Lime Bike vs. eBike? We discuss pros & cons of sharing schemes vs. ebike investment | Fully Charged

In this video Ben Jaconelli from Fully Charged and Eilis Barrett talk all things electric bikes, specifically lime bikes and other sharing schemes in London vs. investing in your very own premium ebike.
In this video:🚴⚡ Discover more about the rise of the eBike, delve into the pricing wars, and explore the benefits of owning your own eBike. Join us as we break down the costs, convenience, and riding experience of renting Lime Bikes vs. Personal Electric Bikes. Is it better to rent or own?
0:04 Intro
0:23 Rise of eBikes
0:46 Introduction of eBike sharing schemes
1:26 The experience of Lime Bikes
2:48 South Park's prediction
3:01 Pitfalls of Lime Bikes
3:10 Barriers to eBike investment
4:31 Breakdown of pricing
8:01 Costs of running an eBike
8:55 Public share their thoughts (VoxPops interviews)
9:55 Summary of key pros and cons
Key Points Covered:
eBike Popularity: The electric bike revolution is transforming city transportation, especially since the pandemic.
Rental Convenience: Lime Bikes offer unmatched ease with app-based rentals, but at what cost?
Cost Analysis: Rental eBikes like Lime can get pricey, with daily costs adding up quickly.
Ownership Benefits: Investing in your own eBike can save money in the long run and provide a superior riding experience.
Security Tips: Protect your investment with top-notch bike locks like the Hiplock D100.
Why Watch?
Compare Costs: See how Lime's rental fees stack up against other services and owning an eBike.
Understand Benefits: Learn why owning an eBike might be a smarter choice for regular riders.
Expert Insights: Get expert advice on eBike security and cost-saving tips.
Our research sources:
Steer’s 2023 Report on eBike Usage
Strava Cycling Stats
Cycle to Work Scheme Savings
Top eBike Models: Moustache Samedi 28.1 & Riese & Müller Culture
Hiplock D100 Security
Join the Conversation!
Have you tried a Lime bike or do you own an eBike? Share your experiences and let us know which you prefer and why!
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#eBike #LimeBike #ElectricBike #UrbanMobility #BikeSharing #GreenTransport #BikeVsBike #CycleToWork #EcoFriendly #TechReview #BikeSecurity #CityTransport
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[@philjennings205]

Great video. I used Lime Bikes picking one up at the London station which I commuted into. The ease of cycling around London has increased dramatically over the last few years and has made it safely accesible. Whilst Lime Bikes were ok, I found them very heavy which caused concerns at traffic lights etc. So I purchased a Gocycle which I now use to get to the station, fold up for the train, and then use in London. I am in my sixties and I can honestly say it has changed my life. I use it at home for leisurely rides up to 20 miles in the evenings and weekends. Btw I purchased it from Fully Charged :-)

[@FullychargedUK]

That’s awesome to read, thanks for the great comment. We hope to see you soon. One question do you remember the costs of the lime bike vs the costs of owning your new Gocycle. Because when you way it up over a period of time and you consider the risk dual value of a premium ebike I think it’s clearly obvious which actually costs less?

[@philjennings205]

Unfortunately for me but good for you , the company that I work for cycle scheme is run through Halfords and its associates which do not offer Gocycles. However I was paying up to £20 per day for Lime and found them pretty expensive,. The biggest factor is that I live in an area that does not offer electric bike hire so I now have access to an e bike full time and of course I own a relatively slowly depreciating asset.

[@formaankora1449]

Great team, and great video....❤ e bike

[@eilisbarrett]

Great result, team! Hopefully this helps open people up to the idea that ownership isn't as unattainable as sometimes first thought.

[@badabing8884]

I have Beryl rental scheme where I live. I rode the e-bikes for a year before I bought my ebike. I think I spent £5-600 before I bought mine. It’s a great PAYG option and you don’t have to worry about maintenance and can then leave the bike at another Beryl bike stand. But the bikes weren’t always maintained well so needed to check the tyres, brakes before I rode it. Sometimes those bikes weren’t good and I had to return them. But it must be done by the next Beryl bike stand or their customer services would refuse to refund my minutes and unlocking fee. Owning my e-bike is fantastic but still it comes down to safety on roads, security and weather.

[@FullychargedUK]

Totally agreed with everything you say. Especially weather this year, did you know it was the wettest february since records began in around 1850!! Security has had to improve because of rise in crime and cost of living, and it now has with the ant angle grinder locks. Also Laka insurance is fantastic and good value. Safety on the roads has improved considerably in London especially on eBike where you are not necessarily looking for the shortest point to point route and can take advantage of the cycle lanes and quiet paths and canals etc.

[@OlivierOttavi]

100% agree, other considerations are that most of the lime bikes are in really poor state, the comfort of a proper bike is not comparable, lime are also really popular during rush hours and often not highly available outside of central London ... they are great though, if you are planning to go somewhere and drop it, take the tube to come back, or don't want to worry about having it stolen or being damaged.

[@Bromptonbob]

Well explained folks….a strong case for owing a bit of quality rather than a borrowing a bone shaker

[@lockHughes-j7k]

Hi FC.. [watching from Toronto].. 20+yrs now riding assist bikes since Canada first legalized.. #1 "Best" for me today: .. a spare/second same battery to 1)parallel to dble. ranges "some days" .. OR 2)>"Two Min. Full Recharge"

[@davej5917]

I cycle for pleasure using a normal bike and it's very true about the "exploring" comment. I loaned an eBike via the Manchester scheme last summer and because I had that extra security blanket of knowing I could go down an unknown route and if it went nowhere, I could zip back the same way again without much hassle, found places on my doorstep I didn't even know existed. Also, on my own bike, I average about 10-12 mph and the eBike was frequently cutting pedal assist as I was hitting the 15.5mph all the time so it was also interesting learning how to use the bike's resources (motor and gears) correctly for maximum benefit. I fully intend to invest in one when finances permit - I could likely afford a lower end one now but I have my heart set on a Moustache Xroad FS 😁

[@FullychargedUK]

Keep an eye out for an Xdemo on fullycharged.com sometimes there are some great deals popping up at the end of the season.

[@aaronfegan]

X1 and X3 from Litelok are also great options and quite competitively priced for angle grinder resistant locks. I use them with my ebikes (and my brompton). My one concern is thieves turning to cutting the bike hoops as they’re mild steel. Is there any evidence of this becoming a trend or a problem? And are there any initiatives to strengthen bike hoops nationally?

[@FullychargedUK]

This has recently started to become a topic of conversation, it is definitely something that needs to be addressed.. We have been talking to the british cycle association and there has been no updates yet. We are starting to see more secure bike parking companies popping up like spokesafe. Lots of offices have secure bike parking in london but some of the have a blanket ban across e-bikes which is crazy as they are classifying cheap deliveroo riders projects using cheap chinese components connected by unqualified 17 years olds the same as Riese and muller’s 30 years experiences using bosch components which is ridiculous! There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to make this industry more robust!

[@christopherjeffery2828]

I like the grey helmet you are wearing. What make/model is it please.

[@ickledotco]

Lovely video. Thank you. Aren’t the anti-grinder locks quite heavy? They look like they might be.

[@FullychargedUK]

Yes they are, just under 2kg. But you can attach to the bike in a little pouch.

[@KavanOBrien]

What about people who only have the old age pension coming in as income they can’t afford the bike even on finance, strange though the government are giving £7,500 pounds grant to get rid of gas boilers as an incentive to be more green , pity there wasn’t a scheme for pensioners to get an E-bike on a government scheme, have an idea hitchhike to France maybe get on a small boat and get everything for free = sorted = wow if only everything in life was that easy , take care guys great video.

[@ZainRiza]

pensioners love cars

[@KavanOBrien]

@@ZainRiza Only those who can afford them obviously.

[@FullychargedUK]

Totally agree there are no good initiatives from the Government for eBikes these days! They did a great one for eCargobikes for business and few years back to get businesses to ditch their unnecessary van jobs when they aren’t carrying full loads and can be done by a cargobike, there was £2m nationally and we are proud to say that we managed to utilise £1.2m and sell hundreds of cargobikes to businesses, there needs to be more stuff like this to help eBikes grow. Rather than litter the streets with sharing schemes. Pensioners should have something like the cycle to work scheme where at least the government writes off the VAT! Maybe we should start a petition!? Keen to here any ideas that don’t involve hitch hiking to france 😂

[@KavanOBrien]

@@FullychargedUK To be fair I added the France scenario because feeling let down having worked for fifty years only to see all the money in taxes I paid into the country for helping people who had done the same as I before me , then you see people coming over from other countries get free everything, if I was one of these people trying to get a better life definitely would think I’ve landed in the right place if I was in their position would I try and do the same thing of course I would , that aside why is there not a scenario for pension age people to get a guaranteed price for getting their car off the road which then that would put them in the position to purchase a E Bike , they give £7.500 , grant for getting rid of the gas boiler and nothing to get a car off the road for good , there’s no logic that I can see = easy system prove you have taken car off the road = you get the voucher from the government to buy an E bike of your choice with the said voucher to the value of £ 5,000. or 4 or 3 , not because I’m thinking and saying it but I can’t see it as anything but a good idea , I can play a trumpet so why not blow it . Thanks for listening, take care.

[@thatnthis1042]

How about just riding a good old fashioned pedal bike (aslong as your young enough and able), people are becoming lazy and dependent on planet destroying lithium batteries and landfill technologies.

[@Zenwork]

Lime bike should be banned and the licence revoked .

[@mrs.m.pennycuick7876]

Sick of bikes being left on pavements!

[@TheFuzzyskwerl]

What’s the lifespan of batteries? 🪫 after 5-7 years when the batteries are shot, and they’re not making batteries for that specific model then what? Also, you need to understand basic maintenance, cost of tyres, chains, cassettes, bottom brackets… so not just 13p per charge. Owning a bike especially in incremental weather has wear, tear and rust over time. They aren’t magical transport unicorns. I’m not against them, just ordered an estarli folding e bike and used reviews on your channel to get me excited about it. Also always been a cyclist. But there’s a lot you’ve left out of the video here.