City Cycle

[lethoso]

I noticed today that the tyres still had moulding marks on most of them.

the last of the little knobbles didn't fall off the tyres on my bike until they'd done about 1500km

[notwal]

as long as I remember to bring my helmet.

Buy a cheapie from kmart and keep it at work.

And when I ride one to the citycat or bus stop on the way home and then forget to take my helmet back to work the next day do I just go and buy another one from kmart?

Don't you have a mother?

[beauyboy]

MUM I saw my very first Citycycle Cyclist today. Honest
Truely I did, I did, She was riding to the goodwill bridge from Kangaroo Point.
Honest MUM I did see her.

Now being less like a child, I saw people also taking them out of stations and walking (yes I know walking) with them yesterday so they are now starting to be used.

Donald

[ValleyForge]

A beautiful Sunday and all the bike are gone from our local rack. They were all at New Farm Park judging by the numbers of them.

PS - some of the LBS run a CityCycle specific helmet hire scheme. The helmets do bear a passing resemblance to the old Cooper Stack Hats....

[RepcoMonaco]

Saw not one, not two, but THREE CityCycle bicycles being used on my morning commute today. Impressed.

[mrjones]

I saw loads of them out and about on the weekend

[Undertow]

I used CityCycle as part of my commute both ways today, with an errand to milton included on the way home. Though the lack of station in milton cost me two bucks.

[Lewdannie]

Looks like they can manage $5 helmets in Melbourne:

http://www.melbournebikeshare.com.au/helmet-locations

[beauyboy]

The lack of Parking Stations along the Bicentennial Bikeway is a concern ATM. IT was going to be originally included in the system for stage 1 but it seams to of just dropped off the system.
$2 is still cheaper then the bus.

I am seeing more and more people using it. We just need all the stations up and running and stage 2 to be opened to public comment.

Donald

[gordy]

We do a semi-regular ride around town on Saturday arvos. Last Saturday, one of our mates used the City Cycle to do the 30 k loop.
Finding stations between Commercial Rd and the Brekky Crk was difficult. On the iPhone app, some stations appear but are not completed yet. Still he paid a couple of bucks and had some fun.

[dclnmurray]

I can find the charges for subscription on an annual basis which allows for 30 minutes travel but does anyone know the service charges beyond 30 mins? Can't find anything on the web at all.

Cheers

Dave

[Max]

Dave, usage charges are shown here. More info on casual subscriptions here.


Max

[beauyboy]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensl ... 16zv1.html

WWW.BRISBANETIMES.COM.AU
CityCycle proves just the ticket to beating traffic woes October 25, 2010 - 10:28AM
Comments 6


Journalist Dan Nancarrow tests out the new CityCycle bike hire scheme in Brisbane. Photo: Michelle Smith

Taking advantage of Brisbane's traffic-beating scheme, Dan Nancarrow pedals his way to work.

Nervously perched atop a CityCycle on Brunswick Street, I keep telling myself: "It's just like riding a bike." Unfortunately this isn't too reassuring to a 29-year-old man who hasn't ridden a two-wheeler since his early teenage years on the considerably quieter streets of Gympie.

A kick-off from the pavement, a few rotations of the pedals and many wobbles later and I am on my way to the city on my maiden CityCycle voyage.

Advertisement: Story continues below As many as 1700 subscribers have signed up to the CityCycle rental bike scheme since Brisbane City Council launched it on October 1. It's a response Public and Active Transport chairwoman Margaret de Witt is happy with, considering the wet weather that has plagued the city this month.

My experiences last week have been overwhelmingly positive – the $60 annual subscription cost for a half-hour ride is considerably cheaper than the $1150 I would spend each year to bus or CityCat my way into the CBD from New Farm.

And I haven't got in the way of too many motorists, one of my biggest concerns.

With my unit close to the RiverWalk I spend little time on New Farm roads and refuse to ride in the city, instead pushing along the pavement to the nearest station.

I must admit I was a sceptic at first. When the CityCycle stations were installed in a loading zone outside our workplace on Queen Street, I cursed the loss of parking space I would use on weekends.

And once I saw the bikes themselves I turned from sceptic to open critic of the bright yellow motif and emasculating basket.

Putting vanity aside, once I discovered the low registration cost and the three stations in short walking distance of my home, the scheme made good sense, financially and physically.

The first bike I used seemed cumbersome, slow and wobbly but that could have been down to the rusty skills of the rider.

I have caught some lycra-clad city bike riders having a good chuckle at my CityCycle comrades as the lycra wearers fly by at much greater speeds. One of the bikes I have ridden looked like it was a year old already – the grip was ripped halfway off the handle bars, the gears whined and the seat was stuck at an awkward height.

Yet every other bike has been in respectable condition for vehicles parked out in the street 24/7, vulnerable to weather and vandals.

I'm certainly sold on the concept now and can see myself graduating to my own bike once the year is up.

My only concern is the lack of showers at my workplace. With summer fast approaching, I doubt a can of deodorant will be much defence against a short but sweaty ride from New Farm Park to the city.

[ocallaghans]

My 3 and a half year old son loves the city cycle bikes. He thinks they are motorbikes so when we go to the park at West End he loves to sit on them and make motorcycle noises. I'm a bad parent because I let him and I don't make him wear a helmet.

On a more relevant note... The stations that have obviously been completed but are not yet open (They have no bikes and they have a red/orange disk in them blocking you from parking a bike)... Does anyone know when/if they will be opened? There's one across from my apartment building and also one close to my work so I'm waiting for these both to open and then I will probably subscribe.

I had a bit of a look at the bikes while my son was playing. They seem extremely heavy, even if you compare them to a cheapo k-mart mountain bike. I've had two electric bikes in the past and these things would be on a par with them (without the advantage of a motor to assist you).

[beauyboy]

All Citycycle Stations that are open and still being built/opened are still part of Stage 1. There should be a number on the station, try ringing the citycycle call center and giving that number they might be able to tell you when it opens.

In New Farm they are being used a fair bit for the trips down to the Shops.

Donald

[jolie]

That sounds great. But I haven't try it

[Comedian]

I'm seeing more people about on them.

[russellgarrard]

Finally! As I said in the past to the HORRIFIED look of people from transstink...'PRIVATE transport will be the saving grace that we all need'. They looked horrified until I explained that the 'private' transport would have two wheels, two pedals and a chain.

What would you rather, waiting 30 minutes for a bus for a 12 minute bus ride or spend 32 minutes riding to your destination at any time you wanted?

[Comedian]

Finally! As I said in the past to the HORRIFIED look of people from transstink...'PRIVATE transport will be the saving grace that we all need'. They looked horrified until I explained that the 'private' transport would have two wheels, two pedals and a chain.

What would you rather, waiting 30 minutes for a bus for a 12 minute bus ride or spend 32 minutes riding to your destination at any time you wanted?

Seriously, I live like 7k north of the CBD, and it's quicker for me to ride than it is to catch the bus. The best bus trip is 40minutes. Average 50-60, and Each week I'll get one or two over an hour. All times are door to door.

My ride to work is 35 minutes, and if I'm pushing I can do it in less than 30. Whats more, it's far more reliable. All trips are <40 minutes. How cool is that.

Of course, someone said in another thread it would be cheaper to commute by chopper but still I'm so much fitter. And I am saving all those bus fares.

[beauyboy]

I am passing/overtaking about 3 to 4 people a each day that are using these bikes now so they are being used. New Farm is currently the center of Citycyle and at night time with people coming home on the bikes some of the New Farm stations are completely full with no spaces to park a bike.

Last week there was a group of people being put together for a group photo for what I can only assume was a promotional material. The only thing I had against the photo wad the fact that they had the guys still in there suit jackets. Honesty who in Brisbane can were a suit Jacket without ending up in a pool of sweat

Donald

[lethoso]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensl ... 18zgj.html

southbank corporation has long outlived its usefulness...

[The Womble]

With the BCC losing thousands of dollars each week on this, gow long will the City Cycle agony continue? Or will we have to pay even higher rates for the privilege?
The lack of usage of these bikes means they arent paying for themselves ATM after 3 months

[Comedian]

With the BCC losing thousands of dollars each week on this, gow long will the City Cycle agony continue? Or will we have to pay even higher rates for the privilege?
The lack of usage of these bikes means they arent paying for themselves ATM after 3 months

Who says it's loosing money? I'm told that JcDeux (or what ever it is) has a very long term contract (25 years??) and as far as they are concerned it's all good. Their advertising is out there and I bet that's the way they get much of the income from the scheme. I mean I'm sure everyone would like to see it used (other than the oil companies perhaps) but it might not be as important as you think.

[The Womble]

I hope you're right. Don't get me wrong. I love that Brisbane now has CityCycle up and running. They've just priced the average Joe out of wanting to hop on one. They need Joe to get the scheme to where it needs to be.
a federal MP who cycles ALOT had to pay $25 just to 'join?' the other day for using one of the bikes for a giggle on a fun ride group. Turns out the price is seeing people very stand offish after having done some snooping around