Find out how you can hire Forest electric bikes (e-bikes) to residents and visitors.

E-bikes are a healthy transport option. They provide a convenient alternative to car journeys so help make Sutton’s air cleaner. Cycling also has proven benefits to physical and mental health.

Key features

  • minute bundles are available to reduce the cost of journeys
  • unlock by app or by scanning QR code on the bike in the street (you must register first, check the ‘how to use’ section’)
  • users must leave the bike in a designated parking area (Green Bay), viewable on the Forest app, to avoid inconveniencing others
  • residents picking up a bike in one borough and leaving it in either Kingston, Sutton or Merton boroughs.
  • after paying a £1 unlock fee, riders can access up to 30 free ride minutes by choosing bikes that most need redistributing. The scheme has three free-minute tiers (1–5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 30 minutes) displayed in the Forest app. The tier a bike is placed in will depend on factors such as whether it is in an over-supplied bay or has been idle for an extended period.
  • Humanforest e-bikes are a fully sustainable form of transport. The e-bikes, which are zero emission, are fully electric – with long range swappable batteries – and benefit from initiatives to improve battery life and reduce waste

How to hire and use HumanForest e-bikes

Registration and sign-up

  • sign up by downloading the app from the App Store or Google Play Store
  • create an account using your email
  • complete your registration and add your payment method of choice
  • you will then receive an account activation email to verify your account
  • read and understand the safety checks guide so you're aware of how to ride safely.

Booking and Unlocking e-bikes

Book an ebike via the app or by scanning QR code on each bike in the street

Returning the e-bike / ending your ride

  • You must end your journey in one of Forest e-bike ‘green bays which are indicated on the app.
  • Check the app to avoid parking in a “No Parking” area”. All “No Parking” areas are marked in Grey. You are unable to end or pause your ride in these areas.
  • Forest operates a 3 strike system for parking non-compliance: First offence results in a warning, second offence means a £15 fine and a third offence means the user is banned from using the bike hire service.
  • Abandoning an e-bike outside of the boroughs in which Forest operates (such as Kingston, Sutton or Merton) will incur a penalty fine. (NOTE: Geo-fencing technology is used to define the "green bays" and users will see them on the Forest app).
  • At the end of your ride, simply open the Forest app and slide the icon 'END YOUR RIDE' to the right once you are in an approved zone.
  • You will be asked to take a photo of the eBike and will receive a confirmation message/email that the eBike has been successfully locked. (There is no physical lock on the bikes, simply lock and unlock via the app).

Visit the Forest website for further information.