Dublin Bikes

wicklowwonder

Hey, going signup to Dublin Bikes annual scheme. So how does it work? Seems to be a €10 a year and then if you go over 30 mins pay for what you use. but how does the €150 deposit work? Do they take the deposit out of your account and give it back after year or how does this work? Also if I signed up tonight could I use the bikes tomorrow or do they have to post me a card or something?

Thnaks!!

Victor

The €150 is if you lose the bike / don't return it. That covers them for their time in tracking it down - each bike has a transmitter.

wicklowwonder

oh ok so does the 150 come off your card if you do not return the bike after a certain number of hours? Also if i sign up this morning to the annual sub can I use them today or do i have to wait for a swipe card sort of thing? Cheers

Toby Take a Bow

The 150 comes off your card if/when a bike is not returned. It's not a deposit, though, so your account won't be touched if everything goes grand.

You will (unless they've changed it) have to wait for the swipe card.

not even wrong

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

You will (unless they've changed it) have to wait for the swipe card.

Or you could sign up for the "€2 for 3 days" deal and use it instantly.

doughef

Hey OP

Its a great scheme, very easy.
Simply sign up and in a few days you get your Dublin Bike card. €10 will come off your credit card but as the other poster said, there will be no extra money taken unless you go over the half hour or unless you lose the bike.

Enjoy

deconduo

From what I remember, the €150 deposit was taken out of my account when I signed up, and then returned a day later. I think its just to make sure you have the money if lose a bike.

It takes a couple of days for them to send out the swipe card, but once you get it you can use it straight away. Its a great scheme and I definitely recommend it if theres a station near you.

Robdude

Can anyone tell me how reliable you consider the system?

I'm debating whether or not to use it as my primary means of getting to and from work...but I'm worried that I won't be able to find a bicycle when I need it.

chris85

Robdude wrote: »

Can anyone tell me how reliable you consider the system?

I'm debating whether or not to use it as my primary means of getting to and from work...but I'm worried that I won't be able to find a bicycle when I need it.

You can get an app for smartphone if you have one which will give you realtime info on availability which may help. There are free ones and paid ones with better features.

I find it great but the odd time I have found no bike available or no space to return.

Dandelion6

It really depends where you are and what time you're commuting. Personally I tend to find it difficult to get a bike in the morning, and almost impossible to get one at night, without walking so far it defeats the purpose But if I started and finished work a bit earlier I wouldn't have this problem so often.

deconduo

It depends on what your journey is like. The main station I use is usually empty after 10am, but there's another 5min walk away that will always have bike for me.

Going home has never been a problem, there's always bikes in the station I leave from and there's always spaces at my home station. I have heard that some stations get full up pretty quickly after 6pm however.

lillywhites

I use the DB scheme on average 4 days a week, both in the morning and evening. The main bike station I use is Pearse and I rarely have any problems getting a bike. On two occasions over the last 6 months I've had to wait about 3-4 mins. I'm generally at pearse between 7.30 and 8.30 am. Each bike station is located within 250-400 metres from another bike station so its never much of a problem if there are no bikes available or if the station is full when returning a bike.

lillywhites

Also very useful website for seeing if bikes are available http://dublinbikes2go.com/home