Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

• Make a booking: Name, email address, phone number, billing address, payment information
• Create an account: Username, password, email address, preferences
• Subscribe to our newsletter: Email address, name, cycling interests and preferences
• Contact us: Name, email address, phone number, message content
• Participate in surveys: Responses and contact information
• Use our services: Emergency contact information, identification details for bike rental

1.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you use our website or services, we automatically collect:

• Device information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click-through rates, referring websites
• Location data: General geographic location based on IP address
• Cookies and similar technologies: See our Cookie Policy for details

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Payment processors: Transaction details and payment verification
• Social media platforms: If you interact with our social media accounts
• Partners and affiliates: Referral information and shared marketing data

2. How We Use Your Information

2.1 Legitimate Business Purposes

We use your information for the following purposes:

Service Provision (Contract Performance)

• Processing and fulfilling bicycle rental bookings
• Managing your account and providing customer support
• Processing payments and managing billing
• Providing emergency assistance during rentals

Communication (Legitimate Interest)

• Sending booking confirmations and service updates
• Responding to your enquiries and providing customer support
• Sending our newsletter (with your consent)
• Notifying you of important service changes

Business Operations (Legitimate Interest)

• Improving our website and services
• Conducting market research and analytics
• Preventing fraud and ensuring security
• Managing our business operations and compliance

Legal Compliance (Legal Obligation)

• Complying with legal requirements and regulations
• Maintaining records for tax and accounting purposes
• Responding to legal requests and proceedings

3. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

3.1 Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:

• Payment processing: Secure payment transaction processing
• Email services: Newsletter delivery and customer communications
• Website hosting: Secure website hosting and maintenance
• Analytics: Website performance and user behaviour analysis
• Customer support: Help desk and customer service tools

All service providers are contractually bound to protect your information and use it only for the specified purposes.

3.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal processes, subpoenas, or court orders
• Respond to government requests or regulatory enquiries
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Investigate potential fraud or security incidents

3.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of our business, your information may be transferred to the new entity, subject to the same privacy protections.

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information:

4.1 Technical Safeguards

• Encryption: All sensitive data is encrypted in transit and at rest
• Secure hosting: Our website is hosted on secure servers with regular security updates
• Access controls: Strict access controls limit who can view your information
• Regular backups: Secure, encrypted backups ensure data availability

4.2 Organisational Measures

• Staff training: Regular privacy and security training for all employees
• Data minimisation: We collect only the information necessary for our services
• Regular audits: Periodic reviews of our security practices and procedures
• Incident response: Established procedures for responding to security incidents

Important: While we implement robust security measures, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

5. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

5.1 Right of Access

You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, including details about how we use it.

5.2 Right to Rectification

You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

5.3 Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten")

You can request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances, such as when it's no longer necessary for the original purpose.

5.4 Right to Restrict Processing

You can ask us to limit how we use your information in specific situations.

5.5 Right to Data Portability

You can request your personal information in a structured, machine-readable format for transfer to another service provider.

5.6 Right to Object

You can object to our processing of your information for certain purposes, including direct marketing.

5.7 Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making

You have rights regarding automated decision-making and profiling, though we generally do not engage in such activities.

5.8 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 9. We will respond within one month, though this may be extended in complex cases.

5.9 Right to Complain

If you're unhappy with how we handle your personal information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our website. For detailed information about our cookie practices, please see our Cookie Policy.

6.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential cookies: Required for website functionality
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• Marketing cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements

6.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookie settings through our cookie consent banner or your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:

7.1 Retention Periods

• Booking information: 7 years for tax and legal compliance
• Account information: Until account deletion or 3 years of inactivity
• Newsletter subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe
• Customer support records: 3 years from last contact
• Website analytics: 26 months
• Marketing data: Until consent is withdrawn or 3 years of inactivity

7.2 Secure Deletion

When we no longer need your information, we securely delete or anonymise it in accordance with our data retention schedule.

8. International Data Transfers

We primarily process your information within the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). When we transfer information outside the UK/EEA, we ensure adequate protection through:

• Adequacy decisions: Transfers to countries with adequate data protection
• Standard contractual clauses: EU-approved contract terms with service providers
• Certification schemes: Recognised privacy frameworks and certifications

Current international service providers include:

• Google Analytics: Website analytics (Privacy Shield certified, standard contractual clauses)
• Mailchimp: Email marketing (Privacy Shield certified, standard contractual clauses)

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.

10.1 Notification of Changes

When we make material changes to this policy, we will:

• Post the updated policy on our website with a new "last updated" date
• Notify you via email if you have an account or newsletter subscription
• Provide prominent notice on our website for significant changes

10.2 Your Continued Use

Your continued use of our services after changes to this policy constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

10.3 Previous Versions

Previous versions of this Privacy Policy are available upon request.