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Hiring a bike

Hiring requires an account with the operator of the cycle hire scheme and an active access period. Dockside provides neither. It signs in to an account the user already holds.

What you need

Section titled “What you need”
Requirement Obtained from
A cycle hire account The operator’s website
An active access period The operator’s website
A payment card held on that account The operator’s website
A mobile number on that account The operator’s website

Signing in

Section titled “Signing in”
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Sign in to hire.
  3. Enter the email address and password of your cycle hire account.

Dockside sends those to the operator once, to obtain a sign-in token. It keeps the token. It does not keep the password, and it does not keep the email address. See Your information.

Access periods

Section titled “Access periods”

The access period held on the account is shown in Settings under Hiring.

Access period What it covers
Single One journey of up to 30 minutes
Monthly Unlimited journeys of up to 60 minutes, for a month
Annual Unlimited journeys of up to 60 minutes, for a year
None No bike will be released

E-bikes cost extra on every access period, including Monthly and Annual. Journeys longer than the included time cost extra.

Dockside does not decide any of this and cannot override it. Where the app and the operator disagree, the operator is correct.

Releasing a bike

Section titled “Releasing a bike”
  1. Select a docking station, on the map or in the list.
  2. Select Hire.
  3. Read what the operator returns, including any charge.
  4. Confirm.
  5. Enter the release code on the keypad at the docking point.
Item Detail
Where the code appears A red banner at the top of the map
How long the code lasts Around ten minutes, set by the operator
Whether the banner survives closing the app Yes. It stays until dismissed
Dismissing the banner Select the cross at its right
Copying the code Select the banner

The banner persists deliberately. The code is needed while standing at the stand, after the hire screen has been closed.

Mobile number verification

Section titled “Mobile number verification”

The operator sends a code by text before the first hire made from a new sign-in. Dockside shows a screen to enter it.

Condition Detail
When the text is sent At the first hire after signing in, not at sign-in
Where the number comes from The mobile number held on the cycle hire account
Changing the number On the operator’s website
Later hires No further text, unless you sign in again

Without an access period

Section titled “Without an access period”

Selecting Hire on an account with no access period returns the operator’s own list of options and prices instead of a release code. Dockside displays that list and links to the operator’s website. It cannot sell an access period and takes no payment.

Payment

Section titled “Payment”
Item Detail
Who charges The scheme operator, against the card on the account
What Dockside charges Nothing
Where card details are entered The operator’s website
Whether Dockside sees card details No
Refunds and disputes The operator
Section titled “Related”