Our step-by-step guide to Aberdeen’s new ebike hire scheme

By Kieran Beattie

November 9 2022, 5:03 pm

Join P&J reporter Kieran Beattie as he takes you through the process of renting an Aberdeen ebike from start to finish. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson.

The new Aberdeen ebike hire scheme has finally launched this week, but what’s the process for renting one?

Around 200 bikes have been put in place at around 40 pick up and drop off locations all across Aberdeen as part of an initial roll-out.

Around 200 of the Big Issue eBikes will be rolled out initially this week. Image: Wullie Marr/DC Thomson.

Unlike many ebike hire projects, the Granite City’s one has no physical infrastructure where the vehicles are plugged into or locked to — instead, it is entirely virtual.

So how does it work?

Here’s our step-by-step guide to hire an ebike in Aberdeen

You need to first download the app before you can start the process to hire an Aberdeen ebike. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson.

Before you do anything, first, you need to install the Big Issue eBike app on your phone.

Here is the link to download it on the Apple Store, and here is the download link for the Google Play store.

Once you have installed it, you need to set up your personal information and enter add payment card details.

Once you’ve installed the Aberdeen ebike hire app, it’s time to find your ebike!

When you first open up the app, it will tell you where your nearest ebike is, how far away it is, and roughly how long it will take to get there.

Here’s what the map view within the app looks like. It shows all the ebikes available in each of the black blocky zones across the city. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

Each of the Aberdeen ebikes has its own individual name.

In our case, the nearest bike to the P&J offices was named Lucy, and it was located across the road on Broad Street, next to a couple of other bikes.

It wasn’t the longest of journeys to find our nearest ebike on Broad Street. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

You can either click “locate bike” for directions on how to get to your ebike of choice, or, you can press the map icon at the bottom of the map and see where it is using your phone’s map technology.

You’ve found your bike, now what?

After you’ve found your ebike, it’s time to unlock it.

Once you’ve found your bike, you have a bit of fiddling about to do first with the app before you can get going. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

The vehicles won’t move unless they have been unlocked, so press the “unlock” button on the main screen on your app, in the panel with the ebike’s name.

Once the bike is unlocked, you’ll hear an audible chime coming from it. Make sure the names correspond, such as we have here, with Lucy written on the bike, and Lucy on the app. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

After this, the app will switch your phone’s camera.

There are QR codes on the handlebars and the rear wheel of each of the bikes.

Once you scan it with your phone camera, the ebike will unlock, and you can start your drive.

You can see the QR code on the handlebars at the top of this image. We had to be careful with this photograph, because the phone app scans the QR code very swiftly. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

Be careful though, as the clock will start ticking as soon as the code is scanned, and in our experience it picked up the QR code very easily — perhaps too easily, some might say!

Time to take your Aberdeen ebike for a spin!

Once it’s unlocked, you’re free to start cycling wherever you want.

But before you go, remember and put on a helmet for safety.

Make sure you wear a helmet while using the ebikes. Safety first! Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

Cyclists using the ebikes will be charged £0.60 to unlock, then be given a free minute (in case of any errors), and £0.20 a minute afterwards.

A 10-minute journey will cost £2.40, and it will put you back £4.40 for a 20-minute hire.

The rental cost per bicycle is capped at £12 for up to 12 hours, and there is a £3 deposit which is returned once the rent is finished.

When you’ve finished your cycle, you need to take your bike to one of the around 40 pick up and drop off points around Aberdeen.

You can only pick up or drop off rental ebikes within certain zones shown on a map in the app. Here, a parking zone on Schoolhill is highlighted. Image: Big Issue eBikes.

These are shown on the map in the app with black blocks on top of the city’s streets.

If you are not within the boundaries of one of these zones, you cannot finish your cycle and leave your bike.

While riding the ebikes, you can lock it temporarily using the app during the middle of a rental session.

You can easily pause the ride in the app if you need to step away for a minute. This is lock the bike temporarily while you pick up a coffe or run errands! #Aberdeen #BikingForGood #BigIssueeBikes #MicroMobility #EcoTravel pic.twitter.com/07I3XuGPZq

— BigIssue eBikes (@BigissueE) November 28, 2022

This will not stop the costs however, it will only lock the bike, and you will continue to be charged until you complete the rental.

How to successfully return your Aberdeen ebike after you’ve finished

When you reach your destination, (in our example, where we started), look for other ebikes and position your one next to them. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

The electric bikes in the Aberdeen initiative must be put back safely and responsibly at the end of your cycle.

It is a good idea to look for other Big Issue eBikes in the area, and put your bike next to them with the kickstand up, so it stands by itself.

Once it’s in position take your phone and press the square stop button at the bottom.

When you’re finished and your bike is parked up, first press the square stop button… Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

Then, press the end ride button.

Clicking the end ride button. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

You will then be prompted to press a final button saying finish your ride.

Yep, there’s no doubt that the app is a little bit tricky at first. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

After this, you will need to submit a photograph of your bike, to show the operators it has been left at its location in a responsible manner.

Make sure your photograph shows the bike safely and responsibly stored. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

And then you’re done!

Easy as that! It will take some getting used to, but once you’ve tried it once the process is as easy as… riding a bike. Image: Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

Why has the Aberdeen ebike hire scheme been introduced, what has it got to do with the Big Issue, and what’s the future of the scheme?

You can find out the answer to all of these questions and more with our comprehensive article on the launch of the Aberdeen ebikes, featuring an interview with the CEO of Big Issue eBikes, by clicking here.

What are they actually like to ride? Here are the thoughts of the author of this article after taking one of the bikes for a spin:

I took one of the rentable Aberdeen ebikes for a spin up to Seaton Park to test it out for myself, here are my initial thoughts. (Not to self, do not cycle on cobbles!!) @BigissueE pic.twitter.com/s5C0CKgpOZ

— Kieran Beattie (@KNBeattie) November 9, 2022