Article on Jump ebike share in the Bronx

[Bruce Arnold]

Eben Weiss (BikeSnobNYC) has posted an article on his experience with the Jump ebike share, which has moved into the Bronx. Interesting reading and very positive. He concludes that all bike shares should have pedal assist, which is a pretty positive endorsement of ebikes.

 

[Cowlitz]

I think Seattle is going to try this. I wonder how the bikes are kept charged?

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I think Seattle is going to try this. I wonder how the bikes are kept charged?

How you keep the bikes charged is the $64,000,000 question when it comes to ebikeshare. Getting it right ends up being a pretty intense operations research problem.

One other problem that needs to be solved to make ebikeshare practical is that many e-bikes, especially the less expensive ones, aren't exactly weatherproof and having a dockless system implies they will be out in the weather. Even if the electrical components are weatherproof things like the seat-post adjustment can rust as well. Making the bikes weatherproof increases the cost of the bikes so that also has an effect on the economic viability of the whole idea.

 

[Ann M.]

@Cowlitz, these free range scooters & ebikes have a GPS built in so the people they hire to do roving pickups, charging & repairs know where to go. Saw one online ad with one of these companies claiming someone with a SUV or pickup could make up to $40/hr chasing down & caring for the dead scooters but I don't believe that for a moment! You pay for your own gas, vehicle wear and tear then still have to charge & repair them and return them to the designated rental areas. Right now all of these companies are using product with fairly small motors & batteries that will have a shorter lifespan for the investment. But they're COOL, right

 

[PowerMe]

Several weeks ago I saw a Jump bike at a local shopping center near me. I'd never seen one before and I just stared at it for a minute or two. Went home to research what this bright orange bike was all about. No one was near the bike or I would have struck up a conversation about it.

 

[Ann M.]

@PowerMe, I almost thought you were going to say that you'd strike up a conversation with it (No one around) rather than about it

 

[PowerMe]

@PowerMe, I almost thought you were going to say that you'd strike up a conversation with it (No one around) rather than about it

Well I *would* have but I was already talked-out having had a conversation with my cat earlier that day.