Youtz downhilling Burger Bikes in Inch park where ERC do their cyclocross.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Edinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme
(1576 posts)-
Posted 4 years ago #
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Some closer up shots of the ebikes: https://twitter.com/2wheels2dex/status/1175745178470166529
They appear to use the same lock body so, in other words, free ebikes coming soon...
Posted 4 years ago # -
Since I've been advising on & working with public bike hire schemes since 1996 here's my tuppence-worth, on schemes outside Edinburgh - (dear moderator the earlier post corrupted & locked me out)
1) Nextbike - now in its 15th year as a private company. They operate perhaps the widest portfolio of operating business models, and bike systems. Bikes can operate with full bells & whistles hire points (service pillar & docking units), or simply be placed on the street. In Belfast (Just Eat) and Exeter (Co-Cars) the system is operated by licencees, with Exeter the first all electric system up & running, having converted from regular bikes this year (Co Cars offers both bikes and cars as shared mobility)
Bikes can be hired using a phone app, an RFID card, a QR code patch, an SMS text, and even a call centre in Germany, where they speak perfect English... I've enabled my 'Saltire Card' to hire bikes, unlock car club cars, as well as use buses and get 50% discount on SPT rail fares!
In Glasgow Nextbike has contracted with Bike for Good as their local servicing operator, and has several 'deals' which engaged the wisest community spectrum. Glasgow University members get free annual membership, others get discounted offers. Those with 'Transport Poverty' can get deep discounted memberships as can Co-Wheels (and Enterprise) car club members.
Stirling has Recyck-a-Bike providing the service
We've seen & sampled the bikes now running in Exeter, and the first tranche are due to arrive in Glasgow very soon.
Glasgow hire figures are, I'm told, healthy with over 2 hires per bike per day and a substantial traffic to the 13 sites linked to rail stations (& 6 Subway stations) Nationally surveys indicate around 40% of hires are to get to or from a train journey. Cardiff however is really taking off, with over 4 hires per bike per day, and real engagement with other cycling projects. perhaps the lack of youth abuse is the act that those guys are brought in as users, and maintainers of the bikes?
2) Bike & Go - an attempt to deliver the Dutch OV-Fiets system in the UK - shutting down in a week's time. Damaged in part by the early lack of staff engagement at the stations, where the clunky process of having to go to the booking counter for the key, and the limited hours of access, did not work - even when a user was eager to make it happen.
3) Bewegen - electric bikes - from Canada, apparently now operating on Falkirk/Forth Valley although I've not been to sample this or see the hire points - any reports?
4) Ride On - electric bikes - from Spain where automated bike hire has really developed over the past decade. this should be starting soon in Dundee, as the detail on hire points, and potential sponsor/branding are settled (perhaps Scottish Power, given their Spanish principals) In 2009 Clear Channel's Bi'cing launch put Barcelona ahead of Paris and was an immediate success, carefully set up to be a service for local users without damaging the local tourist bike hire operations.
We've not yet seen the dump on street bikes seen in the South but Scotland has some useful detail, through Section 97 of the Roads Scotland Act 1984 - where hiring bikes has been classed as street trading .... and a few other twists.
A notable detail in the business cases for the schemes which have lasted, is that the bike branding can provide a core revenue, that can cover a substantial part of the standing costs. The original Copenhagen bikes ran for 19 years with blocks of branded bikes paying for the maintenance. Main options are either to have a full fleet sponsor (Santander/Just Eat/ at present being the main players) with the high risk when the sponsor pulls out, or have a distributed risk with smaller campaigns and local blocks of bikes (Visa paid for this on Glasgow Bikes last year for their World Cup promotion - a good deal when you get 40-50 bikes for the price of just one bus stop poster - Glasgow & Stirling bikes could be open to offers for a campaign?
The other element of the package can be Brompton Hire, which is not the same 'product' and as yet not in Scotland. The latest installations are going in as client services, with top rate Office developments FORE has installed one at their Windmill Green (Manchester) development suitably branded, and outside for client and public use (FORE has developments in Glasgow & Aberdeen). of especial use for those heading to London us the unit at AXA (Kings Cross) but be sure to pre-book both a bike and a space to return it, as the 8 locker unit can have up to 20 bikes out on hire, which means it can easily fill up if several are returned at the same time, without an attendant clearing the excess bikes. The Queen Mary University Aspire Building has a unit near to Stratford Station, and Broadgate are due to install one at their development near Liverpool Street, Birmingham also has hire points close to New Street. For £3.50*/£6.50 per 24 hours with no limit on length of hire, it can be a useful way to get a bike when in London, Manchester or Birmingham for a few days (*regular user - higher annual subscription rate)
Posted 4 years ago # -
I'm in Heidelberg for the OpenStreetMap Conference.
They have the next bikes here, but I've really struggled to use this most of the bikes seem fail to release and after about 6 attempts I finally managed to get a bike. I have to say a much nicer experience than the Edinburgh bikes, the basket at the front is big enough to be useful and the bikes have what feels to me like a sensible 6 gears.
There are bikes EVERYWHERE here, and some nice cycling infrastructure.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I seriously hope it's not the same locking mechanism for the e-bikes. I watched a guy of about 17 walk up to one of the free-standing normal bikes, whisk a hammer out of his jacket, hit the lock a couple of times (in a way suggesting much experience) and a few seconds later he was offski. These locks need a rethink. The vandalism costs must be verging on unsustainable.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@chrisfl
Which model of Nextbike are they? Several types
How are you hiring them? card, app, SMS, docking point?
The Glasgow bikes had an issue with water & the 'module' one the earlier model with the combination locks. The newer models with locked forks seem better, and the e-bikes even more different.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Tulyar - they seemed to have 2 different models of bike, the one In finally managed to get was docked into the docking station and also secured with a combination lock. The app helpfully displays the code to use.
The other type had a frame lock - in this case when I tried to hire this unlocked but the docking point failed to release the bike.
I was trying to use the app.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@chrisfl might be useful to see pictures of bike types
Posted 4 years ago # -
Rode the London Sandander bikes for the first time this week. Something I really liked was that I didn't need to register for anything or install anything on a smartphone - paying at the machine beside the bikes (and getting a receipt for work), then having access all day (for up to 30mins per hire). Although it was a bit like an adventure race needing to find the next hire station within 30 minutes, in a city I don't know...
Posted 4 years ago # -
The Haymarket dock is now live! Looks like it's in the space where Bike&Go used to be.
Something that I'm sure many have been waiting for
Posted 4 years ago # -
TfE have got a £120k ScotGov grant for 12 new docks in Kirkliston & South Queensferry (£10k a dock...?):
"The main objectives/expected outcomes of the Grant are:
To expand the existing Edinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme with 12 docking stations encompass South
Queensferry and Kirkliston.
To introduce a Sustainable Transport Network in South Queensferry and Kirkliston.
To provide an attractive alternative to single occupancy car use for everyday shorter journeys in
new housing developments. "Posted 4 years ago # -
Expected vandalism costs per dock per year?
They'll need a higher gear to appeal to people that far out.Posted 4 years ago # -
Two lads yesterday morning, flashing lights and cycling on wrong side of cycle path, i am guessing knocked to help them get to school
Posted 4 years ago # -
I hear that a dock should finally be making it to Heriot-Watt soon.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Saw 7 or 8 kids on the bikes with all the lights flashing out in Porty yesterday evening heading towards Figgate Park, guessing those bikes had to be fished out of the burn this morning.
It'd be a shame if that dock got shut down, it's the main one i use and gets a lot of use from day trippers too
Posted 4 years ago # -
Would giving schoolchildren free use of hire bikes reduce vandalism? I think half of them just want a bit of a joyride - which would be fine if they put them back after. You might have to include a parental damage deposit or something.
Posted 4 years ago # -
They'll need a higher gear to appeal to people that far out.
Well they sure don't plan on users
gettingtaking the bikes onboard the trains, if the Azuma/Scotrail thread is any indication.Posted 4 years ago # -
I think the plan is to enable local journeys in the rural west. Stopping those sub 2 miles drives to the shops for instance.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Would giving schoolchildren free use of hire bikes reduce vandalism? I think half of them just want a bit of a joyride - which would be fine if they put them back after. You might have to include a parental damage deposit or something.
The deposit would be the tricky part. The overhead would be massive, as when a bike gets damaged and little Johnny says it was like that when I got it/someone else done it/the bike got taken off me/etc, JustEat will have to face the parents and the eventual stories in the Chipwrapper (with a photo of a sad kid with parent holding a letter saying someone owes £500 for repairs)
I think it would be a good idea to let the kids use them - excluding them gives them no incentive not to vandalise if they had the notion
Posted 4 years ago # -
Portobello hire point is being closed due to vandalism:
https://twitter.com/cyclehire_edi/status/1179411802205179904?s=21
Posted 4 years ago # -
Judging by @Try Cycle's post, Burger Bikes should take a look round Figgate Park for their bikes.
Posted 4 years ago # -
There was regularly a bike dumped in the burn there.
JE said they won't restore the dock until the police find who did it. Not to be casting aspersions of the efficiency of Police Scotland, I asked JE for a refund on my subscription renewal :(
On the upside I did get my bike fixed a couple of weeks ago so I'll be cycling to and from work from now on instead of getting the bus in the mornings and burger biking it home in the evenings
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Try Cycle TfE were hiring for an Outreach/Engagement officer a few weeks ago and the job description mentioned engaging with schools/youth groups
Posted 4 years ago # -
Found the job desc.: https://www.environmentjob.co.uk/posts/74573-outreach-engagement-officer/show_archived_version
Posted 4 years ago # -
Guy in a very distinctive onesie was cycling a very obviously stolen Burger Bike up the pavement on Leith Walk. Propped it outside Chicken Club and went in.
I passed two Phoilis na h-Alba officers a hundred metres later but they took off after someone so I left it.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Saw a JustEat bike abandoned in the playpark at the Bingham end of the Innocent this morning. It's a shame the Portobello hire point is being discontinued but given Edinburgh's ned problem it's not a huge surprise.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Two virtual docks are now active at Heriot-Watt!
https://twitter.com/cyclehire_edi/status/1179778324626837504
Posted 4 years ago # -
Wahey! I can imagine Anna MacLeod - Business School being popular for people rushing to a 09:15...
Posted 4 years ago # -
At least one person used to alight from train at haymarket then take the abelio version out to Heriot watt
Posted 4 years ago # -
E-bikes are at the Canongate until 15:00 should anyone fancy leaving their bed! https://twitter.com/cyclehire_edi/status/1180803543932047360?s=20
Posted 4 years ago #
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