The Bixi: Success For All?

The Bixi: Success For All?

Just about everyone's heard about the success of Montreal's bike share program and that it's star, the Bixi, has now been rolled out in London, Melbourne, Minneapolis and Washington, DC--Arlington, VA. In 2009, the program's first year of operation in Montreal, the Bixi was used 1.14 million times.

I became a subscriber last September like many other people on the Plateau-Mont-Royal. In fact, of the 10,775 people who bought annual subscriptions in 2009, 34% lived on the Plateau. This might explain why you can't swing a cat without hitting a Bixi station. Unsurprisingly, 32,098 bikes were checked in and out at the Mont-Royal station, making it the busiest in the city.

As I reported last year, the Bixi has reduced the number of cab fares in the city, so I wondered if the Bixi had hurt business for bike retail shops in my neighbourhood. We went shopping yesterday for bikes for our kids at ABC Cycles et Sports at 5584 Park Avenue, and I asked the owner, François Sylvestre, what effect the Bixi has had on business.

"It's been good for business," he said. "People who tried the Bixi decided that they liked cycling and wanted to buy a better bike for themselves."

This surprised me. Given the number of bike thefts and the convenience of having a Bixi station at every corner, I assumed that most people would prefer the worry-free Bixi option to having their own. Not so.

"I agree that the Bixi is convenient. I use it myself on occasion," said Sylvestre. "But as for thefts, most bikes are stolen at night, and that is when people have to take extra precautions, like bringing their bike inside or putting it in the garage."

Was it true that the Bixi's success was win-win for everyone in cycling circles? I decided to stop by at D'un Sport à l'Autre at 173 Bernard West to find out.

This is by far my favourite bike shop in the hood. It's the thrift shop of bike and sports retailers. In other words, there are plenty of treasures both used and new if you have the time and don't mind getting poked with pedals and handlebars in the process. In addition to vintage sporting goods and unique objects (see left), you'll find used cycling accessories, such as good quality seats and helmets, at a fraction of the price.

So has the Bixi put a dent in business? Apparently, not. "As you can see," said the clerk, "we're diversified, and no, there has been no change in our volume of business since the Bixi has come out."

And there's my answer. The Bixi has not had a detrimental impact on area sports retailers. If anything, it has made cycling even more popular, and with new cycling paths and more Bixi stations, I'm sure that it will get even bigger.

My question to you reader, if you had a bike share program in your city, would you drop your current means of transport and take a public bike to work or school?

Related Posts:

Fun Way to Track Bike Use and Carbon Foot Print
3 Compelling Reason For A Bike Share Program in Your City
City Cycling: Why Renting Beats Owning
A Review of Montreal's Bixi Rental Bike

Read more »

Fun Way to Track Bike Use and Carbon Footprint

Fun Way to Track Bike Use and Carbon Footprint

Montreal's bike-taxi or Bixi was definitely this summer's shining star, and Bixi fever is spreading fast. Both London and Boston have signed agreements to use the Bixi in their future city bike-share programs. Effective, September 28, 2009, there were 10,297 regular users and 103,209 occasional users in Montreal after just four months in operation. A resounding success!

Faced with a mysterious flat tire in September and my son changing daycares, I decided to put my regular bike into retirement and subscribe to Montreal's Bixi. Four days after signing on, I received my key in the mail. Not only does the Bixi web site keep track of my stats, such as the distance I travel and how many litres of gas I save, but it also allows me to keep track of activity at my favourite docking stations. Yes, we are still talking about bikes.

As you may already know, Bixi is not a bike rental program. In other words, you never have to return the bike to its starting point. Instead you drop your Bixi off at the closest station to your destination. However, if the docking station is full, you have to find another one. Sounds simple enough...right? At a cost of $78 a year, you get a Bixi membership and the first half-hour of cycling is free. Therefore, if your trip takes 29 minutes and the docking station at your destination is full, then you will probably have to pay $1.50 for the next hour.

Knowing the location and the status of the Bixi docking station closest to your destination is therefore key to saving on any additional charges. I learned the hard way this week when I ventured into unfamiliar terrain, the Centre-Sud neighbourhood of Montreal. (Photo on left: funky Centre-Sud organic fairtrade café that I happened upon while searching for a docking station.)

Because I live on the Plateau, I assumed that Bixi stations were as ubiquitous as they are in my hood. Wrong. As I was driving around the Centre-Sud trying to find an obscure side street by the name of Provencale, I noticed very few stations.

I eventually asked someone who gave me directions to one nearby. Unfortunately, when I arrived, the station was full. I had to pedal a fair distance and incur the additional charge before finding an available dock. As you can see in the capture below, I have started keeping track of dock availability close to home.

Other than this problemcita, I have been very pleased with my first week of bixiing to work. I no longer have the hassle of removing my seat or child carrier and lugging them around downtown with me. I also don't have to find a safe place to lock my bike up, as there is a huge Bixi docking station close to work. But the best part is, if it rains, I can take the metro home and don't have to worry about having my bike stolen overnight.

BTW, you may remember from my post in August that bixi users had travelled enough kilometres to go around the world 57 times. This dizzying globetrotting has now surpassed 87 times.

Related Posts:
3 Compelling Reason For A Bike-Share Program in Your City
City Cycling: Why Renting Beats Owning
A Review of Montreal's Bixi Rental Bike



.

Read more »

A Review of Montreal's Bixi Rental Bike

A Review of Montreal's Bixi Rental Bike

(In my previous post, I said that renting a bike in a city bike share program was cheaper, more convenient and fewer worries than owning one. But these arguments mean nothing if the rental bike is not fun to ride...)


I took a Montreal's Bixi for a test drive one day last week ($5/day flat rate) and was pleasantly surprised by the experience.

The bike is heavy, but sturdy, and the elevated handlebars mean that you are seated in an upright position. This is perfect for those of us who fear bending too far forward and exposing more than we care to. The gear-changing was smooth, and the brakes worked well even in the rain.

The bike is equipped with decent front and rear lights with two reflectors on each tire and one on the seat for safe night riding. There was a good chain guard, so there was no risk of getting grease on my trousers and  fenders to prevent any dirty water from spraying my back or face. Raising or lowering the seat is relatively easy, and the Bixi is skirt friendly, ie, no crossbar.

The drawback was the basket, which is more like an open groove where you place your bag (see picture above). There is a bungee cord that you attach around the outside to keep your bag in place. This is fine if you have a shopping bag or purse with a solid shell, but problematic if your bag is cloth. I had a cloth bag on the day of my test drive and nearly lost my wallet. I suggest taking a backpack.

The ride was very smooth, and the bike's weight adds to its momentum. In other words, I was able to travel much faster than I expected. Others have also discovered just how fast, hassle-free and convenient Montreal's bike share program is, much to dismay of the city's cabbies. This weekend, a cab driver told my husband that the Bixi was hurting his business.

Overall, the Bixi is comfortable, fast and fun. I highly recommend it. Just don't forget your cycling helmet.

At the end of this cycling season, I will send my tired pink bike to Cuba or the Dominican Republic through an adopt a bike program, so he can spend his last few years basking in the sun.

Related post:
City Cycling: Why Renting Beats Owning

Read more »

City Cycling: Why Renting Beats Owning

City Cycling: Why Renting Beats Owning

Seven years ago, I got rid of my car and all the city driving headaches and expenses that went with it. I opted for the metro in the winter and my bike in the summer.

Obviously, I prefer my summer means of transport. Not only can I enjoy the summer greenery, sun and fresh air, but I can also get to my destination much more quickly.

There are, however, disadvantages to city cycling, namely theft of our dearly beloved, few parking spaces and winter storage.

Now I am not as attached to my bike as some people are. Pinkie, my ride, is hideous and not the most comfortable. I chose him for the simple reason that he was so hideous that only a desperate individual would steal him. What is more, although the situation is improving, many stores provide little, if anything, in the way of bike racks, and some residents object to you locking your bike to their fence. Finally, as a city dweller with little storage, I have to store my bike in the winter for a whopping $90 per season. I do sometimes hope that someone will steal Pinkie in early December, but as of yet, no such luck.

The Solution
As many of us have noticed, self-serve bike rental stands have been popping up in cities throughout Europe and North America (Vélibre in Paris, Smartbike DC in Washington, Bike and Roll throughout the US* and Bixi in Montreal). For a nominal price, which is cheaper than public transport and a fraction of the cost of owning a car, you can rent a bike and drop it off at a stand close to your destination. And don't worry, there are hundreds of stands all over the city.

(Have you tried any of the Smart Bike DC, Bixi or Vélibre bikes? Do you prefer to rent or own in the city?)

The City of Montreal has designed the very sturdy 3-speed Bixi (combo of bike and taxi), and you can get an annual pass for just $78. The first half-hour is free each time you enter your code, which is perfect because I can get to work and run just about any errand in 20 minutes. In addition, there are 4 rental stands within a five-minute walk of my home. This means that as soon as I slide a bike into the stand after use and hear "the ding," the Bixi is no longer my responsibility. I, therefore, don't have to worry about theft, find a place to lock my bike or pay $90 to store it in the winter.

The added bonus is that I can take a Bixi to meet my friends for dinner downtown, and I am not compelled to ride it back after a few drinks. I can simply take a cab.

The Bixi works out to be cheaper, more convenient and fewer worries than owning a bike.

However, the real clincher in this renting vs. owning debate is how the Bixi rides. In my next post, I will tell you about my test drive.

*At Bike and Roll, you can rent a bike for an extended period of time, but it is not a bike share program (See comments).





Continuation:
A Review of Montreal's Bixi Rental Bike

Read more »