Boris bikes

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Boris bikes

Postby Will » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:53 am

I think they launch today... Who's going to be first to try them out? :)

I passed by a docking station yesterday and saw them all neatly lined up

I lifted the back wheel of one of them - it felt pretty heavy so would be good for training :D

I'm wondering whether any inner-city alley cat style race series will start to happen... :lol:
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Amy » Fri Jul 30, 2010 8:44 am

I've been meaning to post and say I've got them outside my office.

When my train came into London Bridge I did think of using them instead of the bus but now I've got a service that goes to Farringdon, they're not so appealing.
Would be useful if they could be used as part of one's travel card :)
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Grahame » Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:10 pm

[quote="Amy"]I've been meaning to post and say I've got them outside my office.

When my train came into London Bridge I did think of using them instead of the bus but now I've got a service that goes to Farringdon, they're not so appealing.
Would be useful if they could be used as part of one's travel card :)

As I understand it, the decision to make the charges to a credit card or bank account was made in attempt to keep the bikes out of the Thames, and other "unofficial docking stations", by ensuring there was (a) an account with a decent amount of money in it to charge for replacement of "missing" bikes" and (b) an address - season tickets and even Oyster cards are too easy to get hold of without any traceability.
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Grahame » Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:11 pm

[quote="Sean Hogan"]Amy
Integrated transport policy?
Lol

S

Yup, a bit like human rights in Singapore.
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Jon H » Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:52 pm

Should be handy for those pub to station journeys when negotiating steps and escalators on the tube when drunk would be downright dangerous.
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Bo-Gilly » Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:53 pm

[quote="Sean Hogan"]Costs alot after initial 30 mins.


Yup.

Access fee :

24-hour access £1
Seven-day access £5
Annual access £45

Usage charges :

Up to 30 minutes Free
Up to 1 hour £1
Up to 1 hour and 30 minutes £4
Up to 2 hours £6
Up to 2 hours and 30 minutes £10
Up to 3 hours £15
Up to 6 hours £35
Up to 24 hours (maximum usage fee) £50


I'm really surprised that it works out so expensive - I'm sure it will put quite a few people off :(
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Bo-Gilly » Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:26 pm

Oh, and there's some other charges which might scare potential punters on low income :

Late return charge: £150
Damage charge: up to £300
Non-return charge (eg if it's stolen whilst you're hiring it) : £300
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Keith » Fri Jul 30, 2010 8:33 pm

[quote="Bo-Gilly"][quote="Sean Hogan"]Costs alot after initial 30 mins.


Yup.

Access fee :

24-hour access £1
Seven-day access £5
Annual access £45

Usage charges :

Up to 30 minutes Free
Up to 1 hour £1
Up to 1 hour and 30 minutes £4
Up to 2 hours £6
Up to 2 hours and 30 minutes £10
Up to 3 hours £15
Up to 6 hours £35
Up to 24 hours (maximum usage fee) £50


I'm really surprised that it works out so expensive - I'm sure it will put quite a few people off :(


But isn't the whole point that you use it for 10 minute short journeys, so you only ever pay the access charge? It worked great for me in other cities e.g. Toulouse. A heck of a lot cheaper that a taxi!

Having said that, if they put a stand at CSS, it could cost you at least £15 for the CR. Training Group anyone? :wink:
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Bo-Gilly » Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:45 pm

[quote] But isn't the whole point that you use it for 10 minute short journeys, so you only ever pay the access charge?


I don't know - is it ?

But yeah, if that's the point then I guess it's fine.

Although personally, I can't see myself bothering to find a docking station, going for a 10 minute bike ride, and then looking for another docking station to deposit it at. I think I'd rather walk.
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Andrew G » Wed Aug 04, 2010 1:41 pm

The intention was always short nip across town type journeys rather than use a bus or have to walk. They seem to be working as I've seen a few people on them and the docking bay outside my office only had about 4 left in it this morning.

If you have a mile walk to the office from the station (as a lot do from London Bridge) then you can do your journey to and from the station within your 30 minutes for your £1, less than half the price of doing it by bus. Could be more fun than walking it everyday and could also mean you can get an earlier train in the evening.
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Mark Leedham » Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:44 pm

Used one for the first time today. Got off at London Bridge Station, 2 mins walk to Borough High St Pick up point. Very pleasant ride in the sunshine over London Bridge, past Bank , St Pauls and then up to Barbican. Drop off point is outside my Office. Far better and far quicker than taking the Tube or walking.
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Elliot M » Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:02 pm

I noticed that the chains aren't lubed and the rollers have some kind of hard grey (ceramic?) coating. Any ideas - and why aren't all our chains like this?
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Dombo » Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:16 pm

[quote="Mark Leedham"]Used one for the first time today. Got off at London Bridge Station, 2 mins walk to Borough High St Pick up point. Very pleasant ride in the sunshine over London Bridge, past Bank , St Pauls and then up to Barbican. Drop off point is outside my Office. Far better and far quicker than taking the Tube or walking.


But if the drop off point outside your office was full, you'd have had to find another one further away
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Sylv » Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:59 pm

[img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4930277666_2ef4fca416_b.jpg[/img]
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Re: Boris bikes

Postby Mike I » Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:33 pm

[quote="Mark Leedham"]Far better and far quicker than taking the Tube or walking.


You may be preaching to the converted round here :wink: .

Down in Andalucia, they seem to have a problem with the front lights being nicked.

[img]http://i38.tinypic.com/a5ge0w.jpg[/img]
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