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Dublin Bikes _ new app & subscription

  • 19-01-2021 7:05pm
    #1
    Bluefoam
    Registered Users Posts: 7,698 ✭✭✭


    They have a new sponsor 'now tv' and a new app... Which apparently lets you release a bike through your phone, not sure if it's an awkward interface type thing or a simple NFC function...

    Plus they've increased the fee, from €10 to €35 annually.

    That's just too rich for me. I've used the bikes a few times for convenience over the past few years, but that convenience is fine for €10... At €35, I'm out. I'm sure allot of other people will be too.


Comments

  • #2
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    The fee hasn't been a tenner for 8 years.


  • #3
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,163 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    ^ This.

    But personally I use a bike share maybe 10x a year. Probably less in 'rona times. Payg with Bleeper (inferior bikes) makes more sense.


  • #4
    Amirani
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Amirani


    Used to use them quite a bit, but less so these days. I've let my subscription lapse, partly because of the continued price increases, but more so because of the lack of any expansion or development (particularly on the Northside).


  • #5
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,713 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    My sub lapsed in September. I'm unlikely to be back in the office full time... well, ever, so Bleeper will do for the times I am in town.


  • #6
    timeToLive
    Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭timeToLive


    Amirani wrote: »
    Used to use them quite a bit, but less so these days. I've let my subscription lapse, partly because of the continued price increases, but more so because of the lack of any expansion or development (particularly on the Northside).


    Same on the south side. Always thought it would make sense for some to be around UCD and places like Rathmines.


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  • #7
    Quackster
    Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 5,725 Mod ✭✭✭✭Quackster


    ED E wrote: »
    ^ This.

    But personally I use a bike share maybe 10x a year. Probably less in 'rona times. Payg with Bleeper (inferior bikes) makes more sense.
    Exactly. I cancelled my DB subscription at renewal time last September as I knew I'd be using it very little until the end of the pandemic. Have used Bleeper a few times since.


  • #8
    Quackster
    Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 5,725 Mod ✭✭✭✭Quackster


    Amirani wrote: »
    Used to use them quite a bit, but less so these days. I've let my subscription lapse, partly because of the continued price increases, but more so because of the lack of any expansion or development (particularly on the Northside).
    There are some bizarre gaps in the coverage, like the Cork St / Newmarket Square area which is surrounded by stations on three sides. With the recent proliferation of student accommodation there (as well as Teeling & Liberties distilleries), it's quite mind-boggling.


  • #9
    SeeMoreBut
    Registered Users Posts: 797 ✭✭✭SeeMoreBut


    Mine lapsed in Jan as no need to use them but the expansion of lack of expansion is crazy.

    I was more a southside user but stopping at the canal was strange. If they went from Sandymount to Rathmines area I would have thought would have added a lot more users


  • #10
    Zaney
    Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭Zaney


    Another lapsed user here. Mine was up for renewal in December and I cancelled. Won’t be back in the office anytime soon. I rarely used it but the convenience of having access when I needed for €20 made sense. Too much of a price hike. Told them as much.

    Maybe they should introduce a lower fee for irregular users and cap the number of times you can access bikes. Probably too difficult to manage and might be too attractive for those who will pay the fee regardless.


  • #11
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,163 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Honestly I wouldnt be surprised if DB ends up closing. Way reduced customer base + competition from Bleeper and soon eScooters coming on the scene. Won't be enough to bother.


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  • #12
    HeidiHeidi
    Registered Users Posts: 28,769 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    I'm tempted to cancel my subscription - I only use them a few times a year, would use a lot more if the stations nearest my house weren't cleared out by 9 or 10am, and never restocked until evening time :mad:


  • #13
    alentejo
    Registered Users Posts: 885 ✭✭✭alentejo


    I really wish they would lower the subscription cost. Along with lock down, its really cutting the numbers using the service.


  • #14
    Tzardine
    Registered Users Posts: 3,884 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    I don't get the complaints about the price.

    €35 for a year is still peanuts.

    I still use it regularly. Find the new app to be great.


  • #15
    Bluefoam
    Registered Users Posts: 7,698 ✭✭✭Bluefoam


    Tzardine wrote: »
    I don't get the complaints about the price.

    €35 for a year is still peanuts.

    I still use it regularly. Find the new app to be great.

    I don't use it regulary... possibly once a year. I don't work in town. I want to support it, I want access, but €35 is a good bit of money for someone like me to commit to... & theres many like me.

    I will not get €105 value over three years. Therefore, I'm probably going to cancel my subscription... I'd be happy to lose €30 over that time just to support the system and make sure its there when I need it.


  • #16
    markpb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,238 ✭✭✭markpb


    ED E wrote: »
    Honestly I wouldnt be surprised if DB ends up closing. Way reduced customer base + competition from Bleeper and soon eScooters coming on the scene. Won't be enough to bother.

    Dublin Bikes is not a commercial operation. JCD operate it for DCC in return for getting advertising around the city. JCD also paid for all the new pedestrian/tourist signs that were fitted a few years ago.


  • #17
    Amirani
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Amirani


    Bluefoam wrote: »
    I don't use it regulary... possibly once a year. I don't work in town. I want to support it, I want access, but €35 is a good bit of money for someone like me to commit to... & theres many like me.

    I will not get €105 value over three years. Therefore, I'm probably going to cancel my subscription... I'd be happy to lose €30 over that time just to support the system and make sure its there when I need it.

    Some sort of hybrid charging model would be useful for users like yourself. Even something like €10 per year, and 50 cent each time you use a bike (in addition for the normal >30min costs).

    As a public facility, it should be aimed at more than just regular users.


  • #18
    Quackster
    Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 5,725 Mod ✭✭✭✭Quackster


    Bluefoam wrote: »
    I don't use it regulary... possibly once a year. I don't work in town. I want to support it, I want access, but €35 is a good bit of money for someone like me to commit to... & theres many like me.

    I will not get €105 value over three years. Therefore, I'm probably going to cancel my subscription... I'd be happy to lose €30 over that time just to support the system and make sure its there when I need it.
    Bleeper PAYG model would be perfect for you then.


  • #19
    Thelonious Monk
    Registered Users Posts: 13,690 ✭✭✭✭Thelonious Monk


    It's pretty cheap compared to other places, I know in London it's way dearer.
    Has anyone used the Moby electric bikes? I'd like to try one.


  • #20
    1huge1
    Registered Users Posts: 6,171 ✭✭✭1huge1


    Recently paid the €35 through gritted teeth considering I haven't used the bikes once in the past 12 months but was a regular user up until that. My hope being that from the summer onwards (where some normality wil hopefully return) I'll be back uning it.


  • #21
    Dick Turnip
    Registered Users Posts: 982 ✭✭✭Dick Turnip


    Used Bleeper a bit when they were introduced at the start. Handy, but my god the bikes are crap, way worse than DB.

    Have been signed up to DB since the start. Although have rarely used the last year.

    The lack of expansion is very frustrating. You would think that putting stations across Harold's X, Rathmines, Ranelagh, Donnybrook, Ballsbridge, Ringsend would bring in another cohort of users. Plus expanding the network just makes it more useable in general.

    Also, Rialto/Cork St/Clanbrassil St area is an odd blackspot on the map. There's a huge amount of housing here, very close to town. A lot of potential customers. Stoneybatter too.


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  • #22
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I cancelled them all back last year. I knew I won't be using them for ages. WFH etc.


  • #23
    Effects
    Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    1huge1 wrote: »
    Recently paid the €35 through gritted teeth considering I haven't used the bikes once in the past 12 months but was a regular user up until that. My hope being that from the summer onwards (where some normality wil hopefully return) I'll be back uning it.

    Why not just wait until the summer to renew in that case? No point paying for it now when you don't need it.


  • #24
    thenightman
    Registered Users Posts: 561 ✭✭✭thenightman


    Half of Dublin Bikes to become hybrid bikes by March 30th. Each subscriber to the hybrid bikes (at a cost of an extra €60 per annum) will receive their own portable rechargeable battery that can be slotted into the hybrid bikes. Range of up to 8km on the battery per charge.

    https://www.thejournal.ie/half-of-dublin-hybrid-e-bikes-5365776-Feb2021/


  • #25
    Tzardine
    Registered Users Posts: 3,884 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    It's a stupid idea.

    Having to carry your own battery is a big failure. And not preventing regular users for taking an electric bike is thick. People will take the electric bikes because they are newer, leaving somebody that carried their battery around probably having to take a regular bike.

    The introduction of electric scooter rental is going to make thr bikes redundant. I used it in Sweden about 2 years ago and it is a great system. You find a scooter on the app, ride it to the door of where you are going and leave it there.


  • #26
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Plenty of people won't use scooters, also the lack of a basket reduces their practicality

    Also, where dump at door systems are heavily used you basically just create mobility hazards for others in the process. Hence why specific parking areas are required in stationless bike systems usually


  • #27
    Diairist
    Registered Users Posts: 365 ✭✭Diairist


    Do Bleeper answer the phone? Ringing them since 9.30 a.m.



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