A new small-scale e-bike hire business has opened in Hobart to give locals the chance to try an e-bike and provide a service for tourists.
Licy.com.au is operating online and will deliver bikes and accessories to customers' homes or offices.
Two e-bike models will be available: the Gazelle Fuente and the Nakto “Dutch style” upright step-through.
Hire costs are $35 for the day, and weekly hire of the Nakto bikes is being offered for $39.
Business founder Hamilton Mardock hopes to increase the size of his bike fleet by enticing businesses to sign up for e-bike subscriptions.
Employees would be encouraged to use the bikes instead of cars and contribute to a business’s efforts to become carbon neutral.
“I started off using my two e-bikes as a test last year. Since then, I have bought two brand new e-bikes for the business, and am in the process of buying more,” Hamilton says.
“I’m currently talking to two Australian brands and deciding which one offers the best deal and best e-bike.
“I am aiming to launch a promotion for uni students soon and potentially offering electric cargo bikes for families later this year,”
Hamilton says he started the business out of a desire to promote active transport and quickly saw a gap in the market for low-cost e-bikes.
“After traveling to several countries, both for business and leisure, I saw that different city designs can influence how people move and live.
“Also, I see that people are suffering from cost of living, long and stressful commutes and poor air quality in urban areas. The entry barrier of finding an e-bike, committing the money and using it as a car replacement is huge: I want to make it accessible to as many people as possible,” Hamilton says.
Hirers must pay a bond when they sign their hire contract and the e-bikes come with a lock, but are also insured. Bike repair is also taken care of by Licy, with repairs in 24 hours.
“If something goes wrong with the e-bike we’ll pick it up, fix and return it, or will replace it with a new e-bike,” Hamilton says.
Delivery covers Hobart and inner city suburbs and the eastern shore suburbs of Rosny, Warrane, Bellerive, Howrah and Tranmere.
And in keeping with the clean, green outlook pick-up and delivery will be via an electric vehicle.
Accessories including a child seat for the rear pannier, bike trailer for young children and waterproof panniers can also be hired.
You can book a bike via www.licy.com.au and regular updates are provided on the Instagram page @licy_liveable_city.