I’ve spent years (on and off) studying how these systems work and more frequently, don’t work. This attempt looks like a much smarter attempt than pervious efforts. One of the biggest issues with these systems has always been the common property issue. If everyone own the bikes then taking one home for permanent use is much easier. Further, if you don’t own it directly there’s little incentive to treat the bike with care. This program assigns temporary private property rights and thereby avoids the issue. What’s even nicer is that the designers took even the threat of vandalism into account and designed the bikes to be as sturdy and tamper resistant as possible.
I’m also a fan of the infrastructure design, or the lack of infrastructure. Because each terminal does not need to be hard wired into the city’s grid, the stations are effectively portable and cheap to run. Also, by not being tethered to a location, the stations can be redistributed as demand dictates and can be stored when the weather turns (this is Canada, the weather will always turn foul).
The only obvious drawback is the pricing system. A high initial cost (~$4) is combined with an hourly rate that can make renting a bike for a ride around town very expensive. Further, a very large hold is placed on the credit card (~$216) which makes this system impractical for anyone but the heavy users who buy a year’s pass or the tourist looking for a fun way to see the city.
Thoughts?
Welcome to the GBP Blog
This is the Blog associated with our main website TheGreenBicycleProject.org
The GBP has merged with Damn Good Bikes LLC. Please visit the new blog for more recent updates.
We are the GBP. Our mission is to keep bikes on the road and thus keep cars off. We call this “Bikecycling”; that’s recycling, but for bikes. The concept is simple. Take a bike that’s no longer wanted, broken, or even bound for a landfill and apply a bit of knowhow and a lot of elbow grease and you get a bike that can last someone for years. These bikecycled bikes are sold at a price that covers only our costs in repairing them so as to provide bicycles at the lowest cost possible. All of our bikes are repaired and tuned by a mechanic so that from the moment you pick them up they are ready to hit the road. Take a look below for our current project bikes and completed rides.
Location:
We are located in the US Storage facility at Capital Circle NE and Mahan Rd. While have moved into our new store, we are in the same complex. To get there follow the road through the complex, around the 90 degree bend and make the first left (at the tree). We'll be the first store front on your right. Sound complex? The best way to find us is to follow the bikes!
Buying our bikes:
Please visit our main website at thegreenbicycleproject.org for information about buying our bikes. You may also email us at Thegreenbicycleproject@gmail.com.
The GBP has merged with Damn Good Bikes LLC. Please visit the new blog for more recent updates.
We are the GBP. Our mission is to keep bikes on the road and thus keep cars off. We call this “Bikecycling”; that’s recycling, but for bikes. The concept is simple. Take a bike that’s no longer wanted, broken, or even bound for a landfill and apply a bit of knowhow and a lot of elbow grease and you get a bike that can last someone for years. These bikecycled bikes are sold at a price that covers only our costs in repairing them so as to provide bicycles at the lowest cost possible. All of our bikes are repaired and tuned by a mechanic so that from the moment you pick them up they are ready to hit the road. Take a look below for our current project bikes and completed rides.
Location:
We are located in the US Storage facility at Capital Circle NE and Mahan Rd. While have moved into our new store, we are in the same complex. To get there follow the road through the complex, around the 90 degree bend and make the first left (at the tree). We'll be the first store front on your right. Sound complex? The best way to find us is to follow the bikes!
Buying our bikes:
Please visit our main website at thegreenbicycleproject.org for information about buying our bikes. You may also email us at Thegreenbicycleproject@gmail.com.
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