Shared Cycle Scheme

Free self-service cycle hire exclusively for BID area workers!

Bracknell BID funds a Shared Cycle Scheme, available exclusively to everyone who works in the Western and Southern Business Areas (BID area) to rent electric and standard bicycles free of charge.

The bikes can be rented and returned at various locations throughout the Western and Southern Business Areas, Town Centre and Bracknell Train Station, ready for commutes and leisurely lunchtime rides.

Cycle for free with the Bracknell BID Shared Cycle Scheme

To use the bikes, you must:

Be working with a business within the Bracknell BID Area (Western and Southern Business Areas). This is proven by signing up to the bike rental app Donkey Republic via your work email address. All eligible businesses should already be registered. If your business is located in the BID area and you have trouble signing up, please contact the BID team by emailing enquiries@bracknellbid.co.uk.
Download the Donkey Republic bike rental app on your smart phone, create a profile using your work email address and add a payment method (renting a BID bike is free of charge, however you may be charged if you don't return the bike to a designated bike hub, more info below). You do not need to start or pay for a membership to use the scheme.
Follow the rules of the road, use designated cycleways where possible and be mindful of traffic and pedestrians. Using BID bikes are at the users own risk.
Return the bike within 12 hours of renting to a designated bike hub and ensure it is securely locked to a bike stand.

To get riding, there are three easy steps to follow:

Step 1: Download the Donkey Republic app

To locate the bikes, rent and return them, you must download the Donkey Republic app. Donkey Republic is a global bike sharing app, however Bracknell BID bikes will only appear to those who work within the BID area. You can download the app via the App Store for Apple devices or Google Play Store for Android.

Step 2: Sign up via the Donkey Republic app

Once downloaded, open the Donkey Republic app. You must allow Bluetooth and agree to use your location. Select 'Next' until you reach the Welcome page. On the Welcome page, select 'Get started.' Once selected, a map view will open. Select the profile icon in the top right of your screen. If you don't already have an account select 'Create account.' When creating your account you must use your work email address to use the BID bikes.

Once your profile is created using your work email address, you must add a phone number and a payment method. Bracknell BID bikes are free of charge for those working within the BID area, however you may be charged if you don't end your rental within 12 hours and lock and return your bike at one of the BID's designated bike hubs, which are marked on the map in the app. You can start and end your bike rentals at different designated hubs, e.g. start at Bracknell Train Station bike hub and end at Farleymoor Lake bike hub. Once you have created your profile and inputted a payment method, the available BID bikes should appear on the map and are ready to use!

Step 3: Start your next bike ride!

Select a bike on the map shown in the app. Each bike has it's own 'bike name' which is labelled on the phone holder attached to the bike's handlebars. You do not need start or pay for a membership to use the BID scheme. Select the bike you would like to rent. Select 'Unlock' and pull the orange handle to open the lock on the back wheel. Once unlocked you are ready to ride!

You can stop, lock and unlock your bike as many times as you wish during your rental via the app. When you would like to end your rental, return the bike to a designated bike hub located on the app's map, lock the bike to a bike stand via the app by selecting 'Lock', and select 'End rental.' You must end your rental within 12 hours of when your rental started. The app may ask you to take a photo of the bike locked at a bike hub when ending your rental.

How do I rent a bike?

You must work within the BID area (Western and Southern Business Areas) to rent a bike. If you work in the BID area, download the Donkey Republic app on your smart phone, create a profile and add a payment method (detailed steps are provided above). Open the app and you’ll see a map of the town with orange pins – these mark the cycle hub locations. Select your location and choose the bike you wish to rent from there. You can then start your rental and unlock the bike via the app. You do not need to start or pay for a membership to use the scheme.

Can I make stops during my rental?

During your rental period (lasting 12 hours) you can lock and unlock the bike as many times as you wish. Just make sure to park it in a suitable area, ideally to a bike stand or rack, where it doesn't cause any obstructions, e.g. if you park on the footpath, ensure that it's parked in parallel with the footpath, not across it. Once the bike is parked in a suitable area, ensure it is locked securely which can be done within the app. You are responsible for the bike during the rental period, and you may be charged if it is not returned when the period ends.

How do I return the bike and end my rental?

When ending your rental (within 12 hours of the rental starting), park it and lock it to a bike stand at one of the designated bike hubs. Lock the bike to a stand via the app by selecting 'Lock' and choose 'End rental'. Once the rental is ended the app may ask you to take a photo of the bike securely locked. You can start and end your rental at different hubs.

The designated bike hubs are marked with orange pins on the app's map. Currently there are 6 bike hubs where you can end your rental: Bond Way outside Waitrose in the town centre, Bracknell Train Station car park entrance (by the sculpture), Trade City on Easthampstead Road and on Western Road, Farleymoor Lake and on Oldbury outside Waitrose Head Office Multi-Storey 'Partners' Car Park.