Forest has launched ForestFlex, a new subscription that makes its e-bikes one of the most affordable ways to commute across London.
With DASH Flex, you can pay for ForestFlex through the Cycle to Work scheme, reducing the cost by up to 51% on top of an already low subscription price.
Here's how it works.
What's New with ForestFlex?
ForestFlex is Forest's new monthly subscription, currently launching in beta as the operator trials it with London riders. For £6.99 per month, you get:
- Rides up to 30 minutes for a flat £1.70
- 10-minute rides for just £1
- Access to Forest's dockless e-bike network right across London
Any time beyond 30 minutes is charged at Forest's standard pay-as-you-go rate of £0.33 per minute.
For most London commuters, 30 minutes comfortably covers a typical door-to-door journey. At £1.70 a ride, that's a fraction of what the same trip costs on pay-as-you-go, where just 20 minutes runs to nearly £7.
(ForestFlex is currently a pilot. Forest is trialling it in beta over the coming weeks to learn how Londoners use the service, so the details may evolve.)
What Is Forest Cycle to Work?
The Cycle to Work scheme is a government-backed salary sacrifice benefit that lets you pay for cycling costs from your pre-tax salary. That means you save on income tax and National Insurance, typically 28% to 51% depending on your tax band.
With DASH Flex, you can apply those Cycle to Work savings directly to Forest.
DASH Flex is a digital payment card that you set as your payment method inside the Forest app. Then you just ride as normal. Every penny you spend on Forest, whether that's your £6.99 ForestFlex subscription or individual rides, is paid through salary sacrifice, so you save on every journey automatically.
No vouchers. No process. Just your existing Forest account, costing you less.
How Much Can You Actually Save?
Let's say you commute by Forest five days a week, taking two rides a day (to and from work).
With ForestFlex, that's:
- £1.70 × ~43 rides = £73.10 in ride costs
- Plus £6.99/month subscription
- Total: ~£80/month without DASH Flex
Now apply your Cycle to Work saving through DASH Flex:
*Assumes employer is passing on NIC savings
Compare that to pay-as-you-go Forest without a subscription, where the same commute would cost you well over £280 a month, and considerably more if your rides run the full 30 minutes.
Why DASH Flex for Forest?
Unlike other Cycle to Work providers that lock you into a single bike-share operator or a fixed monthly minute allowance, DASH Flex works like a payment card. You decide how much to load each month, and you can spend it across Forest, Lime, Santander Cycles, Beryl, and more. If Forest is your preference, great, put it all there. If you mix and match depending on the day, that works too.
It's the same ride, the same app, the same bike. It just costs less.
Your employer not on DASH yet? Refer your HR team and get access to Cycle to Work savings on Forest and every other bike-share provider in the UK.