Here is Spokies' reply to my tweet:


There aren't currently plans for a kiosk in Film Row, but it's certainly at the top of our list when the program expands in 2013

I listened to a brief update on Spokies this morning. Bullet points (some of which have probably been previously reported here):

- It's not a bike rental program, it's a bike sharing program (people are still confused, thinking they can walk up and rent a bike for a short ride)
- Memberships are $5/day, $20/month or $75/year, plus user fees of $0 if used < 30 minutes, $2 for each additional 30 minutes, with a max fee of $75 per day
- Unless you don't bring the bike back in 48 hours, which will cost you $500
- There are 95 bikes in 6 stations, with the 7th station planned for Automobile Alley
- OUHSC has expressed an interest in bike sharing (unclear if it would be their own or in conjunction with Spokies)
- When record temperatures subsided, they were experiencing just under 1,000 rides per month (they didn't mention goals or expectations)
- Bike maintenance is performed by the same guy who maintains their network (seemed odd to me that the wouldn't contract this to Schlegel or a local bike shop)

Me and my pop took it for a spin a few times before I left, and I loved it, and even more importantly he was blown away and has done it more just for fun since. Even ran into Sid and had a pleasant chat!

- It's not a bike rental program, it's a bike sharing program (people are still confused, thinking they can walk up and rent a bike for a short ride)


Interesting, considering on their own website they say..... "additional charges apply after your 30-minute rental period at all times at the rate of $2 per half hour." and "The Spokies program is designed to be a transportation method to get from one popular downtown location to another, thus the 30-minute rental period." and "What should I do with the bike if I go into a business or restaurant during my rental time?"

Call it what you will - you put a bunch of bikes in an entertainment area with lots of local and visitor foot traffic and make the bikes available for a charge and the public is going to consider it a bike rental program. Also, you "can walk up and rent a bike for a short ride" - $5 for 30 minutes at a time for an entire day for a pay-as-you-go rate it appears.

Helmet use was being discussed over on the Level thread, and it made me think of this article I found on Twitter a few days ago.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/sunday-review/to-encourage-biking-cities-forget-about-helmets.html?pagewanted=all

Maybe THIS (http://www.hovding.com/en/how) is the future of bicycle helmets...


http://vimeo.com/43038579

That is an excellent concept. I need to find out more about it - weight? comfort? etc...... I wonder if it would be possible to incorporate it into a jacket for cold weather riding......

I've noticed in general more and more people riding around on Spokies.

Love the program, I use it quite often now.

"What should I do with the bike if I go into a business or restaurant during my rental time?"

You have 2 choices. 1) Lock it up and pay the fee for the additional time or 2) Put it back in a kiosk (thus not incurring any additional fees) and hope there is a bike there when you decide to leave. This program is designed for option 2 as the bike is supposed to get you from point A to point B, not be your personal mode of transport for 4 or 5 hours.

You have 2 choices. 1) Lock it up and pay the fee for the additional time or 2) Put it back in a kiosk (thus not incurring any additional fees) and hope there is a bike there when you decide to leave. This program is designed for option 2 as the bike is supposed to get you from point A to point B, not be your personal mode of transport for 4 or 5 hours.

Actually (and maybe you realized this and I just couldn't tell), I wasn't "asking" I was "quoting" the Spokies website - showing that they themselves actually consider it a 'rental' service as disputed by another poster.

Sorry Brian - I didn't notice that. Disregard my previous transmission. :)

I went on the Spokies History tour on Tuesday and had a blast. It did not hurt that Bob Blackburn was the guide. We started at the Ballpark and went to the Land Run monument, to Deep Deuce, to 8th and Broadway, to City Hall, to the North side of the Myriad Gardens and back to the Ballpark. It was about 1.5 hours long. They said there was about 65 people on the tour. I am 5'2" and did not have much problems riding the Spokies bike. It is just an old fashioned foot pedal brake no gear bike which I like actually since I am not a very good bike rider. They are having an art tour next Tuesday and an architecture tour the Tuesday after that. The Spokies bikes are all reserved but anyone is welcome to go on the tour on their own bike. Downtown OKC Bike Tours (http://www.downtownokc.com/downtownokcbiketours.aspx)

Great ride report CC. Sorry I missed it.

This is the location for the new Spokies rack, on the SE corner of 9th and Broadway.

Really glad they found such a visible and well-located spot.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/spokiesaa.jpg

And here are some photos from Sid showing them already installing the rack:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-txXI7njToTM/UHgyRSlWZAI/AAAAAAAEaM0/vLFEi-Th_jI/s903/IMG_20121011_134027.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xl-3aiGquvE/UHgyRaK4jMI/AAAAAAAEaM0/sHSbvL0b8kY/s903/IMG_20121011_133026.jpg

Perfect! Excellent location!

Perfect! Excellent location!

I don't know. It's dangerously close to The Womb. Might cause a lot of accidents as cyclists lose their balance trying to figure out what the heck the symbolism means as they go by.
:wink:

I don't know. It's dangerously close to The Womb. Might cause a lot of accidents as cyclists lose their balance trying to figure out what the heck the symbolism means as they go by.
:wink:

I'd be more concerned Coyne and his crew will weld genitalia shaped objects to the handle bars and seat in the middle of the night or provide them with a new paint job.

maybe someday, the program can be even less expensive

Cardboard bicycle can change the world, says Israeli inventor - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/cardboard-bicycle-change-world-says-israeli-inventor-090732689.html)

saw this on my usual checking things on the web during lunch time and thought i would share

T-Bike - Bike Sharing System by Jung Tak » Yanko Design (http://www.yankodesign.com/2012/10/11/super-smart-bike-sharing/)

saw this on my usual checking things on the web during lunch time and thought i would share

T-Bike - Bike Sharing System by Jung Tak » Yanko Design (http://www.yankodesign.com/2012/10/11/super-smart-bike-sharing/)


Very cool!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OlZHGxCQrvc/T--sMaB4e6I/AAAAAAAAATc/1-m31uW2q5A/s1600/okc2

Spokies rack at Reno & Robinson.

What, they only supplied one bike? :wink:
Or, I guess the rest were all checked out.

Is there enough flex space at the stations to move that many bikes around and still be able to check-in check-out to avoid extra charges?

We did a Spokies Poker Pub Crawl yesterday. So if you took this yesterday, that is probably why this rack was so empty. About 30 people were riding bar to bar on a lot of the bikes.

That's got BUI written all over it...

Can't believe no one has posted the FREE Spokies Membership for April. They have free memberships all month, plus the event below.

On April 16, Downtown OKC, Inc. and the City of Oklahoma City's Office of Sustainability will team up to host a free downtown bike tour. The tour will be led by expert guides who will speak about green efforts around the downtown area, including streetscape improvements, recycling, water quality, native landscapes and more!

The tour will start at the Spokies bike share station located near the Cox Convention Center on the NE corner of Robinson and Reno. It will begin promptly at 6 p.m., so please arrive no later than 5:45. The tour will last approximately one hour and cover 2.5 miles.

Bicycles for the tour will be provided free of charge courtesy of the Spokies bike share program. Reservations requesting Spokies bikes will be limited to 30 people, but you're welcome to bring your own bike. Get the scoop at downtownokc.com.

Can't believe no one has posted the FREE Spokies Membership for April. They have free memberships all month, ...

What I can't believe is that they are apparently not too eager to promote this fact on their own website. Couldn't find it on the homepage and only found it on the pricing page when I scrolled to the bottom. #MarketingFail

LOL, yep DOKC's marketing efforts are horrible

OK, maybe horrible was an overstatement, but embarrassing perhaps. I get their newsletter, but other than that, they aren't super visible. Especially compared to years past.

I cite BBates post #279 above for one reference. Just general observation seems they aren't as visible as they were when Kim Searls, Brett Hamm or David Lopez were there. I have nothing against Jane Jenkins, but it seems the main initiative in the recent has been renewing the DT BID, which is stil a great benefit to DOKC.

But metro, I think you yourself posted the link to the Starlight Supper, which is their event, and an exciting new addition to downtown. They created the holiday shops on the lawn of MBG during Downtown in December (which is now larger and better-funded than ever before), they coordinated Spokies, their employee appreciation week has been a big hit, and I think they do a great job with social media. I thought the UP campaign was clever and well done. They also have a pretty exciting program underway with their Downtown Implementation Group (DIG), which I think will get more coverage soon. With all do respect to all of the people you mentioned above, two of whom I count as personal friends and one of whom I liked very much, I was just commenting to someone the other day that I thought DOKC was perhaps more relevant now as an organization than it has been throughout its existence. And I say this as a former (albeit short-tenured) employee of DOKC. Might just be my own perception, but I agree with your later comment that at the very least "horrible" was a misstatement.

My employer (PR personell) forwards their newsletters and event details to all the employees in the building - so anyone that isn't subscribed with their personal email, is still aware of what is going on downtown.

These types of advertising avenues along with social media is very effective from personal experience as an employee downtown.


We often even get tickets to raffle off to employees to attend the various events.

Do these bikes have any tracking devices so we can see the patterns of use and get smarter about quantities, locations, routes, etc?

I noticed yesterday that they have a bike rack on the north side of the Stage Center site. Is that new?

I noticed yesterday that they have a bike rack on the north side of the Stage Center site. Is that new?

It would make sense that they're putting bikes there for the Arts Festival which begins tomorrow.

It would make sense that they're putting bikes there for the Arts Festival which begins tomorrow.

Nice, opening day will be cold and windy.

It would make sense that they're putting bikes there for the Arts Festival which begins tomorrow.

My wife and I are planning on Friday on parking in Automobile Alley, checking out bikes, riding them to the Arts Festival and checking them back out to head back. If there are none available, we will have a nice walk back. Or, we could walk to the CCC rack or ballpark and ride back. It's a great option for this time of year.

They need more in west downtown. I'd love to see one near Classen Glen/7th Street SOSA aka architects alley and at St. Anthony's to connect west downtowners to Midtown and DT. West downtown always gets neglected, but I think some basic infrastructure would help speed up development and fill in the gaps DT.

18th and Classen please!


(I know, not downtown, but it would well serve the people of downtown)

i'd like to see the program extended out to uco eventually with stops along the way in the plaza district and on 23rd. Lots more money need to do that though i think.

ocu*

I'd like to see the program extended out to UCO eventually with stops along the way in the Plaza District and on 23rd. Lots more money need to do that though I think.

Likewise!

Other good candidates... even though you can currently rent bikes from riversport, that's not an extended-hours solution, so there's no reason there shouldn't be one at the boathouse district soonish (e.g. once the river-to-canal extension is done), with one eventually at the skate park (or some other suitable south-river trail location, maybe near Dell?), and much later capitol hill. No reason there's shouldn't be one on the West end of Film Row near-term, with one eventually at the Farmers Market.

I'd like to see the program extended out to UCO eventually with stops along the way in the Plaza District and on 23rd. Lots more money need to do that though I think.

Likewise!

Other good candidates... even though you can currently rent bikes from riversport, that's not an extended-hours solution, so there's no reason there shouldn't be one at the boathouse district soonish (e.g. once the river-to-canal extension is done), with one eventually at the skate park (or some other suitable south-river trail location, maybe near Dell?), and much later capitol hill. No reason why there shouldn't be one on the West end of Film Row near-term, with one eventually at the Farmers Market and Stockyards.

If you're a fan or a supporter of the Spokeies in OKC, please let your elected officials know that we need more bikes and racks. I'm really glad to see so many people using them but we are running low at some racks and today LEVEL rack was empty again. Pilot is almost over and lets invest properly.

Are city council members the best elected officials to let know?

EXCLUSIVE: New York City bike-share program bans fat riders - NYPOST.com (http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/apple_snubs_chubs_wPsjx5Q7LjJICDn4j0oOLI)

Every vehicle has a maximum gross weight including, apparently, bicycles in NYC's bike share program. They just announced that riders cannot exceed 260 pounds, to the howls of people weighing 260+.

NYC Department of Transportation Policy Director Jon Orcutt said that the city won't strictly enforce the limit, and said that "the provision was inked for legal reasons at the manufacturer's recommendation."

I'd join if it weren't for the stupid monthly fee, plus pay for anything over 30 minutes. Of course I'm going to use it more than 30+ minutes if I'm riding it to a restaurant, etc. IMO they should have monthly fees based on usage, or just do a flat fee altogether like a per use fee. Doing both is silly.

I'd join if it weren't for the stupid monthly fee, plus pay for anything over 30 minutes. Of course I'm going to use it more than 30+ minutes if I'm riding it to a restaurant, etc. IMO they should have monthly fees based on usage, or just do a flat fee altogether like a per use fee. Doing both is silly.

ride to a restaurant .. park the bike in another stall ... how does that take more than 30 min?

What if I want to ride it elsewhere DT where there isn't a rack? Why should I have to pay a monthly fee just for the "privilege" of using the service, and then have to pay every time I want to get a bike? I don't think that's unreasonable. Just because I disagree doesn't make it childish. I'm stating as a fact, if they had a better fee structure, I'd be a member, period. I know several other downtowners who feel the same way as well. Also, what if I just want an enjoyable ride in the urban core for more than 30 minutes, but don't want the hassle of buying my own bike, lugging it up and down stairs and locking it up everyday? I think either a flat subscription or a per use fee would make more sense. I don't pay for a Taxi membership each month, just for the privilege of using a taxi.

So how does the pricing work exactly for annual members.


You you can grab a spokie and ride it anywhere as long as you put it in another rack within 30 minutes? Then you get charged 2 dollars each 30 min until 48 hours are up and they charge you $500? That's what it sounds like on the website.


I see what metro is saying, like if you want to go from say, LEVEL and eat down @ McDonalds. You have to park the bike at the ballpark corner and then walk the rest of the way?


Also why on earth would they limit the times in which you can check one out? I thought for sure they were 24 hour until I read the site. Perhaps this is to keep intoxicated people from checking them out and dissapearing.

Okay, yea I think the system is great. They definitely hit all the hotspots for the initial stations, but more are needed.

It is obvious that they are more geared toward residents near the stations and not someone who wants to just check it out for a day. The annual membership seems like the only thing that makes sense. Unless you want to do the whole 'park far away, then ride a spokie to the rack closest to destination' to avoid a possible parking fee higher than $5 for the spokie.



Without a doubt I will get an annual membership when I live downtown.


Sid, do you ever feel rushed to make it before 30 minutes? It seems like it would sort of deter detours and side stops. Such as shopping or enjoying a rather lengthy ride (ballpark to Midtown looks longest).

What if I want to ride it elsewhere DT where there isn't a rack? Why should I have to pay a monthly fee just for the "privilege" of using the service, and then have to pay every time I want to get a bike? I don't think that's unreasonable. Just because I disagree doesn't make it childish. I'm stating as a fact, if they had a better fee structure, I'd be a member, period. I know several other downtowners who feel the same way as well. Also, what if I just want an enjoyable ride in the urban core for more than 30 minutes, but don't want the hassle of buying my own bike, lugging it up and down stairs and locking it up everyday? I think either a flat subscription or a per use fee would make more sense. I don't pay for a Taxi membership each month, just for the privilege of using a taxi.

Or go buy your own bike. If you were given a refrigerator for free would you start moaning that someone didn't give you food to fill it up too?

Sid is that permanent or was it just for Better Block?

I find myself curious about the typical outlay for a basic permanent location (space, racks, bikes, data/payment kiosk.)

If businesses think their proximity to a Spokies kiosk is affecting their customer base they have 3 options. 1) Help fund the installation of one near by, 2) relocate closer to an existing kiosk, 3) Pay the $2 fee for the customer. Blaming the provider of a low-cost transportation system isn't the answer. The answer lies with the individual and the business owner.

I would like a membership option for small downtown employers. A business could pay a membership fee and provide employees with membership cards tied to the business account. Maybe this could work within the existing pricing system. Our office would happily utilize such a system.

My only beef is with the required payment method. I don't carry a credit card, and I don't want to. I use a visa-branded debit card. Other than the occasional hassle when trying to rent a car, it works fine for my purposes. A group of us were going to take Spokies from Midtown to the Festival of the Arts last month. About half of us only carry debit cards so that didn't go so well. I'm sure there is a legitimate reason for this (they don't want folks with bad credit scores riding their bikes, lol), but they need to find a way around it.

My only beef is with the required payment method. I'm sure there is a legitimate reason for this (they don't want folks with bad credit scores riding their bikes, lol), but they need to find a way around it.

Your credit card will probably be charged if you don't return the bike.

Your credit card will probably be charged if you don't return the bike.

That's it. If you don't bring the bike back you get charged the replacement cost of the bike (which I thought was around $600). Maybe in the future they could issue some kind of pre-paid debt card just for Spokies that is backed by a credit card they keep on file.

If Spokies believed they were losing too many potential users then they'd change the policy, but that probably isn't the case. If it might be, quantifying it would be very difficult.

Easier solution: Get a credit card. They make life much easier all around.

Your credit card will probably be charged if you don't return the bike.I am very familiar with the Spokies FAQs
Easier solution: Get a credit card. They make life much easier all around.Good idea. Never thought about doing that.

Probably to avoid those gift card debit cards. With like 10,20,30, 50, 100 etc amounts. No name attached to the card and probably not $500.

... About half of us only carry debit cards so that didn't go so well. I'm sure there is a legitimate reason for this (they don't want folks with bad credit scores riding their bikes, lol), but they need to find a way around it.

I gave Spokies a try in the past and used my debit card just fine.

I've used my debit card plenty of times with Spokies and have never had an issue.

I think it places the amount in ledger so if you do not have at least $600 in your account it will not approve, but it returns the authorization when the bike comes back.

If your card is issued by a bank and backed by Visa or some other credit company you should have no issues.