How Lime redesigned its e-bikes to make them easier for more people to ride

The new ‘LimeBike’ is lighter, easier to steer, and more comfortable for a wider range of riders.

BY María José Gutierrez Chavez

For those of us not born tall and strong, using a shared electric bike can sometimes be cumbersome—they’re often big, heavy, and hard to maneuver. Bike-share giant Lime has taken note, releasing a new generation of bikes tailored for riders who could benefit from more accessible design.

One of the first dockless micromobility companies, Lime launched in 2017, eventually filling the streets of major cities across the U.S., Europe, Australia, and the Middle East with its bright-green two-wheelers. Now the company has introduced an alternative model to its standard Gen4, designed to reach riders—particularly women and older adults—who may have found its original model challenging or intimidating.

“The new vehicle builds upon the strong foundation of what is already working well,” Jason Parrish, Lime’s senior director of product management, tells Fast Company.

Lime piloted its new design in July 2024 in Atlanta, Seattle, and Zurich, with an official release in April last year. The model, called a “LimeBike,” is not meant to replace the Gen4, but rather serve as a complement to the company’s bike-share services, offering an alternative for riders.

LimeBikes are currently in circulation domestically in Atlanta, Seattle, and Nashville, and globally in Munich, Paris, Berlin, and other cities.

A rider-friendly redesign

The LimeBike model came about based on feedback from riders and city officials from around the world who said they wanted bike sharing to feel more approachable and accessible to a wider range of riders, especially those who are shorter in stature or have more restricted range of motion.

Compared to the original model, the LimeBike weighs less, has a more compact frame, a lower step-through, and smaller, 20-inch tires. The designers also moved the bike’s battery under the seat to shift its center of gravity, and introduced an ergonomic seat clamp to ease height adjustments. These details make the bike more comfortable to get on and off of, steer, and ride.

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