New rent a bike in city

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot · 30-06-2022 3:53pm

Again its very annoying they didn't listen to the requests to put a station in Ferrybank. I'm heading into town tomorrow morning and would love to pick up a bike at the bus depot across from Spar, cruise over to town on it, and drop it off on the Mall. Wouldn't have to worry about locking up my own, risk of theft etc then.

JohnC. · 30-06-2022 5:17pm

You can’t get a bike without a card tied to your identity. So it would seem foolish to then dump the bike you’ve effectively signed for.

new92 · 30-06-2022 5:40pm

Took one out for a spin today, by golly was it heavy. Had a job getting up water street. Gearing on the bike made little difference, will try again tomorrow, but I'll stick to flatter areas. Can't wait for pedelec versions to role out.

Cabaal · 02-07-2022 7:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119271843#Comment_119271843

I found the gearing ok enough to cycle up from Powerscourt area to the hospital and it was ok, but some parts of Waterford is hilly so it was just never going to be fun cycling them.

Still, for every hill you have to come up you also get to come down a hill too so thats always fun.

Cabaal · 02-07-2022 7:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119272124#Comment_119272124

For the annual pass you need the green card, but you can opt for the three day pass which doesn't require a card.

it's all very easy use,

You scan your card
It asks you to input your PIN
It asks you to select the number of the bike you want
It then tells you the PIN code for the portable lock for that bike (so you can lock it outside a shop, very handy!)
You go over and press the release button for the bike you want and just pull it out.

Cabaal · 02-07-2022 7:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119272537#Comment_119272537

Spot on!

Really there's only three ways a bike could end up in the river

Somebody doesn't properly secure their bike at the docking station when returning it, this is unlikely as it shows you a different colour light once its secure.
Somebody either forgets to lock their bike when they head into a shop OR somebody cuts the lock. The first could happen, but the second is hardly worth the work considering the type of bike you'd be stealing.
Somebody signs up to the scheme and then decides to dump the bike (extremely unlikely considering you can be charged for non-return)

The whole "all the bikes will end up in the river" thing is nonsense really, people said the same thing about Dublin Bikes and it simply didn't come true. I guess some people hate seeing something being successful.

Asdfgh2020 · 03-07-2022 8:50am

If you were ret***ed/moronic/drunk enuff to register, take out a bike and dump it in a stream/river, what would be the cost / penalty for doing so…..also I wonder is there trackers on the bikes? Probably not due to GDPR ( hope I have acronym correct) issues/concerns..😡😡

Christy Browne · 04-07-2022 2:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119283066#Comment_119283066

Have to love lads making up hypothetical scenarios that haven't happened yet to get mad about.

new92 · 06-07-2022 10:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119272621#Comment_119272621

Following up and my next ride was much better! The bike I chose actually had working gears. Although a heavy yoke, she was comfortable and handled the pitiful surfaces like a trooper.

iphonehead · 09-07-2022 4:26pm

Used them today - hopped on on the outskirts of the city and hopped off at Arundle Square in the heart of the city... very smooth at the 'stations' taking them out and returning them. Bikes themselves aren't luxury bikes, but they do the job - for city cycling they are absolutely fine, but gears and bike weight mean I sure as hell ain't going to use one to cycle up the Folly or the outer ring road! Still - a great addition to the city and will be useful particularly over the likes of the 'Spraoi' weekend when it's nigh on impossible to park a car in the city.

Dunmoreroader · 19-07-2022 12:25pm

Great initiative, hope it is successful. Odd that there is no station yet anywhere north of the Suir, anywhere in Grace Dieu/Carrickpherish and based on population, could do with one around Knockboy/Ballygunner.

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot · 19-07-2022 2:19pm

I know the reason for not putting any north of the Suir was due to the dangerous roundabout at the train station (you'd think that would act as an incentive for the council to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists but alas, this is Waterford Council we're talking about). Hopefully will be reviewed if the new pedestrian bridge gets built. Knockboy/Ballygunner will be reviewed as part of phase 2 we were told, for phase 1 they didn't want to go past the hospital/ring road. Gracedieu/Carrickpherish looks like an obvious oversight, not sure why they didn't put any there but possible they were concerned the stands would be used to tie up horses.

Wanderer2010 · 19-07-2022 5:03pm

Are there any bikes near the greenway entrance near WIT Arena? That would be a great spot to put one but I presume certain companies have a monopoly on renting bikes..

johnnykilo · 19-07-2022 7:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119360104#Comment_119360104

Nothing out that far, yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do end up putting a station there between the amount of people who go to WIT Arena and the Walton Institute.

I don't think the Bike Companies will be unduly worried, there's still a cost associated with these bikes if you have them longer than 30 minutes e.g. €6.50 for 4 hours and the €2 for each additional half an hour. Plus I know I'd rather be cycling the Greenway on a bike from one of the Greenway companies rather than those new Rent a Bike ones which are a lot heavier.

nomoedoe · 19-07-2022 10:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119360104#Comment_119360104

There’s no bike rental companies in WIT arena anymore ,and as johnnykilo says they are not the type of bike you would want to go on the greenway anyway they are handy for a few spins about town but not long stretches on the greenway.

Cabaal · 20-07-2022 9:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119361584#Comment_119361584

It is perfectly do able to go on the greenway though, I own a dutch style bike which I recently got serviced in Waterford and cycled 25miles back home to Kilkenny. Flat is fine (and the greenway is flat), but hills suck. You won't make any landspeed records on it either.

The TFI bikes wouldn't be far off the same weight as my bike, they also have the same upright riding position.

Boooourns · 20-07-2022 9:51pm

Used them a few times, they're a great addition. You would have to take your time with them though, definitely no speeding on them which I suppose is not bad thing either. Hopefully if the scheme is successful they will add more cycle lanes around the town. Would also be great to see more stations.

Boooourns · 29-07-2022 6:03pm

The Kilcohan station is offline so they moved most of the bikes to other stations, the problem I noticed today was the one in Arundel sq was full as was Bank Lane. I passed the park and there was about 3 free. Pain in the ar$e for anyone coming to town on one. I also walked passed the kilbarry one the other day which was also full!

Teething problems but also a bit daft.

johnnykilo · 30-07-2022 1:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119404720#Comment_119404720

I think that's just a general issue, you'll always have stations that are full and ones that are empty at various stages of the day. When I lived in Dublin and was in the City Centre at weekday rush hour it used to be regular occurrence to see people on bikes waiting outside a station for other people to rent a bike, so they could check their one in.

Does the app tell you what the capacity at a station is, i.e. if there's any bays available so at least you know before you arrive and can maybe detour to another station that does have free bays?

I know they do have the lorry going around to redistribute bikes from one busy station to a less busy one, but obviously that can only do so much.

Wanderer78 · 30-07-2022 11:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119406408#Comment_119406408

makes sense to have such a feature on the app, and im sure its not that hard to implement either

Boooourns · 30-07-2022 11:50am

Yeah it shows all the info on the app in fairness but I'm not sure it's 100% accurate.

Yeah fair point about some stations being busy, especially the weekend that's in it.

shinzon · 30-07-2022 5:38pm

Grafitti on the bike station down by the old ESB building on the mall so there already being vandalised

Shin

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot · 10-08-2022 4:33pm

Pilot e-bike scheme to launch in Kilkenny city this morning (kclr96fm.com)

Anything you can do I can do better etc etc..... good to see though, some e-bikes to supplement the current scheme around Waterford would be excellent.

10-08-2022 9:03pm

This is exactly what we should have done in Waterford. Forget TFI, go to a private company and get e-bikes.

It will probably be years by the time TFI opt for e-bikes.

Wanderer78 · 11-08-2022 10:35am

stations look great around the town

azimuth17 · 11-08-2022 1:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119454862#Comment_119454862

Green Party Minister Noonan etc.

Cabaal · 11-08-2022 2:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119456071#Comment_119456071

The Bolt ebikes are very expensive by comparison to TFI which isn't a good thing, they charge 15c a min. Took a spin on one recently and it came to 1.11 for a 7min 30sec cycle. Also the Bolt bikes are speed limited in certain areas and geofenced so you can't actually go outside of certain areas either.

By comparison TFI is 10e to signup for the year, the first 30min of each trip is free and they and they are not speed limited or restricted.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119458768#Comment_119458768

Nothing to do with him, Bolt rolled out in Sligo first and Kilkenny would be similar sized so makes sense to try there next. Also Kilkenny is not already served by a bike share scheme like Waterford is so the likelihood is the uptake is likely to be better then if they rolled out in Waterford.

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot · 11-08-2022 2:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119459122#Comment_119459122

Yeah the ideal situation would be a mix of both with an e-bike option in addition to the regular bikes already there at each station.

11-08-2022 4:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119459122#Comment_119459122

Fair point on the price but TFI need a mix of manual and e-bikes in order for them to be a success I feel.

Wanderer2010 · 09-10-2022 6:50pm

Do many people use these bikes regularly? I have been out and about the last month and i pass a lot of stations for these bikes. Sometimes they are all there, other times half empty but i have yet to see one of the actual bikes being cycled around the town!

Just curious. Maybe they are popular early or late in the day.

iseegirls · 09-10-2022 11:06pm

I've used it in the morning the odd time into the city. Handy for the students in Riverwalk going out to SETU, also a few cycling along that walkway by the river going from supervalu roundabout down to poleberry.

Not overly popular yet, but we need to properly sort out cycling lanes in the city over the next few years.

BBM77 · 10-10-2022 12:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119723821#Comment_119723821

That was one of the many annoying things about the changes made to The Quay. In all the room there they could have put in properly segregated cycle lanes. But no, The Quay is a tool to force traffic onto a tolled road apparently. It is not a city centre asset to nurture.

Boooourns · 10-10-2022 5:47pm

I use them when possible. I've also started to notice more on the roads, probably more to do with the students being back.

Cabaal · 12-10-2022 9:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119727029#Comment_119727029

To be fair they are a bargain if you are a student, nice quick way of getting around town.

New rent a bike in city

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