Common Bike Melbourne

Common Bike is a share bike system for Melbourne which advocates a sustainable, socially conscious and community focused model. As both a research project and practical experiment, we start conversations, spark ideas, and present a local perspective on bike sharing. Common Bike uses local businesses and staffing as ‘franchises’ and seeks engagement and patronage of local supporters. It has significant potential for business and community engagement: for the success of a bike share scheme; local economy and for a better environment in Melbourne. The Common Bike pilot ran in May 2009 with over 200 registered members and 120,000 hits on our website in that short time. More importantly, people were interested to talk about it– from web-forums to writing articles and starting radio discussions. At the end of the pilot, Common Bike hosted the Melbourne Share Bike forum to continue the discourse on a community model, and to bring together the ideas of local stakeholders.Watch a video of Common Bike Melbourne

A bit more info about Common Bike

Members had to register at the website once. After paying their $ 5 membership fee (including the first trip) they were able to pick up a membership at a hub tag and were ready to go. Additional journeys were a gold coin donation.

Members were allowed to return the bikes at a different hub were the got them. Trips were registered real time and on-line in the common bike internet back office.

Common Bike has been successful in starting discussion and sparking interest in Bike sharing. Common Bike has had over 150,000 hits on the website in one month. The pilot itself attracted 250 members.

More info: www.commonbike.com and Share Bike Design Studio