The redesign has been carried out by England’s longest established cycle manufacturer, Pashley Cycles
The all-new design for London’s Santander-branded hire bikes – otherwise known as ‘Boris Bikes’ – has been envisaged by Pashley Cycles to offer improved handling, safety and comfort, alongside innovative smart technology.
The first of the new bikes have rolled onto the capital’s streets, with thousands set to join TfL’s flagship cycle hire scheme over the next few years, with 10.3m hires last year and demand rising fast.
The bikes have been built by England’s longest established cycle manufacturer, Pashley Cycles in Stratford-upon-Avon, as part of an industrial team assembled by scheme operators Serco.
They have been designed to be easier to ride and maintain, meaning more cycles will be available to hire more often and reduce maintenance costs.
The new cycles have inbuilt bluetooth and the capacity for GPS technology, which will allow Serco to record the performance of the bikes. Ahead of joining London’s streets, the upgraded bikes have undergone robust tests, including some brave soul taking the notoriously heavyweight unit out for mountain bike testing.
British start-up company, Blaze, has helped transform the lights on the new Santander Cycles, which include a new brighter brake light and greatly enhanced Blaze Laserlight at the front with 180° visibility.
The Blaze Laserlight is now fitted to all 12,000 Santander Cycles to make riders more visible and increase their confidence on the roads.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, said: “It’s great news that the first of our brand-new cycle hire bikes have arrived on London’s streets.
“Tens of thousands of Londoners and tourists enjoy using the bikes to get around our city every single day, so by making them more comfortable and manoeuvrable we’re hoping they’ll be even more popular. That’s good for our health, our air quality and for tackling congestion.”
