Belfast Bikes, also known for sponsorship reasons as Frank and Honest Belfast Bikes, is a public bicycle rental scheme which has operated in the city of
Belfast
Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
since . At its launch, the scheme, which was then sponsored by Coca-Cola HBC, used 300 Unisex bicycles with 30 stations.
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council () is the Local government in Northern Ireland, local authority with responsibility for part of Belfast, the largest city of Northern Ireland. The council serves an estimated population of (), the largest of any district c ...
owns the scheme. The
Department for Regional Development
The Department for Infrastructure (DfI, ; ) is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive.
Up until May 2016, the department was called the Department for Regional Development.
Aim
DfI's overall aim ...
(DRD) provided initial capital funding for the scheme as part of their Active Travel Demonstration Projects budget. NSL is looking after the daily operation of the scheme, while
Nextbike
__FORCETOC__
nextbike is a German company that develops and operates public bike-sharing systems. The company was founded in Leipzig, Germany, in 2004. As of June 2025, it operates in 400 cities of 23 countries including Germany, UK, Poland, ...
is responsible for the bikes.
Expansion and development
Starting initially with 30 stations, the number has increased to 59, and has expanded beyond the city centre area. This includes two stations at
Queen's University Belfast
The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) is a health organisation covering Belfast, Northern Ireland. The trust is one of five new trusts which were created on 1 April 2007 by the then Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safe ...
). Over recent years, the scheme has expanded into residential areas across the city.
Plans for expansion are ratified by vote by
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council () is the Local government in Northern Ireland, local authority with responsibility for part of Belfast, the largest city of Northern Ireland. The council serves an estimated population of (), the largest of any district c ...
Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.
Sponsorship
At its launch the scheme was sponsored by Coca-Cola HBC for a three-year period and was known as Coca-Cola Zero Belfast Bikes. In April 2018 this sponsorship deal ended and after a tendering process
Just Eat
Just Eat is an online food order and delivery platform. It was founded in 2001 in Kolding, Denmark, as a food delivery company, and later headquartered in London, United Kingdom, from 2006 (as Just Eat plc) until it was purchased by Netherla ...
were named as the new sponsors in August 2018 with the scheme to be branded as Just Eat Belfast Bikes. The latest scheme sponsor (June 2024) is Frank and Honest Coffee Company owned by Irish grocery wholesaler
Musgrave Group
Musgrave Group Ltd. is an Irish food wholesaler, founded in Cork by the Musgrave brothers, Thomas and Stuart in 1876. It is currently Ireland's largest grocery distributor, with operations in Ireland and Spain with estimated annual sales of ove ...
.
Costs
To use the system, users need to take out a subscription, which allows the subscriber an unlimited number of rentals. Subscribers can get an Annual Hire Card costing £25, or a 3-day ticket costing £6. Users also authorise Belfast Bikes to charge £120 from their credit card if the bike is not returned. The first half-hour of every journey is free, after that a service charge applies. There is also a popular pay-as-you go option. See below for pricing structure:
In response to a Freedom of Information request, Belfast City Council published financial figures relating to subsidies to the scheme. In its first year, the Council subsidised it to the tune of £173,000. From April 2016 to April 2017, this increased to £215,000, despite a Business Case showing subsidies would reduce from £56,440 (April 2015 to April 2016), £23,050 (April 2016 - April 2017) and return a profit of £10,730 (April 2017 - April 2018).