The episode in detail
GreenOn, a pioneer of shared electric bikes for businesses
Founded in 2009 by François, GreenOn was one of the first players to offer self-service electric bikes to businesses. The idea: install stations fitted with metal clamps in workplaces, where employees unlock a bike via an app. Arthur Hamot, marketing manager, joined the venture after a path that took him through Sorèze, Quebec and Strasbourg. He explains how the model has evolved since its early days, moving from a simple shared fleet to a complete green mobility offering.
“We install stations with metal clamps, employees take a bike using the app and bring it back whenever they want.”
From shared bikes to the company bike: a step-by-step offering
GreenOn does not stop at putting bikes in a car park. The commercial approach is built on a gradual scale-up: the business starts by trialling five self-service bikes. If take-up grows, it moves to the company bike, where each employee has their own electric bike financed through a sustainable mobility allowance. This gradual approach lets senior management measure the return on investment before releasing larger budgets. Arthur stresses that the trial phase breaks down internal resistance, especially among staff who have never cycled to work.
“We start with five bikes on trial. If it works, we move to the company bike. It’s a logical scale-up.”
Bike facilities and scooters: widening the scope
Beyond bikes, GreenOn develops a range of facilities: stands, shelters and secure bike storage rooms. The aim is to address a major barrier to bike commuting in business: parking. If an employee has nowhere safe to park their bike, they will not bring it in. The business also offers electric scooters for the last mile, for short trips between a station and the office. This diversification lets GreenOn cover the whole home-to-work travel chain, from the first to the last metre.
“If the employee doesn’t have a secure place to park their bike, they will never bring it in. Facilities are the foundation.”
Local authorities too: trials and cargo bikes
GreenOn does not stop at working with the private sector. Local authorities are an important area of growth. The model offered to communautés de communes and agglomérations is built around a one-year trial: the local authority sets up a paid electric bike service, with the proceeds reinvested to fund its running. In Dreux, for example, GreenOn rolled out cargo bikes for municipal staff’s trips. Arthur points out that 60% of trips under 5 km are still made by car, a figure that alone justifies the value of these schemes.
“60% of trips under 5 km are made by car. That’s where we have the biggest lever for change.”
Bike commuting every day: one convert’s experience
Arthur himself is a recent convert. A dedicated walker, he switched to bike commuting after picking up a refurbished electric bike from GreenOn’s stock. Result: a 20-minute commute, faster than the metro. He also had an accident on a scooter, on a contraflow cycle lane, with a slippery road surface and a car coming towards him. That experience made him more careful and more demanding about equipment. His main piece of advice: a helmet with a visor, which he calls a revelation, especially for glasses wearers. He also recommends reflective bands on the shoulders and legs to stay visible at night.
“A helmet with a visor is a game changer. Especially when you wear glasses and it’s raining.”
Stories from the road: from the giant unicycle to forgotten gloves
Like all bike commuters, Arthur has his stories. His best memory is a giant unicycle spotted at a red light at porte de Montreuil, on a coronapiste, a temporary cycle track. A surreal moment that sums up the creative energy of green mobility in the city. His worst memory is more mundane but universal: forgetting his gloves on a cold, rainy morning. A detail that’s a reminder that bike commuting, beyond the big environmental ambitions, remains a matter of everyday personal logistics.
