Foo - Ikea gives 9000 bicycles to staff in the UK.

Ikea, the Swedish retail chain, showed its green credentials yesterday by giving all 9,000 of its workers a free bicycle.

The store handed out the £139 fold-up bike and offered a 15 per cent subsidy on public transport at its Christmas breakfast. Last year the Christmas present was a portable DVD player and in 2004 staff received an MP3 player.

This year the flatpack furniture specialist decided that giving a bike would send a strong environmental message.

The bicycle is the store's second high-profile green gesture this year following its decision to introduce a charge for plastic bags and encourage reusable ones. Plastic bag take-up at checkouts is down by 97 per cent.

"We want to create a better everyday life for the many, and do what we can to make greener living possible," Ikea's UK manager, Peter Hogsted, said. "The bike is a fun present but there is a serious message. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to protect the environment."

From: http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2079345.ece

Found a picture of the bike on ebay:

http://www.joe-gardner.com/bikeforums/ikea-bike.JPG

Great idea wonder how many will end up on Ebay though?

Great idea wonder how many will end up on Ebay though?
I hear rumors that Joe is giving out bikes to all us red stars at the BF party tonight!;)

Looks like I am out of luck then.

I need to arrange to pay in installments.

nice gesture. although, is it realistic to assume people would commute on a bike like that? anything over a few miles would be torture and would likely perpetuate the myth that bikes are toys and not serious transportation.

anyway, they seem to be getting positive press from it, so as far as a marketing campaign goes, it's probably worthwhile.

nice gesture. although, is it realistic to assume people would commute on a bike like that? anything over a few miles would be torture and would likely perpetuate the myth that bikes are toys and not serious transportation.

anyway, they seem to be getting positive press from it, so as far as a marketing campaign goes, it's probably worthwhile.

The bike is made by Raleigh. I thought folding bikes were a staple in the commuting world in NYC.

I did a few short rides on a Raleigh Twenty a few years ago, the bike seemed to fit fine and was an absolute blast to ride.

I used to ride around Slough & Windsor on an old bike like that when I was there for 4 months.

I left the area and left it up against a lampost, 6 months later I was back and it was still there, so I used it util I got a better bike again.

The bike is made by Raleigh. I thought folding bikes were a staple in the commuting world in NYC.

I did a few short rides on a Raleigh Twenty a few years ago, the bike seemed to fit fine and was an absolute blast to ride.

maybe it's just the way that particular bike is set up in the pic. the bars are very high and the reach is very tight so the steering would be twitchy and anyone tall would be scrunched up on it. how adjustable do you think it is?

i actually use a folder to commute in NYC. it's fine here, but i couldn't imagine riding it long distances or on roads with faster traffic.

I'm pretty stoked right now, joe actually posted! :)

There have been stacks of these IKEA bikes on ebay.co.uk and I finally bid for one and won it at £72. I chose a local one so there was no need to pay for delivery.

It's a really nice little bike, though a bit tight for space. It's well built, and the brakes are really good - much better than the Brompton or Merc standard ones. It's pretty low geared though, maybe around 60 inches in top. It isn't for me, and doesn't suit me half as much as the Merc, but then the Merc cost more than five times as much money. The person I got it for loves it.