In the virtual world, we sometimes encounter reactions from people claiming that bike-sharing is being banned, causing inconvenience, or being expensive. However, we know that these are just rumors that do not reflect reality. Bike-sharing is a fantastic service and a great way to get around the city. There are still many myths circulating around it, and we want to clarify and set the record straight on the most common ones.
Cities do not ban shared bikes
One of the biggest myths about shared bikes is that cities ban them and fight against bikesharing. In fact, cities around the world actively support bikesharing and try to promote it as a cleaner, cheaper, and healthier alternative to individual car transportation. The evidence instead of promises: In 2019, we started with nextbike in 3 cities, in 2020 we were already riding in 17 cities, and this year we will exceed the 30-city mark.
Shared bikes only get in the way on the streets
Every nextbiker knows that bikes are only returned to official stations that are strategically placed so as not to get in the way. However, there are situations where bikes remain outside the station. That’s when our service technicians come into play, transporting and organizing the bikes to minimize their presence on sidewalks or other areas. We also positively motivate our users to maintain order and reward anyone who returns a poorly parked bike to an official station with ride credits.
Shared bikes are often in a terrible condition
This is one of the myths that has made more than one service technician cry. At nextbike, we place great emphasis on ensuring that our bikes are always in good condition, and our service technicians regularly perform thorough maintenance and servicing. If you notice something wrong with the bike before or during your ride, just let us know, and we’ll take care of its repair.
I can’t rent a bike without a smartphone
Users can register not only through the app but also via the web and rent bikes by phone through our voice automation, even if they don’t have a smartphone. It’s easy: you call our customer line from the phone number with which you registered with us and tell the voice automation the bike number you want to remotely rent. You can then end the rental by returning the bike to any official station.
Bikesharing is only for the young
Shared bikes are for everyone, from students to seniors. Bikes are designed to be easily usable by everyone, regardless of their physical condition or experience with cycling. Seniors will appreciate that they can rent nextbike without a smartphone.
The service is too expensive
When you calculate how much money you would spend on gasoline, parking, and car maintenance, the price of renting a bike is completely negligible. Plus, thanks to the support of cities, you can ride almost everywhere for 15 minutes for free, and you can earn additional free minutes by using partner bonuses, such as pairing your nextbike account with Lítačka, Multisport, or ODIS.
So, do you already believe that bikesharing is a great choice for anyone looking for an efficient, sustainable, and affordable means of transportation? Try nextbike and discover the city from a new perspective!
