Boris bikes

[Tin Pot]

Just tried one for the first time.

Poor show, I know, as I'm a Londoner. And how long have these been about?

Anyway, just wanted to say it was great.

Had to come in to the wrong london terminal this morning, got one of these on my credit card and was only ten minutes rather than thirty minutes late

Got another two rides in at lunch to get some errands done.

So 25mins exercise for MapMyRide so far

All for the base £2!

I am converted and have registered for a key.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I bought a couple of keys last year but haven't actually used one yet. We came close after the Nocturne, but by the time we could find two together that weren't broken it seemed a pointless distance to pay money for (our fault for trying on one of the busy nights for them to be honest). At some point I'll use one and stop the key just being a funky keyring.

 

[Tin Pot]

For me it's just the saving of ten minutes or so here and there that makes them useful.

That and also that it's more pleasant on a sunny day like today.

 

[Hitchington]

Still need to try one...

 

[Luke Redpath]

They are heavy, clunky things and the first gear is all but useless but they did come in handy from time to time before I got my folder.

 

[Tynan]

I've ridden them a lot since the start, usually on my going to the pub days, the difference between a good one and a poor one is great, a decent mint one isn't too bad at all

They are certainly heavy and clunky and the gears are rubbish, I use the big gear for all of every journey I've ridden in Central London and spin out all the time but I suspect this is to make them sedate and safer

They're a good idea although I liked them a lot more for a pound a day, £2 is a lot for a single hop, the docks can be a rather buggy sometimes, I check every bike for a pumped up true rear wheel and often go through six or seven before finding one that passes those two simple test, beats the hell out of the tube/bus and lovely when you;re hammering along on the way to pub one of a pub crawl

 

[mjr]

the docks can be a rather buggy sometimes

Amen! Always watch for the green light and if you can't see it (a problem on sunny south-facing docks) then phone immediately because getting the excess charges back from Serco can take weeks.

Still probably the best thing to happen to cycling in London yet, though.

 

[Tynan]

eh? no green light means it's not locked, I just pull it out and start again, with a new dock if necessary until I get a green light

they can need a bloody good pull to release sometimes if they're half locked

 

[mjr]

If the sun's on it, you can't always see whether or not there was a light. Sometimes they are locked in without registering. Don't ask me how. They should have an audible confirmation like some other cities do

 

[Pale Rider]

I used Boris bikes over a few days a couple of years ago.

They are well suited for the job.

I appreciated the low gearing, and the size of the bike gives it some road presence.

Working out the docking/undocking took a while.

I recall dithering astride one outside the dock in Great Marlborough Street.

Impatient Londoner behind me: "Are you docking?"

Me: "If only I knew."

Always in a hurry, these cockneys.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Hmm, docking, I think I've realised the other reason I've not actually used the key I have yet...

 

[Sara_H]

I haven't used the Boris Bikes, bit used the Dublin Bikes a couple of years ago. Similar issues with the docking I recall, but great fun to use as a tourist getting the distance down between attractions.

 

[Brains]

Londoners - get a key - it's sooooo much less hassle than trying to pay with cards
It make a good key ring until the day you use it
I only use them 3-4 times a year, and for what they are, they are a great way of getting around

 

[Tin Pot]

I've infected a colleague, so two more key owners to the masses.

Both of us wish we'd done this sooner - the cumulative hours we could've saved over just the last six months!?

Bit awkward this morning unable to find a free dock near the office - but that's my own fault for running so late.

No gripes so far.

 

[jay clock]

Fantastic scheme. And the gearing suits me fine