Bixi: first electric station goes in
The first electric Bixi station was installed this week at Cégep Marie-Victorin in Rivière-des-Prairies.
Bixi is now being run by Alexandre Taillefer, who says the Bixi system has had a good season and is not facing a deficit, has added a thousand electric bikes this year and will add another thousand next year.
DeWolf 11:24 on 2020-09-03 Permalink
I was very sceptical of these electric bikes at first, but I’ve used them a number of times and they’re a great alternative to the metro when I’m going on long, hilly journeys. Earlier this week and ended up in Westmount. I didn’t want to take the metro back, but luckily there were some blue bikes around and I was able to ride up and over the mountain with minimal effort. Totally worth the extra dollar.
They’ve also been useful when I go downtown to get groceries at one of the Chinese or Korean supermarkets. I’m able to get home with a heavy backpack full of food without getting sweaty.
That said, my bike has been in repair purgatory for two months, so we’ll see if I keep using the electric bikes once I have more lightweight alternative to the regular Bixi tanks.
walkerp 12:35 on 2020-09-03 Permalink
What is an electric bixi station? Aren’t they all electric? Can you not park non-electric bixis in it?
Seconded what you say, DeWolf, those electric bixis are so much fun and make going up the hill so easy. It’s a covid gamechanger for going out in the city when the weather is nice. No need to worry about when subways close or taxis.
jaddle 16:44 on 2020-09-03 Permalink
From the article, it looks like this station charges the bikes – the others don’t treat the electric bikes any differently from the normal non-electric ones. Do they then have to take the blue bikes away to charge them regularly?
DeWolf 18:10 on 2020-09-03 Permalink
I’ve been confused about the charging situation too. They clearly don’t charge in the regular stations because I’ve come across some that have a low battery light. That’s an obvious problem. I guess these new stations will help concentrate the bikes so they don’t overwhelm regular stations while also keeping them charged.
walkerp 20:11 on 2020-09-03 Permalink
I thought they charged when you pedaled and braked. I guess the electric station ensures full charge?
j2 05:40 on 2020-09-04 Permalink
Pedalling drains the battery because of course you’re getting assist, the braking systems aren’t efficient enough to get enough electricity from braking to be meaningful. Regeneration braking can be harsh in order to be efficient. Entropy says eventually the losses will outweigh the gains too.
I’m sure the system relays battery status on at least docking if not via cell and the bikes are recovered by a team member.