Instant review:
It's like a Boris Bike, but green and with a working seatpost clamp.Unlike the London bikes, the dock is completely passive, with the electronics in the bike. Which should make deployment of the docks a lot cheaper.
To unlock, you use the Beryl app, either by NFC or by entering a 6-digit bike number. As if by magic, something goes
*CLUNK* on the bike and it can be released. No getting a code from the Boris Computer on a little slip of paper, no crappy memberane switches.
The bikes themselves are pretty similar to the London ones. Heavy. 3-speed Nexus hub with the same sort of bit-on-the-low-side gearing (however, this is more useful in A Cold Field than it is in central London). It gets a bit spinny by about 15mph. The drum brakes perform well, but the levers are stiff and lacking in travel. Probably need to bed in a bit, of course.
There's a stand, and a front basket thing, and mudguards. Underwhelming be-seen lighting. Nice grippy pedals. The seatpost clamp design seems improved on the Boris Bike design, and has a long lever for plenty of clamping force. 47-507 (yes, 24" wheels!) Marathon Plus tyres pass the cattle grid test, and I did a little bit of Comedy Off-Roading without incident. The saddle is what I'd describe as a "5km saddle".
About the only thing missing is the motor, really. Electric bikes are supposedly in the pipeline.