The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Endurance cyclist gets on Your Bike
Endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont has become the first person to try out Edinburgh’s long-awaited new hire bikes.
Beaumont, who last year became the fastest man to cycle around the globe, is testing out the new Pashley bikes due for roll-out next month.
The so-called “Boris” bikes were named after the former foreign secretary who was London mayor when the original London cycle hire scheme was launched back in 2010.
The bikes will feature lower gearing to handle the hilly terrain of the Scottish capital.
Beaumont says he will test out the bikes for a month, to “iron out any issues”, before their official launch in September.
Trialling the bike yesterday, he said: “They are great, nifty little things, which will be easy to ride for everyone. The difference with these bikes is that all the technology is built into the bike instead of the dock.
“I am hoping to feedback what works and doesn’t work with the bikes.
“I wanted to get involved with the project to see if there was any way I could help because it’s such a great thing for the city.”
Dubbed Your Bike, the Edinburgh scheme will initially consist of a fleet of 200 bicycles spread across the city.
Docking stations will be located at Waverley Station, throughout the city centre and at Edinburgh University campuses.
There has been no information as of yet how much the bicycles will cost to hire. It is understood the public will be able to opt for both short and long hire periods between one day and a year.