bikes...

mountpelephant

anyone know about the bikes that are lined up on various streets corners around the area?

gardener-joe

[...]

Thirdeariespace

Seems like a very decent deal. Anyone tried them? What works and what doesn't?

overandin

I've used them both, the ofo are actually decent, 3 gears but a bit short and a bit heavy.

Mobike on the other-hand are the worst bike I've ever ridden, I cycled from Essex Road back and the slightest hill it would be impossible, the mix between a single gear, extremely heavy frame, really weird wheels make it very hard work, on the plus side there seems to be many more of them and they seem to be maintained a bit more so you don't go looking for a bike which is in someone home.

eerke

It sounds like a good idea, but you can’t go anywhere except Ealing. Also I can’t imagine London drivers being at all tolerant of a slow hard to control bike riden by someone new to it. They have enough trouble not doing Mr Toad impressions even if you cycle at the 20mph speed limit. Maybe they should fit dynamo powered cameras to all of them.

N19lurker

@eerke: You're right about the Mobikes only available in Ealing in addition to Islington for now, though the Ofobikes can be used in neighbouring Hackney too. Whilst I'm sceptical on how long these schemes will last (they don't have the subsidy the Santander aka 'Boris' bikes have and must be losing money) I do think they can potentially fulfill a useful need locally for now, filling the gaps where the Santander Cycles don't reach.

Ali

Off must be doing something right. They are in 250 cities in 20 countries are Chinese and the company is valued at 3 billion

eerke

@N19lurkerN19
Agreed, being able to cycle to somewhere with poor public transport is much more useful. I don’t go Hackney much these days, but once it would have been great. I keep wanting to try one of the mobikes when I walk past them, but I just can’t think of anywhere to go. There is an okay swimming pool in Old Street, but realistically the London Aquatic Centre is only a bit further and is much nicer.

Ali

Seeing some people using them to get to work on the cycle commute. Two orange and one yellow this morning

miss annie

I'm not an amazing cyclist but I can cycle from SG to Stratford. Try up to Trent Park or Epping Forest - both beautiful.