Broward B-Cycle

purchased livingsocial deal for the yearly membership and so glad I did! riding around town makes it so easy, esp around ftlaud beach where you don’t have to worry bout parking! def recommend this cycle system and buy their yearly membership deal if you are local
also dl their app to see where bikes are located and if there are empty docks

Whoa! Just discovered that the lock is also the perfect coffee cupholder!

I have been a member now for a year and although there were a few hiccups at first with the system, they seem to have worked it out now. It is very convenient and the bikes are of top quality. at least more than what I would spring for if I bought my own bike. I live on the beach and have owned a bike there before. The sea air corrodes it very fast and I hated the maintenance that the bike needed because of that. Now that I am a member of Broward B Cycle, I love the convenience of not worrying about that and just checking out a good working bike when I want.
I think that people misunderstand the bike system and think that it’s for checking out and keeping out all day, but to me it is for short trips getting from point A to point B without driving, parking and all that. With that in mind. the price is very reasonable!

I’ve given up on B-​Cycle, the reliability of the stations actually working are horrendous. I had to walk to three different stations to try and checkout a bike and all 3 were not working/​under maintenance/​not registering my card… REALLY…what’s the purpose of having 10 available bikes and not being able to check any of them out? Reliability is the essence of this program working and they are not. I’m going to purchase my own bike and that will save me the frustration.

When I first heard this concept was coming to Hollywood, I was excited especially because my bike had been stolen and I also thought it was great because now I don’t have to bring my bike down to the beach either. I had gone to their website several times before renting a bike to review the rates and station locations. I saw that a 24-​Hour Pass was $ 5.00. Finding the station and checking the bike out was rather easy. I also recall seeing an over sized $ 5.00 on the screen before completing the transaction. The station was conveniently located next to a metered parking lot. I put 1.5 hours in the parking meter and return about 10 minutes before the meter was due to run out, so that I would have time to return the bike, BUT all the docks were all full. This was really unexpected. So I called the customer service number listed and asked them what am I suppose to do. He said «you will have to find another station». So naturally, I asked where is the next station and he replied «I don’t know, because I don’t have a map with me». I had the feeling I was calling someones personal phone. So I was a little panicked because the meter is running out, I have my 8 year old with me, and now it is getting dark. So I saw some city workers changing the garbage and hoped they had seen another station along their route. Luckily one of them knew there was a station somewhere near the fire department. Wasn’t quite sure where the fire department was, so I just headed in the direction and luckily (again) I found two firemen on their break and they told me where to go. When I finally reached the station, which was prob about 5+ minutes away by bike, I was surprised to find that right on the screen there was an option to select if the station was full. Now I am asking myself, why didn’t the customer service rep tell me that. Now for the fun part, there are two of us and only my son’s bike with little time to get back to my car before the meter runs out. So I told him to hop on the handle bars and hold on tight while thinking, I have not done this since I’m 13 years old. Not to mention, my son’s bike is too small for me. Anyway, I tried not to let this experience ruin it for me and even recommended it to others with a warming about returning to a full station. So a few days later, I got two charges on my bank statement. One for 5.00 and one for 6.50. So I sent them an email to tell them that I was charged twice in error.
Their reply:
We are sorry about the misunderstanding of the pricing structure. Bike Share is relatively new to the U.S. and it does operate differently than bike rental. The 24-​hour access pass allows users to checkout and return a bike to any of the locations with-​in the system. However, you also pay as you go, so the longer you keep the bike the higher the cost. Attached is the pricing plan displayed on the kiosk.
We are constantly looking to improve the service and we value our customers’ input.
Thank you
My reply:
Hello,
I understand now that you have send the brochure, but even now as I look at the website it is not clearly stated. It looks like you pay 5.00 for 24 hours and the additional fees start after the 24 hours. I think it should be better explained on the website.
Thanks,
They never replied back. I guess I misunderstood the rate, but I think it is their responsibility to make it understood and I am guessing by the «script» they sent me and the other Unilocal reviews, that I am not the first one to complain or misunderstand the rate.
Bottom line is, the concept is great, but their customer service sucks!
Forgot to mention, comes with a basket and bike lock.

I’m with Layla. This is a very expensive program they have going on. It is a $ 5 access charge just to start, it’s 50 cents for the first half hour and $ 3 for every additional half hour up to a maximum of $ 65 for the day. That’s some serious coinage.
I spent a lot of time using London’s «Barclay Bike» system and theirs is WAY cheaper. Starting with only £1 access charge for 24 hours (about $ 1.50), the first half hour is FREE. Up to an hour is £1 and so on. They also let you rent multiple bikes, if you’re with a date or something. Details on the London program are here:
Like London’s, the bike looks to be a decent ride especially for the flat terrain we enjoy here in Florida. Only three gears with a basket mounted to the front. Decent weight, this is an urban bike with wide tires, good fenders and no cross-​bar. The seat is adjustable for tall and not tall folks.
Looking at the Broward B-​Cycle map, all the stations but one are east of 95, starting from Hallandale and Federal Highway through Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano and as far north as Lighthouse Point. A little sparse as far as coverage, but I assume they are planning on growing if the system gets more usage. Their web page says that there is an app available for Android and for iPhone. If it’s anything like the London system, the app will use GPS to tell you where the nearest return rack is located and the current status, i.e., if there are any bikes available to rent and if there are open slots available for returning yours.
Wear a helmet, folks. There are some whack drivers here in South Florida!
UPDATE: Prices have dropped. Check the website for details.