London - Barclays Bike Hire dockign stations

Agent57

I think I'll sign up to this, even though I live in Lancashire. On the occasions I do visit London, the bikes would be handy, freeing me from the Choob.

WallyP

Yeh, I checked on the bridge, under the bridge, by the Tower and by the Pier. No docking station.
In fact, I talked to the guys who run St Kat's and they said that there was no permission to build one on the whole of the estate.

The Hundredth Idiot wrote:

WallyP wrote:

Thanks mrc1 I know about that one, but that is the south side of the river, the one on the map is on the northern approach to Tower Bridge. It is on the printed map, and on the official website, but it doesn't exist.

It's not clear from the map whether the one you want is on the bridge itself or, perhaps, almost underneath the bridge - I'm guessing it's underneath (or, at least, down that sliproad to the side which runs to the Thistle hotel. I'm sure this is a daft question, but did you look there as well?

Specialized Needs

WallyP wrote:

Thanks mrc1 I know about that one, but that is the south side of the river, the one on the map is on the northern approach to Tower Bridge. It is on the printed map, and on the official website, but it doesn't exist.

Sounds like the bike station that is supposed to be outside Millbank Tower (near Tate Britain). The electrics were put in some months back, but the docking stations aren't there yet; not even the pads on the ground. I haven't looked on the maps on nearby stations to see whether it is indicated as being there.

Specialized Needs

... although at least the official map shows the Millbank one as "not in service". Hopefully it will be set up soon.

https://web.barclayscyclehire.tfl.gov.uk/maps

I see what you mean about the Brushfield Street/Liverpool Street one! It is active as it shows the number of free slots/bikes, but obviously in the wrong place on the map :? Is there a way to report the misplacement on the map?

jimmcdonnell

First ride(s) on a Boris Bike yesterday - all very successful. Got my key less than than 24 hours after registering online, collected a bike outside Euston and moseyed down to the South Bank. One of the free iPhone Apps told us where the docking stations were (working ones coloured blue, to-be-installed ones grey, so you can tell which to go to).

As expected, VERY heavy bikes, but as has been said, if you get into the swing of not hurrying, they're fine. It made me ride like an utter beginner though, no idea why.

After lunch, rode back to Euston but via a much more roundabout route; time ticking away we stopped on Farringdon Road and parked the bike, waited the 5 minutes between sessions, got another then headed off again. You could use them all day for £1 like this.

All 3 bikes I rode had loose bits - either not set up completely right, or bedding in issues. I hope they keep on top of the maintenance early on. Brakes and gears were fine, seat ok though sitting so upright was odder than I expected.

Off to Paris in a week, back on the Ve'lib bikes there. City hire bike, a great idea wherever they are, I'm glad they've finally made it to London.

edeverett

A little plug for my Boris Bike docking station finder app - it's website so will work on iPhone and Android (and sometimes desktops depending on your network).

http://dockr.co.uk

Please try it out and let me know how you get on.

lost_in_thought

edeverett wrote:

A little plug for my Boris Bike docking station finder app - it's website so will work on iPhone and Android (and sometimes desktops depending on your network).

http://dockr.co.uk

Please try it out and let me know how you get on.

Location thing fixed now, looks good.

A widget I have to do the same job actually fires up the Navigation function in gmaps so I get spoken sat-nav style directions of how to get there.

This might be a good thing to add!

dhope

Rode my first BoBike this evening after a swift half after work. As others said, it made me feel like an absolute beginner again, wobbling all over the place, couldn't steer without turning the handlebars, shifting bodyweight made no difference.

Undocked it after a few attempts, saved me 10mins from Cannon St to London Bridge and dropped it off with no problem. Not sure I fancy the potential NESW challenge with the incredibly low gearing... one sec, MTFU... bring on the NESW challenge!

Robstar24

not too impressed with the admin side of this.

here's why: i signed up early last friday, so early in fact that I was one of the first thousand to do so, and won a free t-shirt as a result. this has arrived at my home, but MY KEY HASNT! surely it's getting priorities wrong to be sending out t shirts rather than they keys, whatever happened to first come first served??

and while the t shirt is all fine and dandy, i'd rather have the key. i rang to tell them this.

Beardy10

I tried to pop my BoBike cherry today...got my key at the end of last week. Checked my iPhone app to make sure bikes were available at my nearest "station"...all looking good. I wonder up and proudly present my key for insertion and get a blinking amber light followed by a red light! I try another three bikes and nothing doing. Because I have walked to my nearest bike station I am now a 10 min walk from a tube so have to get a cab as otherwise I will be late....spend 10 mins on permahold in the cab to be told the "help" lines have been flooded and I have been put through to an overflow centre....apparently there were lots of problems with the keys today with some working and some not. More teething problems....I wonder when I will get the promised call back to tell me when everything is fixed ?

So for my trouble of trying to go green I end up with a £20 cab fare for a journey I normally do in my car for the price of the petrol( I was driving into central london after the CC charge has finished and when there is free parking)...I wonder if their "help" line is a free phone number,,,,it better be.

il_principe

My boss tried 4 docking stations yesterday before he could get a Green light, was not impressed. I'm waiting for my key, but not holding my breath.

rjsterry

Sounds very familiar - a colleague had almost exactly the same experience yesterday. It's beginning to become clear why they've limited access to registered users only - sort out all the teething problems before stranding a load of non-English-speaking tourists all over central London.

Beardy10

It's staggering to me that when they quite clearly had system problems yesterday that they don't text/e-mail/twitter that there are problems. Surely a basic rule of running what is after all a form of public transport is to tell people when it's not working ? Imagine the tube or bus companies not doing so? It's not like they don't have all the users contact details.

Oh and the icing on the cake is that the helpline is an 0845 number so it obviously isn't included in mobile users monthly minutes so it probably cost me a quid to be on permahold to find out what the problem was. If this was a profit making corporate enterprise I could understand that but a local govt service blatantly profiteering from a help line number ? That's a joke.

Whoever is running this thing should be shot.

TimeEventParadox

OK I don't work or live in London, but this is surely a good thing?

Pretty sure there will be and have been teething problems, but it is a new system. So for now I'll hold on judgement.

I found it quite funny that I could google "Boris Bike" and it came up right there. I wonder who termed the phrase? So no kudos for Barclays they stump up the money and Boris gets the glory :-)

The short safety video on the website is quite funny and informative.
I was impressed by the number of docking stations, looks like you will never be far from one.

helz

Beardy 10 - this number also works: 020 8216 6666

Beardy10

helz wrote:

Beardy 10 - this number also works: 020 8216 6666

Thanks! Funnily enough that's not on the docking stations.

Beardy10

TimeEventParadox wrote:

OK I don't work or live in London, but this is surely a good thing?

Pretty sure there will be and have been teething problems, but it is a new system. So for now I'll hold on judgement.

It's definitely a good thing and teething problems are fine. What they need to do is communicate that there are issues...after all it's a form of transport and people have appointments to get to (like I did last night). The only option left to me when the bikes didn't work was a cab....if I'd known the bikes weren't working I could have got the tube.

antikythera

TimeEventParadox wrote:

I was impressed by the number of docking stations, looks like you will never be far from one.

You might be near one, but a good chance you wont know it. The docking stations are not near or visible from the most likely cycle routes, so unless you "know" that there's one hidden around the corner, your stuffed.

I can understand why they aren't directly on the main cycling routes, but they could afford to have small signs fixed to visible road signs indicating that there's one nearby.

Yes, you can have an app on a smart fone, or carry a printed map with you. But seriously the larger portion of potential users wont be that prepared!

Shrimp_Stu

Beardy10 wrote:

helz wrote:

Beardy 10 - this number also works: 020 8216 6666

Thanks! Funnily enough that's not on the docking stations.

That number is on the docking station - it states number for international mobile phone users

stumpy4ever

Stop complaining it's great. First trip today. But thameslink poorly served. Map had docking station at snow hill. Nothing there. Had to walk to nearly st Pauls.
Can see docks at moorgate from office window. iPhone apps are spot on with numbers. Saw about 5 of 16 bikes turned over in the whole day. Bikes a bit lardy but ok vs my folder.
First chosen bike on way home had a pedal missing. Judging by paint on crank there has never been a pedal there!! Rack thing not as good as baskets on Brussels version. From me still a thumbs u. I hope daily mail readers leave it alone.

drumon

Saw a "regular" bike locked to the front wheel of a barclays bike docked in South Ken.

They do make excellent and plentiful bike racks.... wish I'd taken a picture of it!

Hrun

Do you think this will encourage people to leave their cars at home?

Or will it mean current cyclists leave their bikes at home and the taxi business is damaged by people riding the last mile instead of getting a cab?

any

Love the dockr webapp, thanks Ed!

Does anyone know of a gpx file of Docking stations I can add to my gps please? It wouldn't be live updated with spaces but would help find them once I'd used dockr.

danielled

I want to write a blog about the bike hire scheme, in relation to the payments system and how easy it is for anyone to use. Maybe a mobile payments system would help? Can you guys give me any pointers you have????

stumpy4ever

pointers on the payment system or on writing a blog?

I registered for auto-renewing day membership. The website could not make it any clearer.

I have had absolutely no issues with system. I registered, my keys came in 3 days.
I called the number, spoke to a bloke, he said i'm good to go.

I've logged into website, can see all my journeys, unpaid charges pending etc.

Only issue i had was mixing up the keys (2 charges per day instead of one).

Pretty sure you'll get some tales of grief but not me.

Luke Jonas

i found this today; a facebook group dedicated to discussions about barclays bikes:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001386596005

Or search for: 'barclays bikes'

cougie

Theres also this forum devoted to them : http://www.borisbikes.co.uk/

nich

http://www.findmeachallenge.com/24hrbik ... llenge.htm

24 hours...to visit every bike hire docking station in London
73 miles...distance as the crow flies
100 miles...distance we will cycle (at the very least)
2...teams taking part
c400...docking stations we will be stopping at (400 planned, but not all are operational yet)
7:12mins...time we will have between each station
23kg...weight of a Barclays Cycle
£1,500...amount we hope to raise for the excellent charity, Frank Water Projects

:shock: