fund (@Sony_Innov_Fund) June 9, 2023
.defense primes partnering with cutting edge defense tech startups, to.
.hardware x LLMs improving mental health.
From the rich and diverse LA ecosystem stems generational companies: piccom/v5S5r8JtbU— Shahin Farshchi (@Farshchi) June 9, 2023
LA Tech Week has been a blast! Met some amazing creators, founders and investors from all over the world! #LATechWeekpiccom/AAh9JFELhe— Chris Germano (@netslayer) June 9, 2023
This side hustle makes 700/day charging scooters (Bird, Lime, Uber, etc.)
Had such a blast at LA Tech Week and hosting events for @brexHQ
Top highlights were collabing with @pulley on an Emerging Managers / Founder mixer at the @poplco House, rooftop event in Venice, creator panel with @thechangj proper Korean food with in KTown.
Really enjoyed #LATechWeek. Here are some observations I made — s.personal.ai (Suman Kanuganti) (@SumanPersonalAI) June 9, 2023
Thank you @TheKofiAmpadu for including me in #demoday with the latest @a16ztxo cohort! It was a real full circle moment to witness the brilliance of both @ChrisLyons @ZMuse_ #PledgeLA very own. She’s why we’re #LongLA #LAtechweekpiccom/itkKXMxQRb— Qiana Qiana! (@Q_i_a_n_a) June 9, 2023
Hosts Kevin Zhang, Partner at @upfrontvc, and Eden Chen, CEO of @pragmaplatform, interviewed two special guests from @raidbaseinc Stephen Lim, Co-Founder Product Director, and Trevor Romleski, Co-Founder Game Director. #LATechWeekpiccom/hxHEAoELZ6— Tech Week (@Techweek_) June 9, 2023
LA Tech Week: How These Six Greentech Startups Are Tackling Major Climate Issues
Samson Amore is a reporter for dot.LA. He holds a degree in journalism from Emerson College. Send tips or pitches to samsonamore@dot.la and find him on @Samsonamore.
At Lowercarbon Capital’s LA Tech Week event Thursday, the synergy between the region’s aerospace industry and greentech startups was clear.
The event sponsored by Lowercarbon, Climate Draft (and the defunct Silicon Valley Bank’s Climate Technology Sustainability team) brought together a handful of local startups in Hawthorne not far from LAX, and many of the companies shared DNA with arguably the region’s most famous tech resident: SpaceX.
Here’s a look at the greentech startups that pitched during the Tech Week event, and how they think what they’re building could help solve the climate crisis.
Arbor: Based in El Segundo, this year-old startup is working to convert organic waste into energy and fresh water. At the same time, it also uses biomass carbon removal and storage to remove carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in an attempt to avoid further damaging the earth’s ozone layer. At the Tech Week event Thursday, Arbor CEO Brad Hartwig told a stunned crowd that Arbor aims to remove about five billion tons of organic waste from landfills and turn that into about 6 PWh, or a quarter of the global electricity need, each year. Hartwig is an alumni of SpaceX; he was a manufacturing engineer on the Crew Dragon engines from 2016-2018 and later a flight test engineer at Kitty Hawk.
Antora: Sunnyvale-based Antora Energy was founded in 2017, making it one of the oldest companies on the pitching block during the event. Backed by investors including the National Science Foundation and Los Angeles-based Overture VC, Antora has raised roughly 57 million to date, most recently a 50 million round last February. Chief operating officer Justin Briggs said Antora’s goal is to modernize and popularize thermal energy storage using ultra-hot carbon. Massive heated carbon blocks can give off thermal energy, which Antora’s proprietary batteries then absorb and store as energy. It’s an ambitious goal, but one the world needs at scale to green its energy footprint. According to Briggs, “the biggest challenge is how can we turn back variable intermittent renewable electricity into something that’s reliable and on demand, so we can use it to provide energy to everything we need.”
Arc: Hosting the panel was Arc, an electric boating company that’s gained surprising momentum, moving from design to delivering its first e-boats in just two years of existence. Founded in 2021, the company’s already 70 employees strong and has already sold some of its first e-boats to customers willing to pay the luxury price tag, CTO Ryan Cook said Thursday. Cook said that to meet the power needs of a battery-powered speedboat, the Arc team designed the vehicle around the battery pack with the goal of it being competitive with gas boats when compared to range and cost of gas. But on the pricing side, it’s not cheap. Arc’s flagship vessel, the Arc One is expected to cost roughly 300,000. During the panel, Cook compared the boat to being “like an early Tesla Roadster.” To date Arc Boats has raised just over 35 million, according to PitchBook, from investors including Kevin Durant, Will Smith and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Clarity Technology: Carbon removal startup Clarity is based in LA and was founded by Yale graduate and CEO Glen Meyerowitz last year. Clarity is working to make “gigaton solutions for gigaton problems.” Their aim? To remove up to 2,000 billion pounds of carbon from the atmosphere through direct air capture, a process which uses massive fans to move chemicals that capture CO2. But the challenge, Meyerowitz noted in his speech, is doing this at scale in a way that makes an actual dent in the planet’s emissions while also efficiently using the electricity needed to do so. Meyerowitz spent nearly five years working as an engineer for SpaceX in Texas, and added he’s looking to transfer those learnings into Clarity.
Parallel Systems: Based in Downtown LA’s Arts District, this startup is building zero-emission rail vehicles that are capable of long-haul journeys otherwise done by a trucking company. The estimated 700 billion trucking industry, Parallel Systems CEO Matt Soule said, is ripe for an overhaul and could benefit from moving some of its goods off-road to electric railcars. According to Soule, Parallel’s electric battery-powered rail vehicles use 25% of the energy a semi truck uses, and at a competitive cost. Funded in part by a February 2022 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Parallel Systems has raised about 57 million to date. Its most recent venture funding round was a 49 million Series A led by Santa Monica-based VC Anthos Capital. Local VCs including Riot Ventures and Santa Monica-based Embark Ventures are also backers of Parallel.
Lime e-bikes are now available to hire in Nottingham
Bike hire operator Lime has launched an electric bike (e-bike) rental scheme in Nottingham, in partnership with Nottingham City Council.
Users can pick up and return Lime e-bikes from a network of designated e-bike-hire bays across the city.
Some features of the e-bikes include:
- Built-in front and rear lights – with rear lights that indicate when users brake
- An electric motor to help riders climb hills and restart their ride when stopped/stationary at traffic lights or zebra crossings
- A phone holder, allowing riders to easily navigate without having to stop and check directions
- Built-in baskets to help people carry shopping or bags
- A range of 64km with batteries monitored by Lime so they can be charged when they run low
How to hire a bike
You can hire e-bikes through the Lime app which is available on the Apple app store or the Google Play store. Check out our frequently asked questions for more detail.
E-bike hire scheme area
The e-bikes can only be used within the Nottingham City Boundary. The scheme will launch with approximately 100 hire locations across the city centre and the surrounding areas. The scheme’s second phase will involve expansion into the remaining areas of Nottingham City.
How to hire a bike
You can hire e-bikes through the Lime app which is available on the Apple app store or the Google Play store. Check out our frequently asked questions for more detail.
The scheme includes ‘Go Slow’ zones where e-bike speeds are restricted and ‘No-go’ zones where e-bikes are prohibited. The map below shows where you can ride Lime e-bikes in Nottingham city centre.
Outside of the city centre there are speed and access restrictions in the following areas:
Go-slow zones:
- Church (Rock) Cemetery
- Nottingham General Cemetery
- Nottingham War Memorial Gardens
- The Park Estate (with the exception of Lenton Road)
E-bike parking
Lime e-bikes must be picked up and dropped off at the designated parking bays which can be found on the app. Lime e-bikes cannot be left outside these parking areas. Users who fail to park correctly will receive a fine. Users who repeatedly fail to park correctly will be banned.
Shared spaces
There are many areas in Nottingham where the space is shared by cyclists and pedestrians, including river and canal towpaths and paths in our parks and open spaces. It is important that riders behave considerately where space is shared with pedestrians and other path users. Inconsiderate behaviour can reduce the appeal of these places and is particularly intimidating for people with reduced mobility, or who have hearing or vision difficulties.
When riding in shared spaces please:
- Be courteous and patient with pedestrians and other path users
- Slow down in areas where space is limited or pedestrians are present
- Take extra care in places where you cannot see clearly ahead, such as junctions, bends or blind spots
- Use the e-bike’s bell to make people aware of your presence, but be aware that people might not see or hear you as many people are hard of hearing or visually impaired
How do I use an e-bike?
- Download the Lime app from the Apple app store or the Google Play store.
- Open the app and search for nearby e-bikes.
- Scan the QR code on the e-bike to unlock it.
- Put on your helmet.
- Enjoy your ride, follow local regulations, use cycle lanes where available, and do not ride on the pavement (unless it is a shared space indicated by the sign below).
- Reach your destination and ‘end ride’ in the app. Park correctly and make sure the e-bike is not causing an obstruction.