EXCLUSIVE London hospitals buckle to 'Lime bike leg': Surge in A&E admissions for people trapped under collapsing bicycles - as surgeon warns against 'life-threatening injuries'

Daily Mail​

22-05-2025

Londoners are complaining about a new Lime bike safety hazard that's driving a surge in A&E admissions of people who became trapped under the heavy e-bikes.
It comes after a recent report spotlighted the rise of what orthopedic surgeons are calling 'Lime bike leg' or broken legs caused by the neon green bikes - weighing 35 kilos - falling on their own riders as they come off them.
It has raised concerns about the UK market 'being flooded' with these 'ride-per-minute' devices, use of which is currently unregulated by the UK governm ent, as the California-based company highlighted its 'strong safety record in London' in a statement to MailOnline.
Last month, London-focussed news publication London Centric cited three instances where Lime bike users were left with severe injuries after they found themselves pinned under the bike.
In each case, the accident occurred during the daytime, none of the riders had been drinking when they fall off the bike, and all three of them believe their injuries were exacerbated by the weight of the Lime bike and allegedly poorly-maintained brakes.
The most harrowing case concerned 30-year-old Alex, a seasoned Lime bike user who found himself on the operating table after an accident last July.
Alex was cycling to work near his office in Liverpool Street Station when he applied the brakes to avoid hitting a pedestrian, only to discover they weren't working.
He swerved the bike to avoid a collision but ended up falling sideways, with the bike on top of him.
Alex told the media outlet the bike's strut - or the white curved metal bar with the Lime logo that holds its rechargeable battery - had crushed his leg with such force that his femur or thigh bone was 'shattered to pieces'.
Doctors treating Alex couldn't believe the accident had been caused by a bicycle, explaining these kinds of injuries come from 'motorbikes'.
After he underwent surgery and months of 'recuperation', Alex can walk again but will live with metal bars and pins placed inside his leg.
'My consultant said this is an injury that in other situations might kill people.'
Commenting on the 'Lime bike leg' phenomenon, an orthopedic surgeon at London's St. George's Hospital said he'd seen an uptick in cases caused by commuters 'coming off electric bikes' like those operated by Lime.
Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Mark Webb said: 'As an orthopaedic consultant working in a busy major trauma centre, we have seen an increase in significant injuries with people coming off their electric bikes.
'The e-bikes can travel at significant speed and tend to be heavy,' he added. 'This increases the risk of a significant injury with relatively simple falls.'
Dr Webb revealed that they will typically see 'at least one or two patients who have fallen' from their bikes on most days, adding: 'We commonly see people with fractures involving the ankle joint and knee joint.
Social media users on sites like Instagram and Reddit shared their personal experiences in response to the story about 'Lime bike legs'
'We also see a number of open fractures, which is when the broken bone has been exposed through a cut in the skin to the outside world.
'Open fractures carry a high risk of bone infection and this in turn has a risk of becoming a limb threatening injury.
'Head injuries are also commonly seen following a fall from an e-bike,' he continued. 'Injuries range from concussion to severe brain damage, or even death.'
When Private Eye published an interview with London Centric founder and journalist Jim Waterson, who first reported on the rise of 'Lime bike leg' cases in the capital, several Instagram users rushed to the comments section to share their own experiences.
'I broke my collarbone and left wrist coming off the lime bike,' one person wrote. 'It was more the phone mugger's fault than the bikes but I will say that when I was in A&E, the doctor said 'They're death traps, stay off them. We get people in all the time.''
Another said the 'same thing happened to me' while recalling how they suffered three broken bones and a dislocation after the 'bike went down on its own' when they braked at an intersection.
They added it will take one or two years to completely heal from their injuries, adding: 'Got a ton of screws and plates in there.'
However, when they reported the incident to Lime, they were told that 'nothing [was wrong' with the bike and that the rider didn't qualify for their insurance scheme.
As per Lime's micromobility insurance policy, riders are entitled to compensation for 'severe bodily injuries that happen' while riding one of the company's neon green bikes 'even if it is due to the rider's own mistake and not the fault of Lime'.
They are protected against damages that may arise directly from such an accident so long as it occurred in the UK and the insurance claim was raised within one year of the date of the accident.
A spokesperson for Lime bike said: 'We are saddened to hear about these unfortunate incidents and we wish these riders a swift recovery.
'At Lime, safety is our highest priority. It guides how we design and maintain our vehicles, how we develop technology and educational materials to encourage safe riding, and how we work with cities to provide safe riding environments.
'Lime's strong safety record in London has resulted in 99.99% of trips ending without a reported incident.'
After the article was shared on Reddit, other Londoners took to the social media platform to discuss its findings, with one person writing they had to 'carry' an injured Lime bike driver 'off the road' after he fell off the cycle and broke his leg.
'He was in a really bad way,' they continued.
'I broke my toe recently when one fell off the pavement onto it,' another shared.
A Lime bike weighs about 35 kilos, making it over four times heavier than a standard bicycle, with an average speed of around 15 mph/24 kmh.
Some commuters also complained the brakes on Lime bikes are 'f***ing awful', with one person noting they've encountered 'more with dodgy brakes than without'.
Another said: 'I've used Lime bikes & scooters worldwide. The brakes are very weak even when functioning correctly. The tyres they use are only safe in dry summer weather. Very poor grip when wet!
'This combination plus the excessive mass makes them very dangerous compared to a regular bike. I still use them but you have to cycle in a risk averse way.'
Others, however, suggested the accidents were caused by 'inexperienced riders' rather than the bikes itself.
'They overtake heavy vehicles with blindspots, tailgate, jump red lights, ride on the pavement, and just generally don't seem to know what's good for them or the other road users,' one person said.
The surgeon who operated on Alex's leg, Mr Jaison Patel at Barts NHS Trust and Align Orthopaedics, appeared to agree while recommending safety training for Lime bike riders so they're more aware of road conditions and precautions.