GBike, which operates GCOO, said on the 5th it officially launched Grind (GRIND), the country's first battery subscription-based electric bicycle service.
Grind is a service that concentrates the technology and operational know-how GBike has accumulated in running shared mobility, featuring enhanced safety and economics based on a swappable battery method. In particular, as demand for electric bicycles among delivery riders and commuters continues to grow, it is drawing attention as a new model that solves the existing market's inconvenience and expense burdens. GBike verified quality and stability through a pilot test in Aug. 2025 and then began official sales in the fourth quarter of the same year.
Grind is operated in a way that all charging is carried out only at designated Battery Station (BSS) sites. It fundamentally blocks the risk of lithium-ion battery overheating and fires that often occur in personal charging environments, and the charging process is controlled through a professional management and monitoring system. It also applied Samsung SDI battery cells to improve product safety and reliability.
Economics have also been strengthened. By converting the battery purchase expense, cited as the biggest burden when using an electric bicycle, into a monthly subscription, it significantly lowered the initial expenditure. A single standard battery costs about 500,000–600,000 won, and it is common for delivery workers to buy two or more. In contrast, with Grind, riders pay only the subscription fee—19,000 won per month for side-job riders, 28,000 won for semi-full-time, and 35,000 won for full-time—and can swap to a charged battery at a station without having to purchase batteries separately. This allows users with various purposes to use electric bicycles at a more reasonable expense.
The performance of the dedicated electric bicycle has also been enhanced. It adopts a lower underbone frame structure to improve boarding and disembarking convenience, and its integrated aluminum alloy design prevents the frame breakage problems that sometimes occur with folding bicycles. With IPX6 waterproofing, it can be used stably even in heavy rain and other severe weather, and the 500W motor provides sufficient output and durability on uphill sections and long-distance rides. In particular, even in environments where battery efficiency drops, such as in winter, the station swap method helps maintain stable performance.
Grind is currently operating in Seoul's Gangnam, Seocho, Mapo, Seodaemun, Gwanak, and Guro districts and in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, and will expand to Songpa and Yongsan in Dec. 2025. The company said it plans to broaden coverage to all of southern Seoul in the first half of 2026.