Bike rental
When it comes to bike rentals (also known as bike rentals ), you can distinguish between two basic models.
The traditional tourist-oriented bike rental is often operated by bike shops or hotels.
The newer model of the bike rental system mostly consists of a network of self-service stations for bike rental. The city councils create the latter above all so that everyday short distances can be covered comfortably, environmentally friendly and with active physical activity. The aim is - in combination with public transport ( PT ) - a virtually pollution-free and cost-poor or -lose alternative to increasing car traffic ( MIV ) are created in the cities of the air and quality of life to improve, while the bicycle theft as an important use of barrier Curb bicycles.
Comparison of different forms
| Comparison criteria for bike rentals | Oriented towards tourism | Resident-oriented network of bicycle rental stations |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Personal document as a deposit | Customer card or (mobile) phone after registration |
| Bike model | customary | Custom made |
| Rental period | an hour to several days | a few minutes to a few hours |
| opening hours | limited | 24 hours |
| Network character | No | Yes |
| Return location | same place of issue | any station within the network |
| Personnel needed | for issue, return and maintenance | in maintenance and distribution |
| target group | Tourists | Residents and their everyday routes |
| pay | especially users | Advertising, parking fees, tolls, a small part of the user |
Bicycle rentals for tourists are widespread. Organizers of leisure and sports activities, bike shops, hotels or tourist information centers often offer this service. They are also available in Germany and Holland as well as in Switzerland at many train stations and are often offered by the operator of the railway. The Rent a Bike system in Switzerland is unique in that it allows bicycles to be returned to a different rental station and thus allows bike tours throughout Switzerland. In addition, there are tourist rental offers in almost all major cities in Switzerland, but these are financed through advertising on the bike and reintegration programs and are therefore free of charge for the user.
Network of public bicycle rental stations
The network of public bike rental stations is a network of bike stations that allow the easy removal and return of public rental bikes at lockable parking spaces, usually with the help of electronic customer cards. These customer cards are used both for billing and for user identification, thus preventing vandalism and theft.
These bicycle stations are often part of public transport and are suitable for covering short and medium distances in cities that are too short for motorized public transport or the car, but too far away for foot traffic . Often the first half hour of renting a bike is free or already included in the annual fee. The bicycle as a means of transport is publicly ordered by the city administration, although it is private company property. Bicycle rental stations are a public service in the environmental network , which are offered in cities as traffic-calming measures for the sustainable design of personal mobility as an environmentally friendly, space-saving and cost-effective alternative to the car and private bike . This offer significantly reduces the likelihood of a cyclist losing his vehicle due to theft . This offer is given additional importance by the plans of driving ban zones for motorized vehicles according to the fine dust regulation in various German cities.
functionality
The information offered by the stations is mainly operated and queried online. Interested persons can register via a website of the provider or directly in a customer office. When registering, for which a debit or credit card is usually required, a customer account is set up that the customer can access online and view their usage data. After activation, he can remove a bike from the stations and then use it. In some cases, the user receives a customer card for identification when borrowing.
The offer works via automated bicycle stations, which have a dense network in the city, often also at public transport stops, or with freely stationed bicycles. There are lockable parking spaces for the bicycles, which are connected to a central computer in real time. Each parking space has openings into which the bolts of the bicycle frame are inserted or, conversely, the bolts of the station into the corresponding opening of the bicycle. To remove a bicycle, the user must identify himself with his customer card / customer number at the "Service Access Terminal" and is shown the parking space number on the display, from which he can remove "his" bicycle. While he is walking to the parking space, an electromechanical locking device opens. Alternatively, a key code is displayed with which the lock can be unlocked. In stationless systems ( freefloater ), borrowed bicycles can be left standing; they can be located via GPS and registration takes place via the mobile phone.
Fees and Financing
During use, which is usually free for the first half an hour, the fee often rises disproportionately over time in order to motivate the user to return it quickly to a station after use. This is the only way to ensure frequent use of the bicycles . For the vast majority of users, however, the journey ends after half an hour free of charge.
Financing takes place either through city environmental taxes (e.g. income from parking space management or city center tolls ) or through permission to the operator to install outdoor advertising in the city or on the bicycles themselves. The user himself often only pays a very low annual fee. An exception to this is exclusive payment by the user at Call a Bike in some cities. The costs for the operator vary between 1500 and 3000 euros per bike and year, depending on the system.
(2011)
Success factors
Necessary factors
- (electronic) identification of the user
- high station and bike density → spontaneous and one-way trips
- high quality and reliable bikes
- uncomplicated and quick use of the service
- Entitlement to collect from the user's account for operators in the event of loss of the bicycle
- significant price advantage compared to other public and private means of transport for short distances
- Custom-made frames and components compared to standard bikes
- Adaptability to size and gender-specific clothing of different people
Support factors
- Traffic-calmed infrastructure ( cycle paths , 30 km / h zones , communal roads )
- suboptimal offer in local public transport
- climate
- Orography with small differences in altitude (gradient <4%)
- first start date at the beginning of the warm weather period
- Usage time limitation through progression tariff or time limit
Supraregional funding and evaluation
Bike rental systems are funded by the Austrian program klima: aktiv mobil . In April 2009, the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development initiated a model test to establish rental bike systems in cities and municipalities, which is scheduled to run from October 2009 to the end of 2012. Local public transport and bicycle traffic are to be better linked. The funding amounts to 10 million euros plus an additional 2.7 million euros for the integration of bicycles with electric pedal assistance ( pedelecs ).
An analysis and evaluation of European bike sharing systems is being undertaken as part of the European project Optimizing Bike Sharing (OBIS).
Environmental significance
The energy required to operate the muscle-powered bicycles comes 100% from renewable biomass ("muesli engine"). The energy and raw material expenditure for the production of a bicycle is much lower than with motorized means of transport.
Bicycles are an effective means of shifting the modal split in local passenger transport in a city in favor of sustainable modes of transport . From an economic perspective, the very low costs per amount of pollutant saved are interesting ( avoidance costs ). According to an estimate by the city council of Lyon, each of these rental bikes avoids around 500 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year or 0.19 kg of CO 2 / km while in Barcelona it is around 0.16 kg of CO 2 / km.
Comparisons
Bicycles can be used spontaneously, even if you used public transport, a car or inline skates to get there. The mode of transport chosen for the outward journey does not determine the mode of transport for the return journey.
So-called "sandwich traffic" is possible for commuters, which means arriving by rental bike or your own bike to a public transport stop, continuing by bus or train and, after arriving at the stop in the city, continuing your journey with the help of bike rental systems to the destination. However, the availability of a bicycle is not guaranteed. It must also be possible to return it at the destination.
With the range of bicycle rental systems, the city also offers the possibility of active movement instead of just being passively in buses, trains and cars. This physical activity is beneficial to health and can counteract a lack of exercise and obesity .
Ideally, the rental bikes are looked after and serviced by professional staff and are therefore roadworthy (brakes, lights). Another bike can be used in the event of a breakdown.
Comparison of bicycle rental systems and local public transport
So far, the bicycle rental systems have mostly been ordered by the city administration. Bicycle rental systems do not compete with conventional local public transport, as they are not suitable for large commuter flows and distances. On the contrary, they complement the fine-meshed development of an area where buses and trains would be organizationally and financially overwhelmed or are unattractive because of the need to change trains. Taking your own bike with you can hardly be considered an alternative worth mentioning in everyday commuter traffic due to the limited capacities of the well-used trains (with the exception of folding bikes). The TU Delft came to the conclusion that with optimal bicycle availability in pre- and post-transport, the number of kilometers traveled in regional public transport could be increased by another 14% in the already bicycle-loving Netherlands. "The greatest effect had the improved availability of the bike on the way from the stop to the destination."
In some cases, bike rental systems are even provided by public transport companies such as Smoove and Transdev. In Germany, Nextbike is the leading provider in Germany. In many cities, Nextbike offers bicycle rental systems on behalf of urban transport companies, e.g. B. the Cologne KVB bike and MVG bike in Munich.
Bike rental - own bike
A private bike with a good lock costs time and money to buy and maintain. With public bicycles, the user does not have to worry about maintenance. Acquisition and maintenance are z. Partly also covered by other sources of finance, so that the usage fees can be lower than the cost of your own bike.
Bike rental systems are tailored to specific usage profiles. This limits the versatility and availability of the bike. You can have your own bike at any time without restriction of use, but only in one place. The user must return to this location (for example, a stop) to use, while with a rental system he can also drive off at other locations (e.g., another stop). Many rental offers are only limited to the good weather season. In winter there are often no bikes available at all.
The network expansion has so far only been carried out in sub-areas of the large cities, especially only in the heavily frequented inner city areas. Residential areas are hardly developed. Door-to-door connections are therefore only possible in the city center. The remaining distances usually call into question the use of the rental bike or require additional means of transport (public transport). Furthermore, it cannot be guaranteed that a bicycle will also be available for the return trip.
The tariff structure for bicycle rental stations in the inner city promotes and often requires short-term use in the hourly range, which prevents longer journeys (e.g. day trips) or journeys to more distant destinations without a return station. No trips outside of the city are possible. Borrowing bike rentals, which are more touristic on day trips, is more organizational (opening times, return at the pick-up point, etc.)
One problem in many cities is the high theft rate , which means that people no longer buy another bike or buy a very inexpensive second-hand bike or an expensive folding bike or carry the bikes up to their homes in order to reduce the likelihood of theft to lower.
Conventional bicycles take up more parking space per kilometer traveled than public bicycles at the bicycle stations, similar to private cars compared to car sharing cars. At some focal points, e.g. B. Railway stations have very limited storage space for bicycles at peak times.
While a private bike is used by one person for an average of three trips a day, the public bike is used by several people for up to twelve trips a day. It covers about 10,000 km annually. The high utilization of a long-lasting bicycle leads to higher eco-efficiency . Rental bikes are regularly serviced and in a roadworthy condition. Nevertheless, a brake test and height adjustment of the saddle are always necessary before starting the journey. However, the bike cannot be completely adjusted to the rider (handlebar height, frame size). Individual adjustments e.g. B. Holders for panniers or child seats are not possible.
For use in recreational sports (mountain biking, cycling, racing bikes), rental bikes are not an alternative, but they can also be a supplement here, for example on vacation, if your own bike is not available.
history
Zero generation
Conventional staff-operated "bicycle rental", where bicycles with a lock are rented during limited opening times against leaving a deposit or personal document and can only be returned there after a minimum rental period.
- many Swiss cities,
- Train bikes and cooperation partners in Germany and the Netherlands,
- Beijing (exception: station network and annual flat rate, usage time limit?),
- many tourist cities and places worldwide
First generation
- 1965 White bicycles in Holland / Amsterdam as part of the White Plans of the Provo Movement, conventional bicycles, painted white without a lock or identification option for the user
- 1970s Bremen, municipal bicycle campaign, similar in Bern, Wedel, Koblenz ...
- since 1974 La Rochelle (France) Yellow bicycles at three stations as part of public transport
- often ABM or social projects that combine meaningful work, training and further education, sustainable transport and end-of-life bike recycling / repair
Second generation
- May 30, 1995 Copenhagen
- Deposit principle as with shopping carts (approx. 2 euros), but still without automatic user identification
- Partial financing through advertising,
- Custom-made frames and components to prevent theft of bikes and misuse as a "spare parts store" for private bikes
- robust, simple (solid rubber tires, no gear shift)
- no time limit for use,
- Network of 110 rental stations, thus geographical limitation
A very similar model is still in use in Helsinki during the warm season. This second generation model has also been in use in Aveiro (Portugal) since 2000. In Vienna, on the other hand, this model was unsuccessful and was replaced by a third generation model due to the high theft rate and lack of identification of the users.
-
Blue bicycle Chemnitz in the late 1990s – 200X?
- Magnetic card with reader for identification on the bike
- 12 stations,
- 40 wheels,
- Annual fee and deposit,
- no time-dependent rental fee or time limit
Third generation
- June 6, 1998 Rennes Adshell / Clear Channel
- automatic identification of the user for the first time
- high quality custom-made wheels
- uncomplicated loan process,
- free for two hours
- March 2000 "Call a bike" Munich
- Identification and transmission of the usage time via mobile phone
- high quality custom-made wheels
- Billing by credit card
- 2000 Singapore / Adshell similar to Rennes meanwhile discontinued
- 2000 Sandnes (Norway)
- electronic key,
- Identification,
- Advertising financing
- Cooperative principle
- independent system development
-
Burgos (Spain)
- independent system development
- Inclusion of pedelecs in bike sharing in cities or districts with difficult orography , such as in the Stuttgart pilot project. It is initially planned to increase the fixed price component ( flat rate , around 120 euros / year) in favor of a reduction in the usage-dependent part, with all the known problems of overloading the system.
Fourth generation
A bike sharing system without stationary infrastructure consists of a smart bike lock that is mounted in a suitable position on the bike frame. The user opens and closes the lock with an RFID customer card, via a mobile website or with an NFC smartphone. Available bikes can be located on a map using a mobile website (or app). The leading provider in Germany is Nextbike .
literature
- Wigand von Sassen: A comparison of public bike rental systems . Analysis, evaluation and development prospects. Ed .: University of Trier, Department VI - Applied Geography, Spatial Development and Regional Planning Department. Trier January 2009 ( difu.de [accessed on August 16, 2010]).
- Manfred Dworschak (2007): Vive la Vélorution in: Spiegel 2007 issue 44, pages 182f., Also online or in English .
- Groß, S./Stengel, N .: Rental vehicles in tourism: basics, business processes and market analysis , Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich 2010; therein chap. 9.2, pp. 201-209
See also
Web links
- Axel Veiel: Très chic on the bike. With the purchase of 10,000 rental bikes for Paris, the mayor created a trend - bikes are status symbols. In: Berliner Zeitung . November 7, 2007, p. 8 , accessed June 16, 2015 .
- Article about bicycle rental systems in the bicycle portal of the German Ministry of Transport
- Guide for cities to establish a Bike sharing program, EU financed Report on public bicycles
- “Der Stern”: A wheel revolution gets rolling September 18, 2007
- The Viennabike as a luxury
- Hack a Bike Article by the CCC on the security of the Call a Bike system against hacking
Individual evidence
- ↑ Call a Bike - Deutsche Bahn's rental bikes accessed on September 4, 2019
- ↑ rentabike.ch: bike rental in Switzerland
- ^ A b c d e Christian Klaus, Bike sharing - a building block for future mobility? in: Verkehrszeichen - For movement in the environmental association, 3/02, 18th year, July 2002, ISSN 0179-535X , p. 16.
- ↑ Mobility management for cities, municipalities and regions. (No longer available online.) Formerly in the original ; Retrieved May 19, 2009 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ BMVBS starts tendering - 10 million euros for public bike rental. (No longer available online.) BMVBS, formerly in the original ; Retrieved May 19, 2009 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Projects: OBIS - Optimizing Bike Sharing. Retrieved May 19, 2009 .
- ^ The Washington Post: Paris Embraces Plan to Become City of Bikes , March 24, 2007
- ^ Mobility service for bicycle traffic, diploma thesis by Christian Klaus at the Geography Department (Monheim) of the University of Trier, October 2001
- ↑ lavanguardia.es: El Bicing llega a los 60,000 inscritos en menos de tres meses ( Memento of July 5, 2007 in the Internet Archive ), July 2, 2007
- ↑ ExtraEnergy.org: Stuttgart pedelec model in two stages , June 2, 2008
