What do you call something that looks like a bike but rides like a scooter? A scicycle? A booter?
Whatever you want to call it, its official name is the LimeGlider, and it’s the latest rentable micromobility vehicle to hit Denver’s streets.
Lime, the dockless vehicle giant, deployed about 250 of its newest wheeled contraptions on Wednesday. The LimeGlider looks like a bike, with two spoked wheels and a seat.
But instead of pedals, it has a throttle, and it’s smaller than the company’s e-bikes.
“It sort of behaves like a seated scooter, but I think for use cases, it’s more similar to a bicycle, right?” said Zach Williams, senior director of government relations for Lime in Colorado.
Lime calls it an 'inclusive vehicle' designed with women and older people in mind
The company is positioning them as its “most inclusive vehicle to date.” Its wheels are significantly larger than a scooter’s, which makes it better able to handle curbs and obstacles. At the same time, its lower profile could make it easier to mount and less intimidating than the company’s e-bikes, Williams said.
The Glider was in development for several years, with the design process focused in large part on women and older riders, who may find it uncomfortable to swing their legs onto a taller bike, Williams said.
“It's a lower vehicle with a much lower center of gravity. Your feet on the running boards are pretty close to the ground, and so it feels really stable, really easy to plant your feet on the ground. I think it'll be really attractive for more novice riders, many of whom gravitate to standing scooters,” Williams said.
The vehicle is designed for longer trips across town, while a scooter is most useful for traveling a mile or so, Williams said.
Lime deployed the vehicles in small tests last year. One early reviewer called them a “sit-down scooter,” which is, sadly, probably better than “booter.” (Ed. note: Could not disagree more.) The city will classify the new vehicle as a bike, but it will track it as a distinct category.
A writer for Wired said they “felt nimbler and easier to maneuver” compared to Lime’s bikes. Another reviewer was impressed “by the feeling of stability.”
The Gliders also have a sizable basket, a seat cushion and a place to mount a phone. Lime currently operates about 5,000 vehicles around the city, of which 4,500 are scooters and the remainder are bikes, according to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.
The Gliders arrive as Denver weighs more regulations on rentable bikes and scooters
The Gliders made their full debut in Seattle several days ago, with Denver’s fleet close behind. They’ll show up first in the central city, but riders can take them anywhere in the local service area. The vehicles will soon appear in the Lime app as a third option alongside e-bikes and scooters.
The rollout comes as city leaders are considering new regulations for the city’s dockless mobility fleets, which are run by Lime and Lyft.
“I wouldn't say the political situation necessarily [was a motivating factor], but I do think it is a signal of how committed we are to Denver,” Williams said.
He added that Lime chose Denver for the early deployment because it is one of the company’s strongest markets.
The Glider was developed by Lime and is fairly distinct from the rest of the scooter market, though it does resemble some seated cooters like the Veo Cosmo.
