A Month of CityCycle

Posted on Monday, 1 November, 2010 by Bill

It’s been a month of CityCycle in BrisVegas and what is the assessment of how it’s going.

This morning Tae Baker (@taezar) the unofficial, super enthusiastic, power promoter and very quickly becoming the Queen of CityCycle (someone at CityCycle should hire her) shared her thoughts with Spencer Howson on Breakfast radio on 612 ABC Brisbane.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

OOne Month in and Lots of Bikes to Usen her site Howmanypandas she mentions the long list of difficulties that she’s noticed with the CityCycle scheme and her assessment of how the system works and fails.

Tae makes a good point that CityCycle is an alternative transport system to private cars or public transport and with that attitude users are prepared to carry their helmet knowing full well that they’ll need it, to get to where they want to go. Sure, this may not allow for spontaneously choosing to use CityCycle but there are still great advantages for the individual and community at large.

Please take the time to read her post Happy Anniversary CityCycle but her closing points sums up the post well:

Highlights:
Riding in the early morning sun along the boardwalk at Teneriffe (frequently).
Having a chat with an old man about how much he loves CityCycle as we ran into eachother in a cafe, both with our CityCycle bags and helmets.
Hearing friends and acquaintances explain excitedly that their stations were getting closer to opening.
Seeing the same faces on the bikes… sometimes I am reminded of the Prius Smug episode in Southpark… we do look pretty pleased with ourselves.
Riding to meet friends for dinner, parties, coffee and picnics and not once having to wait for a bus or circle the block over and over for a park.
Seeing that I can ride to BIFF.
Getting fitter.

Low Lights:
Poor Customer Service at the Call Centre.
Almost getting taken out by a silver Audi that swerved in front of me, blocking the bike lane, to reverse park.
Almost riding into a silver BMW that braked through a stop sign into the bike lane at a T intersection.
Almost falling off my CityCycle when I was seeing if you could ride the bike into the rack.
Planning a night out, only to find out that there were still no stations live within 500m of the venue – I just ended up walking.

 
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Looking Cool and a Helmet when You Need it

Posted on Monday, 1 November, 2010 by Bill

Just imagine, the wind blowing in your hair, looking cool, so urbane and voguish, like in Paris or Rome. Damn it, just European.

But you get a bump from a bus and suddenly you’re flying off your bike, your beautiful features heading for the rock hard roadway and the gravel graze about to destroy your style. Do you now wish, despite the risk of helmet hair that you had a helmet on your head to protect you?

Now we have an alternative…

Nothing but a cosy neck warming kerchief to keep out the bracing weather until you need it and voilà here is your helmet just when you need it but not a moment before to interrupt you style on the concourse.

 
Posted in Helmets, Safety, Style | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Disposable Helmets for Melbourne

Posted on Monday, 18 October, 2010 by Bill

Could disposable helmets be a solution for Australian urban cycling?

The idea of disposable helmets would be as a mid point solution to the issues of utilising CityCycle with the current helmet laws and having the convenience of spontaneous usage. With Melbourne we will have a chance to see a test case and if it has any merit.

Melbourne ABC has some footage of the helmets and vending machine for you to view.

BikeRadar.com makes mention of exactly this ideaTim Pallas tries on one of the new disposable helmets. (ABC TV). Setting up the post with Brisbane having just started CityCycle we compare with Melbourne…

Reports of low usage in Melbourne are usually put down to this, but officials have this week unveiled a solution: disposable helmets will be made available from vending machines – at Southern Cross railway station and the University of Melbourne, on a trial basis – and 30 7-Eleven convenience stores across the city for just AUS$5.

To sweeten the deal, people can return the helmets to stores for recycling and get $3 back. And officials insist that, when it comes to the safety of the lids, which are made from polystyrene and thermoplastic, “the Australian standard is as good as it gets anywhere in the world”.

Julie Laycock, 7-Eleven head of marketing, said: “Just as you might pick up your bottle of water, sunscreen and snacks for your picnic, now you can pick up a helmet for a bike ride along some of Melbourne’s scenic parks.”

As yet, similar plans have not been announced for the CityCycle scheme in Brisbane. Preparations there have included the introduction of Bicycle Awareness Zones, “share the road” signage and a reduction in the speed limit to 25mph.

This is the first I’ve heard of it. If anyone knows any more on the plan please make mention in the comments.

 
Posted in Development, Helmets | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Two Weeks – So how is CityCycle going?

Posted on Sunday, 17 October, 2010 by Bill

It’s been two weeks since the offical launch of CityCycle and I wonder how the experience is for the scheme and users of it. Lets see the more interesting tweets for that period from 9 to 17 October, lets see what people are saying…

CityCycle in Brisbane

How do we feel?

@IHateToast
Ooooh, BNE, I’m sorry to tell you this, but MEL’s version of @CityCycle is much friendlier and open to other users other than CBDudes.

@traceycove
Actually, the CityCycles look fine in real life. So shiny and new, and so many of them! > http://www.citycycle.com.au/ #getonyourbike

@chromatikscale
#citycycle would benefit from a free trial period. A hit to the hip pocket combined with new tech is too much for some people.
Continue reading →

 
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First Review of CityCycle – Happy but Teething Issues to Fix

Posted on Sunday, 3 October, 2010 by Bill

Early adopter of the CityCycle scheme Tae wrote a great little review of her initial attempts of CityCycle. It’s not all good news but you can’t keep the determination of a Happy Panda down when she wants to embrace CityCycle the way she has.

It’s people like Tae embracing CityCycle with her infectious enthusiasm that will ensure the great success of it, so long as the follow up by the organisation behind it is up to the task to fix these initial teething issues. To sum up Tae said:

CityCycle Seat Brisbane

Operational but not quite right

…It has taken 9 tries, but I am finally riding, really riding, without a problem. Ringing my bell as I go. Hearing people say “CityCycle” as I woosh past. It starts to get dark and I see that my lights are on as I catch my yellow helmeted reflection in the glass of the Powerhouse. I have a big smile on my face. THIS is what it is all about. Cycling instead of driving or catching the bus all while enjoying the quality of life in the RiverCity.

Pluses:
When it works, it is remarkably simple to nab a bike.
Great customer service!
Sturdy but not too heavy.
Automatic lights.
Very cheap on a yearly subscription.

Minuses:
Some stations are designed poorly – quite a distance from machine to last bikes (Station #84 at New Farm Park CityCat Terminal).
Their webpage http://www.citycycle.com.au/ is terrible.
Their iPhone/iPod only works on OSX 4+ so older models can’t use it.
So many teething problems.
As yet not casual user option (I could be wrong there).

Will it work? I really hope it does. As I write this, Station #7o on Macquarie St that was working this morning, is currently off line, so they are still undergoing a large number of technical difficulties…

Again her site HowManyPandas go read this post it’s great :D

News Flash! (04/10/10)

Tae was on Breakfast Radio this morning explaining her story to Spencer Howson 612 ABC Brisbane. Here is her audio.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

 
Posted in Bikes, Development, Station, Style | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

…and Now for The News

Posted on Saturday, 2 October, 2010 by Bill

Channel 7 News Article about the Launch of CityCycle

 
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The Bikes are in, People are Interested.

Posted on Saturday, 2 October, 2010 by Bill
iPhone App CityCycle

Citycycle iPhone App Stations Active

Citycycle Bikes installed and ready to use

On the 1 October In King George Square with a 100 strong peloton through the CBD we saw the officially launch of CityCycle. The gala, the fanfare and the speeches to announce the new age in personal transport in Brisbane. With only about ten stations that seemed to be activated as the initial start.

Promotions Girl at CityCycle

Sharing information about CityCycle

I took the time to talk to a couple of the young ladies located at Jane St and Orleigh Park stations to ask their thoughts on the day. They were both on duty to explain to the public about the scheme during the morning and afternoon work transport peak period. I even saw one lady standing at the Donkin St station that hasn’t been activated and had no bikes installed. I wonder how much activity she had?

They mentioned that they had three hours training on the scheme and how it works and seemed to be doing a great job of meeting and greeting people who wanted to know the details. I asked them what they and others they had spoken to thought of the CityCycle scheme and overwhelmingly there seemed to be great interest and desire on everyone’s part to participate but everyone asked about the issues related to helmets. Some just asked about the availability of helmets others stated that it was an issue for them and may have to consider if it’s worth it in their situation.

A young couple heading to the West End markets were taking their photos next to the bikes at the Jane St station this morning and I asked what they thought. They thought it was a great idea and said they were jealous not to be on the scheme and were now intending to sign up immediately.

Bikes installed at Jane St

The Bikes are In

CityCycle

All lined up and ready for a ride

***Please steal these images and share where you like, just do the right thing and link back to citycyclebrisbane.com :)
 
Posted in Bikes, News, Station | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Welcome to CityCycle

Posted on Friday, 1 October, 2010 by Bill
New CityCycle Brisbane Bikes

CityCycle Bicycles

CityCycle Return Post

Return Post

Today JCDecaux on behalf of the Brisbane City Council are rolling out the first of the CityCycle bicycles to the stations that have been installed. For the past month subscription has been available but it is only today that we get to hire the canary yellow bikes and a new era in community cycling starts for Brisbane.

Yes we know there are issues as has been mentioned many times in the comments and feel free to reiterate them again but on a positive note, what are the ways that you are intending on using the scheme in it’s current form?

Are you subscribed?  Do you have plans to use CityCycle over the week end to try them out?  What would you like to use the CityCycle system for?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

 
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It’s Dangerous on the Roads

Posted on Thursday, 30 September, 2010 by Bill

Thanks to @dave in the comments mentioning, we now have a method to help save us as motorists from harm on the roads similar to what has been achieved by the bicycle helmet laws. After all we can’t be too safe can we?

Motoring Helmet

Motoring Helmet

And look how happy everyone in the family is to be wearing it :/

Read about the helmet but…

The box reads:
“You have made a sound decision to purchase your Davies, Craig Motoring Helmet. Wear it and don’t feel self-conscious. Driving even for the most proficient is dangerous.

Ultimately, motoring helmets will be commonplace, but in the meantime, you will be a leader whilst those who may consider your good sense misplaced, will follow.”

Credit: Copenhagenize.com


 
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No Safety Penalty for Helmet Exemption in Darwin

Posted on Wednesday, 29 September, 2010 by Bill

Could Darwin be showing the way for CityCycle to succeed?

Mike Rubbo has made this great little well balanced video explaining many aspects of the helmet issues on his Sit Up Cycle blog . If your interested in this subject make a point of watching this video.

Stick around for the resolution in the video. Thanks and well done Mike :)

 
Posted in Bicycle Paths, Helmets, Safety, Urban Cycling, Video | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment