OurBike FAQs

• What is the safest way to ride a cargo bike?
  • Please watch the video in the app before you use an OurBike for the first time.
  • The bikes are not difficult to ride but there are characteristics that are different to riding a two-wheeled bike. The main one being the fact that the bike can topple over if you do not counter the balance when riding on the road with a camber or round corners. The key is to lean into the corner or camber to counteract the slope.
  • Do not ride the bike too fast. You should be in control at all times - going too fast could lead to the bike toppling over.
  • Given the bike is quite large and cumbersome, riding in the primary position (centre of your lane) is more important than ever as you are not able to make sudden changes in direction, which could happen in the case of a parked car suddenly opening its door on the roadside for instance.
  • Do not come to a halt too close to the vehicle in front. If they didn’t see you and for some reason reversed, it would be very difficult to move out of the way in time.
  • If you still feel you require more help, please book a training session through the ourbike.co.uk website.
• How do I reserve a bike?
  • In the app tap on the bike you want in the map.
  • Tap on ‘Book it’.
  • Tap on ‘Click to choose day’ and pick a date and time and do the same for the ‘Drop off’.
  • ‘Confirm’ and ‘Book It’.
  • When you are ready to start tap on ‘Ride’ and start.
• Do I need any insurance before I ride the bike?
  • The bike is covered against theft and damage as long as it is locked in the correct way, i.e., chained to an immovable object (not a pole) through the frame and rear wheel.
  • We have public liability insurance but we advise that you take out personal liability cover as you are responsible for any damage to third parties. This includes injury.
  • We work with a company who offer flexible and affordable personal liability for cyclists - LAKA.
• How do I cancel a reservation?

  Go to ‘Reservations’ in the app and then tap on ‘Cancel’. You will only be refunded if the reservation is more than 24 hours away.

• Do I need to wear a helmet?

  The decision for you or any passengers to wear a helmet is yours but we would recommend you do, especially if you are inexperienced on cargo bikes.

• What does the Host do?

  The host is the business or organisation that the bike is named after and located near. They will hold a spare battery that they keep charged and swap it over when required to do so. They also hold a pump if you need to pump up the tyres.

• What checks should I do before I start my ride?

  Give the bike an ABCD check before you set off: 

  • Air - check tyres and borrow the pump from the Host (the bike is named after the Host organisation and they will be located nearby) if need be.
  • Brakes - squeeze both and rock the bike back and forth to check if they work. 
  • Chain - slowly turn the pedals back to check the chain moves unimpeded.
  • Direction - wiggle the handlebars to make sure they move the wheels and are not loose.

  If anything is wrong that you cannot resolve then please do not ride and report the fault in the app or email info@ourbike.co.uk.

• What can the bike carry?
  • The Ridgeback MK5  can carry up to 130kg, which includes the weight of the rider.
  • Children travelling in the cargo area will need to sit up unsupported, and generally we recommend this for ages three and up.
• What is the range of the bike?
  • The Ridgeback MK5 is advertised as up to 100 km but real life use is much lower - we believe that on full power it will cover about 35km on a full charge.
• I have a ride booked and am on my ‘Reservations’ but I cannot start the ride.

  You need to tap on the ‘Ride’ button at the bottom of the screen and start your ride from there.

• The battery is low, what should I do?

  Please go to the Host business who manages the batteries on this bike and ask them if you can have the replacement battery.

  The Host is not open or cannot change the battery:

  • We are afraid only the Host can change the battery on the bike so you will not be able to use that bike today.
  • Please report this in the app and include a photo of the display panel turned on so we can see the battery setting and refund you. 
  • The only other option left to you is to reserve another bike if one is available near you.
  • We do apologise for the inconvenience. We will tell the Host to improve the changing of the battery.
• The app keeps crashing
  • Check you have the latest version of the app by going to the App or Play Store.
  • Check you have data and internet access on your phone.
  • Log out of the app, close it, reopen and log in.
  • Delete the app, download it and start again.
  • If none of these resolve the issue then message Customer service through the 'Report Malfuntion' in the app or email info@ourbike.o.uk and we will try and resolve this and, at the very least, refund you.
• The lock will not open.

  Please could you check the following things:

  • Is your bluetooth on?
  • Do you have internet access?
  • Please close the app down and reopen it.

   

  If it is still not working try this:

  • After reopening the app tap on ‘Ride’ and get your ride up and tap on the ‘Start Ride’ and wait 5-10 seconds whilst it transmits the message to the lock.
  • If the ride is showing, slide the ‘Unlock’ button to the right and when the padlock on the bike flashes green, turn the barrel on the lock and it should unlock.

   

  Still not working:

  • Are you getting a message saying ‘lock not available’ with a red background? This normally means your bluetooth is not working so please try turning this on and off again.
  • If it still does not work or you do not get that message then it could be a faulty lock. Please go to the ‘Report Issues’ in the top right of the screen and tap on ‘Report Malfunction’ and send a picture of the bike locked up and explain in the notes what happened.
  • Sorry but there is not much more we can do until we check the lock.
• How do I turn on the lights?
  • Ridgeback MK5 bike: to turn on the lights, press and hold the ‘up’ arrow located on the display panel of the bike for two seconds. If the rear light does not turn on, press the button on the battery as well.
• Why won’t the bike move?
  • Once you have unlocked the bike, please press the power button placed next to the display panel located on the handlebars.
  • Use the arrows to increase or decrease the power of your motor.
  • The brake lever might be locked. If it is, make sure to squeeze the brakes and flick the small switches placed next to each brake backwards. If you want to lock the brakes, do the same but flick them forwards.
• The chain has come off and I cannot get it back on.

  It is actually not that tricky to get the chain back on:

  • Pull the chain down underneath the large front chain ring and then press a couple of the chain links against the large chain ring and turn the pedals gently backwards until it all goes back on.
• The bike has broken down.
  • Please lock the bike up somewhere secure - to an immovable object but not a pole and make sure it is not in the way of pedestrians or other vehicles.
  • If you then go to ‘Report Issues’ in the app and tap on ‘Report Malfunction’.
  • Take a photo of the bike locked up and in the notes give the location details and please describe what happened.
• I have had an accident.
  • Please report to appropriate emergency services if needed.
  • When you are ready, tap on the ‘Report Issues’ / ‘Report Accident’ and send details of what happened. If you have to leave the bike at a different location to its base please provide details.

  Someone from the OurBike Team will be in contact to get more details from you. They work Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm so please don't worry if you do not hear from them immediately.

• The bike has been stolen.
  • Report it to the police and get a crime number.
  • If there are any witnesses get their details and a statement.
  • Report it through the app by going to ‘Report Issues’ / Report Malfunction’ - any pictures and as much detail as possible helps and include the location you think it was stolen from.

  Someone from the OurBike Team will be in contact to get more details from you. They work Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm so please don't worry if you do not hear from them immediately.

• How do I extend my ride?
  • If you want to extend your trip, tap on the ‘extend ride’ button in the app and you will be allowed to extend up to the time of the next booking.
  • Tap on the date and it will take you through the process to extend the booking.
  • If you have accidentally gone over your time you will be charged the extra minutes plus fined £30 if another member was waiting.
• Where do I park the bike?
  • If you are stopping whilst on your ride you must lock the bike to an immovable object (not a pole) and make sure it is not obstructing any pedestrians or other vehicles.
  • You must end the ride back at the Host location where you picked the bike up from. If you do not park the bike back in the Host location parking zone you will be fined £30 unless there is a genuine reason why you could not do it. You need to report the reason through the OurBike app or email info@ourbike.co.uk.
• I cannot end my ride / upload the photo at the end of my ride.

  You need to try the following procedures:

  • Have you given location permission on your phone for the OurBike app?
  • Please go to settings on your phone / apps / OurBike app / grant location permission.
  • You need to check you have internet access.
  • You need to check you have bluetooth on.

   

  Once all these have all been done please now:

  • Log out of the app and close it.
  • Reopen it and log in and check whether there is anything when you tap on ‘Ride’ at the bottom of your screen.
  • If not, the ride has ended and it is fine.

   

  If you still cannot end the ride, go to the ‘Report Issues’ in the top right of the screen and tap on ‘Report Malfunction’ and send a picture of the bike locked and explain in the notes what happened.

  The admin team will end the ride for you and confirm this is done. They work Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm so please don't worry if you do not hear from them immediately.

• I need to park the bike in a location outside of its parking zone but it won’t let me.

  When you try to park, do you see a field in the app where it asks you to type in the word ‘Agree’? Have you done this?

   

  Still not working:

  • Can you please check you have given location permissions to the app. Go into settings and apps and find OurBike and agree to give location permission to the app.

   

  Still not working

  • Please try logging out, closing the app, reopening and logging in again.

   

  Still not working

  • If it is still not working then please use the  ‘Report Issues’ / ‘Report Malfunction’ button in the app and send a picture, details of what happened and where the bike is located and the admin team will end the ride for you.
• I cannot lock the bike up.

  You manually lock the padlock so as long as the lock is open it should not be a problem.

  If you mean you cannot unlock the lock in order to then lock the bike then please try the following:

  Please could you check the following things and then try again:

  • Is your bluetooth on?
  • Do you have internet access?
  • Please log out of the app, close it, reopen it and log in again.

  • Now tap on ‘Ride’ and get your ride up if it is not showing and tap on the ‘Start Ride’ button and wait 5-10 seconds whilst it transmits the message to the lock.
  • If the ride is showing, slide the ‘Unlock’ button to the right and when the padlock on the bike flashes green, turn the barrel on the lock and it should unlock.

  Still not working:

  • Are you getting a message saying ‘lock not available’ with a red background? This normally means your bluetooth is not working so please try turning this on and off again.
  • If it still does not work or you do not get that message then it could be a faulty lock.
  • Please make sure the bike is back at its home location and we will get someone to meet you there to lock the bike up. It could take up to two hours but they will call you to update you.