BIXI

I never want to drive a car in Montréal ever again.
Montréal is a wonderful biking city. Bixi bike is a great way to see all of it. Clearly marked bike lanes and protected paths mean that you can ride without NYC bike paranoia. All drivers keep plenty of distance from you. The bixi bike is really the perfect system for the perfect city. I wonder why I haven’t used this system before. But now that I’ve found it. It’s the only way I would get around in the summer.
Rules to remember.
$ 5 CAD for 24 hours
$ 100 deposit
Redock every 30 minutes to avoid extra charges.
Wait 2 minutes between redocking and taking the bike out.
You may take out the same bike. Just wait the 2 min
You’ll get your deposit back but it may take up to 10 business days.
With a station every 2 – 3 blocks. You’ll never run out of bixi stations to do a quick swap. All the stations are within any destination you choose so just dock your bike and do whatever you need to do.
The bikes themselves are easy to ride. I have a carbon race bike but i didn’t feel held back by these heavy bixis. You have 3 easy gears to choose from. They have the twist shifters.
Brakes are the only thing I can complain about. You have to brake earlier than usual but you get used to it. Some level of competence on a bike is useful.

I’ve decide to never use a Bixi bike again unless I am stranded. I’ve used this company about 2 – 3 times. My boyfriend is from out of town, and when he visits, if the weather permits, we like to go on bike rides. I have my bike and he has to rent a Bixi. To begin, the company has many non-​functional stands where the monitor has a glitch and are simply impossible to use.
On our last experience with Bixi, we had to try 4 different stands before finding one that worked! So, after this ordeal, we can finally begin our bike ride. We biked from the Plateau Mont Royal to the Old Port to have lunch by the port. We kept the bike with us while we ate and then biked back. Our ride was 2 ½ hrs long.
A few days later a see an additional charge of $ 35 on my credit card. I call to inquire about this charge and they say that it is written in the fine print of the 35 page legal document on their machine that you have to agree with that, the bike can only be used for 30 minute intervals.
The only thing that is very clear when taking a bike is if you want it for 1 way, 24 hours, or 72 hours.
If they will be penalizing you if you surpass every 30 minute interval, then they should clearly mark it on their operating systems.
It was very sneaky of them to do this.
Next time when my boyfriend is in town, I would much rather support the local bike shop next door than this shady corporation.

WORST BIKE RENTALS & A BIG SCAM — BEWARE ! DONT USE ! My friend & i rented 2 bikes from the Parc Jean Drapeau station, in montreal. The signs said only $ 5 per bike. The bikes were old and beat up, and 1 speed. Ok fine, it’s only $ 5…or so we thought. The rental station machines are difficult to use, we had to ask a local for help, it took several tries to get it to accept our card then give us the unlock code. NOT USER FRIENDLY. We only had the bikes about 2 hrs, returned them to another station in montreal. Fast forward to a couple weeks later when i get my credit card statement, and they CHARGED ME $ 62.50 Canadian ($ 49 US) — $ 39 too much. Then they charged me $ 158. Called them and they said that the $ 5/​bike was only a «subscription fee» for 24 hrs, you have to pay for usage, and can only use for 30 min, and that there are signs, etc. There were NO SIGNS saying that, nothing on the screen, NOTHING on the receipt. BIG SCAM. Called up Bixi’s Customer service, and they were only willing to refund $ 26 CAN ($ 20.83 US). And said they already released the $ 158 which was a «deposit» — but my credit card still had that. Called my CC and disputed it, they refunded me immediately (they must already know what a SCAM they are) and removed the $ 158 hold. I will NEVER use them again, even if i was aware of it, $ 49 for 2 hrs bike rental is outrageous and not worth it. I can rent a car for cheaper. What a RIPOFF. Would not recommend them for any reason. Take a taxi or the metro instead. They’re much easier and cheaper.

During a weekend trip in Montréal, I cruised around the city using the Bixi system. Exploring the city by bike was probably my favourite part of the trip. I lived on Sherbrook and took the bike to go down to Old Montréal on Rue Berri (which has a designated bike path). I felt pretty safe on the roads, especially the ones with bike paths. It was a beautiful weekend, and many people were biking around the city.
The Bixi system is well set up, with many stations around the city. I never had any problems getting a bike. There was one time where there weren’t enough spaces available to return a bike, so we just went to the next closest one. In general, the bikes were in pretty good condition. To rent, it cost $ 5 for 24 hours. You can take a bike out for 30 mins each time, before returning it to a station. There, you can return the bike, wait 2 mins, and take out another (or same) bike. I used a credit card to pay the initial $ 5 and a deposit. Afterwards, you use the same credit card to get a code each time to take a bike out.
I would recommend the Bixi system if you are visiting Montréal. It’s a great way to see the city and an efficient way to get around.
Condition of Bikes: ³⁄₅
Number & Location of Stations: ⁴⁄₅
Convenience: ⁴⁄₅
Value for Money: ⁵⁄₅
Would I use it again: Yes

LOVED Bixi bikes. So convenient.
HATED Bixi Customer service.
If you rent the bike for a 24 hour period ($ 5), you can only ride for 30 minutes at a time. I didn’t know that. So every 30 minutes, I had to find a Bixi rack to ram my bike in there. I can take it out again in 2 minutes, but the inconvenience of having to go find a Bixi station every 30 minutes was annoyingly inconvenient. If they changed it to every hour, it might be better. I went over the 30 minutes and then I couldn’t take out the bike again. When I called customer service, they told me in a rude way. I think it was the language barrier and their choice of words that made it sound more harsh. She told me I was forbidden to take the bike out again because I took it for a ride for more than the allowed 30 minutes. If I had checked into a Bixi station every 30 minutes, then I would be permitted to take out the bike again.
Anyways, I had a good morning of riding around Montréal and it was nice while it lasted. It started to rain anyways, so I rode the buses around to finish my sight-​seeing around town. I had purchased a three day Metro pass for $ 18. Very convenient metro subway.
All in all, the bike was nice to ride and I had no issues with it. I like that there was a rack on the front of the bike with a bungee cord to secure your belongings.

Sadly, I am done with these people after four seasons.
1) their bikes are almost always broken and often unsafe
2) Had a horrid experience lately when the bike wouldn’t talk to the rack so was forced to store the piece of trash in my apartment building for 24 hours until the dudes picked it up at their own convenience
3) The bikes are very slow

LOVED Montréal and LOVE, LOVE, LOVED Bixi. It is not the primary reason why I visited, but it is the primary reason why I will visit again. What a great way to enjoy an already lovely city!
I am a huge fan of the concept, and I have used similar bike systems in other cities, but Montréal’s Bixi is the first I have seen that has done such a thorough job of laying out their system; there are an adequate number of stations and they are logically located near bike paths so that you can find them in a timely manner to avoid overage charges. I wish every city that installed a bike system would be so logical (u-​u-​uhhh-​um, yes, I’m talking about you, Chicago).
Furthermore, it’s not just the Bixi bike system itself, it is the commitment Montréal has made to being a bikeable city that makes the whole thing work. The city has obviously made a real investment in their bike-​lane infrastructure and it has created a local bike culture that goes well beyond just the excellent Bixi system. Kudos to you Montréal. I hope the rest of the world is taking notes!

Beware of overcharges!
The software doesn’t always work properly resulting in dramatic overcharges.
We rented two bikes on two credit cards. It seemed very straightforward. Each time we returned a bike we made sure the green light came on to confirm that the bike was returned. At one point my wife was unable to take another bike since the kiosk said that there was already a bike out. This was NOT the case. When the credit card bill came we were charged $ 35 instead of $ 7.
The customer service by phone is terrible. After explaining the problem we had they basically said «tough».

When we were researching into Montréal, the word, «BIXI» kept popping up. That’s when we found out Montréal was a super public transportation friendly city with dedicated bike lines and trails.
BIXI – (according to wiki): a public bicycle sharing system launched in May 2009 in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. I think it’s also available in Toronto now.
supa cool!!!
So basically for $ 5, you have use of a bike for 24 hours and you can pick up the bike at any of the stations and return at any station (like REDBOX! haha ^_​_​_​_​_​^). You pay by credit card only. Perfect for tourists! They also have a membership based rental. ~$ 80/​yr.
The bikes themselves are on the bulkier side but manageable (probably to withstand people breaking them). Most are located at the entrance of the metro stations.
Use their online system and app to find which stations are empty and which have bikes available. :) OH! If you have a bike and are on the metro. be sure you go on Car #1!

Dépasser trois autobus (de la même ligne) en Bixi, oui cela est possible (et assez jouissif, à vrai dire)! Les bus s’arrêtent quasiement à chaque arrêt, tandis que toi tu t’envoles loin, loin, loin avec ton vélo.
Avantage du Bixi sur un vélo qui t’appartient? Prenons un exemple pour l’illustrer: imaginez-​vous pédalant pour vous rendre à un rendez-​vous. Jusque là tout va bien. Cependant, une fois terminé vos affaires, un terrible déluge se défile devant vos yeux, dehors. Pas très pratique ni même plaisant de rentrer sous la grosse pluie en vélo. Là les transports en commun prennent leur avantage. Au moins avec le Bixi, vous n’avez pas cette nécessité de ramener absoluement votre vélo à la maison.
Point négatif: il faut le replacer toutes les 45 min. De plus, en raison de sa popularité, on peut parfois galérer à trouver un places pour replacer son Bixi, voire même en empreinter un. Désespoir face à une borne Bixi vide (pour en prendre un) et une borne Bixi pleine (pour replacer celui qu’on vient d’utiliser).
Quoi qu’il en soit, les québébois peuvent être fiers de leur création!

Utilisateur depuis 2 ans, Bixi me fait faire de sacré économie en transport en commun. vu que je prend l’abonnement saisonnier 77 $ pour 5 mois contre 77 $ par mois mon choix est vite fait.
J’aurais donné mon avis il y a 1 an j’aurais mis 3 – 4 étoiles. Mais cette années je suis vraiment satisfait.
Les vélos sont beaucoup mieux entretenus, et les stations bien réapprovisionnées.
Apres le gros avantages par rapport à l’année précédente c’est l’application pour téléphone intelligent qui fonctionne parfaitement. Car l’aide à la station n’était déjà pas très fiable avant.
Je sort de chez moi je check si il y a des vélos aux stations proche de chez moi (j’en ai 3). et je check si il y a des points d’ancrages dispo la où je vais et si c’est plein lequel est le plus proche.
Donc c’est vrai que l’application me facilite bien la vie.

A fantastic way to get around downtown Montréal; I was surprised automobiles are very respectful of cyclists in Montréal. If you’re going to be sight-​seeing for at least three days get the 72 hour $ 15 option; we got the 24 hour $ 7 option and were bummed when it ended midday (24hrs after we rented). I didn’t understand the fees at first, just remember the flat fee it to access the bikes (in/​out) for the defined time period. Use a single bike for more than 30min during the rental period and the hourly rate starts to snowball. Use another company if you want to rent a bike to use the whole day.
The bikes are comfortable but VERY heavy and only have three gears so uphill is a challenge. Another tip, it’s hard to find a place to dock first thing in the morning and bikes disappear from downtown during the after-​work rush hour. Damn, I wish I knew they have an app to find the closet empty dock and the closet bike available!

Bixi is a great and affordable way to see Montréal. Their big challenge is ensuring they have enough bikes in rideable condition in all of the hotspots.
There were times they ran out of bikes.
Regardless, it is a fantastic way to get around during a weekend in Montréal.

BIXI is a solid piece of Montréal’s amazing bike culture, allowing locals and tourists alike to traverse the city by bike.
Sometimes I feel a bit apprehensive about cycling in a city I don’t know very well, but after witnessing a Thursday afternoon bike commute in Montréal, it was hard not to want to jump on a BIXI. Not only does the city have ample reserved bike lanes and designated bike routes, but the drivers don’t seem to have animosity towards cyclists. How refreshing!
BIXI was pretty easy to use. We went for 24 hours for $ 8. They do take a $ 250 deposit per bike, so use a credit card, more on that later. Next, the machine gives you a four digit access code which you use to pick a bike. The code expires within a certain time frame as well as after you use it, but with another swipe of your card, you’ll get a new code later on in the day.
The bikes themselves are, for lack of a better term, sturdy. I didn’t even feel like I was riding a real bicycle. They don’t have baskets, but a front area where you can strap your stuff. They also have three gears.
The docking stations are EVERYWHERE, but we did encounter a few that had no bikes, or only one bike, or only one bike plus a flat tired bike. Fortunately, we could find a station literally every few blocks or so and there’s a big map at each station. Can’t fault BIXI for being popular and well used, I suppose.
My big beef (and this is why I recommend a credit versus debit card) was how long the $ 500 deposit hung out in limboland after our 24 hours were up. Something like a week after. Fortunately, it wasn’t a big deal in the scheme of things, but I nearly had a heart attack when I listened to my bank balance at the airport and couldn’t figure out why I had about $ 500 less than I thought I should (luckily this is a common issue and I was able to figure out what it was by googling «BIXI deposit».)
Aside from that, I thought BIXI was a great way to get around the city and join in on an enviable transit system.

This is an absolute must if you’re visiting Montréal. You get to see so much more of this spectacular city! There’s stations everywhere so dont worry about exceeding the 30 minute free trip.
Here’s a tip, don’t bike if you’re drunk though, especially at night.

Couple of pointers to improve the bike transportation in the major metropolitan area!
*Create a map that lists and marks all the Bixi spots in Montréal. Then distribute this map within the airports so travelers dont have to walk the streets trying to look for the closest Bixi drop
*When you distribute a bike unlock code, it should be valid for 24 hours. A lot of travelers dont bring locks with them when they come into the city and we have no way to lock the bikes. The one use only is ridiculous so if we have to put the bike back into the slot at a Bixi station, you cant get another bike without paying another $ 7 and have another $ 250 hold on your bank account.
*Make sure you put in larger than 8 font, «ONE USE ONLY». It wasnt until my 6’2 frame had to bend over and squint that I read that I can only use the bike once and when it is returned, it’s done.
The only plus side is because I think traveling the city on a bike is awesome and good for your health especially after eating all that poutine.
cheers

Why walk when you can ride? I picked up a Bixi Bike and was pleased with the performance. It feels almost exactly like the same Boris Bike that I rented often in London. Solid ride, three gears, good brakes and wide tires to eat up the bumps of a city road.
The rental system is the same as London, where you swipe your credit card in the machine (it accepts ‘swipe and sign’ cards and probably ‘chip and pin’ cards too) and you pay a basic daily rate and then more depending on how long you keep each cycle. The first half hour is free.
Machines are scattered throughout the city so you are never too far from a place where you can pick one up or drop one off.
Tip: Montréal is a big city. Get a helmet and save your noggin, mkay?

Bought so many 1 day passes till I realized I almost spent enough for the whole season pass. So I went ahead and got the 30 day pass for around $ 30 (there was an OPUS+BIXI deal so I got it for $ 16 instead.)
Pros:
VERY practical and VERY addicting!
Cons:
You have to park the bixi at any station before your 30 mins (or 45 mins if you are a member) is up. Then wait 2 minutes before you can take out another one.
Too many damaged bikes! Either something small like the bell not working or something big like loose chain, flat tire or loose breaks.
Still worth it though!

Whoever came up with BIXI, and the idea of bike-​sharing, is a genius! Every city on Earth should be mandated to come up with their own system if its citizens don’t commute by bike, and New York is finally catching on with their Citibike plans!
Back to BIXI in Montréal. For those of you who have no idea how bike-​sharing works (including me pre-​Montréal) there are stations all over the city where you could insert your credit card (no cash) in a machine, pay, get an unlocking code, punch it in next to the bike you want, and pull out a bike from the docking station. My friends got one while visiting Parc Jean-​Drapeau on Île Sainte-​Hélèné and, as a testament to how crazy I am, I also got one with them in spite of taking a learn-​to-​bike class the week before! I know what you’re thinking– how could a grown woman in her late twenties not know how to ride a bike??? Long story short: learned to bike for one summer as a kid, never tried it again until college, fell on second attempt because I didn’t know how to use the brakes. The end.
But not the end of my review: I was nervous since I was a fresh newbie who had recently discovered bike riding, and could tell other newbies a few things about the BIXI bikes. First, the bike is HEAVY. Second, there are three gears that I had no idea how to work, and was pedaling wildly at gear 1 while moving at a snail’s pace. Gear 3 required the most leg strength, but that was what I was comfortable with. Also, there was a basket to put my bag in, with a cord to hold it in the basket, and a bell.
About the BIXI system: we paid $ 5 for 24-​hour use, but that doesn’t mean you can hold on to the same bike for 24 hours straight. You have a half an hour with one bike, must return it to the station, wait 5 minutes, get another code with your credit card (without being charged again) and get another bike… and repeat for 24 hours. You’ll pay an extra charge if you hold on to the same bike for more than 30 minutes. My friends and I decided to hold on to our bikes for an hour and a half, knowing about the extra charge (which amounted to USD $ 12 for the total cost of renting the bike) so we could enjoy riding around without worrying about making it back in a half an hour. That wasn’t a problem. The real problem is when the bike docks are full, with no places to return your bikes, and that’s the reason why I deducted 2 stars with no regrets.
A quote from the
website:
«What do I do if there are no empty bike docks when I want to return my bike?
You can obtain an additional 15 minutes free of charge from the pay station. This should give you enough time to return your bike to a nearby bike station.»
Ummm… what if the other two on the island are also full? Well, in that case, you’re screwed! Lady Luck of Montréal was truly on my side because, when the four of us arrived, my friends went to get an extension while I stood near the bikes, dazed and confused, then a guy near me pulled out a bike, so I was able to successfully return mine in its place. As for the others, they waited… and waited… and waited, as well as other bikers who approached the docking station with their bikes and waited… and waited… and waited… To make another long story short: All 3 of my friends needed a second round of extensions, Friend #1 managed to return her bike without being charged again, Friend #2 ran out of extensions and was charged another fee before he could return his bike, and Friend #3 was the unluckiest friend of all. Not only was he charged another fee because he ran out of extensions, he also had to ride around to see if there were places at the other two stations where he could return his bike. We were waiting for so, so, soooooo long for someone to just take out a damn bike from the damn docking station so my friend could return his. And he wasn’t the only one: the people that came after him to return their bikes also had to ride around, desperate. I got into a conversation with a friendly Montréal resident who told me that it was never like that, that the BIXI company would usually come and clear away some of the docks, and she called them but they told her they «weren’t coming.» Nothing short of a fiasco.
The moral of this story is: never get a BIXI bike on an island where there are only three docking stations (or do so at your own risk!) because, like I said, if they’re full when you want to return them, well, you’re screwed! But off the island and in the city: BIXI is a brilliant stroke of genius!

Words cannot describe how much I LOVE Bixi in Montréal. Been an avid user for the past two years and essentially use it every day — bixing to the gym, metro, school, restaurant, bar, work, you name it.
If you live in Montréal, buy a season pass (it’s only $ 80 for the season which usually runs from April to mid November or whenever it snows). An absolute steal. If you don’t use Bixi, I feel for your loss. You are missing out!
If your visiting, make sure you try it for a day ($ 7) which is valid for 24 full hours or 3 day pass ($ 15). The absolute BEST way to explore Montréal and see what it has to offer.

Il y a quelques semaine, j’ai eu de la visite et nous avons décidé de faire le tour de Montréal à vélo. Bien que j’ai mon propre vélo, mon am amie utilisée un bixi, ce qui lui a permise de laisser sa voiture stationnée et se dégourdir les jambes. Bien que le vélo fonctionne très bien, quand nous avons rencontré une autre personne qui voulait se joindre à notre groupe, nous avons eu de la difficulté à louer un 2e vélo après le premier sur une même carte de crédit.
Somme toute, la popularité des Bixi est impossible à niée mais soyez prêt à avoir une carte de crédit en main pour les utiliser.

This is definitely the way to go for travelling around Montréal in the warmer months. It’s more convenient than the Metro and cheaper than a cab. The stations are conveniently located and $ 12 buys you unlimited 30min trips for 72hrs. Plus you’ll get some exercise and you get to do a lot of sightseeing while biking and be able to pull over at any time.
I found the majority of the bikes I rode were in good shape, the seat could be adjusted easily, the brakes worked perfectly and the gears changed with relative ease (though there’s a delay switching when biking up a steep incline).
Only two small issues we had were finding stations full when returning the bikes, then needing to bike farther to another one (apparently if you stick your credit card in the machine, it will buy you an extra 15mins to find a station with space available). The other issue was that the BIXI website is advertising 45mins in MTL as the limit per trip but they have yet to update the stations so we were both charged an extra $ 1.50 for a 35min journey.
It’s still a bargain if you can keep your trips under an hour.

Montréal’s fabulous rent a bike. You can find stations everywhere throughout the city, making for a convenient way to get around.
Secret: Ride for 30 minutes and park at a station. Wait a minimum of 5 minutes and repeat cycle. Your $ 5 will get you a day’s worth of riding ;)