With e-bike sales on the rise and an improved understanding worldwide of their many benefits to commuters of all types, some U.S. cities are trying to make it easier for anyone to start riding to work with an e-assist bike. Because the upfront cost of an e-bike can be prohibitively expensive, even cities and states that offer strong tax incentives and rebates for e-bike ownership struggle to get more people on e-bikes.
San Francisco may have finally cracked the code by creating a leasing option for e-bikes, and bringing neighborhood bike dealers into the equation.
The beginning of a subscription model for e-bikes
As Bicycle Retailer reported, the launch of Friiway in the city is the beginning of a subscription model for e-bike ridership. It’s akin to a hybrid of a bike rental and car financing—essentially, it’s the bike equivalent of a car lease.
More From Bicycling
Friiway is the brainchild of Joe Connors and Brett Thurber, founder The New Wheel, an e-bike retailer in the Bay Area. With Friiway, you pick a subscription with a monthly, semi-annual or annual duration. Each subscription includes not only the e-bike itself, but insurance, maintenance, and the ability to apply 15 percent of your subscription towards the purchase of a new bike.
According to Bicycle Retailer, subscriptions range from $229 to $299 a month for the service. Considering the price for a new Stromer e-bike (one of the brands on offer) starts at over $5000 on sale, that’s a low cost per month for a lot of bike.
The pros and cons
There are, however, a few drawbacks of this rental/subscription scheme: Riders are not permitted to use the bikes for deliveries, i.e. UberEats, according to the brand’s FAQ page. This means that for a large portion of bike messengers and delivery people who could be helped by an ebike, Friiway won’t be of use.
Trailers are not permitted, and children’s seats must be approved by Friiway before use. Helmets are required while riding.
But there are many positives too: First, you’re riding a new Stromer or Riese & Müller e-bike, not a clunky e-bike that’s been serviced hundreds of times already. Even flat repair is covered in your subscription, and the service will help you arrange pickup/dropoff of your bike at the nearest repair shop.
Bike locks come with each bike, and as previously mentioned, rather than bringing your bike to a docking station daily, you bring it home with you so you always have it.
The goal isn’t to have riders using these bikes forever, but rather, to show riders the benefits of e-bike ownership in an extended “try before you buy” model.
The hope is that at the end of your year of membership, you’re ready to buy your own e-bike. Or, as Matti Rajakylä, Stromer Bike’s general manager for North America, told Bicycle Retailer, Friiway can also be the optimal long-term rental solution for students or workers who are only in the Bay Area for a few months.
The eventual goal for Friiway is to bring more independent bike retailers on as e-bike providers, starting in 2024.
Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training, with an emphasis on women in sport. Her new middle-grade series, Shred Girls, debuts with Rodale Kids/Random House in 2019 with “Lindsay’s Joyride.” Her other books include “Mud, Snow and Cyclocross,” “Saddle, Sore” and “Fuel Your Ride.” Her work has been published in magazines like Bicycling, Outside and Nylon. She co-hosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast.