As a Canadian coming from Halifax, NS, riding a bicycle in a decent, nay, warm weather is a luxury. That’s why I’m such a big fan of this fairly new public transportation system put in place in the city I live in, Madrid. Cycling from one point to another and then having the convenience of parking the bike at one of the many, many point-stations all around the city is something to be grateful for. If I need to be somewhere and don’t feel like walking or taking the subway or metro, or even driving a car, I can rent a bike at one of the stations near my house and ride it 5 kilometres and park it literally 2 minutes from my destination.
But let’s be careful and not make the same innocent mistakes I’ve made. Having trusted in other clients like myself, I didn’t think about checking the bikes to make sure it’s useable and rideable.
- Check that the chain on the bike is tucked in where it’s supposed to be. If the chain’s out, your bike will not move no matter how much you pedal. Oh, by the way, did I mention these beauties are electric and can be motor run if you want them to be? This makes the bike go faster and you reach your destination in a jiffy!
- Check that the tires aren’t flat. That can be a bumpy ride! Been there, done that!
- If the bike cannot be hooked back into the station, then you must write a note to the company at the big machine there. Let’s avoid a random stranger pulling out the bike while it’s still connected to your account, shall we!
That’s all for now. I had an all but lovely Saturday morning bright and early when I was confronted with all three of those mishaps I outlined above. Hopefully they won’t happen again.
Signing off-
Shamim Sobhani
Photo credit: tumblr.com/blog/alexeylin
My world 
How well do people respect bikes in Madrid? In Valencia, the drivers and pedestrians hate bikes. I hope it’s not as bad in Madrid! Stay safe on the bike!
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Not a lot, unfortunately! If we all paid a little more attention to the bikes they would be in better condition. I rode around a bike rental with a basket along the boardwalk on Malvorrosa beach in Valencia and loved it! Non one looked at me funnily so I guess I was lucky 🙂 Cars don´t care much for cyclists, as you know Madrid being the capital it´s known for its impatient drivers.
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
GOOD ADVICE FOR ANYWHERE! 🙂
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Thank you so much for reblogging and for your interest!
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Sage advice here, Shamim. That’s certainly something you don’t see in Waterloo, Ontario either. How expensive are these rentals? Is the price based on how long you have the bike and how far you traveled?
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Good questions John! I´m planning on writing another post about biek rentals but in more detail so I´ll address your questions too.
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Thanks, Shamim – that works for me!
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