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Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

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Re: Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

#41

Post by txcwpalpha »

tgb wrote: post #33

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but how does an electric bike that can be locked anywhere get charged? Do they have people going around replacing the batteries when they get low? How long does a battery last anyway? Edit: solar panel judging off pictures of the Jump bikes?

It's an assist electric bike. It's not like riding a moped or a motorcycle. You still have to pedal, but the bike kicks in the electric motor during some situations (such as when going uphill or starting from a dead stop) to make the pedaling easier. When the motor isn't on (such as when you're going downhill or slowing down), the battery recharges itself using your pedaling.

edit: as pointed out, this type of charging only extends the battery a little bit. It turns out that JUMP (the company behind these bikes) actually sends out crews to pick up bikes with low battery and takes them back to their office to recharge [1].

1: https://sf.streetsblog.org/2018/01/11/san-francisco-issues-p...

Re: Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

#42

Post by saagarjha »

philip1209 wrote: post #37
tgb wrote: post #33

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but how does an electric bike that can be locked anywhere get charged? Do they have people going around replacing the batteries when they get low? How long does a battery last anyway? Edit: solar panel judging off pictures of the Jump bikes?

Because it's assist - I wonder if it charges while braking

I doubt that would be enough to charge it. Braking is generally done infrequently.

Re: Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

#43

Post by mmahemoff »

stonebro wrote: post #24
AndrewWarner wrote: post #16

I rode a Jump bike to work today. It's a magical experience. Just as I struggle a bit to get up a hill, the bike's pedal assist kicks in and helps me out. Ditto for when I'm stopped at a red light and need to get riding fast. The best part of these bikes are the fact that when I get to my destination, I can lock them up to the closest pole or bike rack and just go.

This comment reads like an advertisement from a bot

Pretty sure Mixergy is presented by a full-fledged human.

Re: Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

#44

Post by cpsempek »

First of all, this is great. The thing that bike share programs lack IMO is the tech and logistics savvy of a company like uber.

In Santa Monica and the west side of LA we have an electric scooter service called Bird, which was started by a ex-lyft/uber excec, and it has been successfull from an outsider's perspective. The most convenient aspect of this service is that you can drop off the scooter anywhere you want, there are no designated drop off zones, which is a true solution to the last mile problem. Main issues they need to resolve from a user stand point is better inventory allocation (hard to find a pair of or multiple scooters near each other for multiple riders to travel together).

Re: Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

#46

Post by moonka »

devit wrote: post #17
bkohlmann wrote: post #10

I love the idea of integrating the lock so that it needs to be attached to an existing bike rack. Lime bike and Ofo have infiltrated Dallas, and their bikes are somewhat of an eyesore, especially as they are strewn everywhere. It'll be interesting to see how they enforce the location requirement. i.e. will you be charged if it's stolen because you didnt lock it on a rack? Will they have a known database of every "sui…

Ofo and Mobike bikes use locks that block the wheel's rotation and can thus be parked anywhere. Seems like forcing to use an existing bike rack would be a non-starter, since the whole point of dockless bike sharing is that you can just leave the bike in front of your destination regardless of what is there. The "eyesore" factor is a trivial downside compared to the massive convenience of just being able to park the b…

>The "eyesore" factor is a trivial downside compared to the massive convenience of just being able to park the bike anywhere.

Also, seems like less of an eyesore than the numerous cars we (including me) leave parked on the side of the street. Maybe it's just a question of what we are used to.

Re: Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

#48

Post by vkou »

saalweachter wrote: post #40
devit wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ofo and Mobike bikes use locks that block the wheel's rotation and can thus be parked anywhere. Seems like forcing to use an existing bike rack would be a non-starter, since the whole point of dockless bike sharing is that you can just leave the bike in front of your destination regardless of what is there. The "eyesore" factor is a trivial downside compared to the massive convenience of just being able to park the b…

> The "eyesore" factor is a trivial downside compared to the massive convenience of just being able to park the bike anywhere. You're saying the problems they cause other people matter less than the convenience they give to you?

Why are colorful bikes left on sidewalks an eyesore, but rows and rows of cars parked next to sidewalks not?

Re: Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

#49

Post by kyleschiller »

longerthoughts wrote: post #34

I wonder how much this ends up cannibalizing their existing business (imagining it would be a small fraction) vs attracting new customers away from walking and public transit.

Also possible that bikes are more likely to survive a post-SDC world.

Re: Uber Bike – A New Way to Commute or Explore

#50

Post by draw_down »

AndrewWarner wrote: post #16

I rode a Jump bike to work today. It's a magical experience. Just as I struggle a bit to get up a hill, the bike's pedal assist kicks in and helps me out. Ditto for when I'm stopped at a red light and need to get riding fast. The best part of these bikes are the fact that when I get to my destination, I can lock them up to the closest pole or bike rack and just go.

Sounds pretty good. But if I really liked them I’d just buy one personally.
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