It’s no secret that there’s nary a street in Beijing that isn’t littered with yellow, green, blue, or some other rainbow-colored bikes available to the masses, meaning getting round the capital is always a breeze. Unfortunately, many people – particularly foreigners – struggle with using them properly. But have no fear, for here are five tips on how to get the most out of the city’s bike-share apps.

Real-name authentication

Before you can even scan a bike, you need to submit a real-name authentication. The process for Chinese citizens is relatively easy and requires nothing more than an ID number. For expats, however, it’s not so straightforward and I’ve had to pay for my foreign friends’ bike rides on more than one occasion, after they couldn’t figure out the sign-up process. Nevertheless, it’s not so hard once you understand how it works.

Typical display of real-name authentication (哈喽出行)

For foreigners, begin by entering your full name, followed by your passport ID. For Hong Kong/Macao citizens, a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents ID is more ideal. Next, you have to upload a photo of yourself holding the ID card/passport. Take care to ensure that both your face and your passport/ID details are clearly visible.

Whereas Chinese citizens are granted immediate access to the platform, foreigners have to wait for several workdays for the real-name authentication to be approved. Therefore, make sure to begin the process before you actually need to use the bikes, lest it fails you during an emergency.

Lock the bikes!

Time is money. And in this case, half an hour is worth RMB 1.5. So, what happens when you forget to lock the bike? Chances are someone else will take your bike and use it for another few hours, with all the costs falling to you!

Every public bike ride starts with a “click,” when the lock around the back tire unlocks itself, thus allowing the bike to move.

Locked mode (Meituan bike)

When you’re done with your ride, push the knob  – which was released when unlocked – back to its previous position. This will lock the bike and indicate that your journey has ended. The time between unlocking and locking the bike will decide your fee, so always remember to push the knob!

Unlocked mode (Meituan bike). Note the different position of the yellow knob from above.

Where’s the bike?

Despite the absurd proliferation of bikes around town, there will be times when you can’t find one to save your life (usually when you urgently need one). Of course, you can simply wander around and pray that there’s one on the next corner. But a much more efficient way is to let the apps do that for you.

Locations of Meituan bikes

When you open your bike-sharing app, you’ll be presented with a map. A pin indicates where you are, while all the bikes indicate… well, bikes that are near you. Note that you’ll only see bikes for the app that you’re using, so don’t go looking for a Hello Bike on Meituan’s platform. What’s more, if you drag the pin around, the map will refresh and show available bikes around the new location.

The “standardized” areas

There’s nothing more confusing – or aggravating – than having a bike that won’t lock. Especially when it’s the first time you encounter this problem. More often than not, however, it’s because you’re trying to park in a designated “no bike parking” zone, which the city is actually implementing more and more.

Area of standardized parking (shaded)

On certain parts of the map, some areas are shaded, denoting a “standardized parking area.” If you try locking your bike in this area, chances are it won’t let you. Instead, you need to find a specific lane that can be seen on the map. Only then can you properly lock your bike.

Public-bike lanes shown

An actual public-bike lane

Quantity over quality

Always have more than one bike-sharing app. There will always be a time when you can’t find a single yellow bike around you, but the green kind, whose app you never bothered to download, is everywhere. It’s best to have at least two different bike-sharing apps, that way you can always find a bike that you can use.

Now, go out and have fun with those rainbow bikes!

KEEP READING: Bike for Your Buck: Unlimited Pass on Hellobike

Images: Caroline He

Beijing was built to be bicycle-friendly, with numerous bike rental apps and countless bicycles on every street. Plus, it has a dedicated bike lane on most roads! Well, at least that’s how it was intended. In reality, cycling through the city can be a bit of a nightmare, even for the most experienced of riders. Firstly, the dedicated bike lane is shared with electric vehicles – including larger “beng beng” cars – and sometimes even actual cars, not to mention pedestrians. Likewise, the sidewalk isn’t much of an option, since it’s too narrow to share with trees and folks on foot. Besides, they often come to an abrupt end, leaving you stranded in the middle of the road like a deer in headlights. 

So I was duly impressed when Beijing Mom Eva Biehl told me that she had cycled from her home near Chaoyang Park to Side Park 4km away, with her husband Andreas and son Nikolai on their own bicycles. If the thought of cycling through Beijing with your kids in tow has ever crossed your mind, then you’ll want to check out tips from the Biehl family and others in our guide below. Do remember firstly that local law only permits children above 12 years old to ride their bicycles on the road. 

Safety

First things first, choose an age-appropriate bicycle for your child by ensuring that both feet can easily step on the ground when they are seated. Other general guides recommend 12 year-olds above 1.4m ride a 26-inch bike wheel bicycle. 

Always wear a safety standards-approved helmet when cycling. Brands like Giro can be found in the many Giant bicycle stores around the city, and Schwinn helmets are readily available on Taobao, where you can also pick up Cairbull’s folding helmet, Fender. For night riding, ensure you have a headlight and reflector installed on the front and back of your bicycle. 

An optional safety feature you could consider would be side-view mirrors. This greatly reduces your chances of getting sideswiped by passing vehicles that tend to travel at higher speeds. Alternatively, train your kids, and yourself, to check your blind spot often. 

Appropriate attire is also paramount to your kid’s safety. Open-toed footwear such as sandals are not recommended as they can either fall off easily, or straps can get caught in the spokes of the bike wheels. 

Planning

“Plan enough time since cycling is so much slower,” says Biehl. We can back her up on that. Most accidents occur as a result of rushing when we are late or short on time. Be prepared to take breaks if necessary and start with shorter trips first, with the intent to build up your kid’s stamina over time. She also advises “[planning]a nice destination so they are eager to go.”

Rules on the road 

“Mom and Dad are the bosses on the road,” states Biehl. “We stop at each crossing, and dismount to walk our bicycles across.” It is also critical to assess upcoming road conditions on behalf of your child and let them know of any impending obstacles or how busy the road is. Biehl learned from experience that teaching our children how to assess road conditions even before they get on a bicycle would be beneficial as “they learn to understand why we ask them to keep to the right, so we don’t have to constantly remind them.”

Top tips

Keep your child in between two adults if possible. If you are riding alone with your children, it might be best to keep them between yourself and the pavement. Don’t hesitate to stop, get off the bicycle, and push the bicycles on the pavement if the road is just too crowded.

KEEP READING: Bike for Your Buck: Unlimited Pass on Hellobike

Images: Unsplash, Eva Biehl 

It happened to me just last Friday. We were all excited to go to a tree lighting, I dragged the kids downstairs, and…….we waited. We waited for 45 minutes while I tried to call a DiDi. At every ten minute interval, I made that most difficult of decisions: do I stick it out with the taxi or try a van or maybe Express? Do I (gasp) cancel my trip and call a new one or hope beyond hope that we’ll get a car before the event is over or my kids get bored of waiting?

It would be so great if I could call a few different cars and just get whichever one comes first rather than roll the dice!

Enter DiDi’s new update: simultaneous ride calling.

I’m not exaggerating when I say this is my dream. No more waiting in the rain to get to work, helplessly checking my app until I decide to brave a crowded subway during rush hour or throw in the towel and work from home. No more wondering what would have been, if I had just stuck with that first 20-minute wait instead of switching between different price points?

Like most updates, this feature is ready for iPhones but is not in all Android updates yet.

And now, even if for some reason the simultaneous ride calling doesn’t work, we can always try the new DiDi Bike. This feature isn’t as simple as a button push though, so take some time to register now if you think you’ll need it.

Step 1: Scroll down, click “Scan to Ride” – “Notification”

Step 2: Input your information. If you have a Chinese ID, enter your full name and ID information. If you don’t have a Chinese ID, choose “Verification for Non-Mainland Riders” and type in your info.

Step 3: Identify yourself, twice. Take a photo of your identity document (likely your passport name page) and a photo of you holding your ID in front of you. But don’t hide your face!

Step 3: Click confirm. Wait up to three hours.

Step 4: Get a text. Relaunch the app. Accept the “User Service Agreement” and scan your bike!

The DiDi Bike function takes some forward planning but will be a great help once it’s set up.

KEEP READING: Updated Winter Camps in Beijing and Beyond!

Photos: DiDi app

Bejiing parents were shocked today to learn that new regulations about licensing bikes also apply to children’s scooters and tricycles. Unless the toy vehicles are registered by midday today, they are liable to be impounded if ridden in public areas, including parks and compounds.

“The law did not make any reference to the size of the vehicle or the age of the rider,” a spokesman explained, “so the regulations must be applied fairly and equally to all.”

Authorities reassured worried parents that there is no charge for registration, and the process is simple. All you need to do is attend your local Transportation Bureau office with a photograph of the vehicle, your child’s passport and visa, their birth certificate, and their medical certificate showing they are in sound physical and mental health.

Licenses will also be required for children driving electric vehicles.

Children driving electric cars like this one will need to take a test

“They will need to pass the same test adult drivers take,” the spokesman said. “The child needs to show that they can drive the vehicle slowly in a straight line, looking directly ahead at all times, with their hazard lights flashing.”

Further information about the new regulations can be found here.

“I’ve got a bike, you can ride it if you like,” sang Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett.
“It’s got a basket, a bell that rings, and things to make it look good.”
I too now have a bike, on which I travel daily to the beijingkids offices.

Basket? Check.

Bell that rings? Well, it has what, for want of a better word, I am forced to describe as a horn. However it doesn’t emit a honk, or even a beep, but more of a bewildered squeak, befitting of my lowly status on the road.

Things to make it look good? Err… did I mention the basket?

What my bike does have that Syd Barrett’s didn’t is a battery-powered motor, so that I am spared from any but the mildest of physical exercise. Fear not though, my finger muscles get a good workout from gripping the handlebars in terror as I weave through the Beijing traffic.

My excuse for this is laziness that I intended to take my sons home from school using it. Even as I type these words, I am laughing, hollow, ironic laughter at my former optimistic naivety. Carry two passengers, healthy, well-fed boys aged 10 and 7?

I can barely get myself home unscathed.

Riding through Beijing seemed at first like one of those fiendishly difficult “scrolling shooter” arcade games of the early 90s, when you have to guide your fragile spacecraft at high speed through clouds of bullets, bombs and laser bolts. As with those games, the only way to survive is to learn the patterns, recognize the danger points.

Like that place by Tuanjiehu where a swarm of tuk-tuks will emerge from the subway station and ride the wrong way up the road all at the same time, for example.

“I feel more of a man when I get with the herd,” as Julian Cope said, and like wildebeest on the Serengeti, we Beijing cyclists seek safety in numbers. Even the buses have to give way as we surge majestically across the ring roads in our hundreds.

And of course we have the city’s wonderful cycle paths, a safe haven for all of us on bikes. And trikes. And tuk-tuks, and delivery vehicles and mobility scooters and hoverboards. And pedestrians. And cars. So, so many cars. Which leads to existential contemplation: if a cycle path is full of cars, is it still a cycle path? Is it not, in the end, just a path?

Such are the thoughts which occupy me as I trundle along, scraping the soles from my trainers with the scuffling half-run required to squeeze through the gaps between taxis and trucks. Yet for all the dirt, and danger, and worn-out footwear, there’s a sense of freedom, of belonging, particularly when riding at night. It has cut my commute time in half, and I no longer have to spend two hours a day with my nose wedged in a stranger’s armpit.

The city is, if not exactly my oyster, then at the very least my whelk.
All I have to do now is glue my oven gloves to the handlebars, and I’ll be a proper Beijinger.
Photo: Andrew Killeen

Recently, a mysterious thing happened. I came out of  my apartment and couldn’t find my bike. It was just after returning from the holidays and I hadn’t noticed its absence when arriving back to Beijing. I know it had been locked and it wasn’t easy to carry—a heavy “Yongjiu” (永久Forever) model with a big baby seat on the back.

I could only conclude, with a heavy heart, that it had been stolen.

I’ve had since 2008 and ever since I installed a baby seat on the back of it, I rarely lock it. Who’s going to steal a seat belonging to a parent with a small child? Especially when I’m going inside for something in a store or when I’m just running upstairs for something at my apartment—I prefer to trust the universe. That is, during the day.

So that’s why I knew I had locked it before the holidays. I did it intentionally—the same way I always lock the bike at night.

When I told the family by WeChat that my bike had been stolen, my Chinese husband, a notoriously terrible gift giver who failed to produce a Christmas or birthday present in the last year, went into immediate “problem-solving” mode. He declared that a new bike would be my Valentine’s Day present. (The first Valentine’s day present EVER.)

Taobao to the rescue. Old-style Shanghai bikes called “Fenghuang” (凤凰 Phoenix) bikes look a lot like Yongjius so I selected that style from the links he sent me, (also through WeChat.) The seller was to arrive in five days. Until then, I had feet.

Then, en route to another job, I noticed something grey poking out from behind a homemade shed/shanty that one of our neighbours built in the middle of the courtyard’s parking area. It was the same colour as the baby seat from my old bike. Upon closer inspection, I discovered my whole (locked) bike—intact—lying on its side behind the structure. Its position—invisible from my entrance and many metres from where it had been parked—was mysterious, to say the least.

When I told my husband (also over WeChat) that I had found my old bike, he just laughed. He said having a second bike would finally enable him to go riding as a family. “We just need a second baby seat,” he said, casually.

This is a guy who rarely walks unnecessary distances. First a present and now an expressed desire to exercise? These are mysterious times.

The new bike arrived, shiny and perfect. The guy assembled it in my building’s courtyard, locked it up, and delivered the keys to my apartment door. I’ve decided to ride it as my primary bike while the old one, rusty from eight years of Beijing streets, gets a well-needed rest.

What’s the lesson here? One should not assume theft. But, yes, assume that if you’re going to go on vacation and you leave a bike in a public space in Beijing, someone is very likely to move it for random and inexplicable reasons before you come back.

And the other lesson? People can surprise you, even after years of knowing them.

Just more Unsolved Beijing Mysteries to keep life interesting…

Photos: Courtesy of Ember Swift

Bicycle and scooter theft is a huge problem in Beijing, as I found out first-hand last Monday. I’m usually pretty careful, but I got complacent and there are definitely things I can do better for next time. Learn from my experience and read the following tips for securing your bike.

• Always lock your bike to something stationary. When I first got to China, it boggled my mind that most bikes were only locked to themselves. I eventually adopted this bad habit for convenience’s sake, but I won’t make this mistake again.
• Use more than one lock. By extension, use more than one type of lock. If a thief can break one chain lock, they can certainly break the second chain lock.
• Don’t skimp on locks. Make sure their value is proportional to the value of the bike. An avid cyclist friend swears by US-based Kryptonite, the pioneer of the U-lock (some products available on Taobao). Natooke, the fixed-gear bike store, also sells sturdy locks by German manufacturer ABUS (see their Taobao shop here).
• Learn how to lock your bike properly. There are plenty of online guides with pictures: Lifehacker, Bicycling, and Bicycle Habitat are just a few.
• Lock your bike somewhere with a lot of foot traffic. Though Sanlitun SOHO’s bike parking lot is used by a lot of people, it’s not particularly well-lit and there was one security guard patrolling the whole area. Security cameras aren’t likely to help.
• Whenever possible, put your expensive bike indoors. This may not possible in every office or apartment building, but it’s a no-brainer.
• Mark up your bike. Bike thieves try to shift stolen bikes as soon as possible; the more distinctive yours is, the harder that will be. Put packing tape around the frame, scratch your initials into it, put zebra stripes and tenacious Spongebob Squarepants stickers all over it – anything to really annoy and deter bike thieves. Stupid bike thieves.
• Spray-paint your bike. One of my pet peeves about Giant bikes is how loud and garish the designs can be. A few months ago, I encountered a fellow cyclist with a matte black bike while getting my bike serviced at a Giant store. He said that the store can actually spray-paint your bike black for free as long as you have a Giant bike. I wish I’d done this sooner.
• Take pictures of your bike. They should be clear, well-lit, shot from several angles, and include close-ups of distinguishing marks like bells, displaceable fenders, and any missing or damaged parts (e.g. mine was missing a tail light). Save these in your phone.
• Save your fapiao. This is China – don’t you know to save every bit of paper by now? In all seriousness, this expedites the process of filing a police report and makes it much easier time to prove the bike is yours if it ever is found.
• Live and learn. Don’t be discouraged from the joys of owning a nice bicycle; this could’ve happened to anyone. In the end, it’s just stuff. Take it as a lesson for what you can do better next time.

Terrified at the prospect of filing a police report? Don’t be. Click here for my blog about my post-bike theft experience.

Photo: Aliexpress.com

Last Monday, my Giant bicycle was stolen while I was in Muay Thai class. I left it in the bike parking lot on the west side of Sanlitun SOHO. Though it wasn’t locked to anything stationary (first mistake), it had two locks – one in the front, one in the back – and was left in full sight of several people in a parking lot I’d used before. In total, I was gone for just over an hour.

After I realized it was gone, I paced up and down the lot several times and asked a security guard if Sanlitun SOHO had any security cameras. “Yes, but they’re not pointed in this direction,” he said. Really? Your security footage doesn’t extend to the parking lot, where theft is most likely? OK then.

In the end, I spoke to a police officer and filed a police report a few days later. And you know what? The process was pretty easy. Here’s what happened.

Calling the Police
At the bao an‘s suggestion, I called 110 (the police hotline) and spoke to the operator in Mandarin. If you’re not confident in your Chinese skills, keep the security guard nearby and hand them the phone.

The operator wasn’t sure the police officer on duty would find our precise location, so he told me to meet him at the large Sanlitun SOHO sign facing Gongti Beilu. At the same time, two friends were searching the compound for my bike and one stayed with me for support.

The police officer was polite if a bit repetitive. He asked me basic questions about the theft: where my bike was stolen, how it was locked, how long I was gone, what brand it was, and how much it was worth.

The officer asked me if I still had the bike fapiao, then told me to go to Sanlitun police station to file a police report. If I couldn’t go right away, I should visit on Tuesday morning or any time Thursday; the unit that received the initial complaint also had to be the one taking down the report, he explained. The officer told me to bring my bike fapiao and passport, then left after taking down my contact details.

At the Station
I went to the police station on Thursday afternoon. There was no wait; I just strolled up to the reception desk and said I wanted to file a police report (笔录, bilu). A few minutes later, I was shown into the back by a young police officer.

Filing a police report – especially where theft is concerned – is a largely standardized process. The police officer used a template, which varies depending on whether you’re a foreigner or a Chinese national. We sat down at a desk, where he asked me questions in Mandarin and typed my answers on the computer.

Don’t worry if your Chinese isn’t very good. All foreigners have the right to ask for an English interpreter at the police station. Just say: 我需要翻译 (wo xu yao fanyi) or “I need translation.”

The interviewer went over the same ground as the first police officer, but was much more thorough and frequently stopped to clarify details – “You said you had two locks, one red and one black. Was the red one locked in the front or in the back? What kind of lock was it? What brand?” This might make some people nervous, but I found it reassuring.

When the officer was done with the report, he asked me for my English name, Chinese name, and birth date, then printed out the form for me to check. I had to initial every page, then sign and date the last page. I also had to sign a form in Chinese detailing my rights (no English version available).

I was surprised by the next step. The officer took out a rather vintage-looking metal tin containing a kind of creamy red pigment. “Put your index finger in it,” he said. I proceeded to then fingerprint a hazy red mark over each initial, date, and signature.

The last step was also a bit weird. The police officer had me hand write a short statement in Chinese swearing my truthfulness. If you can’t write Chinese characters, I’m afraid you’ll have to try your best; the officer can write out the statement for you to copy.

That’s it! I was thanked for my time and shown to the front. The process took no more than 30 minutes from start to finish.

Look, I’m not an idiot. I realize that the chances of my seeing my beloved Giant again are vanishingly small. However, I feel better knowing that I did everything I could to bring those chances up even a bit.

On Friday, look out for my follow-up blog on how to avoid bike theft.

Photo: Gene Zhang (Flickr)

With the annual mass exodus of the metro well underway, we thought we’d revisit the wondrous joy known well by those who often commute by the turn of handlebars while letting their hair flow as free as Beijing traffic (well, on a good day). Spin your eyes over our comprehensive resource list below to ensure you get the most out of your spring/summer bicycle adventures.

Where to buy
If you find yourself stuck in an area where the subway is just too far away, yet subway rides are always annoyingly short, then purchasing some new wheels for yourself might not be a bad idea. Beijing has a huge bicycle culture, and with that comes a wide variety of bike options. We found seven great stores who are more than happy to help you select the best ride for your needs. For more discussions about purchasing new bikes, click here.

How to protect your investment
You’ve picked out the loudest bell, a basket adorned with butterflies, and you were even lucky enough to buy it in your favorite color. But how do you ensure no mischevious hands come to snatch your bike away from you? We tested some of the most popular bike locks and were surprised with the results. Click here to see how well each of them fared.

Join the club
Now that you have some wheels, why not partake in a casual roam around the city with more avid bike-riders? Explore new roads and make new friends at any of these happening Beijing bike clubs.

So go on, beat the monotony of traffic jams, the absolute madness of subway crowds, and enjoy the fresh air before you next return to the crowds, or need to customise your bike for the next smoggy winter.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on April 7, 2014.

Photo: beijingholiday.com