Revolutionizing E-Bike Rental App Development: Cycle Case Study

Challenges of Creating E-Bike Apps for Delivery

The ambitious vision of CYCLE, a transformative figure in the transportation and logistics industry, extends beyond just changing the face of last-mile delivery. Recognizing the increasing demand from both B2B and B2C clients for fleet bicycle services, CYCLE aimed to introduce web and mobile apps for renting electric bikes for delivery that would cater to these specific user bases.

They desired to create an integrated ecosystem where personalized e-bike services for various participants – couriers, administrators, fleet users, and mechanics – cohesively interact in a seamless manner.

Yet, turning this vision into a reality posed multiple intricate challenges, as it required the creation of many separate apps working synergistically. An intricate infrastructure was needed internally for their mechanics and operations team to manage and service these e-bike apps efficiently.

The specific challenges and requirements of this project were as follows:

• Join the client's team to assist in the designing and continuous testing of the client’s web and mobile apps for the rental of electric bikes for delivery, as well as internal tools for the mechanics and operations team;
• Manage the implementation of the ready-made designs for all e-bike client applications, ensuring perfect user experience across various platforms;
• Cover all the apps’ features for administrators, mechanics, couriers, and fleet users with professional testing services, including complex ones like GPS navigation or discount creation to help the development team eliminate all bugs and tune their proper work;
• Help with complex testing and launching of the RMA cases in the app for mechanics, so that mechanics could easily create an RMA case within the app, and attach it to a service order;
• Create brand-new intuitive designs for the client website, and websites tailored to new CYCLE partners, streamlining the couriers’ registration flow using the checkout page, and integrating the ability for admins to effortlessly add bicycles through the admin panel;
• Ensure the full synchronization of apps for administrators, couriers, mechanics, and fleet users, so that they form an interconnected system and work seamlessly;
• Provide e-bike rental apps with continuous maintenance and support and consistently make improvements to the admin panel, adapting to the evolving needs of the users.

Given the intricate nature of these challenges, CYCLE was in search of a custom software development team with a proven track record of versatility, a modern approach in UI/UX, and thorough integration and niche expertise.

Essential attributes like time management skills, stringent data security understanding, and the ability to work in sync with CYCLE’s in-house professionals were paramount for the client.

That’s how Fively specialists were recommended to CYCLE by their fellow engineers who had previously worked with us. Impressed by our holistic approach to custom software development, our CRM development expertise, and our strive for innovative solutions, CYCLE entrusted us with this monumental task. Together, we embarked on the transformative journey of creating e-bike apps for delivery with CYCLE in early 2022.

How Fively Enhanced CYCLE's E-Bike Rental Applications

In pursuit of CYCLE's goal to revolutionize electric bike rental for food delivery, Fively stepped into this ambitious project with a team of seasoned professionals, consisting of our automated QA specialist and a Senior UI/UX designer. Let's delve into our approach in detail

Project architecture. At the outset, Fively’s involvement was directed toward managing the implementation of the ready-made client designs for all the e-bike apps. Thus, after we caught the client’s requirements, our Senior UI/UX designer, armed with Figma, began sculpting designs that prioritized the user-centric principles of the company.

Then, our automated QA specialist introduced a multi-faceted testing approach, to not only test the existing apps’ functions but also to recognize potential areas of improvement in the user experience and identify critical testing areas. For this, we used the following tools:

• Chrome DevTools and BrowserStack – with the help of these tools for testing we ensured compatibility across different devices, browsers, and OS environments;
• Postman – assisted in API testing to validate backend services and ensure that all APIs communicated effectively;
• Loom – we used it for video recording to demonstrate bugs and provide detailed feedback on user experience. This provided developers with a clear visual guide so that they could fix any possible issues;
• DogQ – we used it for creating multiple automated testing scripts to validate the critical paths and functionalities so that we could make sure every feature introduced worked flawlessly.

Later, in the course of the project duration, CYCLE decided to redesign its apps to make them even more intuitive and handy for customers.The idea was to ensure every user – be it a renter, mechanic, or administrator – experienced seamless interactions with electric bike apps for food delivery, with layouts that were both user-friendly and visually pleasing.

Our prodigy UI/UX specialist, working together with the client’s professional team crafted all the needed materials in Figma in a short amount of time, and now we’re finishing our work on the application’s redesign. Soon, all the CYCLE’s apps will get a new, even more client-centered vision and layout.

Team structure. The success of this e-bike rental project belongs to the harmonized efforts of the client’s international team of specialists. Representing Fively, we contributed our senior UI/UX designer and a highly experienced QA automation engineer, who seamlessly integrated with the broader international development ensemble, and now continue to work on this project.

Communication tools. During the entire project duration, we established flawless communication with CYCLE’s team: regular weekly standups in Google Meet, open discussions, and our proactive approach ensured that the client was always updated on our progress, facilitating swift decision-making and addressing challenges head-on.

For project management, we leveraged the ClickUp tool: this task tracker streamlined our work process, ensuring every team member was aligned with the project objectives and priorities, plus we used Jira and Notion to track deadlines. All immediate questions and quick task-related queries we discussed with the team on Slack.

By maintaining regular touchpoints, we could ensure alignment with the client’s vision, solicit timely feedback, and make swift course corrections as needed. Fively's consistent involvement in the project, combined with our tech-savvy approach, helped to make CYCLE’s e-bike rental applications one of the most popular solutions of this kind throughout the whole of Europe.

Cycle Project Results: Transforming E-Bike Rental

In close partnership with CYCLE's internal team, we achieved significant strides in building a modern e-bike rental system that didn't just amplify operational efficiency but truly transformed how companies approach sustainable transportation.

Together with CYCLE, we're proud to present a suite of solutions that not only meet the outlined requirements but also set new industry standards in e-mobility software solutions.

• Fively specialists successfully integrated with CYCLE's international project team and helped to design and thoroughly test numerous cutting-edge web and mobile apps for bicycle rental and servicing.
• We helped to launch, and then re-brand modern and intuitive designs across all e-bike client applications. These designs are not only visually appealing but also optimize user experience across various device types, ensuring consistent user satisfaction and high Core Web Vitals scores.
• We executed comprehensive testing for apps serving administrators, mechanics, couriers, and fleet users. Through our tailored test cases and meticulously crafted bug reports, we ensured the reliable and bug-free work of all the apps.
• We took particular care in ensuring that complex apps’ features, such as the personalized discount coupon creation and GPS navigation were 100% tested and flawlessly integrated across all platforms, amplifying CYCLE's value proposition to its clients.
• One of the standout achievements was the introduction and thorough testing of the RMA cases feature for mechanics. This innovation now enables mechanics to effortlessly initiate an RMA case within the application, associate it with a service order, and offers administrators a streamlined mechanism to oversee such cases.
• Our UI/UX specialist created bespoke website designs for the clien and for CYCLE’s partners. Specifically for these new designs, we helped to optimize the admin panel so that admins could seamlessly manage all rental operations, as well as couriers could choose partners and register directly on the CYCLE’s website via the checkout page.
• A cornerstone of this project was ensuring the interoperability of all the apps. Thanks to our meticulous testing approach, all e-bike apps for delivery now work in perfect harmony, fostering a cohesive ecosystem devoid of breakdowns.
• Fively continues to offer unwavering maintenance and support for e-bike rental applications. We provide all the apps with further testing, and consistently introduce refinements to the admin panel, as well as apps for mechanics, fleet users, and couriers, so that the software remains aligned with the evolving user needs and industry trends.

Currently, our collaboration with CYCLE remains ongoing as we’re turning their new UI/UX vision into life and continue to provide all the apps with thorough testing for a perfect user experience. This ensures the platform functions seamlessly and incorporates the latest advancements in e-mobility and digital solutions.

Although this ambitious project is not over, it has already become a benchmark in the niche of personalized e-bike services. Together with CYCLE, we helped not only create numerous e-bike apps for delivery but to revolutionize the current image of bike delivery.

Now, businesses all over Europe, including industry stalwarts like Gorillas, Flink, Getir, Wolt, Lieferando, Mjam, and others, have the ability to seamlessly manage fleet bicycles, cater to varied user needs, and ensure smooth deliveries every day.

Here’s what the CYCLE Senior Product Manager says about our collaboration: