It's interesting that Gamekeepers road is surviving while Whitehouse Road is for the chop.
I'm probably jumping to conclusions but it may illustrate just how few people are willing to travel across Glasgow Road on foot.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Edinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme
(1600 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
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I feel like there’s a critical mass of users that simply hasn’t been achieved yet, and the bike shortages won’t be helping
In lieu of the cut backs today and my experiences of other cities systems I’m looking forward more than ever to the e-bike offering. I think people will be willing to open their wallets and pay for an electric cruiser up hills like Leith Street in a way they won’t on a 25kg 3-speed. Took me years to get the lungs for a heavy bike.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Made a quick little page that shows the closed/replaced docks since I was bored: https://publictransport.io/cyclehire/changes.html
Posted 5 years ago # -
@CycleAlex: Thanks, that's useful. (It's also interesting to see how skeuomorphic map pins do actually work better for pin-pointing the exact locations of the hire points, rather than the simple round blobs that the cycle hire scheme uses, which actually figuratively obliterate the place that you are trying to find!)
If the data is still snarfable from somewhere, you could maybe wag the finger at them further by also highlighting the continuing absence of former hire points at the RIE, Gibson Terrace (Fountain Park) and St Andrew's House (which doesn't seem to show any sign of coming back any time soon?).
Posted 5 years ago # -
It's also good (but also sad) to see the number of disgruntled users responding to their post on Twitter, including a few good citizens of Corstorphine who decided to sign up after the scheme was finally extended out to there, but who have hardly had any chance to use it before it was withdrawn virtually without warning (less than 24 hours' notice given).
Surely it must be against all "fair contract" legislation to withdraw a service without giving at the very least 30 days' notice?
They are really not doing themselves any favours with this abrupt move, and also that hire points which will be replaced with proper docks have also been instantly vanished "like that" with no timescale given for the installation of the replacement docks (including at least three sites that I use at least semi-regularly).
Why can they not keep them active as virtual docks until the actual docking stations are installed? It's the sort of stupidity you expect from a local council where they scorch out a zebra crossing leaving no safe way to cross a road before adding replacement traffic lights several weeks later. Have they not heard of continuity of service?
Several of the withdrawn (temporarily or otherwise) sites don't have any alternatives sufficiently nearby to provide a usable service: if you have to walk much more than 5 minutes or so, you would be as well getting a bus instead, to be honest.
Posted 5 years ago # -
There used to be a docking station at Leith Links too but that was closed after lots of vandalism.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I've added ERI/Leith Links/Gibson Terrace/St Andrews House. Took me a while to figure out where on earth the ERI dock actually was!
I believe there were also a few confirmed docks that were never fulfilled in the big virtual roll out in Nov/Dec.
The way this has been handled has really confused me. A cheery sounding message in the app hiding the fact that 25% of docking stations are about to disappear in a few hours time. But don't worry, some of those will come back. Well, maybe. But we won't tell you when.
Posted 5 years ago # -
The docks that are getting replaced have made up 19.1% of this months usage so far. Yet while they get replaced they're just gone for seemingly no reason. Shooting themselves in the foot might come to mind...
Posted 5 years ago # -
Re there being no reason, the update thing said the virtual docks have gone because of vandalism, surely?
Posted 5 years ago # -
Fortunately they have left the Cramond virtual dock in place (at least for wekends), so I was able to try one out ahead of RttS.
First impressions were that they were okay. I could get the seat post high enough for a pleasant upright position, although the saddle is quite hard.
The gearing is very low, as you'd expect to being inclusive and for Edinburgh's hills. It did mean that my comfortable cruising pace on the flat was only 12mph and coming downhill I spin out at 15mph.
I getting the impression that RttS will be a long night...
Does anyone know how good the front light is at 'seeing' by in the dark. Thinking I'll need to supplement it, but considering how/where to attach light(s) to and if I can use the in built light as a good backup.
Posted 5 years ago # -
HankChief - the flashing front light is a bit on the weak side. I wouldn't rely on it for travelling along unlit roads. You might be able to attach a light to one of the front fork legs, as long as it has a stretchy rubber hook type attachment - angle might be a bit tricky to fix though. You might be better with a head torch.
I took a hire bike round Arthur's Seat the other night - tough going on the steeper gradients, down to just over walking pace at points. I don't envy you.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Thanks morningsider.
I was contemplating affixing light to the wee tubes that stick out from the front of the baggage holder. Might be a tight squeeze though.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Kind of glad I didn't take the £45 annual pass now.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I'm really not impressed with the front lights at all, and would be very interested to know if they are even remotely legally compliant: there should be some lawyers potentially interested if it turned out that the scheme organisers were knowingly putting their customers at unnecessary risk...
I have been using the bikes fairly regularly since the start, including over the winter, and my feeling is that the front lights really aren't especially bright, and equally worryingly, don't seem to have any visibility from sideways angles whatsoever?
There have been a number of occasions in the evenings where cars have turned right across my path rather disturbingly closely as I approach, which doesn't happen when riding my own bike (with reasonably bright lights), which makes me think that the hire bike lights really aren't particularly visible from any kind of sensible distance or adequately bright from a safety perspective in general.
Posted 5 years ago # -
As I usually had my normal work bag with me when I used them during the winter, I usually had my normal extra rechargeable strap/clip lights with me too.
Posted 5 years ago # -
The rear light is reasonably visible, I noticed last night when behind one.
The front lights are no use to see by, or to be seen. Like @davecykl I've noticed a lot of cars just not seeing me. Use your own lights, would be my recommendation.
Posted 5 years ago # -
An article in the Edinburgh Reporter lists the 30 new physical docking stations that are due to be installed by September. Some good new locations, particularly around the Old Town and out at Edinburgh Park.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Haymarket!
Posted 5 years ago # -
A welcome change of strategy and a departure from the original business model of something like 80% virtual-docks
Hope the off charge to Sustrans is not excessively inflated and reflects the cost of install
Posted 5 years ago # -
Frenchy, Is that a celebratory exclamation? Haymarket Terrace has made the list.
Gateway Station has too, along with Edinburgh Park and 2 other points between them. At long last it will be possible for people to use them to commute to many major employers of West Edinburgh.
Unfortunately though they have just removed many of the points where people might want to cycle there from.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Most times when I've just been taking one for a speculative lunchtime amble they are released without issue. Most times when I need to be somewhere quickly, there's a delay at the dock. So delayed, I barely had time to get a few photos of the chairs at the parliament before having to race back as fast as the low gearing allowed me and run the last quarter mile to the office.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Frenchy, Is that a celebratory exclamation?
Yes - I think Haymarket is the most glaring gap at the moment. Other than the small gap at "Everywhere south of King's Buildings", of course.
I tried to hire a bike this afternoon, but the app didn't seem to be connecting to anything. Probably a problem on my end, but annoying all the same.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Looks like it'll be 6-8 weeks before docks are replaced and ready to use again. Good thing no one likes cycling in summer.
https://twitter.com/cyclehire_edi/status/1138042040476872705
Posted 5 years ago # -
With King and Queen of Kaimes on tonight and a doc available at the start it seems wrong not to take a bike for a spin up the hill.
Having righted that wrong I was somehow a couple of minutes late returning it.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Car parking is to be removed to allow a 31 space dock on Rosebery Crescent (next to Haymarket) as part of the CCWEL http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/12328/proposed_plans_tro1892b.pdf
Posted 5 years ago # -
Just seen that there are docks at Ingliston Park & Ride, and 20 bikes in stock.
But why isn't there a dock at the airport terminal itself? It would be an ideal way to get to the airport if travelling alone.
Posted 5 years ago # -
It's for the Highland Show, so you can take the tram to Ingliston and then cycle from there
https://twitter.com/cyclehire_edi/status/1141607271371366400?s=19
Posted 5 years ago # -
Slightly amusing when the post is easier to steal than just the bike https://twitter.com/lilymwrites/status/1143421635741007872?s=21
Posted 5 years ago #
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