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Bike renting gets more sophisticated
February 2005
"Smart Bikes" - bicycles operated with smartcard and wireless technologies - are making an appearance in a growing number of cities as the "third generation" of bike-sharing. ¹
According to a recent US study, there are now eleven smart bike services in operation - so far all of them in Europe. In each city they operate as a new form of public transport for short-distance trips.
For example, the photo (right) is of a test "smart bike" or "Oybike" now being trialed in London's Hammersmith and Fulham districts in the hope that the service can grow citywide.
To use an Oybike requires a $23 annual subscription and a rental payment. A subscriber unlocks it from the rank by using a mobile phone to dial the service provider for a PIN. When the journey is completed, the bike is returned to a similar rank and the subscriber again dials for a PIN to relock the bike.
Dialling for the second PIN also allows the service provider to calculate the rental charge.
Rent is charged according to the length of time the bike is used. (About 60 cents for 15 minutes rising to about $20 for up to eight hours.)
Oybikes are privately owned but in other parts of Europe both government agencies and not-for-profit organisation are running similar services. By far the largest smart bike service is operated by Germany's national railway. Deutsche Bahn.
According to the US study, it currently has a fleet of nearly 4000 smart bikes operating from ranks at 164 railway stations in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.
Four other European countries have services in Vienna, Rennes, Bergen, Drammen, Oslo, Porsgrunn and Sandries. The Netherlands has a service spread across 52 stations around the country.
The US study was designed to examine whether smart bikes would be a success in America. It said existing services were in countries with a relatively high percentage of individuals who travelled by bike.
Nevertheless, the study concluded that hi-tech smart bikes could operate successfully in a number of American cities including those with compact CBDs, university campuses, and high-density neighbourhoods with concentrations of younger people.
¹ As defined by the study, the first generation of community bike sharing began in Amsterdam in 1968 with standard bikes painted white provided for public use. The service failed because too many were stolen. The second generation began in Copenhagen in 1995 with distinctive, purpose-built bikes operated with a coin deposit. Again theft was a problem which led to the development of "Smart Bikes" where the name of the renter is known and traceable. It should also be noted that Japan has a unique form of "residential bike sharing" - communal bikes shared among residents of particular apartments.
