Manchester guardian. Looks good for all you Mancunians, but I’m not convinced, (despite the testing) that they will stand up to wet weather riding with those tiny mudguards.

£49 deposit bound to dissuade visitors from using them though. Also needs a daily membership rate of a couple of quid.

What say you?

I thought it was going to be a euphemistic thread title for bike theft.

the company claims to be able to manufacture 100,000 more [bikes] every day.

Holy egg too yung…!

I thought their bike “sharing” was a long established practice.

I’ve ridden those mobikes in China a couple of times, although they had standard chain drive. They seemed pretty bombproof tbh, quite impressively engineered for what they are. Couldn’t find one big enough for me over there (and I’m not esp tall), so hopefully they’ll not all be based on a smallish frame size.

I’m in Manchester so was thinking of joining up just to see, although it’s not obv how I’d use them as I don’t need to go round town much. Dropping them off anyplace makes them hugely usable, but has caused quite serious issues in China. A few companies are at war over market dominance and have flooded cities with them – bikes everywhere, stacked up on pavements fifty deep. Obv it’s been rolled out here on a much more controlled way, but it will be interesting to see how the bikes distribute themselves.

but it will be interesting to see how the bikes distribute themselves.

There is an academic paper on this just waiting in the wings…

A few companies are at war over market dominance and have flooded cities with them – bikes everywhere, stacked up on pavements fifty deep.

I’m sure there will be more regulation here. Sounds like Mobike had to get permission from the council, I guess they wouldn’t let it get out of hand.

The distribution thing is interesting. I reckon someone with the coding chops could model that. I’m guessing spread out in the evening, when people have ridden home upto a couple of miles outside the centre and at train stations then all in the middle of town or at major employment areas during the day.

I’m fairly sure hire data for London and Cambridge are publicly available and have been analysed and visualised.

I am currently avoiding reviewing two academic papers, so enjoying some procrastination on this topic. Nice piece in the The Guardian.

OFO also have them in Oxford, then there is BIKE AND GO at railway staions, 10 quid memebrship then, 3.80 per day to hire the things, also Brompton dock at some railway stations.

lot cheaper than a taxi or car for shorter distances

I think it’s Bike and Go in Liverpool too. I’m not a very regular visitor, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one outside their docking station.

The essential difference with Mobike is the dock-less function, GPS registers where the last user left it, you just start your trip from there.

GPS registers where the last user left it[b]it’s trip down the M56 to Liverpool in the back of a van[/b]

😉

Anyone given these a whirl? Rode a couple this past week – system works great ISTM and couldn’t be simpler, bikes are v solid. Quite a low single gear, though – I don’t like bimbling in traffic as it feels unsafe, so wouldn’t be in a hurry to ride them anywhere busy. Good for going across campus during the day.

User update since the original Guardian article is positive, reckon I was right about them poxy mudguards though! Here.

So far so good. Signed up early at £29 deposit. Used it to get between two offices in 3 minutes, rather than 15 minutes. Good fun. Plenty of bikes about and the app lets you know where they are and you can ‘reserve’ one for 15 minutes before you collect it.

Scan the bar code, the bike unlocks, and off you go. Park up, flick the lock, and it ‘off hires’. 50p for 30 minutes.

The bikes are heavy – weigh about twice what my full suspension MTB does, but they are smooth enough. You spin out quite quickly, so the key is to plod along, otherwise you’ll be soaking wet in your civvies.

I can see myself using it to get into the city centre quickly.

I’m currently wondering if they could replace my commuter bike. When I don’t ride in, I get the train into Victoria. I used to take bike in/out every day, but now I lock it in the station Monday to Friday. I then have a 10 minute ride across the city to the campus. Reverse on the way home.

I’m wondering if I could easily get a bike near the station in the morning, I have a few minutes leeway if I needed to walk to get one so not worried about that. But, on the way home it’s somewhat close between getting out and getting the faster train home. I tend to have to actually ride to make progress rather than pootle. Finding a bike not a worry as there were 8 stacked in front of the building doors when I popped out for lunch.

My wonder is what this is going to do to the second hand tatty bike market when the students come back? My mechanic mates always make a killing selling off beaters they’ve … re-purposed over the summer.

Also wondering if bikes will propagate to Fallowfield late at night, and not be centrally placed again come morning and the commute users.

I think Mobike will be monitoring where the bikes go. If you leave the bike out of the way, you’ll get a big points ‘fine’ so you’ll very quickly not be able to hire one.

There are enough of them about. A colleague just tried it this morning from Oxford Road station out to Hulme – saved him quite alot of time, but he was pedalling too fast.

As for the second hand market – it’s still cheaper to get a junk bike.

I used to commute in 26 mile round trip, but some idiot broke my spine 18 months ago, so commuting is by car now.

GregMay – Member

I’m currently wondering if they could replace my commuter bike. When I don’t ride in, I get the train into Victoria. I used to take bike in/out every day, but now I lock it in the station Monday to Friday. I then have a 10 minute ride across the city to the campus. Reverse on the way home.

I’m wondering if I could easily get a bike near the station in the morning, I have a few minutes leeway if I needed to walk to get one so not worried about that. But, on the way home it’s somewhat close between getting out and getting the faster train home. I tend to have to actually ride to make progress rather than pootle. Finding a bike not a worry as there were 8 stacked in front of the building doors when I popped out for lunch.I think across the city they’d be fine – having to ride consistently fast on these things for any distance would suck, but with all the stop/start of the city centre it wouldn’t be as bad. Not having to leave the commuter bike locked up, wearing normal work clothes etc sounds appealing so worth a go I reckon.

wearing normal work clothes etc

*sits at desk in shorts and t-shirt*

Not an issue in academia 🙂

May take a peak at them. Is there a minimum sign up time?

Nice one Manchester scallys
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/16/manchesters-bike-share-scheme-isnt-working-because-people-dont-know-how-to-share?CMP=share_btn_link

I’m not sure on the dockless bicycle hire schemes… I can’t help but think the streets are going to be littered with them soon.

In London we have the boris bikes and Brompton rentals in docking stations, can’t say I’ve ever seen one sticking out of a bin or being trashed?

But these have just started showing up, at already cramped cycle locking areas:

Then if mobike start down here too… I’m not sure…

Similar scheme running in Bristol (YoBike). full guards and built in dyno lights

Bikes are too small though – i’m 5ft 10 and short of leg, and I have to have the saddle all the way up. They’ve also had loads of problems with theft. They’re trying to combat it by mandating parking close to recognised bike parking (which they’re showing in the app) and removing parking from areas where they’ve had high theft levels.