Uber JUMP bikes launch in London: You can now hire an electric bike from Uber for just £1 – here’s how

Uber is expanding beyond taxis and food delivery to launch its first range of electric bicycles in London.

Following a successful launch in the US and a number of European countries, 350 JUMP bikes are now available as part of Uber’s bike-sharing pilot scheme in Islington. They’ll cost £1 to unlock and £0.12 per minute, with your first five minutes free.

You’ll be able to find your nearest JUMP bike via your current Uber app and account and Uber explained that a single ride from Finsbury Park to the Barbican Centre will cost around £2.30, or a trip from Highbury Fields to Old Street will be £1.40.

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The company said it has carried out research on where to launch the scheme and plans to assess the viability of the service during this pilot before potentially rolling out to more boroughs in the capital, if it proves successful. 

All JUMP bikes have GPS trackers and built-in cable locks which have to be locked to end the trip. They also have adjustable seats, a gear shifter, a basket and a phone mount, plus an electric pedal-assist of up to 15mph that responds to the effort of the rider, giving help up hills for instance. 

Unlike Transport for London’s Santander Cycles scheme, you don’t need to park the JUMP bike in a specific docking station after use. Instead, you can use the built-in cable locks to secure it to any public rack within the JUMP service area. 

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This doesn’t mean you can park JUMP bikes on the other side of London, though, and there are a number of no parking zones where the bikes can’t be parked at the end of a trip. These are clearly marked in the Uber app and include hospitals, stadiums, canals, Royal Parks and protected areas. Riders will get a notification if they try to end a JUMP trip in a no parking zone and will be fined £25 if they fail to move the bike.

As a price comparison, Santander Cycles gives you unlimited journeys over a 24-hour period for £2, with the first 30 minutes of each journey included. Longer journeys cost £2 for each extra 30 minutes.

How to hire an Uber JUMP bike in London?

1. Open the Uber app. If you don’t already have an Uber account, you can sign up here
2. Click the menu icon in the top right-hand corner and select Bike
3. A unique PIN will be generated via the app that you will then use to unlock the bike
4. Once you’ve finished your journey, secure your bike to a public rack

If you can’t see the Bike option in your menu, you may need to update your app. 

JUMP bikes are already available in Berlin, Lisbon, Brussels, Madrid and Paris. The latter two cities also offer JUMP scooters.