A London council worker who broke his leg in four places after crashing while riding a “faulty” Lime hire bike – the latest example of what’s become known as ‘Lime bike leg’ – has called on the cycle hire company to introduce safety measures “before someone with a similar injury dies”.

Willam Radford, who has launched a compensation case against Lime, also criticised the company’s response to his crash, claiming the only communication he has received from the brand was the offer of a £6.99 refund for his use of the hire bike.

The 27-year-old had hired the dockless e-bike from outside his south London flat as he went to buy lunch in September 2024. As Radford cycled in the rain on Garrett Lane in Earlsfield, he slowed down to let pedestrians cross the road.

But as he braked, the bike’s rear wheel slid out without warning, causing Radford to crash and the bike to land on top of him, “snapping” his leg in four places “like a twig”, he says.

Describing the crash to the Evening Standard, Radford said: “It was like in slow motion, the sound, ‘snap’, and then the pain so bad I would score it 100 out of 100.

“It was the most painful thing ever. If someone had walked past and offered to end it all there and then, I would have said yes.”

William Radford's injuries after leg break on Lime Bike
William Radford's injuries after leg break on Lime Bike (Image Credit: Injury Lawyers 4 U)

He was taken to nearby St George’s Hospital, Tooting, where doctors told him his injuries could potentially have been fatal as the break was near the femoral artery. The council worker says that, over a year on, he is still recovering and is unable to go for a run or ride a bike.

Radford has since launched a compensation claim against the hire bike firm, one of at least a dozen cyclists to have publicly revealed that they were seriously injured while riding a Lime bike in London in recent years.

The 27-year-old’s solicitors, Injury Lawyers 4U, have sent a letter of claim to Lime, though it has not yet been submitted to the High Court.

> Cyclists injured in crashes caused by “faulty” Lime bikes that “fell apart” file 12 compensation claims

Calling for an urgent safety review of the machines, Radford said: “It’s only a matter of time before someone with a similar injury dies if they bleed out from their femoral artery.

“I now have metal in my leg for life holding it together. I think Lime know they have a problem with the heavy frame that is causing serious injuries like mine.

“All they did after I told them was give me a £6.99 refund for the hire instead of speaking with me.”

Female cyclist in London on Lime hire bike
Female cyclist in London on Lime hire bike (Image Credit: Simon MacMichael)

Injury Lawyers 4U’s e-bike specialist Michael Hardacre also told the Standard that Radford’s crash is part of a “worrying trend” of injuries caused by the heavy dockless e-bikes, which weigh around 35kg, that can “no longer be ignored” by the company.

“Lime have a duty of care to their riders to make sure the bikes are safe when hired out and fit for purpose,” he said.

“Serious injuries like William’s can no longer be ignored or seen as the price of doing business in our town and cities.”

A Lime spokesperson told the Standard that it had received Mr Radford’s claim correspondence in late October.

“Our claims team responded to the letter of claim requesting necessary further information. As of last week, we are still waiting a response,” he said, though Injury Lawyers 4U say they replied on 15 November.

> “I see at least one patient a week”: Doctor claims surge in ‘Lime bike leg’ injuries linked to tourists and inexperienced riders

In September, it was reported that Lime was facing 12 compensation claims from other London cyclists who say they were injured in crashes caused by “faulty” e-bikes, with some claiming their brakes stopped working or the bike “simply fell apart”.

The law firm pursuing the claims, Osbornes Law, also stated that the incidents “were avoidable if the bikes had been in working order” and there had been “a steady influx of cases coming to us in the past few months”.

Since the story’s publication, Osbornes Law contacted us to confirm it had heard from more people came forward with similar stories due to the increased media attention.

The previous month, a London surgeon also warned of the rise in serious injuries linked to Lime e-bikes, claiming he now sees “at least one patient a week” suffering from ‘Like bike leg’.

Alex Liddle, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon specialising in hip and knee surgery at King Edward VII’s Hospital, told the Telegraph: “I see at least one patient a week, which comes in after a Lime bike injury. It’s a really common cause of leg injuries today.”

Commuter cyclist on Lime hire bike
Commuter cyclist on Lime hire bike (Image Credit: Simon MacMichael)

Unlike experienced cyclists, who he explained are more likely to suffer “high energy” trauma such as head, chest, or multiple limb fractures after collisions with drivers, Lime-related incidents are usually “low energy”, meaning people losing balance or having the bike fall on them while stationary.

“It’s almost always the lower limbs, from ankle fractures to tibia [shinbone] fractures, and soft tissue injuries around the knee – we don’t see many injuries from the knee upwards, but we’ve had the odd cracked pelvis,” he said.

“However, it’s normally fractures either at the top of or in the middle of the tibia. These bikes are heavy things, so there’s quite a lot of force that goes through the bone. We’ve had patients who’ve required plastic surgery for open fractures.”

Cyclist in London riding Lime bike
Cyclist in London riding Lime bike (Image Credit: Simon MacMichael)

One case noted by Liddle involved a 21-year-old tourist who stopped at a junction only for the 35kg bike to topple onto her leg, leaving her with an open tibial fracture that required surgery.

In another incident, a man broke his ACL after losing balance when a driver pulled out in front of him, a fall made worse by the weight of a bag in the Lime bike’s front basket.

“Often we get a lot of tourists who aren’t used to the roads in London,” he said. “Quite often it’s people I see who were literally just taking off on the bikes; they get this unexpected push from the motor, and they then lose balance.”

> In the aftermath of tube strike chaos, 28% of Londoners say they are now more likely to cycle in future

Responding to the rise of incidents involving their bikes, a Lime spokesperson previously said: “We are saddened to hear about these incidents and our thoughts are with those impacted.

“We take these claims extremely seriously. Safety informs everything we do at Lime – from how we design and maintain our vehicles, to our rider education, and how we work with cities.”