London Cycle Hire

4) The elastic to hold bags in place is very very poor. And perhaps this was my biggest complaint about the bike. I was carrying a briefcase and I was unable to secure it in a way that prevented it from falling. I ended up using the fingers of my left hand to hold the briefcase in place which meant I was distracted a little as I cycled along.

Yeah, the tiny basket and inadequate elastic are very poor alright. Apart from that and the not-very-big top gear, they're okay.

I saw 2 being ridden this morning on my ride in. the first was a woman who looked like what I perceive to be the target market, she had a smile on her face and was happily waiting for the lights to change - all good. the second was a chap careering through a set of red lights and very, very nearly being taken off by a motorbike. I imagine it won't be long before one is involved in an accident.

I'm disappointed that they haven't installed bike racks along the back of the hire bike stands so that us bike owners have more places to lock up our bikes. Around my work (Holborn) it seems like the spaces on the opposite side to where the bike sticks out would be perfect and is currently being wasted.

Contact the council and ask for bike racks.

I might spend next week hugging people I see riding them.
Or giving them sweets.
or giving them terrible directions.

+1, hahaha i just choked on my porridge

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx

and watch it live
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jul/29/cycle-hire-scheme-live-updates

Velocio you might have had one of those

*Some of the bikes have had their brakes overtightened, so that the back wheel hardly goes round. Pedalling one of these feels like going uphill, or cycling home after a particularly large and convivial dinner. (This affected several bikes we tried at the Southwark St station, and the one I took out at Keyworth St.) *

The problem with this is that if you take a bike out, find it's stiff and then re-dock it, you have to wait five minutes until you can take another one out. So pioneers are advised to check the back wheel spins OK before putting your key in to take the bike out. Otherwise you'll have five minutes to fill, and presumably in London docking stations are like bus stops and you're not allowed to talk to anyone.

either that or you might not be as fit as you think :)

The bikes' weight and bulk look belie how easy they are to ride. I pedalled pretty effortlessly down Whitechapel Road. The three gears worked smoothly and the brakes did what brakes are meant to do. There's a warning message between the handlebars about the potential danger from motor vehicles turning left. Yes indeed. With the Gherkin in my sights ahead I could have struck out for the City, but rather than push my luck I turned off down the side streets and meandered for a quarter of an hour or - discovering in the process red flashing lights near the rear wheels - so before returning the bike to a different, bigger docking station further down Whitechapel Road in New Road.

I have the confusions. I drifted off when reading the T&C's but remember there was a bit about only having access for a max of 4 a day. The letter that arrived with my key says I can make as many journeys as I want for free for under 30mins. Free being after you've paid your access charge.
Also, there's a bit about having an extra 15mins if the docking station is full. How do they know?

Dr. Samuel Johnson has this to say:

"Awoke to find London beset with Mister Boris JOHNSON's Velocipedes; each heavy as a Horse & seemingly painted with WOAD"

I have the confusions. I drifted off when reading the T&C's but remember there was a bit about only having access for a max of 4 a day. The letter that arrived with my key says I can make as many journeys as I want for free for under 30mins. Free being after you've paid your access charge.
Also, there's a bit about having an extra 15mins if the docking station is full. How do they know?

Some suggestions:
the T&Cs: *If you want to use more than one cycle (up to a maximum of four) you will need to pay an access fee for each cycle *
ie you can get up to 4 keys for your family and friends
Go to one of these docking stations and ask.

cycling along embankment I saw a load of docking stations. Wasn't that impressed with the location of some docking stations. seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, with no shops, landmark or anything around. I expect they were chosen as locations more around space etc than anything else.

looking forward to trying one of these though.

Some suggestions:
the T&Cs: *If you want to use more than one cycle (up to a maximum of four) you will need to pay an access fee for each cycle *
ie you can get up to 4 keys for your family and friends
Go to one of these docking stations and ask.

So what they mean is "If you want to use more than one cycle AT A TIME...' ?

That seems to contradict the 'use as many bikes as you want' line otherwise.

Velocio you might have had one of those

*Some of the bikes have had their brakes overtightened, so that the back wheel hardly goes round. Pedalling one of these feels like going uphill, or cycling home after a particularly large and convivial dinner. (This affected several bikes we tried at the Southwark St station, and the one I took out at Keyworth St.) *

The problem with this is that if you take a bike out, find it's stiff and then re-dock it, you have to wait five minutes until you can take another one out. So pioneers are advised to check the back wheel spins OK before putting your key in to take the bike out. Otherwise you'll have five minutes to fill, and presumably in London docking stations are like bus stops and you're not allowed to talk to anyone.

I think you're right... I had a dud.

It felt like riding an exercise bike with the resistance turned on. A feeling I know well from my spin class.

BTW, if anyone is ever tempted to think they're fit... try a spin + circuit class. That'll kill you and wipe the small off your face. It's knackering stuff. I don't think I'll sign up to that again soon.

@Wicksie
Tell TfL!
(how many bikes did you intend to use at any one time? and where did you see the line, "use as many bikes as you want"?)

Lovve some of Tom Halls silly uses for the bikes and velondon kind of rolls off the tounge

@Wicksie, I guess you meant "You can ride all day for £1 if you make multiple journeys of under 30 minutes each".

Still confused.
It costs £1 a day access so none of it is 'free'.
The letter with the key says
'And remember, you can make as many journeys of under 30 minuets each as you like and every one will be free'.
But, the T&C's when registering say
'If you want to use more than one cycle (up to a maximum of four) you will need to pay an access fee for each cycle'.
Which implies that on any given day, you can use a maximum of 4 bikes for £1 each + usage costs if over 30 mins.

Or am I being dim?

FFS. Just cut n paste that in the 'contact us' area on their webshite:

Website unavailable
Sorry, the Barclays Cycle Hire website is currently unavailable. Please try again later or call our contact centre on 0845 026 3630 referencing Support ID 15422687983207752066.

Presumable inundated with 'wtf?' emails.

Bumpy start anyone?

I wonder if the helpline takes you through to the same call centre in India as their banking dept.? If so, fun times ahead, for sure....

That website seems to indicate that you must be over 18 to hire these bikes?

Still confused.
It costs £1 a day access so none of it is 'free'.
The letter with the key says
'And remember, you can make as many journeys of under 30 minuets each as you like and every one will be free'.
But, the T&C's when registering say
'If you want to use more than one cycle (up to a maximum of four) you will need to pay an access fee for each cycle'.
Which implies that on any given day, you can use a maximum of 4 bikes for £1 each + usage costs if over 30 mins.

Or am I being dim?

You have to pay two things to use the bikes: An access fee (daily, weekly or yearly) and the cost of using the bike (unless under 30 mins).

If you buy a years access @ £45 you can use 100 bikes a day if you like and as long as all the journeys are under 30 mins, the £45 a year is all you will pay.

You have to pay two things to use the bikes: An access fee (daily, weekly or yearly) and the cost of using the bike (unless under 30 mins).

If you buy a years access @ £45 you can use 100 bikes a day if you like and as long as all the journeys are under 30 mins, the £45 a year is all you will pay.

^^^ what he says...

sorry wicksie, you are being dim :) You are confusing journeys and bikes.

You paid the annual fee of £45 which means that you are a member and don't pay the £1 24-hour access fee (which is for the pay as you go) but you will have to pay if your journey is over 30 minutes.

I am not 100% for the other 3 bikes but I guess that if you want to take 3 friends with you on your account they will all have to pay £1 24-hour fee + any other charges?

I don't think you pay access fee for your friends, just the charges.
Here's the member's page.