Author: Phil Ellis, CEO Of Beryl
Rider experience is one of the fundamentals of any shared transport scheme.
That is why, after years of operation, research and development, we have now launched our next generation e-bike – BBE2.
Designed entirely with the user in mind, the lightweight e-bike offers a wealth of new features, designed to make it as fun to use and accessible as possible.
Here I explain some of the standout features and design process.
Comfort is king
As an operator, it’s down to us to make people want to swap their car for sustainable alternatives. We have to provide them with reasons to encourage that behaviour change.
BBE2 is designed to feel more like an e-bike you’d have at home, ready to use for a variety of functions.
There are improved ergonomics with a low-step through frame and an adjustable seat clamp, making it suitable for riders from 4’11” to 6’5”. The e-bike also boasts 23-inch wheels with broad rims and puncture-resistant tyres to provide a better grip and a more reliable ride.
We know, from speaking directly to our riders, that our e-bikes are used for a wide variety of journeys. Our latest Annual Rider Report, a survey of all Beryl users undertaken in summer 2023, showed that 59% of our e-bike riders used them for a full or part commute, 56% used them for social/leisure purposes, 31% used them for errands and 20% used them for shopping. A large front basket with 10kg of capacity makes BBE2 more convenient to use and suitable for a wider variety of uses.
Brains as well as beauty
We know that the vast majority of our e-bike riders choose the mode because the electric assist makes hills and longer journeys much easier to tackle. But we also know that this extra power can be daunting to newer or first time riders.
We’ve tried to mitigate this by developing our own ‘safe start’ technology, which ensures a smooth first few pedals as the ride begins. The e-bike’s two-speed gear hub also provides automatic gear shifting throughout the journey, which helps less familiar riders to always be in the right gear. This is particularly important when moving away from traffic lights on busy roads.
BBE2 also boasts a swappable 36V battery, providing a significant 80 km range thereby reducing the amount of swaps required and freeing up on-street team resources.
As with all Beryl vehicles, the model incorporates Beryl’s industry leading ‘Smart Bike’ GPS technology alongside a Near Field Communication unlocking pad and integrated phone holder.
Years in the making
Over recent years, we’ve seen the advent of a ‘boom and bust’ model for e-bike schemes, with merges, exits, takeovers and collapses commonplace across the market. For many schemes, a lack of continuity has prevented them from fulfilling their potential and resulted in avoidable issues, such as pavement blocking.
We’ve been taking a different approach, focusing on integration and building schemes that work for and with local communities and help to increase cycling across England. This has given us the stability to invest in this new model and set a new benchmark for the industry.
We launched our first e-bike – BBE1 – in Watford just over four years ago and now provide well over 2000 e-bikes across 12 separate schemes. In that time, they have generated nearly two million journeys across nearly six million kilometres, saving nearly 300 tonnes of carbon emissions.
During this time, we’ve received feedback from hundreds of thousands of e-bike riders via our end of journey surveys and annual rider reports.
In short, we know what our riders want and we believe we have delivered it.
Where will we see it?
Our BBE2s have hit the streets of Stevenage today as part of our brand new 150 e-bike share scheme with Stevenage Borough Council.
They initially debuted in Guildford on 18 September as part of the first pilot phase of our new share scheme alongside Surrey County Council, Guildford Borough Council and the University of Surrey.
The first phase has seen the bikes linking the University of Surrey’s Stag Hill and Manor Park campuses with Guildford town centre – encouraging sustainable travel behaviours among new and returning students as the new academic year begins.
The pilot phase will accelerate over the coming weeks, and by the end of October there should be 200 BBE2s with 46 bays across a wider part of the town as we enter the winter months. A full complement of 300 e-bikes will then be available across 56 bays in spring 2025.
A bright future
We’ve long championed shared bike schemes as the key to unlocking increased levels of cycling and know, from our Rider Report, that 56% of our e-bike users ride more often or much more often since using Beryl.
By listening to our riders and utilising our own acquired knowledge and expertise, we have ensured every element of our new model is equipped for an even wider range of riders.
By doing that, we hope to break down the barriers to active travel for even more people and have an even greater impact on reducing congestion, getting people active and improving air quality.
We can’t wait to see them out on the road, and continuing to expand our work in both England and into Europe.
