Member Article

London bike subscription service sees 440% surge in demand as cycling peaks in popularity

Leading bike subscription platform, Buzzbike, has announced a staggering 440% year-on-year increase in bike subscriptions- with the majority of subscriptions coming from those new to cycling.

The data released today revealed the 440% increase in bike subscriptions since February 2020, with a huge 160% increase in the past month. The news comes after the government announced a £2billion package at the beginning of the month to encourage more Brits to cycle in a bid to reduce the spread of Covid-19 on public transportation. In was also revealed in an early modelling from Transport For London that there could be up to 10 times as many cyclists in London, compared to those pre-COVID.

While the subscription service has already seen success, due to its all-inclusive nature and flexibility, the latest data has found that the majority of interest has come from people new to cycling- suggesting that more Londoners than ever are taking up cycling to get around the city.

Buzzbike was launched in 2016, to be easiest option for those who want to start cycling in London. For £29.99 per month Buzzbikers receive a bike to keep in their home or office (or from £17 per month on the Buzzbike to Work scheme), complete with insurance against theft, on-demand maintenance and huge discounts on essential kit like a helmet. Members can cancel at any time. Buzzbike also offers motivation to get people cycling through data tracking (money saved vs. public transport, calories, carbon offset, miles and hours in the saddle) and rewards them with prizes the more they ride via its mobile app; like coffee for riding their first Monday to Friday commute.

Tom Hares, CEO & Co-Founder of Buzzbike, comments:

“It’s been our busiest period since we launched back in 2016, and it’s fantastic to see such a surge in interest in cycling. It’s obvious that commuter habits are changing due to Covid-19, but we have found that Londoners are also turning to cycling for their overall mental and physical health.

“With far quieter streets and much cleaner air, there has never been a better time for commuters to start cycling. As more cycle lanes pop up across London, we hope to see even more people getting around the city by bike in the future. I know that for many, the costs associated with buying a new bike can be off-putting, plus there is an understandable worry about bike theft and the cost and hassle associated with bike maintenance, which is why we introduced an all-inclusive subscription service to make cycling more accessible for everybody.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Joey Green .