Before arriving in Paris I kept hearing, “Oh the best way to see Paris is on foot, walk the whole city, it's really the only way to experience it.” I'd rather be shot and thrown into a dumpster by the Seine. Walking is not for cyclists – it sours the guns, it's slow as hell. We are not walkers, we are rouleurs.
Enter the Velib – the word is an amalgam of velo and liberty, 20000 bikes, 1800 stations spread around the city. This was conceived to get cars off the streets and judging from the number of people using the bikes, it must be doing something right. These are not intended for sightseeing as much as they are a 24/7, nearly free way to get from point to point without a car and its associated pains. The bikes were custom-designed, 3 speeds, adjustable seat, a cable lock, basket, front and rear lights driven off the hubs. The coolest part is the sturdy male tab that easily mates with the base station. Post-ride you dock your bike into any open base, it locks, and you walk away. Brilliant.
Having been here for two days makes me an expert in all things Parisian, of course. The city is rather flat so the three gears are enough, the tires are tough, it's no speedster but really who cares? It's not your bike. No emotional attachment; use it and walk away. There is always another just like it waiting for the next ride. I've ridden a few of these bikes that needed some love but almost all of them have been great.
One subscribes to this kind of service. I bought a one week service for 8 euros. A whole year is only 29 euros. The first half hour is free, the next is 1 euro. You log in, grab a bike, adjust the seat, no time lost in adjusting the helmet as none are provided. Then you accelerate into the maelstrom that is Paris traffic; a torrent of motos, scooters, trucks, buses and bikes. Exciting and dangerous-absolument. But I figure I'll still last longer than that cyclist with headphones and cigarette.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/j.andrews3@comcast.net/velib photos/”/]
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We've used it. It is really quite cool. Although I only barely got to test it because I was pushing a then 3-year-old around in a scooter.
The Amsterdam system of paying a junkie for your choice of bike is also very efficient, if less than ethical.
Great read Gianni. Must say I am jealous. Paris or shoving the kid off for the first day back to school? I'd take Paris.
Have fun!
Nice lead picture. Too many violations to list, but I'd certainly look long and hard to try and count them all.
London has a similar set up with bikes sponsored by Barclays Bank. They are nicknamed "Boris Bikes" in honor of the flaxen-haired, adulterous, Bullingdon-boy, goofball mayor Boris Johnson.
As Wikipedia puts it: "Johnson is known for his love of cycling and regularly cycles to work. He has been the victim of several bike thefts and has expressed his desire to plant "decoy bicycles throughout Islington and send Navy SEALs in through the windows of thieves".[103] He introduced a bicycle sharing system modelled on Velib in London in July 2010.[104] However, since becoming Mayor of London he has cut £10m off the budget for new cycle lanes in London.[105] A spokesman for Johnson said that the overall investment in cycling in London had been increased to a record £55m in 2008, up from £36m the year prior.
A mixed bag there, but I do like the idea of sending Navy Seals after bike thieves.
Gianni - do you own a gun? I need to be shot. Been walking for 1.5 weeks while away from home on work. And walked for three full fucking weeks back in July for the same reason. Thank Merckx I don't travel much. I might need a Dahon! Or a Ritchey Break Away.
I knew I'd reached my limit this morning when I realized I was timing my walks to the bus, seeing if I could best my previous walk. How horrible and sad! I'm mulling over my average walking speed. The horrors.
I'm just outside DC at the moment; they've started a bike rental program in the city. Saw it in July, thought about trying it out.
Thankfully I'll be home on Saturday. My VMH, my pets, and my bikes await! I'm counting the hours. Walking sucks. First proper cx training workout on Saturday morning too, after an overnight bus ride. Gotta shock the guns back to life.
And nice one, Gianni! Hope you enjoy/ed the trip. That shop looks awesome! Nothing better in the world than a really cool, really stuffed bike shop.
And yeah, superb lead photo. Is there anything better than gal commuting on bike? Some nice shoes, a nice outfit, and spinning those legs. What a sight!
Oh, and why is it that the shittiest cyclists think it's a good idea to toss some headphones on? Buddy, you need every single one of your senses working overtime in order to not get blasted by a car. Please turn off the music and quit texting. Or, are they twatting about how they are mere seconds from getting smashed by a dump truck? "Hey everyone, just almost killed by tons of moving metal & concrete! Wee!!!"
I would have loved to have something like this available when I was in Japan. I of course didn't have my bike, and the process of renting a bike from a bike shop was less than ideal, since they have to be open for you to return it.
@Ron
yeah, after one of these rides my wife asks, "did you see that store, or those shoes?" Fuck no I didn't, I've got every sensor on trying to pick up the hurtling black scooter coming in at 3 o'clock low.
And traveling without your ride, it's bad. Either a Dahon or Ritchey could save your soul on a bidness trip. Make it a business expense. This whole vacation trip is without bikes and never again, just dumb of us. I've borrowed bikes but ya have to have your own steed. Or a nice Pinarello if someone gave me one. That hasn't happened yet.
@wiscot
Yes please-sending in navy seals after bike thieves. One of my extremely thin and wee bike racing friends had a bike stolen so he drove into the bad part of town and actually saw his bike. But he was such an extremely thin and wee bike racer he didn't have the balls to get out of the car and take it back from the bad boys. He did get the bike back but having a navy seal in the back seat would have made it much easier and fun too!
Thanks for the belly laugh. I hate walking. As Woody Allen once said about "mellow", "I can't do mellow-I ripen and then rot". I call hikers "trail snails", so walkers in the city must be "sidewalk snails".......especially in France.
@wiscot
The juxtaposed coal-burning Mercedes says it all.
Nice article. It's good to know you are enjoying a nice vacation with your lovely bride. What's the story on the bike shop in the picture? And do the French people know about us?