DublinBikes

Greenmachine

I have friend who would love to use the service but feel that there is a different level of depots in the north city vs the south city. On the south Grand Canal dock and ringsend are serviced. Do people think there would be enough demand for the service any time soon around ballybough, eastwall and the north strand in the north of the city.

Carawaystick

The Dublin bikes scheme is heavily weighted against working class areas. As you pointed out North Wall/Ballybough have no stations, but neither does the Liberties, or Stoneybatter.

jpm4

Carawaystick wrote: »

The Dublin bikes scheme is heavily weighted against working class areas. As you pointed out North Wall/Ballybough have no stations, but neither does the Liberties, or Stoneybatter.

But it is in Phibsborough is that not working class?

Carawaystick

At the Mater only. None near Dalymount, Cross Gunns Bridge, or Cabra rd.

noelfirl

It's a few years old now so may have changed somewhat. The next targeted zone for expansion is the Liberties and Dolphin's barn, then to be followed by Ballybough and Cabra.

Obviously that is entirely dependent on getting funding.

Aard

The scheme is centred around Dublin's central business district. This extends into Dublin 4. The CBD does not go much further than a block or two into the northside. That's why there's more bike stations southside.

Greenmachine

noelfirl wrote: »

It's a few years old now so may have changed somewhat. The next targeted zone for expansion is the Liberties and Dolphin's barn, then to be followed by Ballybough and Cabra.

Obviously that is entirely dependent on getting funding.

Thanks for the image. I heard alright, there were plan to eventually put a station near DCU. Do the red dot represent where the proposed stations would go?

Andru93

Greenmachine wrote: »

Thanks for the image. I heard alright, there were plan to eventually put a station near DCU. Do the red dot represent where the proposed stations would go?

From what I can tell red dots only represent area names. Stations as far as I remember would be spread out evenly with up to 400m between then.

Greenmachine

noelfirl wrote: »

It's a few years old now so may have changed somewhat. The next targeted zone for expansion is the Liberties and Dolphin's barn, then to be followed by Ballybough and Cabra.

Obviously that is entirely dependent on getting funding.

Thanks for the image. I heard alright, there were plan to eventually put a station near DCU. Do the red dot represent where the proposed stations would go?

markpb

Greenmachine wrote: »

Thanks for the image. I heard alright, there were plan to eventually put a station near DCU. Do the red dot represent where the proposed stations would go?

The map itself explains what the dots mean. Look at the bottom right corner.

tampopo

Carawaystick wrote: »

The Dublin bikes scheme is heavily weighted against working class areas. As you pointed out North Wall/Ballybough have no stations, but neither does the Liberties, or Stoneybatter.

There's a bike station on Oliver Bond St. and at Guinness. They're both in the Liberties.
Houston station has two.

Emme

I work in the Rialto area and it's almost impossible to get a bike at any station most of the time. Then you go into town and people are going around looking for parking spots because all the bike stations are full! I would not recommend Dublinbikes to anyone who is depending on them to get them from A to B in a specific timeframe.

RainyDay

Emme wrote: »

I work in the Rialto area and it's almost impossible to get a bike at any station most of the time. Then you go into town and people are going around looking for parking spots because all the bike stations are full! I would not recommend Dublinbikes to anyone who is depending on them to get them from A to B in a specific timeframe.

I want to pick up a bike from Stephens Green around 8am to get to Thomas St for 8.15 am. What are my chances of getting a bike easily and having space to drop the bike easily?

Iwannahurl

Dublin Bikes celebrated 10 million journeys recently.

An impressive achievement, I reckon.

Velib' in Paris has reached the 200 million journey mark, I believe, with 18000 bikes and over 1200 stations.

No sure how many bikes or stations in Dublin.

Contrast Dublin and Paris with the execrable Australian experience. Melbourne has a population of 4 million and no more than 600 bikes, afaik. Most of the stations are concentrated in the CBD.

Mandatory helmet laws are a factor in Oz, of course, but to have a real impact bike share schemes need to have enough bikes and enough stations where they matter.

Chris_5339762

I definitely think expansions will get funded... the scheme is a phenomenal success. Sadly, cycling infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired.

G

Emme wrote: »

...you go into town and people are going around looking for parking spots because all the bike stations are full! I would not recommend Dublinbikes to anyone who is depending on them to get them from A to B in a specific timeframe.

I'd have to echo that. I've been using it 18 months now, mostly in the summer months. Great service but not without issues:

- many areas at peak times are full of bikes or have none.
- a lot of the bikes are in a bad way, the gears change on their own mid cycle and I've had one or two with very dodgy brakes.
- they recently took money for annual renewal but my card expired. The machine said nothing just reset every time I scanned. Called support and they said that happens and to login and add my card details again. TF?

Great service overall, but don't hang your hat on it.

RainyDay

G wrote: »

- a lot of the bikes are in a bad way, the gears change on their own mid cycle and I've had one or two with very dodgy brakes.

Did you contact them to report the problems? I had a bike with dodgy gears recently. I logged a query on their website later that day, and they told me that they would lock the bike at it's current station so that nobody else could get it, and then it would be flagged for a maintenance check.

bigar

G wrote: »

I'd have to echo that. I've been using it 18 months now, mostly in the summer months. Great service but not without issues:

- many areas at peak times are full of bikes or have none.
- a lot of the bikes are in a bad way, the gears change on their own mid cycle and I've had one or two with very dodgy brakes.
(Snip)

Great service overall, but don't hang your hat on it.

To balance this comment: I have been using them to get to and back from work each day for 5 years and rarely have no bicycle or a space to leave it. I travel fom Smithfield and back during normal working hours. Friends who use them daily across the city say the same. So for us they work very well.

Sometimes the bicycles need some service but I never had one that was "in a bad way" so much that it was dangerous or was impossible to ride on, save a few punctures.

beauf

I think it depends on your route. I found them not viable for commuting due to lack of bike and stations. Recently switched office and my location has a better availability. Mainly use them at lunchtime though to get in and out of city centre.

Aard

I would agree that bike availability is one of the weaknesses of the system. Finding "parking" in Dublin 2 in the morning can be difficult. Finding a bike in Dublin 7/8 after 09:00 can be difficult. It's good to have a Plan B for such days. A 15 minute bike ride can often turn into a 40 minute walk. If the cycle would otherwise be along a public transport line, then it's not so bad.

mugs11

Going to order an annual card but just wondering how quick they are at posting it out to you? Or is there a way of using the bike in the meantime since the €20 will come out of my account straightaway?

schemingbohemia

mugs11 wrote: »

Going to order an annual card but just wondering how quick they are at posting it out to you? Or is there a way of using the bike in the meantime since the €20 will come out of my account straightaway?

You can't use the system without a card. I signed up at the start but the card came pretty quickly, not sure what the story is now though.

elric

Apparently, new annual subscribers are now issued a temporary ticket number and PIN by email. So you should be able to use a bike while waiting for your card. That's according to the May 2015 update on the dublinbikes site.

schemingbohemia

That's me wrong then, sorry!

bk

I'm in Rio De Janerio at the moment and they have a very impressive city bike scheme.

It looks like it is a lot more convenient and easy to use compared to the Dublin bike scheme and I'd say much cheaper to setup each station.

The bike stations have no screens or credit card machines, instead you first register either by phone or smartphone app and then when you want to take a bike you just use the app or phone and it automatically unlocks the bike.

This is far more convenient then the Dublin system as most people always have their phone with them and no need to remember to bring yet another card and remember yet another pin!

The stands are much simpler, they seem to be simply bolted to the existing road or footpath with eight bolts. No need for the massive infrastructure work of Dublin bikes. They are powered by solar and they are controlled over the mobile phone network, so no power connection needed.

I'd say they cost about 1/10th what a Dublin Bike station does to install, yet they look like they work just as well.

I hope they at least retrofit unlocking the bike with your smartphone app to the Dublin Bikes stands. It would at least help when you forget your card and when a lot of people are queueing at the screen to Unlock a bike, much faster.

As they extended the scheme to the areas outside of the city Center, they could use the same approach as Rio and use the much simpler stands with no screens. It would allow Dublin Bikes to be rolled out much quicker and cheaply.

RainyDay

bk wrote: »

I'm in Rio De Janerio at the moment and they have a very impressive city bike scheme.

It looks like it is a lot more convenient and easy to use compared to the Dublin bike scheme and I'd say much cheaper to setup each station.

The bike stations have no screens or credit card machines, instead you first register either by phone or smartphone app and then when you want to take a bike you just use the app or phone and it automatically unlocks the bike.

This is far more convenient then the Dublin system as most people always have their phone with them and no need to remember to bring yet another card and remember yet another pin!

The stands are much simpler, they seem to be simply bolted to the existing road or footpath with eight bolts. No need for the massive infrastructure work of Dublin bikes. They are powered by solar and they are controlled over the mobile phone network, so no power connection needed.

I'd say they cost about 1/10th what a Dublin Bike station does to install, yet they look like they work just as well.

I hope they at least retrofit unlocking the bike with your smartphone app to the Dublin Bikes stands. It would at least help when you forget your card and when a lot of people are queueing at the screen to Unlock a bike, much faster.

As they extended the scheme to the areas outside of the city Center, they could use the same approach as Rio and use the much simpler stands with no screens. It would allow Dublin Bikes to be rolled out much quicker and cheaply.

In fairness to the Dub folks, those smartphone options wouldn't have been widely available when the Dublin Bikes started, hence the use of previous generation technology. I heard some talk of moving to the new generation for the further rollout, where there are no terminals, and in fact, no stations!

You just lock your bike on the street when you finish with it, and the smartphone app directs the next user to find it.

Aard

That's not the direction that so-called 4th generation bike share is going.

4-gen is all about security and better real time data gathering/analysis. Docking stations are here to stay too.

Read Susan Shaheen if you're interested.

RainyDay

Aard wrote: »

That's not the direction that so-called 4th generation bike share is going.

4-gen is all about security and better real time data gathering/analysis. Docking stations are here to stay too.

Read Susan Shaheen if you're interested.

From http://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/progcity/tag/4th-generation-bikeshare/

Fourth generation bikesharing might also consider omitting docking stations altogether which would allow users employ mobile phone technology and street furniture for bicycle pickup and drop-off. These stationless designs are both cheaper and less impactful on the environment while also offering riders higher levels of flexibility and trip customization.

beauf

RainyDay wrote: »

In fairness to the Dub folks, those smartphone options wouldn't have been widely available when the Dublin Bikes started....

In my office I'd say about half of the regular uses of Dublin Bikes don't have smart phones. Some might have smartphone and no data plan. You might have a windows phone, which would be likely to get an app, or a decent browser.

Subpopulus

bk wrote: »

The stands are much simpler, they seem to be simply bolted to the existing road or footpath with eight bolts. No need for the massive infrastructure work of Dublin bikes. They are powered by solar and they are controlled over the mobile phone network, so no power connection needed.

The Belfast bikes have the same 'tray bolted to the ground' design. They look a bit cheap and temporary. They also work using solar and mobile phone signals, as do the Cork, Galway and Limerick bikeshare systems.

Subpopulus

RainyDay wrote: »

Fourth generation bikesharing might also consider omitting docking stations altogether which would allow users employ mobile phone technology and street furniture for bicycle pickup and drop-off. These stationless designs are both cheaper and less impactful on the environment while also offering riders higher levels of flexibility and trip customisation

That sounds like a mess to be honest. It would be like going on an easter hunt around a city, smartphone outstretched, looking for hire bike chained to a lamppost or a railing somewhere. Can you imagine 150 bikes locked to street furniture and random bike stands around Heuston Station? Having stations gives consistency as to where bikes can be found and returned.

RainyDay

beauf wrote: »

In my office I'd say about half of the regular uses of Dublin Bikes don't have smart phones. Some might have smartphone and no data plan. You might have a windows phone, which would be likely to get an app, or a decent browser.

Your office would seem to be be fairly non-typical so.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/smartphone-use-in-republic-hits-record-high-of-59-1.1925739

And folks who provide infrastructure need to be looking ahead for the future. If every service provider waiting for high smartphone ownership rates, the mobile revolution would never have happened. They need to be thinking about what ownership rates will be next year, and the year after.

Subpopulus wrote: »

That sounds like a mess to be honest. It would be like going on an easter hunt around a city, smartphone outstretched, looking for hire bike chained to a lamppost or a railing somewhere. Can you imagine 150 bikes locked to street furniture and random bike stands around Heuston Station? Having stations gives consistency as to where bikes can be found and returned.

It's not something I know a whole lot about, but at a guess, the folks who design and procure these systems are capable of considering the issues that you highlighted and come up with sensible solutions. At a guess, this approach wouldn't be sensible for hubs like Hueston, but may well be sensible for locations further out. It may well allow the Bikes system to be expanded out beyond the canals without incurring serious infrastructure costs.

monument

RainyDay wrote: »

Your office would seem to be be fairly non-typical so.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/smartphone-use-in-republic-hits-record-high-of-59-1.1925739

And folks who provide infrastructure need to be looking ahead for the future. If every service provider waiting for high smartphone ownership rates, the mobile revolution would never have happened. They need to be thinking about what ownership rates will be next year, and the year after.

The overall figure of a near 60% ownership of smartphones does not take into account that there will be a higher percentage of owners among younger people and that many smartphone users still don't have data allowances or not great ones.

RainyDay wrote: »

It's not something I know a whole lot about, but at a guess, the folks who design and procure these systems are capable of considering the issues that you highlighted and come up with sensible solutions. At a guess, this approach wouldn't be sensible for hubs like Hueston, but may well be sensible for locations further out. It may well allow the Bikes system to be expanded out beyond the canals without incurring serious infrastructure costs.

But allowing people to leave bicycles anywhere within a wide zone would cause havoc at transport hubs, havoc at city centre locations, havoc on many already crowded narrow footpaths, and a pain for redistribution.

I could see an altered system working where the display unit at docking stations is omitted from more locations, but the locking units are retained. You could use scan your phone or a card over the bicycle locking unit to unlock the bike you want.

bk

beauf wrote: »

In my office I'd say about half of the regular uses of Dublin Bikes don't have smart phones. Some might have smartphone and no data plan. You might have a windows phone, which would be likely to get an app, or a decent browser.

In the Rio system, you can also unlock the bikes by text or automated call system. No smartphone required.

Basically all you have to do is send them the number of the bike you want and your pin and the bike will unlock. Very similar to how many modern street pay parking systems work nowadays.

No smartphone app required, it is just the handiest option as you can also use the app to see how full the stand you are planning to cycle to is. But it isn't the only option.

So to repeat, the smartphone thing is a red herring. Unlocking with a smartphone app while the handiest way to do it isn't necessarily the only way. You can also support the vast majority of people with text and automated call center.

beauf

RainyDay wrote: »

Your office would seem to be be fairly non-typical so.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/smartphone-use-in-republic-hits-record-high-of-59-1.1925739..

I don't see my guesstimate of 50% and your link of 41% as very different.

Thats a huge amount of people without smart phones.

bk wrote: »

In the Rio system, you can also unlock the bikes by text or automated call system. No smartphone required.

Basically all you have to do is send them the number of the bike you want and your pin and the bike will unlock. Very similar to how many modern street pay parking systems work nowadays.

No smartphone app required, it is just the handiest option as you can also use the app to see how full the stand you are planning to cycle to is. But it isn't the only option.

So to repeat, the smartphone thing is a red herring. Unlocking with a smartphone app while the handiest way to do it isn't necessarily the only way. You can also support the vast majority of people with text and automated call center.

I found this...

About 20 per cent of Dublin City Council’s on-street parking revenue comes from the service

I've no problem with using apps and texts. But be aware a lot of people don't use them. Its 40%+ of the potential users.

bk

beauf wrote: »

I've no problem with using apps and texts. But be aware a lot of people don't use them. Its 40%+ of the potential users.

Honestly, I don't know why you have gone on an off topic rant about smartphone apps!!!

Even in more original post about the Rio bike system, I specifically mentioned that there was two ways two unlock the bikes, smartphone app OR automated call. I don't know why you choose too completely ignore the latter and go off on a rant about smartphones! It really isn't helpful and is completely off topic and completely misses the point I was making.

The point I was making is that the Dublin Bike stands are very expensive to rollout, requiring planning permission, heavy digging, power, wired Internet connection, touch screens and credit card readers!! But it doesnt have to be like this, much cheaper and quick to rollout Systems exist, which offer almost exactly the same functionality.

bk

Actually Germany has had a system where you can lock your bike at any street sign or bike stand in the city since 1998.

The system is now available in most German cities (Berlin, Munich, etc.).

It is called "Call a bike", it works by you calling an automated number and simply giving them the number of the bike you want and they give you a pin which you enter in the bike to unlock it.

When you are finished with the bike, simply lock it to any post, call the automated number again. Give them the code that the now locked bike generated and the street you locked it on.

All done almost 20 years ago and with no smartphone required!

Of course they now also support smartphone app use to speed up the process and also new bikes have their own GPS built in, so when you lock the bike you no longer have to contact them as the bike does it for you.

It is a nice system, though I'm not sure it would work here in Dublin due to theft and vandalism. Having said that if the GPS is built into the frame of the bike, then it might reduce theft.

However I do think that Dublin Bikes is a far too expensive system. I hope that they will go for a cheaper and more flexible system in future so they can speed up the rollout to the rest of the city.

A variant of the Bixi system would seem to be the best. Basically with Bixi the stands come on the back of a truck, then are connected together like Lego and bolted to the road. No need for planning permission or digging up the road. They also work by solar power and mobil network, so that also simplifies things.

Also no need for screens or credit card readers outside the city. Instead use apps, text and automated call system to unlock bikes like in Rio.

That would reduce both purchase and maintenance costs.

No reason why this can't be integrated into the existing Dublin bikes. Keep the screens in the city center locations for the tourists while you allow regular users to use their app or text to unlock all bikes. Best of both worlds.

beauf

Pointing out that your suggestion potentially, leaves out a large % of potential users is hardly a rant.

Be interesting to find out, if and/or how much the cost and time required to install the current system are a factor in the expansion plans.

Those RIO bikes look at lot lighter.

RainyDay

monument wrote: »

The overall figure of a near 60% ownership of smartphones does not take into account that there will be a higher percentage of owners among younger people and that many smartphone users still don't have data allowances or not great ones.

beauf wrote: »

I don't see my guesstimate of 50% and your link of 41% as very different. Thats a huge amount of people without smart phones.
[...]
I've no problem with using apps and texts. But be aware a lot of people don't use them. Its 40%+ of the potential users.

The 60% was last September. So what's it up to now - maybe 65% or 70%? And how many of the non-smartphone users are schoolkids, who parents won't trust with a smartphone [and who won't be DUblin Bike users]. And how many are quite elderly [and unlikely to be Dublin Bike users].

Yes, it is important to consider the user group that doesn't have smartphones yet, and provide alternative contact methods, but let's not hold up the rest of the population waiting for the Luddites to get on board.

monument wrote: »

But allowing people to leave bicycles anywhere within a wide zone would cause havoc at transport hubs, havoc at city centre locations, havoc on many already crowded narrow footpaths, and a pain for redistribution.

Yep, there are some real issues there all right, which I'm sure the folks who design and implement these solutions have thought about and addressed.

bk wrote: »

It is a nice system, though I'm not sure it would work here in Dublin due to theft and vandalism.

Isn't that what many naysayers said about the original Dublin Bikes system before it was installed? "Oh, half those bikes will be in the Liffey within a week" said the barstool experts.

monument

RainyDay wrote: »

Yep, there are some real issues there all right, which I'm sure the folks who design and implement these solutions have thought about and addressed.

The vast bulk of bike share systems around the world have went with docking stations.

RainyDay wrote: »

Isn't that what many naysayers said about the original Dublin Bikes system before it was installed? "Oh, half those bikes will be in the Liffey within a week" said the barstool experts.

The lack of theft and vandalism is partly because of the secure docking systems.

...

DublinBikes is in any case locked into the current system for 15 years, just 9 more years to go... unless the people who run DublinBikes change their tech.

bk

beauf wrote: »

Pointing out that your suggestion potentially, leaves out a large % of potential users is hardly a rant.

Be interesting to find out, if and/or how much the cost and time required to install the current system are a factor in the expansion plans.

Those RIO bikes look at lot lighter.

No, but you were completely wrong about that, my suggestion does not leave out a large percentage of users!!

Right from the first post I mentioned that my suggested system could use either smart phone app OR automated call service.

In other words it will work with any phone, even dumb mobile phones with zero data plan.

Ireland has over 100% mobile phone penetration. Sure maybe a very small percentage of very elderly or young children don't have a mobile phone, but they wouldn't be using Dublin bikes anyway.

I extremely doubt that there is a single current Dublin Bikes user without a mobile phone. Think about it, in order to be a Dublin bikes subscriber you most have a credit or debit card, €150 deposit, register online and be comfortable with touch screen computers and smart cards! Are you trying to tell me a person who is comfortable with all that doesn't have a mobile phone!!

Basically you took one part of my suggestion, went off on a rant about it and ignored the second part of my suggestion that completely invalidated your rant and solved the issue!

Btw I agree that the city center stands should continue to have the touch screens, so that tourists new to Dublin can register and setup without going online. I note that Dublin Bikes already has two types of stations, not all have the credit/debit card readers. So it seems they already are looking to save money on stations. So going a step further and simply lifting the stations further seems like a very good idea to me, with almost no down side and all up side.

BBTW yes the Rio bikes are much lighter and nicer to use then Dublin Bikes, more like a normal bike and more like the new Cork bikes.

bk

monument wrote: »

DublinBikes is in any case locked into the current system for 15 years, just 9 more years to go... unless the people who run DublinBikes change their tech.

Would it not be in their interest to add more options, such as cheaper to install and more flexible bike stations. Surely it would help drive and speed up the rollout of their schemes. The real money is in the management and running of these schemes, not the stand installation cost.

I agree with you that fixed stations is probably the best solution for Dublin. Certainly the german sustem has reportedly had a lot more theft and vandalism then the fixed station system. However I think there are a variety of fixed station solutions and unfortunately we seem to have chosen the most expensive one! I'm just hoping that in time we can move to a less costly and quicker to rollout solution.

beauf

RainyDay wrote: »

....And how many of the non-smartphone users are schoolkids,... how many are quite elderly ....

I just mentioned the Dublin Bike users in my office. There are all within the canal anyway. So expansion isn't an issue for them. Lets forget it all.

bk wrote: »

...Basically you took one part of my suggestion, went off on a rant about it and ignored the second part of my suggestion that completely invalidated your rant and solved the issue!...

Er no, I was just pointing out some people don't use technology the way you're suggesting. The stats reflect that, even on your parking example. But lets forget it. It seems to launched a rant about ranting.

beauf

RainyDay wrote: »

...Isn't that what many naysayers said about the original Dublin Bikes system before it was installed? "Oh, half those bikes will be in the Liffey within a week" said the barstool experts.

Too heavy to lift into the Liffey. Built like tanks.

monument wrote: »

...DublinBikes is in any case locked into the current system for 15 years, just 9 more years to go... unless the people who run DublinBikes change their tech....

It would be interesting to see some survey on the regular Dublin Bike users see what they think. It would be nice to have one less card in the wallet. rfid blocking wallet is become a necessity. Currently either my train card, or my door swipe don't work depending where they are. Everything seems to have an electronic card these days.

beauf

I generally only use it city centre, and lunch time as I found it the stands were always empty/full when I wanted to use them on the commute. So I stopped using them for that. Last week I walked into the centre from Phibsboro at around 9.30 and again there wasn't a bike at any stand until I hit the Liffey. This suggests the expansion further out required more stands city center to take them as the traffic seems to be one way much of the time.

bk

beauf wrote: »

It would be interesting to see some survey on the regular Dublin Bike users see what they think. It would be nice to have one less card in the wallet. rfid blocking wallet is become a necessity. Currently either my train card, or my door swipe don't work depending where they are. Everything seems to have an electronic card these days.

Yes which is ridiculous as pretty much every card in your wallet is doing the same thing, hi I'm BK!

They are all just doing it using their own encryption and obviously poit if at their own database. But fundamentally they are all doing the exact same thing. Identifying you to their database.

Really we should be moving to using your phone for almost all of these. Pay for items, unlock bikes, unlock door, pay for bus tickets. That is the future.

Of course we need to keep alternatives for those who are slow to change. Like the automated call system of Rio bikes. But in the end this is the future and for me it can't come soon enough.

monument

bk wrote: »

in order to be a Dublin bikes subscriber you most have a credit or debit card, €150 deposit, register online...

I agree your idea should be tested at the least... But unless they' re changed it, you can subscribe to DublinBikes with out a credit or debit card, as long as you have a bank account which can take direct debits.

bk

monument wrote: »

I agree your idea should be tested at the least...

I agree they should trial it even on the existing stands with screens.

Even then there are benefits:

- one less card in my wallet. Might not sound like much, but th number of card in my wallet has gotten ridiculous. It has gotten so bad that I leave many cards at home now, including Dublin Bikes, resulting in me using it far less often

- you won't be stuck queueing at the screen to unlock a bike as a tourist struggles to rent a bike as I've seen happen more then a few times. Just walk up to the bike you want and unlock it with your phone. Much greater.

SummerSummit

There needs to be more bike racks. Too many times arriving at a station and no space to put back the bike.

Also, there should be a station at the bottem of Grafton St. It's a pain in the tits walking from Central Bank/End of Nassau St.

ArmaniJeanss

SummerSummit wrote: »

There needs to be more bike racks. Too many times arriving at a station and no space to put back the bike.

Also, there should be a station at the bottom of Grafton St. It's a pain in the tits walking from Central Bank/End of Nassau St.

Molesworth St station is closer I'd say, its the one I use when going to Grafton St. Its definitely an easier walk.

A station at the bottom of Grafton St might be problematical. Presuming you mean the area between Boylesports and Specsavers? It would be fairly difficult for the vanman to stop here for redistribution, also maybe issue with it being part of a one way system (are there any stations on oneway streets?). Footpath already gets very crowded with pedestrians (presumably any station would need to rob footpath space).
Nothing unsurmountable I guess.

SummerSummit

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Molesworth St station is closer I'd say, its the one I use when going to Grafton St. Its definitely an easier walk.

A station at the bottom of Grafton St might be problematical. Presuming you mean the area between Boylesports and Specsavers? It would be fairly difficult for the vanman to stop here for redistribution, also maybe issue with it being part of a one way system (are there any stations on oneway streets?). Footpath already gets very crowded with pedestrians (presumably any station would need to rob footpath space).
Nothing unsurmountable I guess.

I think Andrew St. beside the Molly Malone Statue would be good spot (beside the tourist office).