THIS weekend, a second company rolled out its fleet of dockless bikes across Oxford city centre.

Pony Bikes’ green frame will become a common sight around the city centre as 100 of its single-speed bikes are dropped off at various points from 7am on Saturday.

Oxford is the first place the company has launched its bikes and its founders will base themselves in Jericho.

They have taken two years to develop 'unique technology' and 'sophisticated routing algorithms' which they hope will ensure cyclists pick them over other bike companies.

One of the Pony Bikes’ founders, Paul-Adrien Cormerais said: “It’s a new system and it will be a learning curve. The local authorities’ requirement is always that bikes don’t flood the city.

“This is a great opportunity to change the way people get around the city. There are still a lot of cars and public transport – and not a lot of bike parking.

“All we can do is give the public the opportunities and make sure the bikes are in place; all we can do is make sure the bikes are well maintained and when they are broken they are moved as quickly as possible.”

All operations run through a mobile phone app, which is compatible with iPhones and Android smartphones.

Users find a bike using the app, unlock it using their phone and drop it off anywhere in the city without needing to find a dock in which to place it.

Mr Cormerais said he hoped the firm operating here would mean more people cycled around Oxford more frequently but that the number of bikes around the city centre decreased.

The company dropped off 20 bikes on Park End Street in front of the Saïd Business School on Thursday as part of a brief trial before picking them up later that day.

Today a planned 20 bikes will be placed outside Oxford Station as part of its roll-out.

Between 15 and 20 will be left for riders on St Michael’s Street, along with 10 on Queen’s Lane, another 10 on High Street and between five and 10 outside PureGym on St Ebbe’s Street. Other sites were still waiting to be decided earlier this week.

The company plans to be a permanent fixture in Oxford and will drop off more bikes in the city centre in a month if plans are successful.

Pony Bikes is made up of eight businesspeople but spearheaded by couple Mr Cormerais and Clara Vaisse, who met as engineering students as the University of Grenoble – coincidentally based in one of Oxford’s twin cities.

They moved to London so Mr Cormerais could complete his Master’s degree in maths at Imperial College and the couple, both 30, are set to begin a new adventure in Oxford with the new startup.

The company has been named Pony Bikes because its founders said they are 'cute, playful and fun to ride, just like ponies'.