It's not sport.
It's transport.
I built and ran this startup aimed at helping Londoners start cycling. Our service design — Dutch-bike subscriptions — began with research I did showing that many diverse Londoners want to cycle, and highlighting two areas where innovation might help them do it: 1. Transport not sport; 2. Design out pain points. Our service made it easy & affordable to access everything the average new cyclist does (and doesn’t) need to get from A to B by bike.
Mudguards? Lights? A lock? For sure. Lycra? Carbon fibre? Sports hydration backpacks? Often a bit much for most people making ordinary trips. As well as the kit they needed, we gave customers theft-insurance, 48-hour repairs/replacements and — crucially — the confidence to ride a bike as an everyday person, free from the sports-mindset and all the faff that brings. The subscription cost £9/week, about one third as much as a weekly bus pass.
Over eighteen months, with huge help from friends and volunteers, I designed the service, brand and website, advertised and built a waiting list, secured investment, wrote rental agreements, set up online payment systems and bought, kitted out & delivered 25 bikes (by bike!) You can read more about the research and design process in the project write-up.