I’m really kind of dubious as to how much finger crossing is actually going on. The folks running the companies could be positive that they’re going to fail and just be in it for the paycheck for as long as possible. And it probably doesn’t need to be that long. The investors likely know that they’re not getting their money back but are planning to used the loss as a tick in a box that shows that they helped a popular, sexy, environmentally minded start-up.
There’s a lot of social capital to be built through the abject failure of the programs. If there wasn’t, we wouldn’t have streets loaded with bikes that are increasingly being ignored (via my very scientific data collection through observation).
Anecdotal evidence: I work near the corner of Mercer and Westlake. There’s always a large, carefully placed group of bike share bikes at the beginning of the week, and most of them are usually taken by Wednesday. Someone is using them.
People have already started viewing the bikes as litter (kicking them over, throwing them in the lake, etc…). If the average bike from your brand is unrideable that’s going to kill things fast.
The focus seems to be on numbers rather than maintaining and distributing effectively.
There’s some of that, and then there’s the simple math that these things must cost at least $150-200 per bike, probably more if you include transportation costs, so if they’re only making it through 50 rides before they’re trashed, then obviously someone is losing money.
China, not America, but it’s easy to recognize the Ofo bikes here.
Friend wants a bike she can do some weekend road rides and occasionally use to pull her kiddo in a bike trailer. Something easily fenderable is a plus. Doesn’t need to be bike nerdy she just doesn’t know if she’ll get into actually riding. 53cm sizeway. Normally I’d help her look but since I don’t work at a computer at all during the day and am on kid duty when I get home I haven’t had time to help her look. So if anyone knows someone selling something along those lines give me a holler
There was someone on here selling a small endpoint in canada recently. Maybe in the marketplace?
Who in Seattle has the pizza reflectors? Is it just tarckers? I keep seeing them and assume it’s one of us but don’t want to yell out “tarckbike” unless it’s not someone I know.
