Velib' Frenzy! The Ultimate Paris Free Bike Scheme FAQ
I'm starting a thread about Velib', Paris' new free bike scheme. Feel free to contribute with questions, answers, advice, share your technical expertise and your preferred Velib' balads. I'm a fairly recent Velib' user myself (3 days ) but Velib' has changed my life.
How is the luggage carrying on these things? There doesn't seem to be a rear pannier rack or bungee, but is the basket solid (and likely to remain attached) and big enough?
Velib' is Paris new free bike scheme launched in July 2007 by the city council (Mairie de Paris). The official Velib' website is here. At the moment the Velib' website is in French only so we probably need our own FAQ here at FlyerTalk.
Picture of a brand new Velib', still in pretty good shape.
15 July 2007: 10,648 bicycles and 750 stations
3 September 2007: 14,197 bicycles and 1,000 stations
31 December 2007: 20,600 bicycles and 1,451 stations.
There are more than 750 Velib' stations in operation, one every 300 meters or so. Here is a picture showing all Velib' stations around Jardin du Luxembourg, Saint-Michel, La Sorbonne, Boulevard Saint-Germain. The number of Velib' stations keeps growing, future stations are called Chantiers Velib'. The list of existing stations and Chantiers Velib' is available here.
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How do I know how many bikes are available in each station?
Chek out the Velib' website to know exactly (live) how many bikes and empty stands are available. Here is a picture showing the status of station #6009, rue Guynemer, August 1, 2007 at noon.
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I am not a French citizen. Can I use the Velib's?
Yes, Velib' is for visitors too. Velib terminals have information in French, English, Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese.
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When can I use a Velib'?
Velib's are available 24/7.
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Do I need to take my Velib' back to the same station I took it from?
No, Velib's can be left at any station with available stands.
Last edited by Falco Peregrinus; Aug 1, 07 at 5:54 am.
How is the luggage carrying on these things? There doesn't seem to be a rear pannier rack or bungee, but is the basket solid (and likely to remain attached) and big enough?
I have posted a picture of a Velib' showing the front pannier rack, there is no rear pannier rack. I find the front pannier rack reasonably big enough for a 30 min ride. I would definitely not use it to transport my luggage to/from the airport (even my carry on).
You can enjoy the Velib' experience during 24 hours for as low as 1 euro. 1 euro is the 1-day subscription fee. You can borrow a Velib' as many times as you wish during the subscription period. The Velib' scheme is designed to encourage the turnover of bikes in order to satisfy the greatest number of users. The first half hour of use of a Velib' is systematically free of charge. After the first half hour of every journey, the following half hours are charged according to the rates which apply :
1 euro for the 1st additional half hour
2 euros for the 2nd additional half hour
4 euros from the 3rd additional half hour.
Borrowing a Velib' for an uninterrupted period of 4 hours would therefore cost 23 euros (1 euro for the first hour, 6 euros (2+4) for the 2nd hour, 8 euros per hour for the 3rd and 4th hours). Pretty expensive but most people will avoid these charges by taking their Velib' back before the free 30-minutes period expires. The rates have also been specially designed to avoid competing with private bike hire companies, the majority of whose customers use the bikes for more substantial periods of time (half a day or longer).
The 7-day susbscription fee is priced 5 euros, 1-year subscription fee costs 29 euros.
It is not possible to make two 30-minutes journeys free of charge one straight after the other. An interval of a few minutes will be necessary between bringing back the bike and collecting it again. My personal experience shows that 5 minutes between 2 journeys is enough to avoid the charge. It usually takes 5 minutes to walk to the nearest Velib' station but there is no obligation to borrow your next Velib' in a different station.
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Is there a deposit?
Yes, there is a security deposit of 150 euros. For an annual Velib’ subscription, this takes the form of a cheque (valid for 1 year) which will not be presented, or a direct debit authorisation. 1-day and 7-day Velib’ subscriptions require a direct debit pre-authorisation (which is not collected) against your bank account.
All or part of your security deposit may be collected in the event that you do not comply with the General Terms and Conditions of Access and Use of Velib’, and particularly if you do not return your bike within 24 hours or if the bike is damaged.
3 levels of penalty are applicable:
150 euros if the Velib' is not returned;
35 euros if the Velib' is stolen and the theft is reported to the Police ;
10 euros if the key of the anti-theft lock is lost.
Last edited by Falco Peregrinus; Aug 1, 07 at 6:38 am.
Pas trop lourds les vélibs?
J'ai vu plus d'une personne avoir des démarrages plus que difficiles et chancelant!!
Are Velib's heavy? Why do so many Velib' users totter and struggle with their Velib'? Velib's are sturdily built as each of them will be used between 10 and 15 times a day. A Velib' weighs 22 kg (48.5 pounds), 22% more than a commercial bike, yet in line with the choice of materials used, which have to be extremely hard-wearing.
Besides, most Velib' users are not experienced bikers, that probably explains why they don't look very self-assured every time they move off.
Are Velib's heavy? Why do so many Velib' users totter and struggle with their Velib'?
Besides, most Velib' users are not experienced bikers, that probably explains why they don't look very self-assured every time they move off.
Why would inexperienced cyclists decide to get on a bike in Paris?
I do not fancy the idea of wobbling along the streets and roads in busy cities. Is Paris cycle friendly? Don't remember seeing any bicycle lanes at all.
I think I might have come across the Velib' stands in Madeline. A whole row of bikes which I initially thought belonged to some Paris cycling tour group!
Interestingly, I saw the greatest use of Velib bicycles at night. This was during the last two days of the Tour de France, and there were quite a few of them running around the side streets of Paris near Montparnasse.
PARIS, Sept. 29 — Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, on his first trip here since he took office, acknowledged the challenges of bringing home a popular Parisian bike rental program the administration is exploring, saying he was unsure it would translate to New York.
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Under the program, which started in July, thousands of bicycles are docked along Paris streets, and customers can rent them after buying a membership ranging in time from a day (about $1.30) to a year (about $38). Members pay by the half-hour, with the first 30 minutes free. To discourage long rides, the fee rises from $1.30 for the second half-hour to $5.20 for the fourth.
Judging from the lines of empty consoles in the city center and the ubiquity of riders, even in the rain, the program has been a hit here, despite occasional technical glitches and a lack in some places of empty spots to return a bicycle. One official told Mr. Bloomberg that 100,000 people had signed up for yearly membership and that customers had taken more than 5 million rides.
Whether such a system could survive in New York, where bike theft is common, remains to be seen. Lionel Bordeaux, a press officer for City Hall here, said the fact that all fees were paid by credit card, and a roughly $200 charge for unreturned bikes, discouraged stealing.
I have no clue how a U.S. visitor to Paris could possibly make the E150 deposit. They are going to take my U.S. bank account number somehow (I guess my ATM card number, or maybe something else)? How do I even do such an authorisation, given that they can take it?
Too bad, I'd love to try this next time I'm there.
I have no clue how a U.S. visitor to Paris could possibly make the E150 deposit. They are going to take my U.S. bank account number somehow (I guess my ATM card number, or maybe something else)? How do I even do such an authorisation, given that they can take it?
From what I've heard, some US credit cards work (AMEX and a couple of major banks) but not all; you use them in the kiosques at the Vélib stations.
Velib' Frenzy! The Ultimate Paris Free Bike Scheme FAQ
) but Velib' has changed my life.
