Byke

Product Name

Byke

Type

Mobile App

Year

2023

Tools used

Figma, Notion, Survey Planet

Product Design

Overview

Byke is a mobile-first pedal-cycle rental platform designed for Bangalore, a city struggling with congestion, pollution, and last-mile commuting challenges. While cycling offers a low-cost, sustainable alternative, it remains underutilized in India due to inconsistent services, infrastructure gaps, and weak habit-forming incentives.

This concept project was an opportunity to explore how a cycle rental platform could not just serve mobility needs, but promote healthier, greener habits across work, fitness, and leisure.

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Role:

Sole Designer

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Duration:

2 Week Sprint

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User Interviewed:

8

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Survey Participants:

23

The Problem

Traffic congestion, pollution, and limited last-mile solutions plague Bangalore’s commuters. While cycling could solve these, it remains underutilized due to unsafe roads, lack of health/eco feedback, and inconsistent cycle availability. Byke aimed to convert cycling into a credible, trackable, and rewarding option across user types.

Context & Market Insights

  • India’s bike-sharing market was valued at USD 32.4 million in 2023 and is projected to grow steadily through 2030 (5% CAGR).
  • Bangalore has seen fragmented efforts e.g., Yulu, SmartBike but lacks an integrated, behavior-focused platform.
  • Globally, cities like Paris (Vélib’), New York (CitiBike), and London (Santander) show clear evidence that shared cycling improves health, lowers emissions, and reduces traffic by 8–12%.
  • In Copenhagen, consistent cycling was linked to a 3–5 year increase in life expectancy.

These insights validated the opportunity: Build a platform that enables seamless ride access, tracks user impact, and supports multiple use cases commute, health, environment, leisure.

My Role

I owned the entire UX process as a solo designer:

  • Conducted research (Survey Planet, interviews, competitor audit)
  • Developed personas, empathy maps, user journeys
  • Framed problem, goal, & hypothesis statements per persona
  • Created wireframes, IA, & high-fidelity UI with accessibility compliance
  • Prototyped in Figma and tested with 6 real users
  • Iterated based on feedback and usability data

My Design Process

User Research

I surveyed 22 individuals using Survey Planet & conducted 8 user interviews to uncover behavioral patterns, motivations, & pain points. I synthesized findings into four core personas, each backed by structured problem, goal, & hypothesis framing.

Key Findings

  • 87% of users found current services slow or hard to navigate.
  • 72% said they'd ride more if they could track health or eco stats
  • 64% struggled with family/group planning options.
  • Only 22% knew how much CO₂ they were saving by cycling

User Personas

Empathy Maps

Problem Statement

Goal Statement

Hypothesis Statement

User Journey Maps

🚴‍♂️ Arjun Srinivasan – The Commuter

Action Open app Find cycle stand Book cycle Ride to office Return cycle
Task list
  1. Launch Byke app
  2. View current location
  1. Search for nearby stand
  2. Navigate to it
  1. Select cycle type
  2. Tap 'Unlock' & scan QR
  1. Start ride
  2. Navigate using map
  3. View ride stats
  1. Locate destination dock
  2. Scan to end ride
Emotions Hopeful, but rushed Focused, slightly stressed Relieved but impatient Determined, focused Calm & satisfied
Improvement Opportunities Auto-launch current location map Smart prediction of nearest empty stand One-tap unlock from home screen Encourage safe routes with traffic overlay Auto-end ride once dock is detected & locked

🌱 Priya Mehta – The Environmentalist

Action Check impact Book ride Ride to work Review ride impact
Task list
  1. Open Profile
  2. View CO₂ saved and streak
  1. View nearby stand
  2. Select cycle
  3. Tap Unlock
  1. Ride cycle
  2. Track metrics in real-time
  1. End ride
  2. Review CO₂ saved, fuel avoided
Emotions Proud, reflective Committed, empowered Energized Validated, inspired
Improvement Opportunities Show lifetime impact upfront Highlight green badges and streaks Integrate weather-safe route suggestions Offer personalized eco-messages

🏋️‍♂️ Rohan Desai – The Fitness Enthusiast

Launch fitness mode Action Book ride Track fitness stats Complete ride Sync to health app
Task list
  1. Tap fitness mode
  2. Choose performance goal
  1. Select nearby cycle
  2. Tap Unlock
  1. View calories, speed, duration
  1. Pause or finish ride
  2. Review performance
  1. Auto-sync to Apple Health
  2. Compare with past rides
Emotions Motivated, competitive Focused Excited and goal-driven Accomplished Empowered, proud
Improvement Opportunities Suggest weekly goals and challenges Preselect ride types by goal (cardio, endurance) Show voice feedback mid-ride Show fitness milestones unlocked Show weekly health dashboard summary

👩‍👧‍👦 Anita Nair – The Weekend Explorer

Action Explore trails Book family ride Ride with kids Pause for break End trip
Task list
  1. Browse Explore tab
  2. Filter family-friendly routes
  1. Select dock with 3 cycles
  2. Unlock each bike
  1. Begin ride
  2. Monitor safety
  3. Ride slow trails
  1. Tap 'Pause Ride'
  2. Stop at picnic area
  1. Resume and dock
  2. End all rides together
Emotions Curious, optimistic Slightly stressed (multi-user booking) Joyful, protective Relaxed and present Grateful, family-bonded
Improvement Opportunities Add “Family ride” preset in Explore tab Enable group booking with 1 tap Notify if a rider strays too far Pause mode with scenic spots highlighted Add family ride summary with group stats & photos

Competitive Analysis

Platform Strengths Weakness
QR unlock, wide network Lacks health & CO₂ stats
Govt integration Buggy UX, low reliability
Affordable subscriptions Poor UI, limited feedback
Legacy user base, brand trust No pedal cycles, no group ride

Byke differentiates through:

  • Persona-driven ride flows.
  • Modular bottom sheet (fitness + eco stats).
  • Accessible UI from Day 1.
  • Leisure-first and group ride UX.

Key features

  • Mobile / social login
  • Map-first dock discovery
  • Scan-to-ride in <10s
  • Ride bottom sheet (stats, music, weather)
  • Post-ride impact summary (CO₂, fuel, calories, time)
  • Profile: Lifetime stats, ride history, health sync
  • Wallet: Recharge, UPI + Card, history
  • Explore tab for leisure + group ride planning

Information Architecture

Wireframes

High-Fidelity UI Design

The final high-fidelity click-through prototype can be accessed from here

(Click Here)

Testing & Iterations

Round 1

  • Users confused at “Return ride” → Added scan guidance
  • Fitness stats underused → Moved to persistent bottom sheet

Round 2

  • Family riders asked for trails → Added leisure trail presets
  • 100% success rate in ride unlock + return
  • 4 of 6 test users said “It felt faster and clearer than Yulu”

Outcomes

  • Increased ride confidence due to instant visual feedback
  • Differentiation via real-time metrics and goal reinforcement
  • Expanded concept of bike-share from transport to lifestyle

Impact

  • Helped users track value beyond the ride
  • Introduced a behavioral design lens to a utility-first product
  • Created 4 unique journeys using a shared component system

Key Takeaways

  • Personalization can be built without clutter
  • Metrics (time saved, CO₂, calories) aren’t decoration, they’re motivation
  • Framed problem, goal, & hypothesis statements per persona

Final Thoughts

Byke is not just a cycle rental tool, it’s a platform to form habits, reduce emissions, and redesign how a city moves.

"Design should not just move users from A to B, it should move them emotionally, behaviorally, and sustainably."