Cargo Bikes
Be the change!
We have 5 Benno bikes located in Stonehouse, Brimscombe and Minchinhampton with a team of volunteers to help check them out and in.
We launched in Spring 2024 with lots of short term rentals of up to 2 weeks. Over the Autumn and Winter 2024/25 these bikes are available for a discounted reservation fee of £70 for 30 days.
You can choose to have the reservation fee returned once the e-bikes are safely back with us, or donate the balance to help us towards our costs and keep the service running in the future.
Our e-bikes come with all safety equipment and transport aids (panniers, baskets etc) as standard.
Bookings
Register your details
You must register in our booking system to reserve an e-bike. Register here.
We will need your name and address, you will be sent a confirmation email to your inbox
Reserve an e-bike
Once registered, you can reserve an e-bike online
You can request a pickup time and date - We’ll do our best, but please remember this scheme is run by volunteers and a part time coordinator so not all requests will be possible.
Once you have reserved the e-bike, we will be in touch to arrange a pick-up. We need at least 24 hours.
Pay the reservation fee
Reservation fees are £70 per month (or part) from 1st November 2024 to 31st March 2025.
Please pay at the latest the day before you pick-up or we will be unable to lend you the e-bike.
We take payment on our website, which you can easily complete by logging into your account and following payment instructions.
You can either donate the fee or request it back after safe return of the e-bike.
All money generated through the reservation fee / donation will be held by Transition Stroud and put towards the cost of running the e-bike Hubs, and will enable more people to benefit from using the e-bike, as you have.
Pick-up
You must bring photo ID and proof of address at pick-up.
Without these we won’t be able to loan you the e-bike. Our full terms and conditions are here.
Late return
In order to make sure the e-bikes are available to as many people as possible, we charge a late fee of £20 for each day the e-bike or its accessories is overdue by. This charge is not returnable.
Damage
If the e-bike or accessories are damaged or lost, and you have not taken reasonable safety precautions, we may charge you for their repair or replacement. It is therefore extremely important that you read our e-bike user manual before using one of our e-bikes.
Our e-bikes are covered by theft insurance but only if they are kept safely and securely locked while you are not with them, so please make sure they are locked securely to an immovable object when out of your sight.
Thanks to our partners and supporters
This project is being run by Transition Stroud and The Bike Drop in collaboration with our community partners.
We’re delighted to be working alongside:
Brimscombe & Thrupp Parish Council, with support from BisCAN and ChalCAN
We are very grateful for the financial support of Stroud District Council’s Active Travel fund, The National Lottery Community Fund (distributed by Transition Together), Brimscombe & Thrupp Parish Council, MinchCAN, Stonehouse Town Council, and the Rural England Prosperity Fund.
Why Benno bikes?
We are using Benno e-bikes as they offer excellent quality and safety standards, durability for potential hard use, and cater for a wide range of height options.
We chose the Benno eJoy and Boost models as they give a good mix of flexibility and carrying capacity. If you haven’t ever ridden an e-bike before, we’d recommend starting with the eJoy as it feels more like a standard bike than the Boost, which is larger and can carry more.
You can read more about Benno Bikes here for further information about their range and carrying capacity.
Servicing
The Bike Drop will be servicing our e-bikes at least every 3 months to keep them in great condition. They will be put in for servicing more frequently if needed, and will be inspected for flaws or faults on return after each loan.
These e-bike models have been selected for their excellent quality, so we anticipate few issues. At the end of the pilot year, we expect to sell on these e-bikes and use the money generated to invest in a fresh fleet for the next year . . . and beyond!
Insurance
Our e-bikes are insured against theft as long as they are securely locked to an immovable object when not in use, using the bike lock we provide. We give advice on safe and legal riding, as well as locking guidance, on each reservation.
We are fully insured for public liability - and you can see our certificate here.
While using our e-bikes users are responsible for riding safely and legally and for abiding by the advised weight and carrying limits of the e-bike, which we advise on during the reservation and check-out process. Full terms and conditions of loaning the e-bikes out