11042 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

carry on.

 

i'll be busy in the 2020 election thread today anyway.

[Victoria Watcher]

But there is a new trend, fuelled by Covid-19 and the rise in popularity of e-bikes; in a pandemic, people don’t want to rub shoulders with anyone else, they don’t want to share transport with people they don’t know and they need to not be sweaty or out of breath when they arrive at their destination.

 

Now, as countries clear roads for cycle lanes, and investors pour money into new European transport, it seems the public is ready for a new transport model for cycling–that of longer-term bike rentals, via a subscription service.

 

 

https://www.forbes.c...e/#10a4935100b5

 

 

 

Dance, is an e-bike subscription company, based in Berlin, and created by the founder of music site SoundCloud. Instead of buying bikes, which can be too cost-prohibitive for many people, it has launched an e-bike subscription service for €59 per month ($70). Subscribers get access to an e-bike within 24 hours which they keep at home, but Dance will replace it for free if it gets lost or stolen and replace worn out parts.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 October 2020 - 10:12 AM.

[rjag]

^ sounds like another business that will be bankrupt within a year

[Victoria Watcher]

^ sounds like another business that will be bankrupt within a year

oh I can actually see the popularity. people are quite woefully unprepared to make their own repairs. $70/mo. Including flat repair sounds like a deal for un-handy urbanites.

[Mike K.]

Surely urbanites know how to walk their bike to a bike shop?

I wonder how the $100 CAD monthly payment compares to payment plans at bike shops. $800 buys you one heck of a nice bike and that’s $75/month for a year, taxes in. Make it $80 or $85 if there are fees and interest.

[Greg]

^ Or let them come to you: https://www.velofix.com/

[Rex Waverly]

Surely urbanites know how to walk their bike to a bike shop?

I wonder how the $100 CAD monthly payment compares to payment plans at bike shops. $800 buys you one heck of a nice bike and that’s $75/month for a year, taxes in. Make it $80 or $85 if there are fees and interes

 

It is an e-bike rental, not a bike rental; a low-end but decent (i.e. not walmart) e-bike is probably at least 1500. Still, could have one paid off in less than two years at that rate.  

 

On the other hand, renting an e-bike for a day is like 70-80 bucks, so by THAT comparison, the monthly rate is a bargain

[Mike K.]

Ah, thank you.

[Victoria Watcher]

Surely urbanites know how to walk their bike to a bike shop?

I wonder how the $100 CAD monthly payment compares to payment plans at bike shops. $800 buys you one heck of a nice bike and that’s $75/month for a year, taxes in. Make it $80 or $85 if there are fees and interest.

 

looks like canada already has it.

 

$69/mo.

 

https://www.ridezygg.com/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 October 2020 - 01:39 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Surely urbanites know how to walk their bike to a bike shop?

 

i would not assume it.  look how many people take bikes on the bus.

[JohnsonStBridge]

Oak Bay Bikes will even pick up and drop off for any servicing. 

[A Girl is No one]

It is an e-bike rental, not a bike rental; a low-end but decent (i.e. not walmart) e-bike is probably at least 1500. Still, could have one paid off in less than two years at that rate.

On the other hand, renting an e-bike for a day is like 70-80 bucks, so by THAT comparison, the monthly rate is a bargain

I think that the key is that tue bike is replaced if stolen. That’s huge. Mr. AGiNo is considering getting one but he couldn’t use it to run errands as it would get stolen in 5 minutes in this city. This Rental would make using your e-bike a lot less risky.

[FogPub]

I think that the key is that tue bike is replaced if stolen. That’s huge. Mr. AGiNo is considering getting one but he couldn’t use it to run errands as it would get stolen in 5 minutes in this city. This Rental would make using your e-bike a lot less risky.

If the company really does replace these bikes when they get stolen then yes, they'll be bankrupt within a year.

 

In other news, chop-shop share prices have gone through the roof....

[Victoria Watcher]

aren’t these bikes unique? so much so that their resale or parts market is limited? and if you have one owner (the provider) perhaps they will tag and track them better so when they do show up at a police locker they are claimed?

[Rob Randall]

^You would think so but the green rental bikes were also unique with hard-to-remove parts that weren't compatible with most normal bikes. But scavengers managed to destroy them all anyway, and modify the parts or bikes to accept the stolen parts. Pretty common to walk down Pandora and seeing people disassembling rental bikes with pliers and hammers.

[Victoria Watcher]

they were easier to steal (they were left lying everywhere overnight) and less valuable. perhaps the rental company for these more expensive ones will be more proactive?

also would there be a deductible or limit on the number you can lose per year to discourage “loss”?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 October 2020 - 03:14 PM.

[mbjj]

Can't get down Vancouver St. near MacClure now, some damn concrete curb is now across the road. More time spent trying to take new routes, more carbon emissions. City is run by dolts.

[Nparker]

Can't get down Vancouver St. near MacClure now, some damn concrete curb is now across the road...

A similar *$#% structure now blocks turning south on Vancouver from Caledonia. This has resulted in more cars now travelling along North Park from both Quadra and Cook to access Vancouver Street. Yes, the CoV is run (badly) by dolts.

[rmpeers]

I have to laugh when I hear one of the zealots crowing about the great design.

[Victoria Watcher]

also would there be a deductible or limit on the number you can lose per year to discourage “loss”?

 

 

Low Deductible Options

 

E-bikes are a new technology, and with a Zygg subscription you can avoid paying $3,000 - $4,000 to purchase, maintain, fix and then replace a battery on one. All we ask is that you treat it as if it’s your own. (Lock it up, report any problems, and keep you both safe.)

To make life easier, we offer two limits on your liability in case of theft or damage to the e-bike (provided you can prove you locked it up by returning the keys to us).

• Model M - $500 max liability ($0/mo) -or- $150 ($10/month fee)

• Model G & V - $750 max liability  ($0/mo) -or- $150 ($10/month fee)

 

https://www.ridezygg.com/works

 

This means that if you pay $10 a month for Reduced Liability and your bike gets stolen -  even though you locked it to a secure post using the lock Zygg provided and you have both the keys to the battery and to the lock - you would only be required to pay $150. However, if you had not been paying for Reduced Liability in this situation, you would be responsible for paying $500 (Model M) or $750 (Model V or G). 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 October 2020 - 09:04 PM.