Originally Posted by
robertorolfo
Rode some Mobikes for a few days while in Milan for work, and they were TERRIBLE. Yes, all caps, terrible. And I rode quite a few of them, with slight variations in the models (some chain drive, some belt drive), and they were all absolute junk. They were so bad that I almost regretted riding rather than using public transportation.
A few days earlier I had rented a more traditional style bike in Parma, and it was a completely different story. Heavy and urban, but a pleasure to ride and well maintained.
I have a Mobike account tied to a Chinese SIM, but for some reason that SIM did not want to work in Italy, even though it works fine in US. In any case, I have been riding Mobikes in China and they are a step up, seriously, compared to the share bikes that Chinese city governments started a few years earlier. Yes, they are klutzy and abused by customers. I usually run around to find one with working brakes, straight pedals and saddle good for my height. I carry some basic tools with me and often am able to adjust the saddle height, if there is no other way out.
As to Italy, I rented on different occasions from small operators in Bologna, Frascati and on Sicilly. All places were delightful in terms of the people running the operations, who were bike enthusiasts and seemed to enjoy keeping the society riding. Bikes ranged from an acceptable in Bologna to top notch in Frascati, better than I normally ride. The bike in Sicilly had a hydroformed frame that I found quite pleasant to ride - I normally stay away from alu. Milan seemed to have an abundance of share systems, but I had no chance to try any.