B-Cycle

Crooks. Don’t rent bicycles from them. They advertise 30 free minutes then $ 10 per day but you get charged $ 10 a day regardless. 30 minutes free seems as though you can test it out free of charge right? That’s what they do in Charlotte NC BUT NOT HERE! Stay away from B-​Cycle they’re crooks. I plan on reporting them to the BBB next week. Don’t bother calling the office manager she’s rude and eager to keep your stolen money.

Lots of places have shared bike programs, but the one in San Antonio is one of the best I’ve seen, perhaps because the city is laid out so well to make use of it. If you are actually downtown, it can get rather hairy to work with the cars — there are bike lanes, but the drivers aren’t too happy about sharing them.
Outside of downtown, there are plenty of places to ride, however, including the excellent mission trail, to one end and up to the Pearl Brewery on the other (there are other places, but those are some nice choices).
The program itself is great, because you put in your deposit for a 24 hour period, and then as long as you keep the bike out for only 30 minutes, the use is completely free — and the stations are positioned in such a way so that you can travel pretty much the entire city without paying another cent. I will say, however, that a couple of them are a bit of a stretch (and due to road work, some can be a challenge to find/​get to). But it’s definitely worth it, rather than trying to walk the missions trail or taking a taxi!

This is a fantastic idea… so easy. $ 10/​day, or $ ²⁴⁄₇ days. If you’re here longer than one day, register online and buy the 7day pass even if you only stay 3 days, you’ll be saving money.
On short memberships you get unlimited 30 minutes rides… anything over 30 is an additional $ 2. There are tons of automated bike rack systems scattered throughout the Downtown San Antonio area… ride park, ride park. What a great way to see the city, and enjoy the historic sites, food, and brews (or wines) of this marvelous Texas City while working up an appetite.
If you buy longer memberships, you get up to 60 minutes per segment before needing to rack the bike.
The bikes all have baskets, some with 2, as well as lights and flashers for night time riding.

This is such a fabulous concept! Me and my family rented bikes to ride around the Pearl Brewery. It was so awesome and convenient. Had we known there was a bike rental/​return station right by our hotel, we could have maximized the use of the rental fee ($ 10 for 24 hours). But alas! we had a wonderful time riding around this area.

Had a blast riding around downtown exploring bars & restaurants without having to worry about driving! Had an issue with my credit card so passes purchased online were easily refunded! Great customer service!!!

Bike enthusiast, better than walking but not by much.
I have to say I am a HUGE fan of these ride-​share bikes they have in different cities around the country. I have used them in a couple of different places and while biking around the Twin Cities I see them out all the time. From a guy that loves to bike and does so at any chance available I must say I was very disappointed in the ride in San Antonio.
They do have a lot of locations and it is a great way to see the area but right from the start it was not good. Of the 10 or so bikes that were docked where I started almost all of them had low tires. I picked the best one in the group and about 3 miles later I had a flat front tire (I am a very careful biker and didn’t ride through anything odd). I hobbled along to the next station where the bike with the most air had a shifter that didn’t work (you really don’t ever want to go out of the highest gear since the lower ones are super low). I turned that one in and had to take another one a few miles away with low tires and just lived with it.
The app they use isn’t the best either but I can live with that.
These bikes need some attention, hire someone and keep the riders happy while seeing this fantastic city!
KT

How can some of these 5-​star reviews say «Some aren’t in good shape», yet give it 5?
We rented two bikes and one got a flat (while walking across the road). I called the service number listed on the bike and waited nearly ten minutes before hanging up (while listening to how important my phone call was). Then I was charged an overage fee because I didn’t return the bike within 30 minutes!

This was a great system and very easy to use. I got a 24 hour pass and rode all over downtown. There is a built in lock so you can park where ever. I will absolutely use again and loved the freedom it gave me. Tip it is $ 10 per 24 hours so could get expensive. I docked and un-​docked which worked to avoid more charges. Make sure you pick out a good bike, some are in great shape and some are not.

This is the fun way to do San Antonio and to check out the bicycle network that lines the gorgeous Riverwalk sights and missions. Check the maps to make certain you’re on track and that you don’t overreach your 30 minute stay, but if you do, it’s only a $ 2 penalty.
The bicycles in San Antone are well maintained — I did not notice any of the flat tires that I’ve noticed here in Austin, and each stop had a good selection of bikes with front baskets. There could have been more sun covers, but overall this is an enjoyable addition to San Antonio tourism, and tooling around downtown on bike was a delightful first for me.

I moved from Boston where biking is a weekend adventure not an everyday pursuit and passion. Upon arriving in Austin I realized that biking was a part of the culture and B-​Cycle offered me the perfect opportunity to utilize all that is unlocked by biking without some of the hassles of ownership.
The system is easy to use and they have locations in many convenient spots. I know most people own a bike in this wonderful city, but if you don’t I would highly recommend B-​Cycle.

Sucks!!! If you buy a 24 hour pass, you have to return them every half hour or you get charged $ 2 more for every half an hour you go over the first half an hour. You can barely get somewhere, let alone grab a beer or some food before you get charged on top of the initial fee. Go to a regular shop, rent a real bike n save yourself the hassle.

We just got back from riding along the river. The bicycles are well maintained and there are plenty at each stop. The $ 10 daily fee is reasonable and the stations are close enough together that there is no concern about charges for being late.
We got information and a helpful map from the woman at the station in Hemisfair Park who was very helpful.
Great way to enjoy the path along the river.

I first used this company in Salt Lake City, Utah with some friends to get around town. It was spring and starting to get pretty warm and we didn’t want to drive everywhere. Only problem is that over there finding docking stations was almost impossible, not to mention there were very few of them.
If you get a day pass for $ 10 like we did and do not dock the bike every 30 mins you will get a fee charged to your card. Make sure you know where the docking stations are and if you aren’t by one or feel like it will take you longer than the allotted time because you want to stop and shop, eat, etc. just know that you WILL be charged for each additional 30 mins.
It is a really nice idea for places in cities where parking is limited or just expensive for no reason. My friend and I used this one Saturday morning and just rode around San Antonio exploring. We stopped at Madhatters Tea for lunch and tea time and then went back to the docking station and rode to Hemisphere Park. The have a docking station close to the Tower of America that you can park it in for a bit and walk around. Just look at the map when you get the bike (or before) and see where all the docking stations are and how to get to them.
The bikes even have a basket in the front where you can put stuff. HOWEVER, do NOT put your cell phone in it alone because when I would pedal it decided to jump out in protest and a car almost ran over it. YIKES! So bring a purse, backpack or something if you want your cell phone to live. Definitely recommend this if you just feel like being more green and healthy for a bit. Ciao!

I owe a review to San Antonio B Cycle! I have their annual membership I won at Unilocal bike bingo!
I first heard about B Cycle when I visited Denver a few years ago but didn’t get to use it there. Regardless, I thought the bike sharing program was super cool. I am no stranger to bicycles. I am originally from Beijing, perhaps the bike city of the world? I started riding a bike to school since 6 grade, haha! Still remember my very first cute little bike, it is green!
Fast forward to 2013, I moved to SA and noticed these red bikes around downtown. Ah ha, SA has B Cycle too! When I heard about the Unilocal bike bingo event, I jumped at it. I had not ridden a bike for ages and missed it so much! For $ 10, I got to ride the bike for 24 hrs. Not bad! I bought a 24 hr pass for the event and had a ton of fun. It was my first time doing a bike pub run!!! I didn’t think it could get any better but then I won a B Cycle annual membership! Now I a proud owner of a B card!
Since getting my membership, I rode the bike for a number of times. I participated in B Cycle’s Tour de B Cycle challenge with a friend. We rode the bike in the extreme Texas heat in July for more than 11 hours in one day to finish all of their 32 northern stations. It was very hard but we finished it and won B Cycle T-​shirts! I also participated in the Something Monday bike rides hosted by the rivard report. It was very cool as well.
Now on to the bikes, they are well maintained and fully equipped with lights and a bell. The check out system is super easy to use. Just tap your B card if you have an annual membership. Otherwise you have to use the kiosk. I never had any problem when riding their bike. If you have an annual membership, you get an hour to ride from point A to point B without being charged for overtime. Otherwise, it is 30 minutes. Their stations cover major attractions and cool restaurants. It is a great way to explore and see the city. They are constantly adding new stations and have extended the hours to ²⁴⁄₇ I believe. So you can go bar hopping on a bike at 3am if you’d like, just saying! But you probably would not be able to pick up any girls with your bike, haha! I love the fact that they are so convenient, when you don’t need them they will disappear.
Now the drawbacks. Some stations aren’t very bike friendly. I remember riding at places with no bike lanes, it was pretty scary. Hopefully this city can become more pedestrian and bike friendly. Some popular locations such as the blue star is always full. Adding more slots to these stations would be very helpful. Sometimes it is challenging to ride between two stations under 30 minutes, especially in the river walk area. There are always so many people there, it is impossible to ride your bike sometimes.
I like the fact that B Cycle is very involved with the community and healthy living styles. They always host great events. You can find out the events on their social networking sites and in the e-​newsletters they send out. You can also log on to their website to see miles ridden, calories burned and carbon offset. If you are skeptical, get the 24 hr membership for 10 bucks. Give B Cycle a try and see for yourself. Start burning calories and saving our environment! It is cool to get on a bike, ya know!

1) We love riding bikes.
2) We recently visited San Antonio for a long weekend.
3) San Antonio has a LOT of paved bike paths/​trails plus bike lanes downtown.
4) Bikes do not travel well as airplane carry-​ons.
Therefore, It only made sense that we rent bikes during our visit.
We first saw a similar bike rental system in Montréal a couple of years ago. We were thoroughly confused by the process, though, so we passed and just took a bus tour. This time in San Antonio, though, we were determined because we wanted to ride on the Mission Trail along the river. We read all of the instructions thoroughly, downloaded the free iPhone app, inserted our credit card, and hoped for the best. We couldn’t see how to rent two bikes with one credit card, so we had to split up our purchases. I’m still not sure it’s possible since you have to use your credit card to identify yourself each time you want to take out a bike using the 24-​hour pass.
Anyway, the most challenging part of the experience was planning out the trip. Could we make it to the next bike rental return/​pick-​up before the 30 minutes is up… or should we exchange bikes now and restart the clock? Turns out, we didn’t have any problems during our experience. There were always bike docks available for us to return our bike within the time limit and/​or bikes for us to take away. Plus, there were plenty of stations along the Mission Trail that we didn’t have to stop at each one. After a couple of returns (and a bike with sticky handlebars), we realized we could «return» a bike that we liked and then just take the same one out again.
At the Mission Road stop, we returned our bikes and took a break. Here, there were covered picnic tables, a port-​a-​potty, a small food place with a walk-​up window across the street, and two adorable, well-​behaved homeless dogs. (If we lived in San Antonio, I probably would have taken them home.) While we rested, two B-​Cycle employees (one young with brown hair and glasses, the other older with gray hair) came along in a truck to do regular check-​ups on the bikes. They were both very friendly and excited about B-​Cycle and San Antonio, so it was enjoyable to talk to them and learn a bit about both that we didn’t already know. They checked the bike tires for air, reapplied stickers, etc. I could tell that they really liked their jobs and took good care of the bikes and the customers.
Sometimes we were a bit confused and backwards on the maps (including some detours and knowing which side of the river to be on at certain spots), but we always eventually found our way. I think an app just for the Mission Trail is in order. Sadly, although we could see the beautiful old missions, they were all closed due to the government shutdown of 2013 (Boo, Washington! What a bunch of bozos.).
The bikes are VERY heavy, which I’m sure they need to be for durability, and awkward looking enough (like bowling shoes) so nobody steals them. This does make for a harder ride than normal bike riders are used to, though.
I did have one security concern while using the B-​Cycle and that’s using my credit card time and time again to remove a bike. With talk of people rigging ATMs and gas stations with devices to steal your credit card information, how do I know if some random person isn’t doing the same at unmanned B-​Cycle stations? Answer: I don’t. However, I made sure to use a credit card that I don’t regularly use to better protect myself.
I’m glad we took advantage of B-​Cycle while in San Antonio. It will give me more confidence now to use them when we visit other cities. At $ 10 for the day, it was worth the fantastic experience and cheap sight-​seeing tour of the city.

For those nights during Fiesta that you don’t want to deal with parking, or during Spurs playoff games when you don’t want to be stuck in the cluster mess of downtown post-​game celebrations, or just for those beautiful fall evenings when you need some fresh air.
I had so much fun on my B-​Cycle bike one Tuesday night, that I’m considering purchasing a bike of my own. Until I’m ready to bite that bullet, B-​Cycle will be my go-​to mode of transportation when venturing downtown or near downtown — once the weather cools off, of course.
The $ 10 day pass ticket seems a little tricky to me. First of all, it’s only $ 10 if your rides between stations are under 30 minutes. I think the 30 minute rule should be different. At first, I thought «Oh sure, 30 minutes from one station to another is plenty of time.» Not really, especially if you end up wanting to stop somewhere that’s not conveniently located near a bike rack, or if one rack is full and there’s not another nearby to park your bike at. I eventually gave up on trying to be under 30 minutes, and just ended up parking my bike on public racks at various establishments. You’re allowed to do this (each bike comes with a lock), it’s just an extra cost to you beyond the $ 10 day pass.
I’d love nothing more than to see B-​Cycle grow and watch bike racks pop up all over the city, with more bikes at each station and more stations in general. It’d also be nice to be able to rely on it later at night, say past 12am?
All in all, B-​Cycle is doing major work in terms of making it easier and more enjoyable to be downtown, and I’m all for this!

Mission: Get-​To-​The-​Convention-​Center-​Fast
Objective: Get to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as fast as my butt can without having to 1) pay for parking, 2) keep driving around looking for parking, and 3) spend as less money as possible doing said mission above ALL WHILE WEARING A DRESS. (yup, it happened folks!)
How it went down:
Parked right across from the Institute of Texan Cultures off of Cesar Chavez (west of IH 37) on a side street and noticed the B-​Cycle station right behind were we parked our vehicle. After reading how cheap ($ 10 for a 24-​hour unlimited use?!) a pass was, I told my friend that there was NO WAY we were going to walk (in the heat, in dresses — since we were going to the convention center to work for a bridal extravaganza event) and we were to prepare to bike.
Grabbed my water bottle from the car, sunglasses, and purchased 2 B-​Cycle passes for the day. Had little trouble understanding the instructions given on the screen (tip: you have to slide your card through to wake up the machine). We were off!!!
Listen, I know San Antonio drivers (I am a recovering San Antonio driver) and I was very apprehensive about riding a bulky Trek bike down Cesar Chavez to Alamo Street in efforts to get to the Convention Center. We did it though! Drivers were kind but only because, as an avid bicyclist in Austin, we took up the entire left lane to bike on and I made sure we pedaled fast! Once we pulled up to the Convention Center I realized we needed to park the bike and because I was so consumed on making sure me and my friend didn’t get injured on our ride there, I missed the parking station. I did not install the app, but thanks to the phone number on the basket of the bike, I was able to call the B-​Cycle headquarters to get directions on where to a station was nearby. The gentleman was very helpful and kind. Even later on, after our work at the Convention Center, the woman who directed me to a station further down Alamo Street (as we were trying to get a drink at Friendly Spot) was super helpful and nice!
Pros:
— fast and easy way to pay for your B-​Cycle
— stations are literally less than a block away from the other station (in some cases)
— helpful and friendly staff who are willing to direct you to where you need to go (from noon to midnight I was serviced by a staff over the phone)
— bike was ready to go and had easy aspects of the bike to make the seat adjustable, seat was comfortable, etc.
— YAY! San Antonio has an easy bike rental system that requires just one payment
— Smooth and easy riding
-
Cons:
— B-​Cycle charged me 3 times for a bicycle rental even though I only purchased 2 passes. HOWEVER, a woman called me the next morning (after me calling the same night) to assess my situation and help me get reimbursed for a 3^rd pass/​bike
— stations are not conveniently located (i.e. nothing by the Alamo? or right in front of the Convention Center off Market Street?)
— no timer or indication that you have had the bike over 30 mins
— the fact you have to check in the bike every 30 mins or you will be charged
— flat tires on some bicycles at stations
— not enough ‘free’ spots open at popular stations like Blue Star to dock my bike (thus making me pay a little more per hour since there was no way to dock the bike in)
— NO BIKES LANES anywhere BUT Southtown. City of San Antonio– PLEASE change this!
— make an option to be able to rent out 2 or multiple bikes at one payment
Outcome: Enjoyed the bicycle ride to and from my car to Convention Center with ease and even took the bike up and down Alamo and Market Streets to see my home city on bike.
Mission ACCOMPLISHED!

I’m all about the B-​Cycle! As a recent transplant from Boston where I was an annual Hubway bike share member, I was super excited to test out B-​Cycle when I landed in San Antonio.
Me and the fella opted to get annual memberships even before going on a ride when we realized that they were nearly half the price of Boston’s Hubway memberships. In the first two days we used the bikes we covered nearly 35 miles and enjoyed every minute of it. Well, every minute except for the ones where we used the app and thought there were two bikes at the Liberty Bar station but found that only one was operational. We called in the bike issue (it had a flat) and the gal on the phone was very nice and offered to bring a bike to us if we’d like. Instead we had brunch at Liberty and walked to another station that was nearby.
Since I used Hubway extensively and now have several hours of experience with B-​cycle, I can say that it is definitely a good value, but I would change a few things.
APP ISSUES
–On both a new Iphone and a new Android, their maps app had us in a location that we simply were not.
–It is slightly frustrating to have to click on each station on the map to see the number of bikes and docking stations available. On Hubway’s app this is visible at a glance. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but if you’re biking, tapping the screen of your phone multiple times to locate a station with an empty bike dock is quite frustrating.
STATION/​BIKE ISSUES
–There isn’t a way to report an issue with a bike without calling it in. The Hubway system has a button on the dock so you can report it immediately. This is linked with the app so if a bike isn’t functional it doesn’t show on the app.
ACCESS
–Wish they offered ²⁴⁄₇ access. Would be cool if they at least expanded weekend hours, but it’s cool that they have added a couple of hours recently — now 4am-​midnight instead of 5am-​11pm.
THINGS THEY DO BETTER THAN HUBWAY
–Leader board. Maybe Hubway has this but i never knew about it and it’s pretty cool
–Being able to access the bike via credit card after you purchase your annual membership but before you receive your membership card. With Hubway you have to wait until you receive your key fob in the mail which is kind lame.
–Labeling stations. It is super cool how the city has cooperated in having all the stations labeled on the signage around the city. It makes it a lot easier to ride from station to station. I don’t know how many times I rode right passed a station in Boston because there wasn’t any signage leading up to it.
Really they are doing an amazing job with B-​Cycle. I’m ready to B-​Cycle around this weekend!

$ 60 a year without a discount for unlimited 29:59 (½ hour) bike rentals. Convenient locations throughout greater downtown. Feature rich for a mass transit commuter. Look forward to expansion south to cover a leisurely ride to all of the missions. I wish B-​Cycle had extended weekend hours… until 3 am on Friday and Saturday nights?
A great value even if you only use it five or six times a year. But you’ll use it more than you think after you get in a habit. Student, senior and military discounts are substantial. Get your card today.

San Antonio loves its bike lanes!
These bike kiosks are located all over the city, and are easy to use.
It takes about a minute to get your feet on the pedal, and get going. You just need a valid credit card, and off you go!
The bikes are especially heavy, all steel. But they have headlights, tail lights, and three gears for your biking pleasure. The gear switch is on the right handlebar.
It’s kinda lame that they cut off bike service at 11p, which can put a damper on your late night carousing. I’ve had a few issues with the bike kiosks in the past glitching out on me, but if you call the number on the kiosk to let them know what’s up, they’re more than helpful.
It’s $ 10 for a 24 hour pass, and $ 2 /​hour. If you ride for less than 30 min, there’s no charge for the hourly rate. So if you can race like Lance Armstrong, (without the steroids) to the next spot, it’s a cheap way to get around.