Inside the warehouse where Lime bikes go at night

A telltale sign of spring: Lime bikes you’ll find parked randomly in London, the ‘click-clacking’ sound or riders speeding past you. But where do the bikes go when they need to be fixed up?

As Metro’s transport reporter, I went to take a look inside one of Lime’s secretive warehouses where worse-for-wear bikes get a bit of love.

You might think it’s all about fixing missing pedals or loose seats, but the loved and hated bikes go through a lot on London streets.

When entering the warehouse, which is like a chocolate factory for cycling fans, you can hear the signature bell ding as an army of mechanics check if the bikes are roadworthy.

When entering the warehouse, which is like a chocolate factory for cycling fans, you can hear the signature bell ding as an army of mechanics check if the bikes are roadworthy.

After the TLC, replenishment and wash, the aim is to get bikes back on the road the same day, ideally within 24 hours, Imaan, Lime’s senior operations manager, told Metro.

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This is the Lime bike warehouse you never see. From decay hunters, to rangers and mechanics, Lime staff are actually everywhere in London, despite many people never noticing them. @anna_staddon went to investigate where Lime bikes actually go at night. #limebike #londonsummer #ebike #londontravel #investigation

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Most of the parts on a Lime bike can be replenished and replaced, including the baskets, which are often full of muck after being turned into mobile bins.

All Lime’s hardware and software has been designed in-house, meaning it can reclaim, reuse and recycle specific spare parts, Imaan added.

A dedicated team with a specialist background worked to replenish parts like electronics, saddles, and fenders.

‘The fact that we can swap and change different parts and are able to refurbish them really extends the lifespan,’ Imaan said. ‘Each one lasts about five years.’

When asked what happens to bikes that are broken beyond repair, she said parts will recycled but there is a high success rate of being able to use parts again.

Lime said it also has ‘rangers’ who go around boroughs checking on bike presentations on the streets. Lime, like other e-bike rental firms, has been forced to take action after complaints about bad parking blocking pavements.

Some baskets and fenders had also graffiti scribbled on them, which were removed in the wash outside along with final cosmetics checks and filling up the tyres.

Mechanics working for the Lime contractor running the maintenance are paid the London living wage.

Brooke, who has been a Lime mechanic for a little over a year, checked through a Lime bike with confident moves, including swapping out a broken basket and a phone holder before taking the bike for a test ride.

The chances are that you have never seen Lime bikes being picked up or unloaded from the parking bays.

This is because due to the busy London traffic, the teams typically work at night, Imaan said.

However, this modus operandi isn’t without issues, and residents in busy areas like Islington have complained about noisy late Lime bike collections. Overnight operations have since been stopped in some areas in the borough, Metro understands.

Lime said it is committed to minimising nighttime disruption, but ‘some overnight operations are essential’ to have bikes charged and ready for commuters.

And what about the infamous click-clack sound the bikes make when brazen Londoners ride them without paying? It might have been eradicated as Lime said it has developed anti-vandalism and theft measures to stop fraudulent use.

The e-bike operator announced last week that it will bring the next-generation Lime to the UK. The new bikes, which Metro tested out, have smaller wheels and a lower frame for easier access.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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