Bike share -- would you or do you use it?
03-12-19, 03:15 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Bike share -- would you or do you use it?
I'm talking about the bikes, either docked or dockless, that you can pick up in cities for a fee and ride around.
What value do you see in them? Why do you want your city to have them, or not have them? What's your experience with them?
What value do you see in them? Why do you want your city to have them, or not have them? What's your experience with them?
03-12-19, 03:34 PM
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Im using it for coming to work and getting back home. For everything else i have my personal bike.
Last edited by kanti; 03-15-19 at 03:45 AM.
03-12-19, 03:42 PM
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Here is when I use it.
1. When I have not ridden my own bike and my destination is not well served by convenient transit
2. To get closer to better transit - i.e. sometimes the train is the best choice but I am not by the train. So I can bike to the train and leave it there.
My commute right now is either bus + train or bus + 10 minute walk. (No bike now as mine was stolen).
I used it yesterday - I wanted to go to a grocery store about a mile from my office on the way home. There is a bus, but the ride is 15 minutes and it didn't run often enough. The bike ride is about 8 minutes. So I biked to the grocery store. When I left the store I got more stuff than expected, so I didn't want to take the bus home and walk the 10 minutes. So I also took bike share to the best bus that leaves me with the shortest walk - about 3 miles away. So I biked 4 miles yesterday and carried my groceries home. This was a little faster and less annoying than doing the stops and transfers. It would have taken either 3 bus rides or 2 bus rides and a train ride.
Another recent day, I drove to some errands. But I didn't want to park into a busy nearby neighborhood so I took bike share and left my car parked. Then my friends wanted to meet earlier - so I bike shared the 2 miles to meet them. And later took the train back to my car.
Since I am bike-less now I am taking it a bit more. But I use it a few times a month, but it also depends on where I am. It saves me on bus fare and transferring. And of course Lyfts and Ubers.
For me, I don't mind that 10/mo I paid for this membership. I don't have to use it often to make up the money. If I skip 2-3 Lyft rides in a month I've made my money back.
03-12-19, 03:48 PM
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We have them in Sacramento and I use them all the time for errands and appointments. Faster and cheaper than an Uber and I don't have to worry about locking up my own bike.
03-12-19, 05:20 PM
#7
High Plains Luddite
They're everywhere in downtown Denver where I work. There's a docking bike station one block away from my office, and Lime bikes and the newer red Jump bikes and others all over the sidewalks.
I'm not against the bikes at all, but I am funny about using credit cards when not absolutely necessary. If I could feed a few dollar bills into a slot and go for a ride, I'd probably use them every now and again.
I'm not against the bikes at all, but I am funny about using credit cards when not absolutely necessary. If I could feed a few dollar bills into a slot and go for a ride, I'd probably use them every now and again.
03-12-19, 06:22 PM
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I rode all over Paris on one a few years ago when I had a day off at the end of a business trip. Without a doubt the heaviest bike I've ever ridden but with a 2 speed hub, I had no problem getting around. Was fun to just ride around get lost and then try and figure out how to get back to my hotel. Don't recall what it cost but very little.
03-12-19, 06:30 PM
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I don't use it but would if I wasn't moving in a couple months. In Toronto it's only $100 a year for unlimited 30 min rides & docks are everywhere.
$100 to not have to worry about bike theft is a no-brainer.
$100 to not have to worry about bike theft is a no-brainer.
03-12-19, 06:47 PM
#10
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So it's $10/month? Do they have annual or day rates? Thanks
03-12-19, 07:09 PM
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The last time I was in Seattle, in October, I decided to try the ubiquitous "Lime" bikes. I found them convenient and affordable. Not something I'd want to ride all day, but to get from the light rail station to my hotel they worked just fine.
03-12-19, 07:13 PM
#12
Jedi Master
I have an annual membership in Chicago that I use for getting around downtown after I take the train in from the suburbs. I have gotten daily rentals in Boston, NYC, San Francisco, Indianapolis, and Portland. I travel a lot for work and it's a great way to check out the city and get some exercise whenever I have a little extra time. Portland is the best of the ones I have used because they are dockless and you pay the minute which is the perfect for tourists. Everywhere else I have to ride from dock to dock to keep each ride under 30 minutes. Annoying.
03-12-19, 08:16 PM
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Never tried one here and it didn't look like many folks did. They removed them "for the winter", but I suspect they're evaluating whether or not they make sense in this market.
03-12-19, 08:35 PM
#16
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I'm in NYC which which has the huuuge citibike system (~50,000 rides per day!). I own (multiple) bikes including a dedicated commuter with light and locks and I do my own wrenching. When it was $100 a year I had a subscription and it was great to use for those short 1-2 mi distances when I didn't have my bike or for example to get somewhere and I did not know where I would end up later (eg dinner with friends on a Sat night) and I really miss having it for those reasons. I gave it up when the price went to $150 and now it's $169 (and that pays for a lot of Uber rides). That said, I can see the attraction for people who had to buy a bike every 5 years (~$400 a pop) and pay a bike shop to maintain their bike (in NYC a tune-up is ~$75 and a flat fix ~$20) so $175 annual is not too bad as it takes away all the hassle. I just wish they would have for example a 10 rides for $15 or something like that for casual usage because if you don't use it often it is terrible value.
03-12-19, 08:59 PM
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Bike share -- would you or do you use it?
IN TORONTO:
IN BOSTON (where I own bikes):
The Hubways system has been very successful, and is now sponsored by Blue Cross, know as Blue Bikes.
A few years ago I posted ot a now apparently closed thread, so no link: "It seems our Hubways Bike-Share system is doing well, while your Bixi Bikes [in Toronto] is having some difficulty. Nonetheless, I was impressed with the number of cyclists I saw...."
IN TORONTO:
...For the past two days the family and I have been visiting Toronto [sans bike], and I’ve rented a bike-share bike, similar to our Hubways.
] think if you were to distill the best features of New York and Boston, you would produce Toronto, at least for cycling. There’s the exciting and interesting environment of cavernous downtown streets, but easy access to pleasant neighborhood cycling.
We stayed in a section at the periphery of the downtown called Yorkville, like Back Bay but larger and more elegant. Within about five minutes I was into a pleasant neighborhood of older but well-kept houses similar to Brookline.
The rental bikes were very heavy, but well-maintained, and tires properly filled. The three gears were quite suitable for the terrain and soon became pleasant to ride.
Like the Hubways, the bikes are conveniently available, for about $8 for 24 hours. They similarly have 30 minute single-ride limits, but an extra half hour was only $1.50.I had become accustomed to renting from bike shops when away. But Bike-Share Programs like this are the way to go; so much more convenient and cheaper.
Unfortunately I had to fit my riding into about an hour each day, prior to 7AM, so I did ride in the dark, as traffic increased with rush hour. Speaking of exciting downtown riding, though I went out with some initial trepidation into these new and unfamiliar streets, a rearview mirror instlled instant confidence.
My son was particularly interested to visit the various ethnic neighborhoods for which TO is famous. Though we walked and took the fabulous subway and streetcar system, cycling would be the ideal way to explore…
One downside perhaps of Toronto compared to Boston is that it appears at the outskirts to massively sprawl, and I suspect it takes quite a while to get out from the city into pristine country riding, like our Metrowest.
] think if you were to distill the best features of New York and Boston, you would produce Toronto, at least for cycling. There’s the exciting and interesting environment of cavernous downtown streets, but easy access to pleasant neighborhood cycling.
We stayed in a section at the periphery of the downtown called Yorkville, like Back Bay but larger and more elegant. Within about five minutes I was into a pleasant neighborhood of older but well-kept houses similar to Brookline.
The rental bikes were very heavy, but well-maintained, and tires properly filled. The three gears were quite suitable for the terrain and soon became pleasant to ride.
Like the Hubways, the bikes are conveniently available, for about $8 for 24 hours. They similarly have 30 minute single-ride limits, but an extra half hour was only $1.50.I had become accustomed to renting from bike shops when away. But Bike-Share Programs like this are the way to go; so much more convenient and cheaper.
Unfortunately I had to fit my riding into about an hour each day, prior to 7AM, so I did ride in the dark, as traffic increased with rush hour. Speaking of exciting downtown riding, though I went out with some initial trepidation into these new and unfamiliar streets, a rearview mirror instlled instant confidence.
My son was particularly interested to visit the various ethnic neighborhoods for which TO is famous. Though we walked and took the fabulous subway and streetcar system, cycling would be the ideal way to explore…
One downside perhaps of Toronto compared to Boston is that it appears at the outskirts to massively sprawl, and I suspect it takes quite a while to get out from the city into pristine country riding, like our Metrowest.
Keepin' Cool on the Commute
When I ride, I ride hard, especially on my minimal 14 mile commute for fitness. I do not necessarily need to be pristine at work, and with a pre-ride early morning shower, I’m fine. But if I have to wear nice clothes, I really prefer to fully shower, even after a brief slow ride.
However I have one circumstance where riding as you describe is best. Every June I attend a conference about two miles from my home, for which I dress nicely, and walk there [since I don't like to leave my bike unattended, even with a lock].
I recently found though, that if I pick up a heavy duty Hubway Bike Share bike, and ride (slowly), the early morning breeze of the ride itself keeps me cooler than on the walk on a warm June morning, and I get there faster.
When I ride, I ride hard, especially on my minimal 14 mile commute for fitness. I do not necessarily need to be pristine at work, and with a pre-ride early morning shower, I’m fine. But if I have to wear nice clothes, I really prefer to fully shower, even after a brief slow ride.
However I have one circumstance where riding as you describe is best. Every June I attend a conference about two miles from my home, for which I dress nicely, and walk there [since I don't like to leave my bike unattended, even with a lock].
I recently found though, that if I pick up a heavy duty Hubway Bike Share bike, and ride (slowly), the early morning breeze of the ride itself keeps me cooler than on the walk on a warm June morning, and I get there faster.
A few years ago I posted ot a now apparently closed thread, so no link: "It seems our Hubways Bike-Share system is doing well, while your Bixi Bikes [in Toronto] is having some difficulty. Nonetheless, I was impressed with the number of cyclists I saw...."
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 03-12-19 at 09:24 PM.
03-12-19, 11:11 PM
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In Minneapolis I rented two bikes. Typical hefty cruiser, but for riding around a park or going downtown, they're good. The deal is we had a set time for the rental. Maybe a half hour, but if you could go from one rental station to another in the allotted time, you could dock the bike, do something and later pick up another one with no further charge. Our passes were good for most of the day. If you overshot the original time slot, the rates went up like overtime.
Same deal in my home city of Chicago, but people who take longer rental rates, like commuters, get a longer initial window.
I think it's a good deal when you're a tourist to a town and would like to get around.
Dockless? I think that will lead to bikes being stolen or disappeared. When we rented from a docking station there was the implied consent that I'd be paying for the bike if I lost it before it was safely logged in at the next docking station. I treated it like my own.
Same deal in my home city of Chicago, but people who take longer rental rates, like commuters, get a longer initial window.
I think it's a good deal when you're a tourist to a town and would like to get around.
Dockless? I think that will lead to bikes being stolen or disappeared. When we rented from a docking station there was the implied consent that I'd be paying for the bike if I lost it before it was safely logged in at the next docking station. I treated it like my own.
03-12-19, 11:19 PM
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I have a monthly subscription that I used to ride from where I park to school in Hawaii, I get a student discount so its about $14. The only downside is that the stations are a 10 minute walk from my class whereas there are bike racks located right outside of my classes. I'm not a fan of the gears and they feel heavy to me but I'm using them right now until I build up my bike. They are very convenient though and thats a plus.
03-12-19, 11:37 PM
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I'm not convinced. I may not have the finest bikes but they are tuned to as close to perfect as I can get them, with the gearing, tires, and other customizations that I have arrived at with a lot of love. When I ride them they're extensions of my body. I notice a new click or a missed shift and work at those little things tenaciously until they're resolved.
I can't imagine going from that to a clunker designed to accommodate the widest range of riders acceptably, and to withstand the worst neglect and abuse. It would be like going from .. well, if I had to draw a comparison I would be using my bikes vs ride share clunkers as the example... I can't come up with a more relevant or graphic comparison. And to pay for the honor? No.
Ok, maybe this... you have a sailboat that you've grown to know as well as your family members and suddenly you're asked to PAY PER HOUR to sit in a pedal driven paddle boat. Not a chance.
My commuter bike is the Cannondale Quick CX 3. Not a high end bike, but still fun to ride. And if I need to use it downtown where our bike shares are located I would either ride it there or ride it to the light rail station to get downtown with it. I understand theft is one reason one would prefer a share vs using their own bike. But I pay $5/month to get key-card access to a bike lockup in my company's office building downtown. It's pretty unlikely it will go missing there. Inside the lockup we still lock to racks. And the garage is patrolled and has cameras. No one of these precautions would prevent a determined thief but together they serve to diminish determination.
I can't imagine going from that to a clunker designed to accommodate the widest range of riders acceptably, and to withstand the worst neglect and abuse. It would be like going from .. well, if I had to draw a comparison I would be using my bikes vs ride share clunkers as the example... I can't come up with a more relevant or graphic comparison. And to pay for the honor? No.
Ok, maybe this... you have a sailboat that you've grown to know as well as your family members and suddenly you're asked to PAY PER HOUR to sit in a pedal driven paddle boat. Not a chance.
My commuter bike is the Cannondale Quick CX 3. Not a high end bike, but still fun to ride. And if I need to use it downtown where our bike shares are located I would either ride it there or ride it to the light rail station to get downtown with it. I understand theft is one reason one would prefer a share vs using their own bike. But I pay $5/month to get key-card access to a bike lockup in my company's office building downtown. It's pretty unlikely it will go missing there. Inside the lockup we still lock to racks. And the garage is patrolled and has cameras. No one of these precautions would prevent a determined thief but together they serve to diminish determination.
Last edited by daoswald; 03-12-19 at 11:46 PM.
03-13-19, 05:26 AM
#21
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03-13-19, 06:51 AM
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They can be nice in cities I'm visiting and don't have my own. Then again, some cities (cough, Detroit) are trying to get residents to use them, and purposefully keep the docks away from the tourist attractions and more towards the housing and businesses, totally negating that use.
03-13-19, 07:15 AM
#23
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I've tried the Pike Ride bikes here in Colorado Springs. They wouldn't work for my 9-mile commute because they're too slow and too heavy and wouldn't ride well in the snow. plus they're miles from my home and work.
However, I see where they would work for some. My concern would center on reliable availability, that is, would there always be one available for my commute?
However, I see where they would work for some. My concern would center on reliable availability, that is, would there always be one available for my commute?
03-13-19, 07:26 AM
#24
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They are quite popular with both tourists and residents in Philly. Just don't get me started on people riding them on sidewalks.
03-13-19, 08:59 AM
#25
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I live in Phoenix. And ride sharing scooters and bikes are the way to go when you just want to park your car somewhere further from the event and just ride over, then maybe catch a beer after and then back to your car. Super convenient.
