General Cycling Discussion - Would Your Transit Company Do This?

I couldn't believe what I read in USA Today. Deutsche Bahn, Germany's railroad leaves $1,700.00 hundred dollar bicycles on the street for ANYONE to rent! Granted. The bikes are butt ugly but who cares!

Get this. They only lose about 1% a year to theft!

I nearly fell off my chair after reading this article. Why can't more cities follow what the German railroad is doing. Inexpenisve 3 speeds would work fine for most commuter use. Folks. Berlin is NOT a rich city with loads of money. Here is this financially struggling rail company dumping expensive bicycles on the street for the public to use. Incredible.

When I think about it. The last thing the MTA (New York City) gave the commuters was a fare increase of 50 cents!


http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2003-06-24-bicycle2_x.htm

I believe the idea actually started in Amsterdam. Mass bike rentals for virtually no cost to get around city streets. If they weren't the first I do know they are doing this as well ;)...The parking areas for bikes are larger than the parking areas for cars.

Reading that article I couldn't help but think, "what a logistics nightmare!" But, apparently they're able to work it all out, so more power to them. I would be seriously impressed to see something like this spring up in north america.

Originally posted by Maelstrom
I believe the idea actually started in Amsterdam. Mass bike rentals for virtually no cost to get around city streets.

I think Sweden does this too.

There are only a handful of cities (New York, Chicago, Boston) that actually have an extensive rail system. In my opinion, this system would NOT work in Manhattan as those $1,700 hundred dollar bikes would disappear within a week. It might work if cheap 3 speeds or single speed beach cruisers were used as rentals.

Since most cities are strapped for cash, I don't see this happening in the very near furture. It just goes to show you how different cities view the bicycle in transportation. In Manhattan, we're spending a fortune installing Easy Pass so cars can go through the bridges and tunnels without stopping but could never fund something so fundamental as bicycle renting

Originally posted by iamlucky13
Reading that article I couldn't help but think, "what a logistics nightmare!" But, apparently they're able to work it all out, so more power to them. I would be seriously impressed to see something like this spring up in north america.

Well... car cultured that we are, we do have things like Felxcar (http://www.flexcar.com/). It's not entirely the same thing however. I would definately love to see "community bikes". Maybe it could be handled in the same manner as the carts in airports. In many parts of Seattle were a lot of businesses are closely spaced, you can "borrow" an umbrella at the door of one and drop it off at another for free. Quite appropo for the Pacific Northwest. :D

see something like this spring up in north america. :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

I have always heard that bikes in China belong the the government. Nobody owns a bike, and if you need one, just get on it and go. Have you seen the pictures of the Chinese on bikes? They look like thousands or riders commuting around town.

Arn't there a few citys(Seattle?) out west that use "The Yellow Bikes", yellow bikes just sitting around the city and if you need one, hop on and ride it to your destination.Then leave it propped against a tree or post and do your errand. Hopefully it will still be there when you get back, if not just wander around until you find another.

I believe you are right Rev.Chuck. I think Seattle and Portland have something 'similar'. And I wouldn't doubt if Vancouver would institute something like that too in the near fture considering how biker friendly that city is. :)

Hmmm... I haven't seen these "yellow bikes" but I guess I'll be on the lookout now.

I haven't seen yellow bikes either, but that is interesting. Neither had I seen flexcar, but a car seems a little easier to keep track of than a bike.

Khuon, what is this umbrella thing you speak of? Oh...wait...that's right! Rain! It rains here. I guess I just stopped noticing after 20 years of it. :D

We had a local bike borrowing program. Some folks fixed up donated bikes and painted them yellow. If you saw one and needed it, you could ride it away if the sign on it said it was unoccupied.

Theft got the best of this program, I think. I'm not sure, but I think they are still helping people by selling them at $25 each after fixing them up.

$1700 bikes? Wow.

>>>>>>$1700 bikes? Wow?<<<<<<<

That's what I said. None of my bikes cost that much and they're putting these "high end" commuters on the street. It's just amazing.

There's another thread that points to a article which states we're about to spend 80 billion on building highways. Can you imagine if this money were used to buy these community bikes? That 80 billion would be enough to buy 4.7 million of these rent a bikes!

Oh well .... I can dream right!