E-bikes in London: directions for Lime, Forest, Santander Cycles and your own
One free app for every e-bike in London. Cyclemate finds the bike, routes you the SuperSafe™ way along cycleways and quiet streets, and ends the ride where the operator lets you finish: a marked bay, a dock with space, or a rack near the door.
- 22 boroughs with Lime or Forest
- 3,400+ marked e-bike bays
- 800+ Santander docking stations
Lime
Forest
Santander CyclesLime and Forest e-bike directions in London
One route does it all: the nearest e-bike, the safe way there, and a legal bay inside the operator's zone. You just tap unlock.
Three schemes, one set of directions
Every hire scheme has its own rule for where a ride can end. Cyclemate knows each one, so the directions finish somewhere the operator's app will accept.
Lime
Dockless e-bike · 18 boroughsChoose Lime in the planner and the ride ends at a marked Lime bay in the destination borough, then walks you to the door. Where the borough lets a hire end anywhere, the route ends at your destination.
Route to a Lime bay →
Forest
Dockless e-bike · 19 boroughsForest bikes are live on the Cyclemate map. A route starts at the nearest one, opens the Forest app to unlock, and ends at a bay Forest can use, so you are never left holding a ride that will not end.
Find a Forest bike →
Santander Cycles
Docked, run by TfL · 800+ stationsDock to dock, with the live counts on the map: a station with bikes near you, a station with free docks near your destination, and a short walk at each end. The fleet includes e-bikes.
Route dock to dock →Never hunt for a bay again
Cyclemate knows every bay on its map and every borough rule. Plan an e-bike trip and the directions finish at a legal bay near your destination, not at the door.
Pick a destination
Type where you are going. Cyclemate checks which operator covers the borough and what its parking rule is.
Choose Lime or Forest
Tell the planner which bike you are riding, so the route only ends at a bay that operator can use.
Ride the SuperSafe™ way
Quiet streets and cycleways, turn by turn, same as any Cyclemate ride.
End at a legal bay
Directions finish at a marked bay inside the operator's area, then walk you to the door. Never at a spot where the app will refuse to end the ride.
Riding your own bike? Every rack, stand and hangar in the city is on the London cycle parking map, and the same switch ends your route at one of them.
Your own e-bike
Not hiring? The directions are just as good.
An e-bike of your own gets the whole app: the SuperSafe™ route, a rack to lock up at, lit streets after dark and a workout saved when you arrive.
The same SuperSafe™ route
Cycleways, low traffic neighbourhoods and quiet streets first, main roads crossed at signals, every route explained.
How routes are chosen →23,000+ racks to end at
Choose regular parking and the directions finish at a cycle rack near your destination, not at the door.
Route to a rack →Lit streets after dark
Night Mode keeps a late ride on lit streets and out of parks that lock at dusk.
Night Mode →Every ride in Apple Health
On iPhone, each ride is saved as an Outdoor Cycle workout with its route.
Apple Health sync →E-bikes in London: your questions
Which e-bike schemes are there in London?
Three shared schemes. Lime and Forest run dockless e-bikes across 22 of London’s 33 boroughs, and Santander Cycles is Transport for London’s docked scheme, with more than 800 docking stations and a fleet that includes e-bikes. Cyclemate gives directions for all three, and for your own e-bike.
Can Cyclemate give directions for a Lime or Forest e-bike?
Yes. Choose Lime or Forest in the planner and Cyclemate routes you the SuperSafe way, along protected cycleways and quiet streets, and ends the ride at a bay that operator can use in the destination borough, then walks you to the door. Forest bikes appear live on the map, so a route can start at the nearest one and open the Forest app to unlock it.
Where can I park a Lime or Forest e-bike in London?
It depends on the borough. In 15 London boroughs (Brent, Camden, City of London, Ealing, Enfield, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Merton, Wandsworth and Westminster) a shared e-bike must be left in a marked e-bike bay. In Greenwich, Kingston upon Thames, Lewisham, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton and Tower Hamlets a hire can end outside a bay, as long as the bike is upright and not blocking the pavement. Cyclemate ends every e-bike route at a legal place to park.
Does Cyclemate work with Santander Cycles?
Yes. Santander Cycles routes run dock to dock: Cyclemate picks a docking station with bikes available near you and one with free docks near your destination, shows the live counts on the map, and walks you the last stretch at each end.
Is the route different on an e-bike?
The streets are the same. Every route is a SuperSafe route, chosen for protected cycleways, low traffic neighbourhoods and quiet streets over busy main roads. What changes on a hire e-bike is where the ride starts and ends: at a bike you can unlock, and at a bay or dock where the operator lets you finish.
What is Night Mode?
Night Mode is how Cyclemate routes you after dark. Once the sun has set, SuperSafe prefers streets with lighting, stops sending you through parks that lock their gates, and avoids unlit cut-throughs, while still keeping you on quiet streets. It switches on by itself, based on the time of your ride.
Where can I park my own e-bike in London?
At any of the more than 23,000 cycle parking racks and stands on the Cyclemate map. Choose regular parking in the planner and the directions end at a rack near your destination instead of at the door.
Is Cyclemate free for e-bike directions?
Yes. Directions, turn-by-turn navigation and parking are free for Lime, Forest, Santander Cycles and your own bike. You pay the operator for the hire in its own app, as usual.
