Article sourced from MediaGuardian.co.uk on Thursday March 22, 2007

Google is improving its green credentials by offering all of its employees a free bike to ride to work.

The bikes, manufactured by Raleigh Europe, will be offered to around 2,000 permanent employees of the search engine giant in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. All of the bikes - plus free helmets - will be branded with the Google name.

Holger Meyer, Germany's first Google employee, came up with the idea and staff will be able to choose from a range of models including a "cool cruiser" - a folding bike for those that only make part of their trip to work under pedal power - and men's and women's hybrids

"We try to innovate not just in technology for users but in the benefits we give our employees," Liane Hornsey, director of human resources and staffing for Google Europe, Middle East and Africa, told MediaGuardian.co.uk.

"We think that these amazing bikes will help Googlers keep fit and healthy, get to know their city better and reduce the environmental impact of their journey to work."