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Forest has reported that its Forest Flex e-bike subscription service is now averaging more than 10,000 rides a day, following a 500% rise in users since launching earlier this year.
The London-based shared e-bike operator said the £6.99-a-month service has seen strong uptake during one of the capital’s hottest summers on record, with commuting emerging as the most popular use of its 30-minute ride tier.
Forest Flex gives riders access to unlimited 10-minute rides for £1 and 30-minute rides for £1.70. Forest said the product is designed to provide greater flexibility for journeys across London while offering a lower-cost alternative to public transport and rival shared e-bike subscription products.
According to analysis from the company, a peak-time return commute in Zones 1-2 would cost £3.40 using Forest Flex, compared with £7.20 on the Tube. Including the monthly subscription fee, Forest estimates that regular commuters could pay £47.77 a month through Forest Flex, compared with £86.40 on the Tube over the same period.
The business also claims Forest Flex is the cheapest e-bike subscription of its kind in London, with a 30-minute ride priced at £1.70, compared with £3.30 through LimePrime and £4.40 through Voi+.
To support the growth of the service, Forest has launched a new marketing campaign, Flexing All Over London, which features London bodybuilders, everyday Forest riders and the brand’s e-bikes in a series of studio portraits shot by photographer Guy Bolongaro.
The campaign will run across 50 digital out-of-home screens around London, alongside Forest’s digital and social channels, making it the company’s largest outdoor takeover to date.
Michael Stewart, co-founder and chief marketing officer at Forest, said: “Since launching Forest Flex, we’ve seen an incredible response from Londoners looking for a more affordable and flexible way to get around the city. Forest Flex offers just that, providing better value than the Tube and other shared e-bike subscriptions in the capital.
“We’re proud that so many Londoners have already made the switch. Through our new campaign we want to encourage even more people to try cycling, and show that trading a hot, stressful commute for an e-bike isn’t only more enjoyable; it makes financial sense too.”
