Lime’s new bike packs a zippy punch into a compact, easy-to-use device – GeekWire

Lime’s new electric bike is being billed heavily as an improvement in accessibility, but don’t let it sell you short – this thing is sleek, punchy and really fun to ride.

The new LimeBike, which plays on the company’s original name, is hitting the streets of Seattle this week, combining some of the comfort and convenience of its LimeGlider sit-down scooter with a fast off-the-line bike powered by its own power and pedal-assist.

The San Francisco-based micromobility company is betting that the easy-to-use, easy-to-move bike will bring new riders into the fold, especially those who find its existing hardware too intimidating or demanding.

While GeekWire appreciated the accessibility tweaks, a zippy test drive around Fremont left us equally impressed. The LimeBike is quick, handles hill climbs and feels like a legitimate candidate to replace a car trip or two.

What’s new: The LimeBike has 20-inch wheels – smaller than those on the Gen4 bike – giving it a compact, accessible feel. The step-through frame makes mounting and dismounting easy. There’s even a new seat knob designed to allow riders to easily adjust the height. In the US, the bike comes equipped with a handlebar throttle, so riders can pedal with electric assistance, use the throttle only, or a combination of both.

Other improvements include wider front baskets that are placed lower in the frame for easier turning when loaded, an ergonomic hand grip designed to reduce fatigue, and a sliding clamp-style phone holder. Lime also relocated the battery and revised the wheels to lower the center of gravity — a tweak intended to improve stability, especially for smaller riders.

“It wasn’t just learning on a glider,” Parker Dawson, Lime’s senior regional lead for government relations in the Pacific Northwest, told GeekWire. “It was really speaking to regular commuters, casual commuters, and even non-commuters in cities around the world, wanting to understand how to make it more accessible and intuitive for more people.”

Designed for: Lime says the LimeBike is aimed at riders who might struggle with extended rides, with a particular focus on making the experience more accessible to women and older riders — two groups the company says are underserved by existing e-bike designs.

But the target is wider than that. Dawson said the goal is for LimeBike to be a combination of the Lime fleet rather than an individual exchange for a specific type of trip or rider — to help more people find more reasons to leave their cars behind.

How to ride: For the rider who has tried everything Lime has to offer, the LimeBike checks a few boxes that the company ticks when it comes to ease of use. But compared to older bike models, it’s also a lot more fun.

Of course, the seat is easily adjustable and the frame of the step allows for ventilation. The bike feels compact thanks to the low center of gravity, similar to the LimeGlider, which was tested by GeekWire in 2024.

But the LimeBike also feels light and quick off the line, reaching 15 mph with throttle, pedal assist, or a combination of the two. The ability to switch between the two – pedaling, then leaning on the throttle – gave the ride a natural feel while still leaving room to sweat.

The bike handled the moderate hills in the Fremont area without much drama, losing a little speed on the climbs but remaining comfortable throughout.

And if you think that’s the last thing Seattle or the bike lanes need in an otherwise super-fast way, the LimeBike is still slower than the 25 mph (or more) speeds most modified e-bikes come with.

In numbers: Lime will roll out 500 LimeBikes to start, adding them to a Seattle-based fleet that currently includes about 15,000 devices — including 4,000 Gen4 bikes, 7,000 scooters, and 4,000 gliders. Seattle is Lime’s largest shared micromobility market in North America by fleet capacity.

The company is now Seattle’s only micromobility operator, a position it took on April 1 following the exit of competitors including Nyoni, which previously filed for bankruptcy. Dawson said the riders were picking Lime over the competition well before the field narrowed.

The merger didn’t hurt demand. Lime provided 2.3 million rides in Seattle in the first quarter of this year, nearly 50% up from 1.4 million in Q1 last year – which is on track for a record 10.1 million rides by 2024.

What’s coming: With Seattle hosting the FIFA World Cup this summer, Lime is expecting a surge in demand – but Dawson said the company has no plans to expand its fleet for the tournament. Instead, Lime made the smart decision earlier this year to request 1,000 more gliders, prioritizing seating options for Seattle’s regular passengers over access and hardware.

“We are very confident in our operations team that we can deliver a great user experience and be a strong asset to the transportation network on game days,” Dawson said.

Dawson also said progress is being made on Lime Vision, the company’s previously announced AI-powered compliance technology, saying 50% of fleets will be installed by June 1. Lime is also continuing to work with SDOT on expanding its network of parking corrals throughout the city — an important part of making the overall system easier for commuters.

Lime’s current contract with SDOT expires at the end of the year, and Dawson said the company, which has been in Seattle since 2017, is willing to compete for a long-term contract.

“Seattle is one of our oldest, most developed markets that we have globally,” Dawson said. “That’s the thing about an innovation center. Most of our tech people live here. A lot of our technology is born and raised here to be exported around the world to other cities.”