B-Cycle Demo in San Francisco
B-Cycle is demonstrating its bike share system in San Francisco December 17-18 at the Civic Center Plaza (in front of San Francisco City Hall). Representatives will be on hand from 10am-3pm both days. Attendees will be able to check out bikes and take them for a test ride.
4 Responses to “B-Cycle Demo in San Francisco”
I see they don’t use a rear rack… wonder if that is to discourage passengers hitching a lift the way hey do in Europe so often?
@Rob
I noticed that too. Your explanation makes sense…
We have this at work! I love it- it’s so cool! The only thing is that one of the stations is going to be moved because a nearby tree blocks the solar panel, so the whole thing doesn’t work till the sun rises enough. We’re just piloting it- hopefully we’ll have more stations. The bikes are unprotected, where we have them (save one station, in a parking garage)- I wonder how they’ll fare in the rain.
The bikes are pretty heavy. The shifting is super smooth. The drum brakes feel gushy to me.
They come with a small locking cable that you can us, and you take the key with you, a la public lockers. The baskets are big- you can lay a letter-sized pad in it. The saddles are wide and cushy- no my preference, but serviceable
Our employer supplied us with helmets too. We carry a card with us that we use to activate it- just push a button, wave the card, and the bike is released. Coming back, you just fit the front wheel to the rack and it automatically locks back in.
I love it- it’s another reason I want to get back into riding.
More: there’s an app for it. Tells you real time nearby stations and how many docs and bikes are available. Free.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/b-cycle/id371185597?mt=8