This morning I had a challenge: I needed to get into town, pick up my laptop, get to a meeting on the other side of town (so, dressed in civvies all the way), coming back an alternate route and needing my laptop for a Dublin flight early tomorrow a.m. The obvious route was simply public transport, but I deeply loathe the squidgyness of all my local stations. My answer: try the new dockless bike rentals to Stratford, thence on public transport.
I joined both of my local schemes – ofo and urbo – and discovered that ofo appeared the most usable (drop anywhere inside the operating city) and there was a bike within 100m. Off I wombled, and no, I didn’t stop at Stratford, how could I squeeze onto a train when there was another option? and dropped my ofo bike on Southbank.
My ofo experience was interesting. The bike is a little lighter than the Doris Dykes, similar 3 speed gear train, small-ish front basket. Brakes appeared better, seat adjustment worse, the highest setting was too low for me, but I can see how casual users might prefer that, or not noticing. The position is very upright, along with trying not to work up too much of a sweat in civvies meant that it took half as long again as my normal commute, so likely c 9-10mph average overall. It was interesting joining team slow for the ride and, although the MGIF cycle path riders made it a less than relaxing experience (and I can see how they could be intimidating for new riders) overall I could just bimble. Only incident was someone who attempted to overtake up the inside as I was stopped for a ped on a zebra, clipping and narrowly avoiding a full on entanglement. In response to my assertion that he was being very clever, he explained this was his second day cycling, at which stage I was nicer to him.