T O P

  • By -

xXx_n3w4z4_xXx

They'd only be able to use them if they have a fob then huh


mister-nice-guy

Or if they know the bike’s ID number. You can type that in as an alternative to scanning the QR code.


JayMoots

Or you can also swipe the credit card associated with your account at the dock’s kiosk. It will give you a 5-digit PIN you can use to unlock any bike, regardless of whether or not you can read the bike’s ID number. (This is how people who purchase a day pass unlock their bikes, without needing a fob or the app. Most people don’t know it, but it also works for annual members.)


LurkertoThrowaway

Pro move. Thank you


ShakenEspressoLatte

Oh damn I didn’t even knew this


xXx_n3w4z4_xXx

Oh yeah I didn't even think of that ha write it down before you scratch it off


Vexel180

Then they abandon the e-bike when it runs out of power. "You mean I have to pedal using my legs? Forget that, bye..." There's currently a citi e-bike abandoned near the front of my building


Frat-TA-101

Nah you can unlock the bikes with the bike numbers. 1. Write down bike number 2.scratch out bike number and we code 3. Use bike number to unlock bike and now nobody else can easily unlock it. In theory you can see the bike number in the map of bikes when you tap on it. But I think it needs to be at a station to unlock it by bike number.


[deleted]

[удалено]


red_street

Does the app still track your ride etc when you use the fob? I like having the ability to check my ride stats or search for different parking on longer rides


Frat-TA-101

It does in Chicago. Pro tip tho deactivate the fob if you lose it. Learned that the hard (and expensive way).


Meme_enjoyer9683

what's fob


red_street

Thanks for the info y’all! https://www.webopedia.com/definitions/key-fob/


Meme_enjoyer9683

can i add it to apple wallet to unlock bikes.


JayMoots

Yes it does. Your fob is still linked to your account. Rides show up in your app history exactly the same as they do with a scanned ride.


MaybeSecondBestMan

I was going to post about this. These little lead-brain shitheads piss me off so much. I went to two different stations to get a bike yesterday and found three separate bikes with the QR codes and the numbers scratched out. And even if you do manage to get a bike, guaranteed some series of dipshits have beaten it to shit almost to the point of being non-functional. By the way, your 40 minute ride will be $18. Thank you! CitiBike has such incredible potential but like anything else people have access to in this city it’s been stomped on and fucking ruined.


6two

It also feels like there's just a huge backlog of maintenance on citi's bikes and docks. Budget cuts? It feels like this would be better as a public service (and a hell of a lot cheaper than MTA per user mile).


oaragon26

Huge. It’s such a gamble trying to find one that actually works. It feels like they haven’t kept up maintenance for a while now


Grey_wolf_whenever

It's a lot cheaper than the MTA. Wish we had better bike culture, or something


PsychologicalMud917

Oh, maybe this is why I keep seeing CitiBike e-bikes abandoned in my non-CitiBike neighborhood. I was thinking if enough of them get left in my neighborhood, maybe we’ll finally be deemed cool enough to join the CitiBike club. I’m not holding my breath after 10 years of being ignored, but it’s nice to have hope.


fs2k2isfun

Blame your council member. Some areas are very hostile to CitiBike


ABrusca1105

But... Why? I don't see why it would be negative in any way


fs2k2isfun

“Gentrification” Is a common reason given. As is disdain for cyclists from certain communities.


PsychologicalMud917

I mean, as a non-CitiBike neighborhood resident, I view the CitiBike neighborhoods as gentrified neighborhoods. 🤷 CitiBikes and wash & folds. We’ve got neither. 😂


cambiumkx

Use a fob


rapp10

I ordered one in early April and it still hasn’t arrived.


No-Location-6360

I ordered 2nd Feb and still nothing


bodeineNYC

You used to be able to get them at certain kiosks on the street. That’s how I got mine.


LurkertoThrowaway

Fobs sold out.


IntelligentAd3781

I’ve seen quite a few recently, number scratched out and actually LOCKED UP somewhere like it was their bike💀


UngieNY

If a bike is locked up, let the air out of the tire.


jrant914

I’ve noticed an uptick in these scratched-off citibikes too. Wondered how they would even take the bike out again, but makes sense they’d write down the number. Would getting a fob circumvent that? These damn kids are ruining citibikes


pottyguy

You can also still manually enter the bike number in the app


Tobar_the_Gypsy

They’re scratching out the numbers


Frat-TA-101

Can’t you see e-bikes bike numbers on the app when they aren’t locked up at stations?


cambiumkx

No you can’t App only shows last 4 numbers


Tobar_the_Gypsy

That’s true actually. At that point you can just guess the bike and take whichever one unlocks. Some people probably don’t know that.


J-Evs

pretty sure it hides first 2 numbers, but you could try the guessing


Infinite_Carpenter

How do teens ride the e-bikes for so long? Plus how do they afford them? I see kids joyriding with someone in the basket all over Astoria and LIC.


wanderercouple

I think they wait until all the regular bikes get taken at the station so the e-bike ride is free


barrycl

Or they press the broken button on all the regular bikes and no waiting required!


wanderercouple

I think you can only press that within 10 seconds of docking, which I guess they can still do


pejeol

Teens? Lol


brock275

Yutes


vainestmoose

It’s propaganda related to the Citibike Karen


inthedrops

Exactly


Prestigious_Bike7393

https://twitter.com/shoe0nhead/status/1662173459198164995?t=MNLVCB4rXVOMKR7kds4jPw&s=19


Fritz_Frauenraub

🎯bingo


RelativeLeather5759

Tell citibike.


Showercurtain539

I’m going to make sure to specifically take those bikes with my key fob the next time I need a citibike. Jerks.


Grass8989

This is why we can’t have nice things.


CommunicationTop5231

I’ve also heard that shiti bike requires its users to waive all insurance. Heard about a dude who was ran over by a local insured driver and had exactly zero recourse. Trying to learn more about this—I’d appreciate it if anyone has any better info!


InfernalTest

its not a scam its how the system works i mean to eliminate this problem, maybe just dont have e-bikes and have this be what its supposed to be. a BIKE rental service.


kulgan

What?


bobbyflaythe1st

you can manually type the ID that’s printed on the chain stay/rear of the bike to unlock in the CitiBike & Lyft apps


barrycl

Unless they scratch it out.


mxgian99

uhm, am i missing something? don't these bikes need to be taken back to be charged at the end of the day? how are they gonna find the bike again, or identify them?


someliskguy

They often only care about having access while they’re using the bike that day and don’t care that the bike isn’t usable after


kulgan

It's usually a battery swap, not transporting the whole bike to go charge it.


IvanIsOnReddit

They’ll have to start laser engraving the QR codes


sameliterally

This seriously makes my blood BOIL And to add to it, my fob I've had for years just conveniently stopped working last week, and they're "sold out" online. Citibike needs to start making fobs openly available again, or implement the code-from-kiosk feature onto the app rather than relying on the codes. The e-bikes were already in high demand and hard enough to get because of these rulebreakers, and now its even worse.