Aberdeen’s ebike hire initiative has finally rolled out, but is it any good? Here, P&J transport journalist Kieran Beattie puts the scheme through its paces.
I’ve been commuting using the Aberdeen ebikes as much as possible since they launched almost three weeks ago, and during that time I’ve learned a lot of lessons about using them — some of them the hard way.
From problems with the app to figuring out the finances, it’s safe to say the initiative isn’t the easiest to get to grips with.
Especially if you’re an inexperienced cyclist like me.
But after getting used to the system, I’ve found it to be a fun and quick way of getting around Aberdeen, albeit an expensive one using the current pay-as-you-go model.
Here are the top five things I’ve learned using Aberdeen’s Big Issue eBikes hire scheme so far
1. Make sure you check the app before you set off
I’ve been testing out the scheme by cycling from the West End area of Aberdeen to the Press and Journal’s offices at Broad Street, a journey I usually take by foot.
Most of the time, I’ve been picking up one of the ebikes outside Gilcomston Church, across the road from Charles Michie’s pharmacy on Union Street, and swiftly cycling east along the Granite Mile to work.
The journey is usually a breeze, I just unlock one of the bikes, and then I’m at work just five minutes later (and my bank account usually £1.60 lighter).
But on a few mornings when I’ve been in a rush, I’ve not checked my app in advance, and when I arrived at my usual pick-up spot, I’ve found there were just no bikes available.
So, before you set off, it’s always a good idea to check your phone and see if there are any little red ebike icons showing there are indeed bikes ready for you to ride or you could end up late for work like me.
But even if you do find a bike ready to go, there are other pitfalls to watch out for…
2. Be prepared for the occasional bugs with the ebike hire scheme’s software and hardware
The Big Issue eBikes app that you must install on your phone to unlock, ride and pay for the Aberdeen ebike hire scheme is mostly straightforward to use.
But I’ve come across all sorts of bugs over my weeks of using it.
On one occasion, the app would refuse to allow me to take out one of the ebikes, as it insisted someone else was using it… despite it sitting right in front of me, ready for use.
And on another occasion, the ebike unlocked but seemingly didn’t switch on.
This ended up leaving me with a sweaty, strenuous cycle to work that finished with the alarm sounding from the bike on Schoolhill, me checking my app, and the software telling me the rental never started, and my ebike locking up.
But when I started it up again, I found it was suddenly giving me full power.
Thankfully, I somehow wasn’t charged for the power-less journey.
I must note that these strange errors were only on the minority of my cycles, and most of them were problem-free.
The app itself has an error reporting function so the Big Issue eBike crew can identify any problems and get them fixed up as soon as possible.
3. Plan your route and think about the problems you could face
Before using the Big Issue eBikes, the last time I cycled was years and years ago, but that was brought to a stop after someone stole my pushbike.
I foolishly thought that with the extra electric power you get on an ebike, getting around the city centre of Aberdeen would be a breeze, but I was very wrong.
On my first day, I collected a bike closer to home than Union Street, determined to make my commute’s start and end points as close to my front door and the office as I could.
Then I ended up sitting held up in sluggish traffic at the junction between Holburn Street and Union Street.
For ages.
So long in fact, taking the ebike to work took me 15 minutes… a journey that I’ve timed on foot to take 18 minutes! Definitely not worth it.
Instead, I’ve found much more success planning my route out by walking past the Holburn traffic jams, and getting on my bike at Gilcomston Church instead.
Aside from traffic woes, another factor to watch out for is the quality of road surfaces, and figuring out if there’s a smoother way to your destination.
I found this one out the hard way taking one of the ebikes along the some of the more cobbled streets in the city like the Spital in Old Aberdeen. Ouch!
4. Expect to say ‘How much?!’ after almost every ride
It’s no secret that the Aberdeen ebike rental scheme is quite expensive using the only available payment option that exists right now, which is pay-as-you-go.
You get charged £0.60 to unlock the bikes, then you get a free minute in case of any problems, and then £0.20 a minute afterwards.
When you’re talking about pence instead of pounds, at first it may seem cheap, but I can tell you now the costs very quickly stack up.
With good fortune and green lights, my typical commute from Gilcomston Church to Broad Street takes five minutes, and costs me £1.60.
But when I’ve not been so lucky and hit a few red lights, it’s been £1.80.
If you’re going to use it daily, to and from work, you’re then looking at costs of at least £3.20 every day for your commute.
When I’ve been on the bikes and they’ve been working as intended, I’ve found myself really enjoying the journey.
But, I’ve also found myself weighing up the benefits of using them against just simply walking to and from work with the prices as they are right now to use.
The operators Big Issue eBikes intend to start a subscription-based model next year once it gets data on the kind of journeys people are taking, so we will have to wait and see if that becomes a more affordable option for people wanting to use them frequently like myself.
5. Make sure your seat and safety are sorted before you cycle!
One thing I have definitely noticed riding the ebikes, is that I may be the only person in Aberdeen using a helmet when I’m riding them.
It may be a bit of a faff to have to take a helmet out and about with you, but it’s a crucial step to make sure you get to your destination in one piece — especially given how hair-raising it can be to cycle around the city centre.
Another important factor I’ve found for comfortable journeys is making sure my seat is the right height.
The ebikes are used by all sorts of people, most of them a lot shorter than me.
Before you go to adjust your seat height with the little black clip beneath it, make sure you unlock your bike properly with the app first, and wait until you hear an audible chime from the bike saying it’s ready (along with its lights turning on, which also indicate the start of a rent).
Lesson learned the other night when trying to adjust one of the ebike seats before starting the ride… the alarm went off! 🔊🔊🔊 pic.twitter.com/D6dfv4MO2e
— Kieran Beattie (@KNBeattie) November 28, 2022
If you don’t, then expect to hear the alarm sounding from the bike, and some confused looks from passers by who may think you’re trying to steal it.
So is the Aberdeen ebike hire scheme worth it?
I think the initiative has a great deal of potential, and the technology itself is a real joy to use (when it works), as it makes tackling the steeper hills of Aberdeen a breeze.
Aside from a few technological problems with the app and sometimes the bikes, my experience with the Big Issue eBikes has been a positive one, and if you’ve not given it a go yet, I would definitely recommend you taking one out for a spin at least once (with a helmet!).
But right now, the price point is my biggest concern around the project.
If we as a society want to shift towards using more sustainable methods of transport like ebikes, then they need to be an affordable alternative for everyone.
I hope the subscription pricing model, once it is revealed, will help more people get on board.
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