KinkaidAlum Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 The More You Know! Thanks. Never knew there was one near the MFA but that makes so much sense and I am worried that I am very unobservant because I ride my trike through Hermann Park several times a week and have never noticed the station but do see riders all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 B-Cycle nearly hits 100,00 riders in 2015 Houston’s growing bike sharing system – poised for a big 2016 – nearly pulled off 100,000 checkouts last year. After adding two stations in the last weeks of the year, bringing the total to 31 kiosks and 190 bicycles, Houston B-Cycle logged 98,388 uses, according to organizers of the system. People can check out a bike with a pass – daily, weekly or annual – and use the bike without charge for 60 minutes. After that, the bike costs $4 per hour. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 They're looking for input on where the new stations should be located. http://wikimapping.com/wikimap/Houston-B-cycle-Expansion.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I wonder if they are making a profit yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I rode B-Cycle for the first time here in Houston, and it was pretty fun! It's a few bucks cheaper than Austin's B-cycle for 24-hours (I have not yet tried it out there). My only remark is that I find it a bit silly that you have to "check-in" every 60 mins? Got the 24-hour pass and only used it for 3-hours or so, but every hour we had to go to a station and place them back on the rack and check them out again. Luckily there was multiple stations on our route so it really wasn't an inconvenience. I guess they figured that someone may take them home for 24-hours. Nearly every station was empty! Also, quite a few drivers were driving into the bike lane turning from Austin St. onto Lamar near the Four Seasons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 As I understand it, you don't have to check in and out every 60 minutes, but they will charge $4 an hour after 60 minutes. I think the concept wasn't so much having people check them out for hours at a time to just ride around but to check one out to go from point a to point b, check it in and do whatever and then check another one out for the next leg (or return leg) of your trip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Did Metro lift the rush hour restrictions on bringing bikes on Metrorail trains? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Yeah, I thought the "60-minute check in" requirement was just if you'd like to ride for "free" (minus the original rental fee), otherwise pay for each additional hour if you'd like to keep it longer.I still need to get a pass and try it out one weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I rode B-Cycle for the first time here in Houston, and it was pretty fun! It's a few bucks cheaper than Austin's B-cycle for 24-hours (I have not yet tried it out there). My only remark is that I find it a bit silly that you have to "check-in" every 60 mins? Got the 24-hour pass and only used it for 3-hours or so, but every hour we had to go to a station and place them back on the rack and check them out again. Luckily there was multiple stations on our route so it really wasn't an inconvenience. I guess they figured that someone may take them home for 24-hours. Nearly every station was empty!Also, quite a few drivers were driving into the bike lane turning from Austin St. onto Lamar near the Four Seasons!Maybe they should install a pole in the middle of the bike lane/on the stripe separating each side of bike traffic, at each intersection, so it's a wide enough space for bikes to easily travel by on either side, but too narrow/an obvious obstacle preventing vehicles from entering the lane? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I hope that b-cycle succeeds. I think that recall that b-cycle needed a subsidy from the city to stay alfoat while they were building the business. Anyone know if they still have it? I wonder if the new administration will support this subsidy too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I believe Houston's bike-sharing program is one of the, if not the number 1, most successful/profitable of the cities that have a program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I believe Houston's bike-sharing program is one of the, if not the number 1, most successful/profitable of the cities that have a program.That may be true, I don't know. B-cycle continues to need government subsidies though. In the short term, that is fine, in the longer term, it will need to be able to make a profit and generate sufficient cash flow for capital replacement and expansion. Hopefully they have a business model that accomplishes this over the next few years. The good news is that they seemingly have the needed, short term expansion money locked in.http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2015/09/bike-sharing-program-poised-for-major-expansion/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Isn't all the money we spend on roads a subsidy for cars and trucks? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 It also is infrastructure for bikes and buses but yeah I suspect if there were only bikes and buses the road costs would be less so it could be seen as a huge subsidy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 most of the time I see people not using it to commute, but to enjoy. so they did get their model wrong. maybe they still want people to use it to commute, and the 1hr check-in is what will encourage this? I don't know. I'm most hopeful that this program does more than just be profitable, I hope it encourages people to buy their own bikes (even if just walmart specials) to enjoy life. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Using it to commute is largely dependent on increasing the number of stations. Right now stations are located primarily at destinations; they need to also be easily accessible in comparatively residential areas, even just within midtown, Montrose, etc, but the big obvious one is the entirety of the Heights. Even 100 stations will be too low to reach most people who could otherwise take advantage of Bcycle for commuting purposes. Compare 100 stations to the number of stations in the DC area, New York, or even Minneapolis. WITH THAT BEING SAID, getting the total up to around 100, if carefully targeted, will make a huge difference. I'd like to see them keep the range pretty low to maximize station density, but we'll see. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I've always had the impression that the prime target isn't commuting as much as augmenting the metro system to help with last-mile type situations. And/or to allow easy errand running by folks in the central core. That being said, I seem to see the most b cycles in and around Hermann park in obviously leisure use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZKB9 Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 http://offcite.org/houstons-draft-bike-plan-lays-out-ambitious-vision-for-citys-future/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Wow this is beautiful! So what is the projected start time to begin some of this vision for the bike lanes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZKB9 Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 B-cycle is set to triple in size over the next 2 years, adding 71 stations with 568 bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdueenginerd Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 They're certainly being aggressive with expansion of the system. Probably need more cycling related infrastructure though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 They are expanding cause it's working. I see so many people riding them. For recreation, or for a quick trip. I'll grant that I mostly see them being used for recreating, but that's cause it's where I usually am to see them. On a BBP trail, or in Hermann park, people usually don't ride through these places on their way to the grocery store for a loaf of bread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OkieEric Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Are the 71 new stations on a map anywhere? The only map I can find is the one where they were trying to solicit input for potential locations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Why rent when you can buy? We have lots of local bike shops that are great, try them out. https://www.google.com/search?q=houston+bicycle+shops&oq=houston+bicycle+&aqs=chrome.1.0l6.6846j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://houston.bcycle.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Why not both? I actually think it's useful to think of bikeshare as somewhat distinct from having your own bike, though they both benefit from the same infrastructure. Bikeshare, at least when it's fully built-out, has one big advantage: no planning ahead is required. You just hop on, drop it off, and never worry about that particular bike being messed with or stolen, or where to lock it up, or having it with you whenever you need it. It's really not a replacement for owning your own bike; it's another option for short to medium distance trips (like Uber, bus, light rail, or potentially even walking) that you can take advantage of without having to plan ahead. And yes, it can also integrate incredibly well with longer-distance transit. Maybe you take park-and-ride in from somewhere in the greater suburban hellscape, but the bus drops you off a mile from your office. You jump on a BCycle and you're there in no time. Again, this is all predicated on there being enough station density that you never have to wonder where the nearest station is or worry that there won't be a station close enough to your destination, but, assuming that level of density, bikeshare can be incredibly convenient. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terra002 Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 I have found them to be more trouble than they're worth. If you're with a few people and you're only making one short trip, uber is a much better alternative. It costs $5 for each bike, or you an do an uber, with a minimum charge of about $6. I rented one a while back to take up to the art car parade. We spent more time trying to find a check in station so we wouldnt get charged extra than we did watching the parade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 3 hours ago, terra002 said: I have found them to be more trouble than they're worth. If you're with a few people and you're only making one short trip, uber is a much better alternative. It costs $5 for each bike, or you an do an uber, with a minimum charge of about $6. I rented one a while back to take up to the art car parade. We spent more time trying to find a check in station so we wouldnt get charged extra than we did watching the parade. $65 for an annual membership, unlimited checkouts for free (while still following the time rules). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 (edited) Yeah, the annual membership makes a huge difference, and, again, it's hard to get a feel for what these systems are really like from the Houston BCycle system as it exists now. There just aren't nearly enough stations for it to be terribly convenient. Edited October 31, 2016 by Texasota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 On 10/30/2016 at 7:14 PM, hindesky said: Why rent when you can buy? We have lots of local bike shops that are great, try them out. https://www.google.com/search?q=houston+bicycle+shops&oq=houston+bicycle+&aqs=chrome.1.0l6.6846j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://houston.bcycle.com/ Owning a bike or two is good, but you have to plan ahead to take it with you. Having bike share stations that can help you go the last mile using public transit is a plus. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeopleAreStrange Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I'm trying to purchase a one-month Houston membership online, but can't seem to do so. When I try to log into Houston's system, it tells me to log into Fort Worth's system instead (where I purchased a previous membership). The problem is, I can't purchase a Houston membership there. When I try to create a new account on Houston's site, it won't let me because I already have a B-cycle account. What gives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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