@Klaxon @Frenchy thanks, just installing. I couldn't find it when searching in the Play Store the other day. Now to see if there is actually a bicycle available to try (and if I can get everything to work).
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Edinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme
(1576 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
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Aha. I now see that the 'launch day free trial' is cleverly hidden behind 'buy subscription' in the app. Not obvious.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Would expect that even with a free trip they'll need a credit card/debit card in case you decided to nick the bike?
Posted 5 years ago # -
“We don't contribute directly to OSM – would that be useful? In that case, where and who would we talk to community-wise and technically?”
Quite a few active OSM people on here. I’m sure some will make themselves known.
Also talk to people behind http://edinburgh.cyclestreets.net/ (if you haven’t already).
Posted 5 years ago # -
Having it integrated as a routing option in CycleStreets to walk+hire would be sweeeet
Posted 5 years ago # -
And the cycle.travel map
YMTMV
Posted 5 years ago # -
@ARobComp indeed. Credit card and various personal details required for free trial.
One bike was docked at Bristo Square when I arrived and another arrived as I did. It took a while for the arrival to be docked as the person returning it was trying to dock it from the wrong side. Someone else who was looking at the inactive bike came over to help and then managed to hire the newly returned bike inadvertently before it became apparent that it wasn't showing up on the system. I decided to walk over to George Square at this point since the app claimed that ten were available there.
It then took a while for me to undock one of the several bikes at George Square, which I suspect was due to my phone not thinking that I was at the docking point. I switched location from battery saving to high accuracy and soon after I was given the option to collect a bike. I took in the controls, adjusted the saddle and set off. The gearing seemed fine initially, although it took me a while to work out how to change gear and the steering was surprisingly responsive despite the obvious weight. The bike felt very bouncy over the cobbles though and as soon as I made it to MMW (which is now partly closed off again) and headed downhill, it quickly became apparent how good hydraulic disc brakes are, which I am now used to. The brakes on these bikes feel terrible in comparison, but they do work eventually.
Within a few minutes of 'easy' cycling I was too hot for my jacket so stopped to stow it at the front and adjust the saddle again. I then headed up Bruntsfield Links, down to the canal and out to Harrison Park which the bike managed fine. I then cycled back to the Meadows via the PoP route and quickly realised how low the high gear is for road cycling. The speed of people on these bikes is likely to irritate drivers despite the 20 mph limit... Having said that, no drivers gave me a hard time for taking the lane through pinch points, but one taxi driver did pass closer than they could have heading up to the roundabout.
I managed to dock back in at Bristo Square without issue, by which time there were quite a few bikes docked there and also a reporter possibly doing a piece to camera so I may well appear in the background in some news report looking hot and bothered!
On the whole I am quite impressed with the set up but won't be using these routinely given how I am too used to 'normal' bikes.
Posted 5 years ago # -
So I should point out that I would usually be wearing a h*lmet, cycling shorts, a base layer (maybe long sleeve), cycling socks and well ventilated cycling shoes at this time of year. I wore 'normal' clothes for this trial (no h*lmet), ending up in a t-shirt, long trousers, outdoor socks and shoes so I'm not making a fair comparison.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I sometimes need to change my T-shirt after going for a walk at lunchtime, so didn't expect anything different after taking a heavy bike for a test spin up Gloucester Lane and the Mound. I need to get my money's worth out of the year thing so shall be using them to extend my reach on time-limited lunchwalks without having to faff about with my own bike.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Infill docks leading out to the peripheral stations are needed sooner rather than later
Those taking their bikes to full docks are being asked to take their bikes to the nearest free dock, never mind that it may be their origin in the first place and a 5 minute cycle + 20 minute walk back.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Did anyone else spot this feature in the app? Maybe it's not been enabled yet:
https://twitter.com/cyclehire_edi/status/1041654914492129281?s=21
"You can pause the trip in the app to pop into the shop."
Posted 5 years ago # -
Did a wee tour on them tonight, with Mrs ECT.
Pollock Halls to Bristo Square, docked, took a new hire.
Bristo to Fountainbridge, Akva. Docked, had a nice coffee in Akva.
Akva to Commie Pool - Pollock Halls was full!
No techie issues except my third hire at Akva. My phone was still but not quite, logged on to Akva's wi-fi. The app didn't seem to like that. after switching wi=fi off, there was a 3-4 minute delay to start the hire process again - but it worked!
The bike was fine. I will use it occasionally, sometimes for fun, sometimes for work instead of walking around CC locations. No significant gripes with the bike.
Mrs ECT - who cycles a lot less that I do - concurred.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Berge here's what you need to know about Openstreetmap (key points in as few words as possible).
- It is ordinary members of the public who contribute to it, and while it looks technical the system is essentially fairly simple.
- OSM mapping is used internationally, and in pretty much every free mapping app you can find (with just a few prominent and obvious exceptions). This means that what's mapped on OSM appears automatically on hundreds of maps, services and apps.
- OSM editors need to create a username and password (no surprise there) on http://www.openstreetmap.org
- @Wangi posted a link showing that (many?) Edinburgh docks are already added to OSM (link)
- If you click the points on that map you'll see the special information which gets added to a single point in an appropriate geographical location in the OSM data
- From there, all you need to know is how to do this simple editing. There's an editing tool on http://www.openstreetmap.org - look for the 'edit' link. There's help offered by the tool itself. I'd expect questions and minor issues - what button to click to do X or Y, but that's essentially all there is to know.
- Failing all else, there's a facility to add a note to the map on http://www.openstreetmap.org - a note that map contributors will read. With a clear and simple explanation about what edits are needed you'll probably find that someone will do the work for you (but your engagement with the community - many of whom cycle - wouldn't be a bad thing
Lesson over!Posted 5 years ago # -
Having used extensively Boris bikes in London and Velib in Paris I have some strong opinions on docking stations.
Paris works almost all the time because they gave up car parking spaces to ensure docking stations were regular and super visible. It's easy to find a dock and if you can't get a space there is usually two more very close. Thus removing the lond walk issue described above.
London JUST works, most of the time. But indeed not having a space at a dock makes for a pretty frustrating journey and does make you more anxious. The app has improved this somewhat but you still worry that when you get there the dock won't work, or there won't be spaces. Also many of the docks are hidden away on side streets etc.
Hopefully the prominent placement of the bikes and the fact that they have virtual docks will minimise the above challenge (so long as they use them to fix overflow on full racks)
Posted 5 years ago # -
Sounds like my Luddite telephony practice is excluding me from a pretty good scheme. Love that the bikes go up the Mound.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Having left my bike at home today for various reasons, I was all set to get a day's sub and hire a bike for the day.
Good thing I checked the map first. No good for outside the centre yet.
It was raining anyway so the bus was an acceptable alternative.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Here's my technical take on them that I put on Insta and fb. Plus a shameless plug at the bottom :-)
A wee spotters' guide to the new @cyclehire_edi bikes.
Firstly, it's great that Edinburgh have gone with a tried and tested bike, with rock solid components. Also, the non-fixed docking system allows for for rapid expansion and new docking sites, without expensive infrastructure and avoids the problems of dockless systems.The bike is a 24" Pashley, as used in London. They use, as all such bikes do, Shimano's indestructible Nexus kit:
- Nexus 3R75 Inter 3 hub gear. This is the 'new' style with the 7/8 speed cassette style shifting hardware, albeit with the familiar shifter. This is preferred by hire bike designers as all components are contained within the dimensions of the dropouts, and thus less susceptible to damage that the old bell crank can suffer.
- Nexus C3000 roller brakes. These are poorer brakes than the 'high-performance' C6000 style, but are bomb-proof and work well with smaller 24" wheels, as the wheels exert less leverage than, say, a 700 wheel.
- Nexus C6000 front hub dynamo provides the power for the lights and presumably any on-board fleet technology.
- Wheels are 36 spoke, 2 cross.
- Gearing is low. The hub is standard (186%) but the combination of a large rear sprocket and 24" wheel means very low gears. 3 is really the cruising gear and 1 and 2 are climbing gears. This is absolutely fine for hire bikes. 3 is high enough to make decent progress on the flat and you don't need to pedal down Edinburgh's hills!
- The exposed chain, whilst perhaps not ideal for chain life, does mean it's easy for fleet mechanics to drop the rear wheel out for maintenance and the 2/3 chain guard still offers plenty of protection.
- The stand is very tough, but suffers from the limitation of all side stands - don't put too much weight in the basket or it'll cowp over!
- They ride pretty tight and nippy and don't feel heavy. But the small wheels are pretty rough on cobbles etc.Anyway, they're wonderful and perfect for navigating the city on a whim and when you don't have your own bike.
Finally, if you want to buy a bike with all this practicality and with lots of refinement not found on a Just Eat bike, you'll have to come down and buy a Gazelle!
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Harts Cyclery - good tech overview. Weight wise they would be over 20kg I assume. Must be less than the best selling Elephant Bike though! Not that weight is a problem if gearing is low enough.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Question to anyone who knows: is the daily subscription a calendar day or a 24h period (i.e. if I buy a daily subscription at 4pm, can I start trips until midnight or 4pm the next day?). In London it's a 24h period but I took out the free daily subscription here yesterday and that was just valid on the 17th, so a calendar day. Has anyone tried a daily subscription today?
@Harts Cyclery: Thanks for that detailed info and I'd love to buy a Gazelle one day :-) I was just wondering, do you think this scheme will impact your own hire business (and other private cycle hire businesses in Edinburgh)? The price difference is significant but there are some clear advantages to having a nicer bicycle you can keep all day. Perhaps it's a different market segment. Anyway feel free not to comment if it's commercially sensitive :-)
Posted 5 years ago # -
@MV, daily subscription is a 24h period. Launch Day Free Trial was a special case.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I see that the early adaopter offer of £75 for the year is still available. Does anybody know how long that runs for?
Also, it might have been cleared up previously, but would extending a 1 hour pass (£1.50) twice by half an hour (£1 per half hour) cost £3.50 or does it max out at the daily subscription cost of £3? In the latter case, would that 1 hour pass then become a daily subscription automatically?
Posted 5 years ago # -
We now have TWO urbansharing.com people on CCE so I’m sure you’ll get an answer soon!
Posted 5 years ago # -
does it max out at the daily subscription cost of £3
Even if you have a daily/annual subscription any journey longer than an hour is charged at £1 per 30 minutes up to 7 hours total, so a one-journey subscription is just the same.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@MV, this is a funny thing in the trade. Some folk worry about hire bikes eating into their business, but that's daft. It MASSIVELY increases the number of people who cycle, many of whom would never have considered cycling before, especially in the city. These folk get a taste for it and invariably end up buying their own bike, because it allows them a flexibility the hire bikes don't.
In short, it's great for the bike trade.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I wonder if we'll see some sort of ride-credit incentive scheme to reward extracting bikes from full stations and returning them to empty ones.
I've seen it before but can't remember where.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Botanics/Inverleith Park surely needs a dock (virtual or otherwise)
Posted 5 years ago # -
@laidback - weight's a funny thing. Practicality, as you know, is so much more important than weight in a city bike. Probably comparable to an Elephant in weight, but they're much nicer bikes - Elephant bikes really are crude. Also, EBs are very tall geared; these are like MTBs in comparison. I didn't find the weight an issue in the least. They roll pretty well and I battered up the cobbles from Stockbridge in 3rd gear most of the way. They're definitely a bit bumpy compared to a 700 wheel, but nothing horrific.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@Klaxon good point, I didn't really think that through.
What happens after 7 hours?
Would two separate 1 hour passes started within 24 hours turn into a daily subscription?
Posted 5 years ago # -
@rbrtwtmn, thanks for the OSM primer! I'm somewhat familiar with OSM; I've run tile servers and debugged postgis performance issues with Postgres and OSM data in the past (-: But manually editing maps in a browser does not scale well with regards to the amount of manual work involved. My question is really if we can contribute with technical means (other than GBFS feeds). Automatic data export in a GIS format? Are there licensing issues we should sort out?
@jdanielp, the various products don't automatically turn into a different product; ie., if you have a single trip pass, it won't turn into a 24 hour pass, no matter how long you rack up extended rental fees. Two different single passes won't turn into a 24 hour subscription, and so on.
Posted 5 years ago #
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