Shared micromobility giant Lime is piloting two new vehicles designed to appeal to women and older folks who might appreciate a lower step-through frame, smaller wheels and an upgrade from pedal-assist.
Lime has experimented with several new form factors over the years in a bid to capture customers and adapt to changing tastes and trends. Its efforts have paid off in some important ways. The company managed to become profitable at times in an industry where most others – like Tier, Bird and Spin – have struggled to stay afloat. In 2023, Lime pulled in more than $90 million in adjusted EBITDA, which the company says is more than a 500% increase over the previous year.
To maintain its dominant position, Lime needs to win over even more riders. And being more inclusive doesn’t hurt the company’s chances at winning city contracts.
Both of Lime’s new vehicles – the LimeBike and the LimeGlider – are based on the same platform, but with a few tweaks. The LimeBike is Lime’s next generation e-bike, following the company’s Gen4 bike that it debuted in 2022. The LimeGlider has the performance and weight of a motorbike, but with a moped feel.
Lime is piloting the next-gen ebike in Atlanta and Zurich, Switzerland this week. Meanwhile, the Glider is expected to come to Seattle and Zurich in August and September, respectively. Lime said it will put 200 to 300 of the vehicles in each city to test if the fresh designs are attracting riders in the way it hopes.
“At its core, these products are meant to not only appeal to our current riders, but to reach out to new riders,” Jason Parrish, Lime’s senior director of product management, told me as we stood next to the new bikes at Bushwick Inlet Park in Brooklyn. “We talked to lots of folks about what they like about our vehicles, what they might like to see different, and one of the themes we heard is that there were some groups of people that just didn’t feel like micromobility is for them.”
The data backs that assertion up. Lime says that around 70% of its riders are men, and its average user age is 33.
This isn’t the first time Lime has introduced new vehicles in an attempt to attract new riders. In 2021, Lime tested electric mopeds in Washington, D.C. and New York City. It quietly killed them off a year later, and then started testing its Citra motorbike in Long Beach. That vehicle ultimately wasn’t added to Lime’s fleet, either.
So what’s different now?
Lime says its past failures as well as data on how people ride has informed its new strategy. It also built these new models using parts that overlap with its existing scooters and bikes, making them easier to repair.
And finally, these vehicles are more focused on giving some riders what they’ve asked for: smaller and more approachable frames with more storage and a lower center of gravity.
Both the Bike and the Glider have smaller wheels – 20 inches, compared to 26 inches on the Gen4 bike – with a lower step-through height, which makes it easier to hop on and off.
They also have big front baskets – Lime says the biggest in the industry – that are shaped to fit grocery bags. Lime’s design team also added holes in the bottom to let moisture and trash find its way out. Parrish noted that Lime would be testing out rear baskets in certain markets on both vehicles.
Other changes to the new vehicles include a new phone holder that’s less of a spidery rubber grip and more of a stable squeeze, and is set at an angle that’s optimized to be able to see your screen during a bright day.
“We also changed the display, it’s now right below the phone, so it’s all kind of one continuous set of information” said Parrish. “We simplified the battery gauge down to just a battery meter, and it’ll tell you the speed you’re going. And depending on if you’re in a slow ride zone or no operating zone, different icons will show up to convey that message to you.”
Another change that is coming to both bikes include a status light, similar to the ones on Lime’s e-scooters, which allow riders to see from across the road if the vehicle is ready to rent. Riders will also be able to tell the two vehicles apart because the LimeBike is green and white, but the LimeGlider is all green.
First ride: LimeBike
My first thought jumping on the LimeBike immediately after taking the Gen4 for a spin was that it did, in fact, feel smaller. And it was easier getting on and off the LimeBike than its predecessor.
While everything like the height of the handlebars and the distance between the seat and the handlebars were the same, I noticed an improvement in the ergonomics of the handles themselves. Rather than a rounded grip, this one has a flat palm area to rest your hand.
The LimeBike also has a throttle, in addition to the pedal assist. This addition is partly based on feedback from customers who don’t want to sweat on their way to work.
“What we actually see is that some people might start out with the throttle to get up to speed faster, but then they still like to pedal, so it gives them more choice,” said Parrish.
That throttle is on the right side, and the bell is on the left, which took just a touch of getting used to.
The Bike is also lighter than the Gen4, which helps when you’re trying to lug it over a curb to park it after a ride. I actually physically couldn’t lift the Gen4 front wheel off the ground, a humbling realization. The Gen4 feels heavier because the battery is on the down tube of the frame (or the neck, as I refer to it in my mind). Whereas with the LimeBike, the battery is under the seat, making for a lower center of gravity that also feels more stable. I managed to ride with no hands for at least five whole seconds.
In fact, I came away from my ride thinking that the LimeBike felt easy to handle, robust and sturdy, even as I deliberately raced it over Brooklyn’s finest bumpy roads.
First ride: LimeGlider
The Lime Glider is built on the same platform as the LimeBike, but without pedals.
The idea with the Glider is that it’s as effortless as a standing scooter, but more comfortable to sit down and enjoy. It’s also not a high-speed vehicle, so it is ridden in the bike lanes.
The seat is more of a moped seat than a bike seat, and while it feels like it can easily seat two riders, Parrish says that’s not the point of it. Really, it’s so long because shorter people will want to sit towards the front, and taller riders will sit towards the rear.
I should also note that I had my heavy backpack in the front basket, and found that because of the low center of gravity of the vehicle, I didn’t feel like my bag impacted the stability of the ride.
The Glider also provided a solid ride with decent absorption over bumpy roads and a smooth acceleration that helped me dodge and weave through Brooklyn’s traffic. This is the type of vehicle that I’d ride for longer distances or if I were wearing a skirt and heels, because it really is as easy as sitting down and going. Or standing up! I rode for a few blocks standing up to give my low back a break, and it felt even more stable than riding an e-scooter.
