Nice idea, we tried that in The Netherlands too.

Too bad bikes get nicked. There's no RFID or what ever stopping someone from just taking a bike, hijacking the chip, painting it over and never ever returning it.

In this version, it looks as if you need to use the smart card to unlock the bike from the track to use it. If you do not return the bike I am sure you get fined.

I like the idea though; it offers a chance for people to not only go to work, but also excercise while at work or maybe tourist can use them to tour the city.

Hi. Please join the Bicycle to Work! LinkedIn networking group. Members pledge that they will try to ride their bicycle to work or on an errand at least once a week. Although the benefits should be obvious, let me outline them here.

Right now people in the industrialized world are facing two very grave problems: obesity and a growing scarcity of oil. Compounding this problem is the new food shortage brought about, in part, by the conversion of food cropland to bio-fuel crop production. Most people feel powerless to help, but there is one thing that we can do. Ride our bicycles to work.

If everyone would agree to ride their bikes to work one day per week we could cut oil consumption by as much as 10-15%. No one would argue that riding a bike burns more calories than driving the car. Although popular politically right now, most bio-fuels consume more energy than they produce. We would be much better to eat those bio-crops then use our own energy to transport us around.

So spread the word. Make it a movement! Bicycle to work one day a week and do your part to cut back obesity and the overuse of oil and precious cropland.

Just go to my profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreylstevenson and you can click on the group to be included. While you are there, don't forget to ask to link to my network of more than 9,000,000 like-minded professionals. I accept all invitations and look forward to meeting you.

Jeff

(first - make the security code box background contrasting with the writing - I cannot read this one) This is not a city bike -Take a look at the Copenhagen bikes - much simpler and more robust with proper features for all year all weather use, and carrying a small briefcase/luggage. System of nailing the user with responsibility for the bike until it is put off hire at a hire point (a weeakness of Nextbike and Call-a-Bike being the option of putting bikes off-hire anywhere the user fancies and leaving the next user with a hunt-the-bike game or hiding a bike off-hire where it can be used for the trip back) It thus seems reasonably elegant and will need to add to the listing of shared bike schemes world-wide, especially when it moves from this artists impression and we have a working installation with real pictures and real people using the bikes.

It still appears to require substantial site works to erect those hang-up parking units (a plus point for Call-a-bike and incremental modular systems which also require no external power supply - like OYBike.

Has this system worked out their funding model, servicing model etc A gut feeling is that the presentation looks a bit too much like a design student's final year project. One design detail which the designer has missed is that only fit people have the upper body strength to lift a bike up onto its back wheel and latch it into a hanging system. Check out Fietsparkeur (NL) for well considered parking standards.

How much would a bike like that even cost?
-Jack