Idea: Always Offer Low-assist option for eBikes (next-gen)
As many riders know, the low-assist mode for next-gen eBikes is only available if there are no classic/acoustic bikes at the station. When you then scan the eBike using the app you choose between low assist and full assist. Citi Bike ought to offer the option of low assist for next-gen eBikesregardless of the presence of a classic/acoustic bike to accommodate. If you agree with this idea, please like this post to show your interest to the Bike Angel team. For me there are two reasons why I'd like to see this: Classic bikes have seats that don't go high enough for riders 6'1 or taller which can lead to knee pain for long or uphill rides. Next-gen bikes allow for the seat to move higher but more often than not I have to pay for this privilege because there are classic bikes at the station. On more than one occasion I don't get the pedal assist option for eBikes because there's one classic bike at a broken dock that can't be removed so I'm forced to pay for a full power eBike ride when I don't want to/shouldn't have to. To streamline the experience, this should be an opt-in option so that full-assist riders used to scanning and riding aren't burdoned by having to choose full-assist each time. Lastly, in conjunction with this idea, please offer users the pedal assist preference via the iPhone and Android apps (under Settings). For some reason it is only offered via https://account.citibikenyc.com/profile after logging into your account making it frustrating and confusing for riders who primarily use the app and can't find anywhere to update their preference:Improve the Citi Bike Map
Problem: In the Citi Bike map (in the app) it is almost impossible to tell traffic flow direction for streets when browsing the map, an arguably important piece of information when biking in NYC. Similarly, reading street names is just as hard with them only appearing if you zoom in almost all the way! The green bike lane lines cover the street arrows which indicate the direction of traffic (I've circled two arrows that are being covered). Also, only two street name labels are showing here: Suggestions: Make it easier to see the traffic flow arrows by either making the direction arrows easier to see (change color, size, etc) or allow users to toggle the green bike lane overlay on the map on and off Make it easier to see/read street names and prioritize them over places of interest Add a toggle to show/hide places of interest on the map (restaurants, hotels, stores, etc) Lastly, an argument against improving the current experience might be to user the "directions" feature which will give you a correct route but to that I say that sometimes we just want to do an ad-hoc bike ride. Secondly, bike angels (like me) would love to better see street names and traffic flow directions I don't really use the directions feature because there's no way to simply put a pin on the map or tap on a station as your start and end address; we must type in the address which is time-consuming.A community for all Bike Angels
In 2021, we launched this community with less than 100 Bike Angels from NYC who ride with Citi Bike to understand how Angels would interact here and what we can learn from the community. Today, the community has grown to more than 1900 members, and we have Angels from outside NYC represented in the community. We’re pumped to share that we’re expanding the community to create a space where Bike Angels from cities across the U.S. can connect and find answers. Did you know there are about 50,000 Angels in NYC, but that's only 71% of all Angels? What’s changing? We’re inviting about 14,000 new Bike Angels to join in the conversation here. One thing to note: Angels from different cities have different experiences with their bikeshare system and the Bike Angels program. For instance, Bike Angels in Chicago can earn points for moving scooters, too! And, rewards offered differ by city—check out the links at the bottom of our homepage. When chatting, keep in mind that you may be replying to someone with a slightly different experience with their bikeshare system or the game. How can I help build the community? As founding members of the Bike Angels Community, you all have set the pace for how we’ll communicate here. New members may need some help along the way, and of course, we’ll make them feel welcome. If you spot duplicate threads or irrelevant replies, kindly steer members in the right direction to help keep the community productive and organized.Is There a Bike Angels Reward for Returning Abandoned Citibike?
Is there a reward through the Bike Angels program for returning abandoned Citibikes that are left outside of stations? If so, what is the process for doing this? I often see bikes left around, but given my tight schedule, it doesn’t seem worth the effort without a clear incentive. A way to scan them to know that they are truly abandoned and receive substantial points for returning them would be ideal.
Citi Bike Dock Issues: Need Better Reporting
I often find myself riding to stations that show available docks on the app, only to arrive and find none. Despite the app indicating available docks, the reality is often different. For instance, at 1st Ave & E 68th St on July 2nd at 11:30 am: The app showed six available spaces, but there were none. I suspect the valet left without updating the dock status. Several people were already waiting for a space to free up, while others left in frustration. Here's another example in Midtown: The app shows one but it's permanently unusable. The app allows us to report bike issues using the wrench icon, but there seems to be no way to report problems with dock stations. Is there an alternative to calling customer service for this? Perhaps the Angel program could be enhanced to address this, supplementing the bi-monthly station inspections, or we could implement a feature to correct system data inaccuracies more easily. Thanks.
