http://www.hourbike.com/mysitecaddy/site3/locuklincolnhome.htm.
Although I live thirty miles from Lincoln, I have had my eye on thee bikes for a while. Also, I have had a bus pass for four years and never used it. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I had joined the hire scheme a while back, having deposited £5 in the account. Terms of hire are; first half hour free. Then its £1 an hour up to a max of £4 for any one day.
I took the 9.00 AM bus from Boston to Lincoln, normally a journey of 33 miles. The bus however takes a devious route through numerous villages and hamlets, and takes one and three quarter hours for the trip. This was my first trip as a bus passenger since I was at school, although back in the 1970s, I had a PSV license and did a bit of casual bus driving.
It was a laid back sort of trip, sort of relaxing if you were not in a hurry. We had about ten stops en route, and much of the time the bus was less than half full.I chose to sit at the back, so I could take the odd stealth vape.I desisted when the bus was nearly full on the last leg. The bus was quite modern, and was clean. The bus finally arrived at 10.45 AM.
Hiring the bike from the auto docking system. One has to type in a membership number and a pin number on a keypad which appears on a tiny screen. Very hard to see in bright sunlight. I finally managed it with help from a nearby taxi driver. Time to check out the bike.
The bikes have a stepthrough frame, and a shaft drive system, so no chain, and no need for trouser clips. There is a three speed hubgear, and totally enclosed hub brakes, which appear to be a type of band brake, as used on those cheap electric scooters. There is a useful front rack to carry your bag, this has a sort of captive elastic strap. The plastic mudguards almost enclose the whole of the upper half of the wheels. See photo on website linked above.
THINGS I LIKED.
the mudgards
the shaft drive
the adjustable seat
bike steered and handled reasonably well.
tyres were reasonably well inflated
THINGS I DISLIKED
wide draggy tyres
bike was quite heavy
the step through frame was bit too flexy
The brakes seemed pathetic compared to the V brakes I am used to- only just barely adequate.
A combination lock was supplied, and the number appeared very briefly on the tiny screen. You would need good eyesight and a pen, and I had neither. The bike was OK for the five mile journey I used it for. I did not feel that I would have wanted to ride it for more than ten miles though. Overall I would give it 7.5 out of 10. OK as port in a storm, but no substitute for your own optimised bike of your choice.
All in all I enjoyed the road test and the bus journey home. I was well tired. Bus journeys, [or hire bikes] are a tiring experience.
Although I live thirty miles from Lincoln, I have had my eye on thee bikes for a while. Also, I have had a bus pass for four years and never used it. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I had joined the hire scheme a while back, having deposited £5 in the account. Terms of hire are; first half hour free. Then its £1 an hour up to a max of £4 for any one day.
I took the 9.00 AM bus from Boston to Lincoln, normally a journey of 33 miles. The bus however takes a devious route through numerous villages and hamlets, and takes one and three quarter hours for the trip. This was my first trip as a bus passenger since I was at school, although back in the 1970s, I had a PSV license and did a bit of casual bus driving.
It was a laid back sort of trip, sort of relaxing if you were not in a hurry. We had about ten stops en route, and much of the time the bus was less than half full.I chose to sit at the back, so I could take the odd stealth vape.I desisted when the bus was nearly full on the last leg. The bus was quite modern, and was clean. The bus finally arrived at 10.45 AM.
Hiring the bike from the auto docking system. One has to type in a membership number and a pin number on a keypad which appears on a tiny screen. Very hard to see in bright sunlight. I finally managed it with help from a nearby taxi driver. Time to check out the bike.
The bikes have a stepthrough frame, and a shaft drive system, so no chain, and no need for trouser clips. There is a three speed hubgear, and totally enclosed hub brakes, which appear to be a type of band brake, as used on those cheap electric scooters. There is a useful front rack to carry your bag, this has a sort of captive elastic strap. The plastic mudguards almost enclose the whole of the upper half of the wheels. See photo on website linked above.
THINGS I LIKED.
the mudgards
the shaft drive
the adjustable seat
bike steered and handled reasonably well.
tyres were reasonably well inflated
THINGS I DISLIKED
wide draggy tyres
bike was quite heavy
the step through frame was bit too flexy
The brakes seemed pathetic compared to the V brakes I am used to- only just barely adequate.
A combination lock was supplied, and the number appeared very briefly on the tiny screen. You would need good eyesight and a pen, and I had neither. The bike was OK for the five mile journey I used it for. I did not feel that I would have wanted to ride it for more than ten miles though. Overall I would give it 7.5 out of 10. OK as port in a storm, but no substitute for your own optimised bike of your choice.
All in all I enjoyed the road test and the bus journey home. I was well tired. Bus journeys, [or hire bikes] are a tiring experience.
