London Cycle Hire

So I was planning on dropping by the nocturne on saturday, but was also helping a friend move some equipment for a gig. So I left my bike at home. Knowing this I had topped some credit on to my account that morning. Got to a dock to use my key and it didn't register. So I tried another dock, no such luck. Went to POS, and it turned out that the whole lot was out of service. So I check on the phone where the next set of docks were and started heading down Clerkenwell Road. I get to the next set of docks and the same thing, likewise the POS didn't recognise the key either. So I thought I'll just try getting a bike as a casual user, rather than a member. Put in my card, and it wouldn't except it.

So I ring the support number tell them the problem, the walk me through another test, and conclude my key has died. Admittedly I have only used it a handful of times over the course of the year, last time being back in March. They are sending me a replacement.

Anyway I told them I tried to get a bike as a casual user, and the chap on the phone informs me that if you are a member, then the same payment card can't be used as a casual user. At this point I finished the call and headed to LMNH's for a coffee.

This restriction seems a little crap, I think I'm gonna cancel the membership and just be a casual user. Not even going to try and get the access fee refunded.

I have noticed recently that the Amber light flashes for eternity before finally going green!

As **Stonehedge pointed out b4
**Come on TFL...how about bike racks next to some of your BBike stations?

.

I got a £50 fine for not returning a bike until 3am... except I'd actually returned it at 5:25pm and their docking station showed a green light but didn't register it.

It's been a month since they agreed to refund, and still no refund.

And my bank ( smile.co.uk ) are useless, they will only do a chargeback if I have a refund voucher or proof that a refund is due from the retailer, yet the retailer... Barclay's Cycle Hire / Serco... are so inept that their first line support doesn't even know whether the refunds are being processed or who is doing them. All they claim is that some guy in Birmingham is working through them... "some guy"!

My £50 still awaited from the 8th of May ...... Apparently it is in the Q to be repaid soon.....

in my opionion as a tourist staying for 3 months... it was just better to get my own bike and bike bag.

i got this bag

This restriction seems a little crap, I think I'm gonna cancel the membership and just be a casual user. Not even going to try and get the access fee refunded.

i have a key , but only a 1 day membership and autorenew - all the benefits of a casual users but the ease of using the key and not having to use a card each time

First time on a boris bike tonight and it was shit. Had to walk half a mile to even get one in the first place because the two stations nearest work were completely empty. Then it took an eternity to accept my card, and when I arrived at Southbank I had to join a queue of 5 other people waiting to return bikes, because the stations at upper ground, IMAX, concert hall approach, stamford street were all full and no fucker was leaving. In total a journey that normally takes me 5 minutes on my own bike turned into a 45 minute saga. Never again, wish I'd just walked.

Last Thursday was the first time I've attempted to use one for ages, every other time has gone without a hitch.

This time I arrived at the docking station next to kennsington Olympia to find the six or so bikes there had all be vandalised, so walked to the next station, nothing happened when I put my key in kiosk was dead... So walked to the next one, this time looked at the kiosk first it was showing the bb equivalent of the hour glass (dots going round in a circle) again nothing happened when I put my key in, so I got the tube.

Fail.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh167/edscoble/BorisBikeinDunwich.jpg?t=1310912518

Leo just did the Dunwich Dynamo on a hire bike. I'm super impressed, mainly with Leo, but also with the bike...

thanks. i suffered but it was all worth it.

How much did it cost you in hire charges?

will cost £50

a bargain^
Well done egnog what guts to ride that 120 miles
Hope you made loads of money for your charity

^ did you let tfl know you were gonna do this? sure they woulda jumped at the chance to get some good pr and at least let you have the bike for nowt.

/you hard bastard.

a bargain^
Well done egnog what guts to ride that 120 miles
Hope you made loads of money for your charity

thank you. i actually quite enjoyed it. yes have made almost £1000. just short at the moment http://bit.ly/dunrun

£50 is a pretty reasonable night out in town, and it was saturday night.

most memorable saturday night i've had in ages in fact

^ did you let tfl know you were gonna do this? sure they woulda jumped at the chance to get some good pr and at least let you have the bike for nowt.

/you hard bastard.

yep, spoke to tfl press office and head of press. unfortunately they have a policy of not helping anyone. i didn't expect it so i'm not bothered.

Barclays just extended their sponsorship to 2018.

http://group.barclays.com/News/Barclays-news/NewsArticle/1231787624439.html

Looks like the money will be used to increase the size of the scheme area.

Read that they are xpanding the scheme further east and west today. I have been using them to get to work and haven't had any trouble yet, a great alternative to the tube

Barclays just extended their sponsorship to 2018.

http://group.barclays.com/News/Barclays-news/NewsArticle/1231787624439.html

Looks like the money will be used to increase the size of the scheme area.

There is a lot more to the story

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14326295

Seemed like Boris trying to keep everything simplier and easier for him to deal with.

thanks. i suffered but it was all worth it.

Top work matey! Love the addition of a 3kg radio, can imagine it helped you stay sane :p

I made my first couple of journeys the other day. No problems to report so far.

They feel confident and assured on the roads, though I wish they had a 4th gear!

^Your hire bike felt confident and assured?
Mine felt a little blue and miserable.
(I felt confident though)

5mil is small fry for such huge exposure, especially for a bank.

seems like a missed opportunity.

(I felt confident though)

It was my first Boris outing today and I was trackstanding like the deputy manager of a McDonalds...in my opinion