Who pays for cycle sharing in the UK? Councils won't fund it, operators need profit, and riders foot the bill. It's time to decide what cycle sharing actually is.

We built Mosa because we believe cycling should be for everyone — not just those lucky enough to live in a dense city with a Santander Cycles station around the corner, or in a fancy flat with a secure bike room. We understand that the casual cyclist who picks up a shared bike when they need one has very different needs to the regular cyclist who owns the bike they love but lives with the daily fear of having it stolen. Two riders. Two problems. And for a long time, two marke

Prompted by a conversation with Pedal Me founder Ben Knowles at the Micromobility UK event, this post challenges the ethics of 'convenience economy' unicorns. It argues that Lime and Deliveroo externalise their costs onto riders, restaurants, cities, and taxpayers, while founders pocket hundreds of millions. It calls out the gap between claimed innovation and actual impact on workers and public space.

A first-hand account of cycling in Valencia, exploring how the city became a model for bike-friendly urban planning. Key factors include 170km of bike lanes anchored by the Turia Gardens greenway, the city-run Valenbisi scheme (2,750 bikes, €3.50/day), no private dockless operators, 30km/h speed limits on 64% of streets, and sustainable funding via parking revenue. Contrasts sharply with London's dockless-dominated landscape.

Part 2 of the dockless series explores why docked systems are losing ground (cost, rigidity) and proposes a reimagined hybrid model. It highlights Mosa's compact, relocatable docking hubs as a solution, examines New York's Citi Bike tiered approach as a template, and makes a case for community-led and public-hybrid schemes in smaller towns and rural areas where private operators won't go.

Part 1 analyses the rapid rise of dockless bike sharing (60% global market share by 2023), why private operators prefer it, and the hidden public costs: urban clutter, vandalism, theft, and cleanup burden falling on cities. Examines geo-fencing as an inadequate solution and raises questions about whether the model can serve everyone or only profitable urban zones.

Responding to an IPPR report on transport inequality, this post highlights that low-income households spend £76/week on cars (a quarter of income), yet only 25% of them own a bike vs 50% of higher earners. It exposes the paradox that bike sharing — designed to fill transport gaps — is concentrated in wealthy city centres at £3.70 per 10-minute ride. Mosa argues for community-owned, community-led models as the answer.

A critical analysis of the VC-backed micromobility market — Lime ($1.5bn raised), Voi ($544m), TIER/Dott ($870m combined). It examines Lime's path to profitability ($686m revenue, 20%+ EBITDA in 2024) and argues this was achieved by focusing on affluent city centres, exiting low-margin areas, and prioritising shareholder returns over public access. Positions Mosa's community-first model as the equitable alternative.

Examines TfL's announcement to hold dockless operators accountable for pavement clutter using geo-fencing. Critiques geo-fencing's practical limitations (GPS inaccuracy, weak user enforcement) and argues for smarter alternatives: expanding docked systems, retrofitting existing bike racks, and enabling community-led sharing schemes. Introduces Mosa's approach as a scalable, affordable middle ground.