![oBike - Unlimited Free Rides for the Rest of November (Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide) [$0 Deposit Required]](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/14/342914.jpg?h=bfd35752)
For the rest of the month, oBike is offering unlimited free rides.
Competition is increasing, with the recent Australian launch of the other two big players, ofo and Mobike.
Edit (24/11): No deposits are required to rent a bike (credit to fancyman)
oBike - Unlimited Free Rides for the Rest of November (Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide) [$0 Deposit Required]
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There’s 12 of these things within 25m of my residential building. I’ve yet to see anyone use them.
got a welder? Join them all together
Anyone with a deal for the welder ?
Airtasker perhaps 🤔
https://www.techinasia.com/bluegogo-bluegonegone
seems like the scam is you take all the deposits from members and disappear with that money and all the venture capital.
valued at US$140 million after raising US$58 million and expanding to San Francisco and Sydney, holds tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars in deposits from its approximate 15 million users, which many now fear cannot be refunded.
It’s not a scam man. I just came back from beijing. Bluegogo had some issue with raising more money but if you have tried their bikes, they hve the best bikes out there. I got my deposit back.
There are like 4 other companies like that and all take deposit and does instant returns.
This.
Currently living in Sydney CBD…. I see someone riding A rent a bike/not an obike on average two times a day
Sydney isnt built fully for bikes and most people have their own bikes for casual riding
No. They don't want your money, they want your data. That's the business model.
And interest and your deposit (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-19/bike-share-schemes-eco… ). Maybe they could add a pedal powered bit-coiner miner to each bike.
But whatever the business model these are a good idea. A some pity people think it is acceptable to dump them or just push them over in disgust (http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/on-the… ).
So if ofo and mobike merge in future will they be named mofobike
Moofo bike
Muh-fuggabike.
hahaha lmao..well played sir/mam
👨😏👍
I imagine Buswell goes around sniffing those seats
That is why it’s not free in WA
No stress, Troy is the master of the free sniff
Poor Yarra River.
Still can´t believe how many idiots live in Melbourne.
Einstein: "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
I certainly wouldn't do that, but these bikes are a menace cluttering up the footpaths. People just seem to drop them on the ground and walk off. The companies should be held responsible for how they are parked; the councils should charge them rent and get proper bike parking areas set up.
I think it's more likely non-users knocking them over either accidentally or on purpose or it's the wind.
@sween64: the fact that people can do that shows there is a problem in the way this is run. There needs to be a proper parking area, like there is for blue bikes, so the footpaths aren't cluttered with these bikes.
Yep that would be helpful, painted areas or sever 100s of bike parking rings. It would be a big capital/labor cost to do this around city so maybe they focused on the busiest places first.
Have a rule like if there is a dedicated spot within 20m you must park there or get fined.The whole point of dockless system is you can go anywhere, and the point of bike sharing is they are everywhere. So basically a much more efficient way when before, walking was only option. If it's docked and freedom reduced, it's much less direct than walking so a hassle, and also more complicated route and overall time reductions not as good.
I think I read that in western/European countries for the bikes to pay themselves off, they have to be used several times a day, probably much more than 3x.
Councils should charge rent for ANYTHING using public space. In particular PRIVATE CARS parked in the street. Get rid of all the private cars taking up all the public space and there’s plenty of space for cafes, playgrounds and community activities. The “problem” of bikes taking up space is minuscule compared to the very real problem of the amount of space dedicated to private cars.
@BagsinMotion: Don't know if you have looked lately, but councils do charge parking for a lot of private cars. They either have parking meters or you pay through your council rates for a permit and there are lots of parking garages where you pay. Also, you don't see a lot of cars clogging up the footpath, whilst people are trying to walk down it or parked anywhere they like in the middle of the road and left in the way of others. I'm not talking about docking stations, per se, I'm talking about set areas - and there can be multiple of them in a street. if someone can't walk half a km to find a bike then they probably don't have the energy to ride one either. I am all for having hire bikes available, what I am not for is them being dumped whever the rider thinks is OK.
Private cars pay:
- Rego
- Tax on Petrol
- Parking is not free anywhere in areas you find these bike schemes.obikes polute the environment. They are dirt cheap and there is no incentive for the operator
or the users to make sure they don't end in on our beaches, rivers, oceans, parks, ….Many pulled out of th yarra or the bay every day and I have seen many users take them on the beach
and then decide to leave them there in the sand and take other transport home….This is not a problem if people use their own bikes or with the Melbourne blue bikes that
need to be left in their station.All roads will eventually end up under a GPS tracking system with road occupancy time and distance tolls.
@try2bhelpful: I think we're vaguely agreeing with each other here.
councils charge for "a lot", but not all … yes it differs between councils and inner/outer suburbs but the amount invested in infrastructure for private cars is way out of proportion to the amount those private cars pay for the privilege. How much does land cost? Small, inner city blocks say $1-2m? Rent for a house/room? Yet a car parking meter is $ small. This is all our taxes, all our regos etc … subsidising private cars.
cars clogging up the footpath … leaving aside that you do quite often see that, let's just imagine if the carpark spaces weren't there … and instead we had wider footpaths, more playgrounds etc … public funds used to build public spaces that we can all use
"I'm talking about set areas" … agree, build infrastructure to encourage forms of transport other than private cars
@BagsinMotion: Look, I am pro bike. Which is why I want these things to be managed in a responsible fashion. My council charges an arm and a leg for rates and the parking consists of lines painted at the side of the roads, parking meters and the occassional grey ghost to issue fines. I don't think there is much comparable "cost" involved there. The roads would be necessary for travel whether it was private transport, public transport, bike riding or walking. Also, a private bike company is making a profit using footpaths and roads paid for with my taxes as well. I would also be careful talking about subsidised costs, given the money that is spent on bicycle paths compared to section of the population using them.
My personal view is beef up public transport to make it easier for people to travel around and people walk from there. Create super catchment areas at certain stations and create express trains to bring them into the city. Make it more expensive to drive into the city by putting a levy on inner parking. Certainly put a train to the airport, God we can be hicks in Melbourne. We have our own car, because we visit friends further out, take the cats to the vet, pick up heavy things from Bunnings, etc and a car is convenient but we would be lucky to drive it more than a couple of times a week.
Setting aside additional areas for "people" is a tad tricky. The sides of roads, particularly in shopping strips, is only useful if you intend to extend the area for restaurants. Nobody wants play areas next to traffic. Swanston St and Bourke St in Melbourne are great, but they still have trams, bike riders and delivery guys running down them. Like everyone else, some bike riders and great and some are a complete pains in the arse. I find bike riders a lot more inconvenient when I'm walking as they are less likely to follow road rules.
In the "older" parts of places we visited in France it was very civilised; cars and people mingled on the streets and the cars moved at a slow pace to reduce injures, but there was a lot less traffic in these areas as well. These were places built up when everyone just walked everywhere and their public transport system is much better.
I would dispute the "often see cars clogging up the footpath" bit. I have seen A LOT more bicycles clogging up footpaths than cars. You see the occassional car parked across a driveway but not that often. When I walk down Brunswick or Smith Sts there are many bikes, some well parked some definitely not. A well parked bike is not my issue, one strewn across the footpath is.
Fitzroy surrounds have great open spaces, there is Fitroy Gardens, Carlton Gardens and small "green" areas dotted around. Many of them have little play grounds as well. If I had a child I would be taking it there, not an intermingled street.
I have just come from the Latin Festival in Johnston St. Blocked off road, really good time had by all. (Glad I had my umbrella yesterday). The point was it was blocked off to everyone but foot traffic you didn't have mingled walking and bikes like you do down South Bank - the number of cyclists that just hare through there without thought to the fact that a small child might run in front of them is frightening.
Pro responsible bike - YES. Pro bike without thought to other users of the area - NO.
@try2bhelpful: I have worked for the government including also on planning issues. If you think street side parking spot cost is mainly about blue lines and maintaining the meters you are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Overall - people are stupid, maybe even evil, that's why we can't have nice things :(
@ripprind: How about giving us the rest of the iceberg associated with parking; I am actually genuinely interested. Particularly if you can indicate what the additional costs are over just maintaining the road for general traffic.
I don't vandalise bikes but we have moved more than one out of the way because they were parked in places that weren't appropriate. God knows how disabled people deal with this gauntlet; particularly people with mobility or vision issues. I agree we can't have nice things, but that is often because the people setting these things up are only interested in their own profit and not how there product will affect the people who also use the environment. As I have said, repeatedly, through this thread, setup defined areas to park the bikes. The council can charge a fee and then put in proper bike furniture rather than have them lying on the ground. The council can then impound any of these groups bikes that is found outside these areas.
I don't think most people are inherently stupid or evil - I think they are generally annoyed, lazy or thoughtless. Some people are sociopaths and think their "rights" subvert others, but most people genuinely want to get along. Order is preferable over chaos.
I have just come from the Latin Festival in Johnston St.
Years ago i was on a tram heading north on Brunswick St passing that very festival, massive crowd, and the tram slowed right down, and the driver broadcast the following:
On zee lehft, we have zee pit bull. Zee pit bull never let go! Zat why pit bull so dangerous!
Sure enough, on the left, within the mass of people, a pit bull had a lap dog by the throat with people pulling each in all kinds of directions. Funny and horrendous at the same time.
Respect to Melb tram drivers!
@AngryChicken: yeah, let's not get into some dogs and their owners. I try not to generalise though. My niece has a staffy and it is beautifully natured and soppy. However, it is rubbish as a guard dog too, which she found out one day.
The problem is generally the owners and it is usually the dogs that suffers. The Pit Bull would probably have been put down and the poor lap dog would've had some serious surgery, provided it survived the attack.
@try2bhelpful: "just maintaining for general traffic" imo includes two wrong assumptions. It implies the costs are small and also that parking is traffic when parking on public streets actually take road away from traffic.
Publik infrastructure,(publik)investment and traffic/city planning are all very interesting and vast subjects with no one answer (hence different political parties).
It's not the forum to and im not going to go into the cost of publik infrastructure, the initial investment, running costs and return on investment, money/time lost due to traffic. While also taking into consideration investments postponed or cancelled due to budget constraints aso.
It's really too complicated for me to cover in a forum post. I have only a general understanding of the subject, many people dedicate their life to studying this. If you are genuinely interested then there is heaps of information online, starting from articles all the way to free online courses on the subject.- in most cases parking fees are more about social engineering and user turnover.
It's a car country. The pedestrians & bikes are 2nd priority. No Gov strategy for bikes.
Looks like Luddites destroying machines.Hmmm, not so much for inner city Melbourne - it is mainly public transport. As indicated above - my view is that the Council's should put in bike park areas and charge the bike companies a fee for them to put their bikes there, if they just leave them lying around then they can be collected and either returned for a fee or trashed. For the bikes - Tag them, track them, park them responsibly and maintain them. Otherwise it is just like shopping trollies left in random places - a damn great nuisance.
yeah these bikes are heavy and if you find a locked one it would be a fair bit of work to move move it to the river edge and throw it into the water ….. there are better things to do with that amount of energy and motivation that would have a positive outcome on your life.
not sure what has better job creation potential ….. adani mine bank rolled by tax payers or bike share bank rollled by the share holders.
i have no problem with bike share as it’s funded with other people’s money, just don’t like obike because they are heavy and no gears and bit small for an 183cm tall person.
we have the blue bikes in melbourne which are managed by the racv and need to be docked but only seemed to be rented by tourists.
Yep, because tourists are more likely to be ok ended up coming back to the same place, or a station that's near a station or major area.
Problem is average people, bikes are used if public transport doesn't reach there, so they originally had to walk. So it's really about the destination to all sorts of individual destinations they need to go, supermarket, their tax agent.
Can I ride both?
Yes, you may. As long as you wear a helmet.
Awesome, thank you!
From what I understand, these bikes have no gears…..and like all these bike share's, only random bikes seem to have helmets
Some providers do supply bikes with gears. Never seen a bike without helmet so far.
Other providers have gears, but not oBike.
Correct.
Seen plenty of bikes in Melbourne CBD and suburbs with no helmets; and the occasional bike with no seats…
What I can't understand is the lack of respect the public shows the bikes/company. I'm not sure why all the hate is directed at the company.Correct.
Taking up public space, clutter.
You can't just set up a business on public space, pay no rental etc
It works in some areas around the world… those areas there are an agreement between the councils/cities.
They're not just dumped anywhere
They want them to be dockless but dont want the responsibility
It's a cultural problem. Others respect priority of pedestrians/bikes.
AU is a car country. The pedestrians & bikes are 2nd priority. No Gov strategy for bikes.
Looks like Luddites destroying machines.
Compare our attitudes vs Japan. We are primitive stage.
We are primitive stage.
Really? Pick up a history book. Read it. Then come back here and say that….
no pint stealing the seat, they’re are a non standard tube size so you can’t reuse on other bikes unless you invest a lot of time and have tools.
We are primitive stage.
Explains our train networks, "NBN", brown outs in capital cites, boasting about high house prices, etc
helmets are the challenge for bike share ….. by law you need a helmet and if the bike doesn’t have one because precious ,renter took the helmet then unless you have your own bike is unlikely to be rented.
no helmet laws in asia ….. rent the bike ….. ride it ….. leave it.
it will get to point where people leave the helmets .
Mobike have released different types of bikes in their other cities. Some have gears and cost a bit more than those that don't.
Me greenie me agree they take public space no pay foad.
is this because people should each have their own bike?
From what i hear these bikes are left here there and everywhere around the city. Not a good business idea.
The business idea is brilliant, some low-lives are the problem.
Yup - some people have to ruin it for the rest of us.
Mobike will pay you to move them to more desirable locations if they have been unused for too long (2 days I believe).
they will dont worry.
they already look like landfill
You’ve used the word ‘landfill’ in the wrong context three times now. I’m not sure if you know what landfill is…
these bikes
landfill
noun
1.
the disposal of waste material by burying it, especially as a method of filling in and reclaiming excavated pitswrong context.
You're dodging the real statement here, which is that you're using "landfill" in the wrong context 4 times already, including the fact that a definition was listed here though you still cling onto your ignorance by replying with a worthless insult.
hope they do end up like that …… job creation that tax payers don’t have to fund and doesn’t involve corporate tax cuts.
properly managed ……. these things can create jobs and cut down on congestion. and with the size of some inner city apartments space for a bike can be a challenge.
I never tried before. But this time I will try
Although its free again, won't be using it anytime soon. My legs hurt after 5 mins using the bike.
pedal with your hands
i had the same problem, the seat wouldn’t go high enough so that i could extend my legs properly , has to do with frame size, i’m 183 cm tall, own several bikes which fit me and never a problem …… but thought i’d try an obike ….. several in my area have broken locks so didn’t have to sign up.
I used them only a handful of times in the past fortnight from this deal https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/339126 for short trips to/from a couple of high density popular suburban train stations in Sydney like Burwood and Strathfield and it beats walking even though oBike doesn't have gears (would be big drawback drawback in hilly terrain), their breaks seem very good. Finding a helmet is hit and miss. Maybe people keep/steal them. One time, I had to liberate/pinch one from another parked bike.
I saw the news said there've been many sick people damage these bikes on purpose, how sick they are!
The idea of this type of business is introducing a philosophy of living a healthy and environmental friendly life rather than making big money from the riders.
Stop the sick behavior, people!
Concept is good, taking advantage of public land is not. Imagine of everyone just started setting up businesses on public land everywhere
I believe the company behind this business pays the government certain amount of tax for using public land, otherwise everyone else can start up a similar business very easily.
Its culture, too many feral people here who have no manners or respect. The people who damage the bikes are the same type of people who clip their nails in public transport, eat and dump food on public transport chairs or even vandalised public transport.
According to your logic, we can leave any rubbish on public transport, because someone will clean up the mess for you, right?
you need to be re-educated
obike not good enviroment me no legs wheelchair cant get shops cant get train cant get dealer obike hit all time make angry foad.
The philosophy behind these companies is little to do with health. It's "big data". The venture capitalists funding these companies are doing it to build up masses of GPS data showing where people go, for how long, what days, etc etc. This data is then worth incredible amounts of money to other companies and they will on-sell it or have spin off businesses. That's the business model.
One of these companies has had over $1 billion injected by venture capitalists, the other something like $900 million. This isn't for health. It's for data dominance via that little GPS tracker attached to the bike.
I read somewhere that in some other places the bikes are free to ride. The data is worth so much that they don't care if they miss out on a few bucks when people are riding. by making the bikes free they get the most customers and therefore the most tracking data.
Wonder what sort of days theyre getting? Lots of people riding to the park, staying there indefinitely and then piling pioneer on top of another or staying up in a tree? They probably think we're primitive. 😀
Doubt it. There are easier cheaper ways to track phone owners like providing free wifi.
If CBD movement data was so valuable people would be setting up camera networks with face/object tracking.How is providing free wifi all over the city cheaper? That sounds very difficult and expensive - especially if you're not a telco to begin with.
And I'm not so sure on the legalities of setting up cameras all over the city to track peoples faces.
Obike yes. Mobike no.
Mobike actually partner with the authorities (councils etc) and get allocated space to put them. They then give the data back to the authorities so they can use them to plan better infrastructure.
They also partner with companies and use space and on their land too. The customer then gets rewards for parking in the companies spaces in the form of discounts.
In case anyone is wondering how they make money… it's by selling your location data amongst other things.
If they don't sell my private photos, I will just let it go ;)
They make money collect deposit no make normal money they spend fortune put bike everywhere up my nose hate obike foad.
Here Bluegogo do this foad.uber is worse not only tracks where you go but also what you eat ……
most people already freely give information to google via their android phone because they receive a benefit …. this is no different.
use a prepaid credit card from post office and fake name if you are wanting to remain anonymous, if it’s too much effort than don’t bother.
I thought it was against the law to dump hard rubbish.
do you still need to wear a helmet to ride a bike in vic? if so pass…
Most of these end up in the Yarra in Melbourne! I'm not a fan of the landfill!
the number in the yarra is actually very small compared to how many are in the street ….. headline grabbing.
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They seem desperate.