I had some meetings in Liverpool which provided the opportunity to combine the Hedkayse One with a Citybike for the day. £1 per day rental plus £1 per hour cycling (or part thereof) means you have to have at least £2 of credit on the app to use the bikes. Took about 5 mins to set-up as I'd forgotten my previous ID!
Picked up at Cains Brewery (Ryde Coffee & Bikes for refreshment) after meeting in Atlantic Way. Great re-generation of a beautiful building.
Meetings in Ropewalks (new co-working space) and City Centre allowed time to cycle along Strand St (via the new segregated cycle path on Park Lane). Great commute along Otterspool to City, nice and flat for the CityBike. It rained as well (which I haven't seen for a while)!
Plenty of folding the helmet into my bag between meetings, it's so convenient; although helmet did fall off the bike alot during photos - but no harm done!
Final meetings in Baltic Triangle, allowed a break at Baltic Bakehouse (great patisserie) - of course there is also the industrial bakery at Bridgewater St that has the great smell!
CityBike - easy to ride, suits all sizes, reasonable weight, three gears, useful sized basket (better than Boris Bikes) also provides you with a padlock if you want to visit a cafe for 10 mins (this works as the charging is by the hour or part thereof) - it's as cheap keeping the bike as it is parking it and getting a new one each time you stop (only 5 mins of a journey is free).
End of day in the Car Park - surprised to see the below Harry Quinn bike, remember these as a kid being the best frames to have, Reynolds 531 etc.
The irony that bikes have come along way from the 80's but helmets are still the same technology - or are they.
Recommend using the CityBikes in Liverpool, sight-seeing and travel to business meetings as well as commuting (I think I covered all these in the two days), I like the padlock idea as the charging is by the hour, so a quick refreshment stop before a meeting didn't require a change of bike. A robust cycle helmet that folds away seems the best accessory to add!
By Tony at Hedkayse