One in 10 Lime bikes have dangerous mechanical issues including malfunctioning brakes, report suggests

A report into the condition of London's Lime hire bikes has suggested that around one in ten should be taken off the road due to dangerous mechanical issues such as malfunctioning brakes or missing parts. 

News website London Centric hired 50 of Lime's e-bikes in central London and got an experienced bike mechanic to assess their condition. It was his conclusion that 12 per cent should not be in use due to concerns such as brakes not working properly, missing parts, and flat tyres — however, many remained available for hire despite the issues being reported to Lime.

Commuter cyclist on Lime hire bike (credit: Simon MacMichael)

Looking at the numbers more closely, James Holloway — a cycling instructor and mechanic — reported 18 per cent had missing parts while 14 per cent had issues with braking.

He said: "The main issue for me is somebody jumping on a bike that for all intents and purposes looks fine to ride. They suddenly hit the brake hard and they either find it’s not working as well as they'd like it to in the event of trying to avoid a collision — or that it binds on and causes them to skid."

In response to the report, Lime insisted that safety is "our highest priority", although London Centric questioned why many of the unsafe bikes in question remained available to the public despite being reported for issues.

Timothée Chalamet parks Lime bike at London premiere of A Complete Unknown (credit: Shane Anthony)

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The website reported one bike with a missing saddle, but it remained on the app available for hire.

A spokesperson for Lime said maintenance checks are conducted regularly but suggested due to "high levels of rider subjectivity and erroneous reporting", bikes are not immediately stopped from being hired when a report of a safety issue is made unless it concerns their brakes.

"We will mark the vehicle for inspection from our team, but we do not remove it from service unless additional reports are received from recent riders," the hire bike provider explained, brake concerns being the exception and cause for immediate immobilisation until a mechanic has checked the bike.

"Lime's industry-leading approach to safety has resulted in 99.99 per cent of trips ending without a reported incident, and we continue to strive to ensure every ride ends safely," a spokesperson commented.

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In January, Lime announced the launch of a £20m 'Action Plan' to improve e-bike parking in London – a seemingly constant source of discontent in the capital in recent years.