I hear that a lot of train stations have them for rent, and that a lot of hotels let you take them out. In major cities like London, Paris, Rome, etc is this a good way to get around (obviously in Amsterdam it probably is)? What if you want to make a stop somewhere - do the bikes come with locks?
Has anyone done this?
Paris has a new program but am unfamiliar how it works. Nothing in Rome or London and I don't thinks bike would work well there either. When they are available generally you put a Euro coin or two in the slot and the bike is released. When finished you put the bike in an empty slot somewhere and a coin is returned. Some rail stations in Germany and a couple of other places will have actually rentals. Then you are responsible for the bike. So asked them how to secure it.
The quality of these rentals varies from good to awful. In Amsterdam they were quite good. In Amboise they were so bad we had to return them 9and we were not being picky).
The new velib bikes in Paris look like a lot of fun but need a French credit card (though reportedly the city was working to make chipped Amex cards work), not a coin.
I do not remember about locks. Hotels are generally very good about accommodating bicycles.
You are better off locating sources of rental bicycles in advance and asking them about quality, accessories, etc.
I think LONDON and ROME are not good cities for riding a bicycle in.
I have rented bicycles in Paris and in Munich, and both were great.
