500 electric bikes equipped with child seats are arriving in the capital at the end of October, to improve mobility for families. And it's not Vélib' that's launching this feature, but Lime, a self-service operator seeking to attract a specific audience: parents and their children, who are numerous in Paris. Securely attached to the back of the bike for a safe ride with your child, the child seats comply with the European standard EN14344.
Since there are only 500 in a fleet of 18,000 bikes, you may not find them on every street corner or in every neighborhood at the moment. On the app, you'll need to look for a dedicated icon near you, with a slightly different bike, which isn't necessarily convenient if you're in a hurry. Of course, the bikes are all electric, making it easier to carry your youngest child while climbing the hills of the capital.
This is an innovation that Lime has been considering for several years, based in particular on an OpinionWay survey estimating that 66% of parents in the Paris region are willing to swap their car journeys for bikes. For short trips to school or dance class, there's no need to take the car or public transport.
However, you must always have a helmet for yourself and your child, which is not supplied with the bike, of course. As a reminder, wearing a helmet is mandatory for children under 12 years of age.
