Coca Cola bikes in bad state

ceatharloch · 17-02-2019 10:44am #1

Methinks maintenance has fallen badly by the wayside on the Coca-Cola Bikes.
I tried to get one this morning at 7.30am, the stall at NUIG Shaughnessy Bridge / Fisheries Field. 10 or more bikes there, but the machine would not read my card.
I walk on to the nearest stall, opposite Cathedral. 2 bikes there. My card works. I hop on the bike, find the pedals go around, not moving the wheel! OK! So I'll get the other bike. Checking that, same problem, broken / missing chain.

I walk frustrated the rest of the way to town......:mad:

biko · 17-02-2019 11:17am

Use this to let them know www.bikeshare.ie/contact-us.html

joeKel73 · 17-02-2019 12:11pm

biko wrote: »

Use this to let them know www.bikeshare.ie/contact-us.html

If you check in a bike to the same station very quickly they'll ask if there was a problem with the bike. I've reported broken bikes before and saw them left broken on the stand for weeks.

OwenHanley · 17-02-2019 8:13pm

Yep, noticed this myself and so every time I passed a station I counted how many bikes there were and what state they were in. Around 1/3 usable is some areas. Lough Atalia station was mainly out of order for a really long time.

I've been told the original peeps in charge of it have had massive behind the scenes drama with some pulling

jkforde · 18-02-2019 12:07am

write to info@nationaltransport.ie
the company managing the scheme is Telfourth Galway

doiredoire · 19-02-2019 12:21pm

I use the bikes on an almost daily basis. The bikes are not being maintained. The chains are nearly always rusty, the gears don't often work properly. Very often the quick release to change the saddle height can't be opened or closed as it has rusted.

It's obviously they are not bing properly serviced.

Worn Out · 19-02-2019 5:39pm

I’ve given up on them as they are so poorly maintained.

Thegalwayman · 19-02-2019 5:57pm

auto renewed last April but haven't used in 14 months won't be a subscriber come renewal time

beardybrewer · 19-02-2019 7:25pm

I never had a chance to use them because they didn't locate them in Salthill. I don't know how that was overlooked or delayed. There's a lot of people who would happily park in Salthill but carry on a city bike for their errands in town. When they added them to westside that was welcome but how Salthill is still ignored seems crazy given so many of the city locations are so close you could easily walk.

Fighting Tao · 19-02-2019 7:28pm

In Dublin people put the saddles facing backwards if there’s something wrong with a bike. Is there no such etiquette in Galway.

http://www.broadsheet.ie/tag/saddle-backwards/

what_traffic · 19-02-2019 7:29pm

beardybrewer wrote: »

I never had a chance to use them because they didn't locate them in Salthill. I don't know how that was overlooked or delayed. There's a lot of people who would happily park in Salthill but carry on a city bike for their errands in town. When they added them to westside that was welcome but how Salthill is still ignored seems crazy given so many of the city locations are so close you could easily walk.

Agree. A no of the current stations could actually be moved to Salthill. Newtownsmith(offline for months now - located in the City Council Car parl), Nuns Island, Prospect Hill. 3 stations that Spring to mind

Zzippy · 20-02-2019 10:01am

I'm a semi-regular user but have noticed even just walking past stations the lack of servicing. It only takes a minute to oil a chain, but most are dry and rusty. Have had to check a few back in to the same station and take another bike at times, as soon as you start cycling you realise there's a problem. Pity, it's a great resource if it was properly maintained.

joeKel73 · 23-02-2019 11:16am

I hadn't used the scheme in a while but had to get into town from Newcastle so decided to grab a bike from NUIG Kingfisher.

Card took ages to be detected at the machine
Identified 2 bikes that looked in decent shape - neither were available on the machine
Picked a 3rd bike from a distance. The chain kept slipping on it, clearly hadn't been oiled in months. Had to stop at another station half way to swap it out.
Bike locked into the station but didn't beep despite attempts but it was locked in.
Tried to take another bike but terminal said I had one already on rent. Rang the support number - not free phone, about 30c/min. Serious language barrier with phone support but finally got the situation explained. They said someone would come to the station in the next few hours but I couldn't take another bike until then.

Such a shame to see the scheme being run into the ground!

jkforde · 29-04-2019 6:04pm

just got this SMS text from Bikeshare:

Over the coming weeks, a program of upgrade work is taking place at a number of stations in Galway. Please check https://www.bikeshare.ie/news/ for updates.

hopefully that won't be it and they'll abandon them for another while, let's see

what_traffic · 29-04-2019 7:23pm

[QUOTE=jkforde;110054995]just got this SMS text from Bikeshare:

Over the coming weeks, a program of upgrade work is taking place at a number of stations in Galway. Please check https://www.bikeshare.ie/news/ for updates.

hopefully that won't be it and they'll abandon them for another while, let's see[/QUOTE]

Same as.
Sounds like a powerwash.......? Any bike improvements I wonder?

spurscormac · 30-04-2019 1:39pm

I've started yo use it when going to Connacht games. Tried docking at Eyre Sq, bike wouldn't go into the dock, it was a free dock, not the ones that are covered over. Continued on to City Hall to dock it there instead.
Also noticed that you'd need to bring a plastic bag or something to cover the saddle if it's rained at any time that day. The saddles are porous foam, so even if dry to the touch, once you sit on it, you're ass is likely to get wet.

jkforde · 14-05-2019 1:03pm

Mainguard St. stand getting maintained now, they've the electronics out and everything, seems like a comprehensive job.

ben.schlomo · 14-05-2019 1:47pm

Same was being done as we walked past City hall yesterday.

zell12 · 15-05-2019 10:10am

Doing Headford Road car park today
Impressive array of electronic gear

what_traffic · 15-05-2019 11:01am

zell12 wrote: »

Doing Headford Road car park today
Impressive array of electronic gear

Are bikes getting upgraded?

RainNeverBow · 15-05-2019 4:46pm

Looks like the stations themselves are being upgraded so they can track more data about the state of the bikes. Hopefully will lead to better maintenance

GerardKeating · 03-06-2019 2:34pm

The Coke Zero bike station on the Bowling Green car park seems to have reopened.

jkforde · 07-06-2019 10:11pm

have any regular users experienced a positive difference in the bikes themselves, the touchscreen, etc since the maintenance? using my own bike now so not using them, but just curious

Coca Cola bikes in bad state

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