My boyfriend registered for a new account with a different email address, his membership was processed successfully. He then attempted to use a bike late at night, however could not access his account as it was linked to his old account. There was no means for him to access and log into his new account. He then spoke to a bixi operator who did not address the cause of the problem and could not provide a solution for him to access his active account. Ultimately, he was not able to use a bike due to a lack of efficiency and poor functioning of the app, and disappointing customer service too. There was no public transport at this time either so despite paying for a bixi membership, he had to take a taxi. Very unreliable. Other reviews indicate this is an ongoing and current issue which fails to be addressed by the bixi company. read more

When we were researching into Montreal, the word, "BIXI" kept popping up. That's when we found out Montreal was a super public transportation friendly city with dedicated bike lines and trails. BIXI -- (according to wiki) : a public bicycle sharing system launched in May 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I think it's also available in Toronto now. supa cool!!! So basically for $5, you have use of a bike for 24 hours and you can pick up the bike at any of the stations and return at any station (like REDBOX!! haha ^_____^). You pay by credit card only. Perfect for tourists!! They also have a membership based rental .. ~$80/yr. The bikes themselves are on the bulkier side but manageable (probably to withstand people breaking them). Most are located at the entrance of the metro stations. Use their online system and app to find which stations are empty and which have bikes available. :) OH! If you have a bike and are on the metro.. be sure you go on Car #1! read more

Really, the actual bike-getting experience was five stars. However, like other reviewers have mentioned, BIXI places an outrageous hold on you credit card (or debit card, in my case) for the bikes that you take out for the day. The actual 24-hour rental is $5CAD (about $3.80USD - good deal) and you have unlimited 30-minute trips during that period. When you begin the process of renting a bike, the pricing and trips are explained very clearly on the screen before you input your personal information. BUT the fine print about the crazy money holds are not explained. You'd have to go to their website and read the actual contract you're agreeing to (it's not available on the screen at a bike stand) which I imagine no one is doing. The only reason I noticed the $200 worth of holds on my bank account was because I logged into my bank's website to check my balance. Lo and behold, I was short $200 and couldn't figure out what that charge was until I googled the weird name on the statement. That googling brought me to BIXI's website and the very wordy contract, which explained that a hold would be placed on any person's account FOR UP TO TEN DAYS when you rent a bike. What the fuck, BIXI? Again, I love bike sharing. The actual BIXI platform was easy to use, checkout was quick, and stations were readily available. The free app for your phone tells you which stations have how many bikes/empty spaces and they seem to update close to real time. We had no problem finding or returning bikes and Montréal has AMAZING bike lanes so it's super safe to ride around. Montréal is super bikeable and we enjoyed all of the things we saw and the convenience of multiple stations all around so we could park, see some sights, and pick up a bike and go on our way. read more

Sadly, I am done with these people after four seasons. 1) their bikes are almost always broken and often unsafe 2) Had a horrid experience lately when the bike wouldn't talk to the rack so was forced to store the piece of trash in my apartment building for 24 hours until the dudes picked it up at their own convenience 3) The bikes are very slow read more

How I wish we had this in New York... what a great system! Each bixi station has a detailed map of all the other stations so that you can plan your ride, but there are also apps available for smartphones that will let you know the nearest station and bike/dock availability. The bikes themselves have a little basket in the front, front and back lights, a saddle with a height number so you don't have to play with the saddle every time you get a new bike, a 3-gear shifter (nice for the hillier parts!), and a cute-sounding bell. Simply awesome. read more

Bixi - Bike Sharing Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Me: avid city cyclist. Bixi: heavy, durable bikes, very cheap, easy and convienent. And fun!!! Wheeeeeeee! Better than walking. Better than the Metro. Cheaper than taxi. Healthier than driving. Don't worry about not having a helmet, you can't go very fast. People in cars were actually really NICE - no one honked at me! :) read more

I've decide to never use a Bixi bike again unless I am stranded. I've used this company about 2-3 times. My boyfriend is from out of town, and when he visits, if the weather permits, we like to go on bike rides. I have my bike and he has to rent a Bixi. To begin, the company has many non-functional stands where the monitor has a glitch and are simply impossible to use. On our last experience with Bixi, we had to try 4 different stands before finding one that worked!! So, after this ordeal, we can finally begin our bike ride. We biked from the Plateau Mont Royal to the Old Port to have lunch by the port. We kept the bike with us while we ate and then biked back. Our ride was 2 1/2 hrs long. A few days later a see an additional charge of $35 on my credit card. I call to inquire about this charge and they say that it is written in the fine print of the 35 page legal document on their machine that you have to agree with that, the bike can only be used for 30 minute intervals. The only thing that is very clear when taking a bike is if you want it for 1 way, 24 hours, or 72 hours. If they will be penalizing you if you surpass every 30 minute interval, then they should clearly mark it on their operating systems. It was very sneaky of them to do this. Next time when my boyfriend is in town, I would much rather support the local bike shop next door than this shady corporation. read more

Maybe it's just me being a foreigner in the city but I didn't find it very user friendly. I couldn't find any stations by the bike path I was on so I pulled over to use the app to find them and they were a bit hard to get to if you aren't familiar with the area. Lots of one way streets etc. Then after finally getting to one I couldn't figure out how to dock the bike. Nowhere does it say you must lift up. I couldn't see a number to call and got quite frustrated. I imagine this will have cost me a pretty penny. Also why can't you pay for an hour? Even the all day pass only allows for 30 minute increments and good luck finding your docking stations. Not for me. read more

Bought so many 1 day passes till I realized I almost spent enough for the whole season pass. So I went ahead and got the 30 day pass for around $30 (there was an OPUS+BIXI deal so I got it for $16 instead.) Pros: VERY practical and VERY addicting! Cons: You have to park the bixi at any station before your 30 mins (or 45 mins if you are a member) is up. Then wait 2 minutes before you can take out another one. Too many damaged bikes! Either something small like the bell not working or something big like loose chain, flat tire or loose breaks. Still worth it though! read more

The bixi bike system is tremendous. Me and my wife have been on four separate trips already today, and can't believe the convenience and value of the system. The bikes themselves are good enough and rugged, with three gears and sturdy tires. There are stations almost everywhere, so staying under the half hour limit is not much of a problem. The best ride we had today was from Jean-Drapeau Island to the other island next to it (the one with the casino) and then back into town over the other bridge (the southern one) and through the port area. The ride was scenic and tons of fun, but it does take about an hour so you are going to pay the little fee it costs to keep the bike an extra thirty minutes. Great work Montreal! read more

Couple of pointers to improve the bike transportation in the major metropolitan area! *Create a map that lists and marks all the Bixi spots in Montreal. Then distribute this map within the airports so travelers dont have to walk the streets trying to look for the closest Bixi drop *When you distribute a bike unlock code, it should be valid for 24 hours. A lot of travelers dont bring locks with them when they come into the city and we have no way to lock the bikes. The one use only is ridiculous so if we have to put the bike back into the slot at a Bixi station, you cant get another bike without paying another $7 and have another $250 hold on your bank account. *Make sure you put in larger than 8 font, "ONE USE ONLY". It wasnt until my 6'2 frame had to bend over and squint that I read that I can only use the bike once and when it is returned, it's done. The only plus side is because I think traveling the city on a bike is awesome and good for your health especially after eating all that poutine. cheers read more

My boyfriend and I came to Montreal for our anniversary weekend. We are in our early 20's, so we were looking for inexpensive ways to see the city. We decided taking bikes would be the best way, and the most inexpensive! It cost $14 for three days. Such a steal! Bixi takes a $100 security deposit per bike, which I didn't mind. We had so much fun, I think we would have had a completely different experience in this city if we had talked Uber everywhere. You need to dock your bike every 30 minutes, but that's okay! There are docks on every other street. It was a game for us finding them. We truly enjoyed our Bixi experience, and highly recommend you try it out too! read more

Don't use during Grand Prix weekend- years ago they were on the ball with employees on the island to curb the crowds- this year there were either full stations or empty stations, all at the wrong time. Wasted around 6 hours all weekend just to plug in/ take out the bixis in the correct locations. You'd have to pay me to use this service in the future - . read more

Now in its second season, I've noticed to my great delight that many of Bixi's kinks (those that I'd experienced last year, at least) have been ironed out. The usage seems much better monitored, with trucks re-populating heavily-used stations throughout the day while making room at others for returns. I use the system on a daily basis to get all around town, and it's rare now that I approach a station that's completely out of bikes, or that's completely full. I've also yet to encounter a vandalized bike or bike dock this season, which was a recurring nuisance last year. To get around town, it's still cheaper than a round-trip on public transit; and going between or within most popular neighbourhoods (Plateau, Downtown, Mile End, Old Montreal...) rarely takes more than the 1/2 hour "free" period. Not to mention it's far more convenient than taking the bus: there are more bixi stands out there than bus stops to bring you closer to your destination and you don't need to wait for the next bus to arrive. Plus, not being squished up all hot and sweaty next to other passengers is not an insignificant bonus. Word to the wise, if you own multiple credit cards, make note of which one you used when purchasing your day pass. Bixi remembers your number so if you swipe again w/in 24 hours, you're not charged the access fee again. read more

Bixi idea is nice, implementation is horrible. If you are going to rely on Bixi for your commute to work- dont! Almost every day I face a new problem. Some days the stop near my home doest have an ebike (which is a necessity in my hilly neighborhood). One day, it didnt have any bike at all (ebike or not) and I was forced to travel to another stop. Ebikes themselves are not reliable. More often than I like I get on a bike which turns out to be mechanically faulty demanding much more input from me than I consider it an ebike. And you will notice the fault only when in middle of an uphill realizing that the bike doesnt put in as much pedal assist as it should. All in all, good idea, cheap bikes, poor maintenance. Its good for occasional fun though, just not for any serious routine. read more

It's good... in general... There are lots of stations, easy to use with the app and the bikes are well maintained... I'm not giving it 5 stars because it's the third time this month that I got stranded in ville St-Laurent because stations are temporary unavailable... read more

What did I do before BIXI?! Every city should have this bike system. I use it for everything; groceries, meeting friends for drinks, general getting around. The thought of taking a taxi doesn't even enter my mind anymore. With a basket and bungee on the front of the bike, it can handle a big bag, up to 20lbs. So it's perfect for mini shopping sprees. Although tourists can use the rent a bike system, it's really geared for locals, as it's cheapest to buy a year subscription for $78. By the way it's good for a calendar year, so if you buy it in August of 2010, it's good until August of 2011. You can take a bike out for 30 minute periods. If you keep it out longer than that you're charged extra money, so make sure you stay within the half hour limit. Once you return your bike you have to wait 5 minutes before taking another one out. My first complaint is that every now and then, depending on the popularity of a specific station there are no bikes, or no empty docks, forcing you to go to the next closest station. However, with stations generally within 300 yards of each other, you won't have a long walk. My second complaint is that the bikes are really chunky and heavy, and even in 3rd gear don't go really fast. Be prepared to be passed by all the other non-bixi bikes. But it's still faster than driving or public transit! I'm not an expert bike rider, and you don't have to be one to ride. There's lots of bike only paths around the city. I'm in love with the BIXI! I'm dreading the winter when they take them away :( read more

So after a 20 dollar cab ride from my hotel to Jean Talon Market, I walked my way down St. Lauren and found this bike thing. Luckily, there was employee who was loading the bikes that showed me how it worked. Following his advice, I rode and walked from Plateau to Chinatown, to Old Town back to Place DuPuis. It was wonderful as the stations were everywhere. Without the map, it was easy to find. Now I have the map, I wish I would have started my trip again with BIXI. I travelled the town in speed, comfort and got to do all the sightseeing without missing the details. Montreal residents (and now us tourists) are indeed very lucky. Thanks for all your hard earned high taxes. We'll be catching up in the states with the taxes, and maybe in the next life we would be able to afford the bikes after paying down the U.S. deficit. What a wonderful city to enjoy in the summer. read more

A great, and affordable, way to see the city the way the locals do. Montreal has to be the most bike-friendly city I've ever been to. Plus, you can work off all that sandwich you ate at Schwartz's! You may need a local to show you around a bit the first time or two. Remember to give the bike you want a once-over before taking it out of the rack. If you have a smartphone, I would highly recommend getting an app that shows all the BIXI stations on a map. There are even ones that will show you how full/empty stations are.... which is extremely helpful at times. Highly recommend! read more

A fantastic way to get around downtown Montreal; I was surprised automobiles are very respectful of cyclists in Montreal. If you're going to be sight-seeing for at least three days get the 72 hour $15 option; we got the 24 hour $7 option and were bummed when it ended midday (24hrs after we rented). I didn't understand the fees at first, just remember the flat fee it to access the bikes (in/out) for the defined time period. Use a single bike for more than 30min during the rental period and the hourly rate starts to snowball. Use another company if you want to rent a bike to use the whole day. The bikes are comfortable but VERY heavy and only have three gears so uphill is a challenge. Another tip, it's hard to find a place to dock first thing in the morning and bikes disappear from downtown during the after-work rush hour. Damn, I wish I knew they have an app to find the closet empty dock and the closet bike available! read more

Bixi - Bike Sharing Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Bixi is a great and affordable way to see Montreal. Their big challenge is ensuring they have enough bikes in rideable condition in all of the hotspots. There were times they ran out of bikes. Regardless, it is a fantastic way to get around during a weekend in Montreal. read more

What a great way to get around a biking city. You can find a BIXI station all over Montreal which makes it easy to get around. The bike has 3 gears which makes it easy to get up and down all of the hills in Montreal. As far as the weight don't even bother picking it up, cuz its heavy. Prices of the rental is $5 for the first initial rent from there the first half hour is free, second half hour is $1.50, first hour $3.00, so on and so fourth. You do not have to return the bike where you first rented from, you can return your bike at any BIXI station in the city. read more

Bike-sharing is a fabulous idea that is huge in Europe, and only slowly making its way across the pond. Washington, DC was the first North American city to start up a pilot program (see "SmartBike"), but Montreal's Bixi was the first full-sized city-wide system on the continent. By 2010 there will be a few more in other cities. For $5 a day (or $80/year) you get use of thousands of bikes stationed around the central city. They are heavy bikes, built for street riding, but you're not racing them in the Tour, so who cares. You can return a bike to any station in the system (not just the one you got it from), so it is a great way to get from Point A to Point B, especially given the $2.75 per ride transit fare in Montreal. The bikes are especially easy to use because Montreal has such fabulous bike lanes all over the city (often segregated from cars). The one drawback is that since the bikes are intended to be used for short distance trips, you are charged an extra fee if you have one out for longer than 1/2 hour. This isn't a big problem, because you can always park the bike you have at a station after 25 minutes and then rent out a new one for no additional cost, but it can be a little inconvenient. read more

During a weekend trip in Montreal, I cruised around the city using the Bixi system. Exploring the city by bike was probably my favourite part of the trip. I lived on Sherbrook and took the bike to go down to Old Montreal on Rue Berri (which has a designated bike path). I felt pretty safe on the roads, especially the ones with bike paths. It was a beautiful weekend, and many people were biking around the city. The Bixi system is well set up, with many stations around the city. I never had any problems getting a bike. There was one time where there weren't enough spaces available to return a bike, so we just went to the next closest one. In general, the bikes were in pretty good condition. To rent, it cost $5 for 24 hours. You can take a bike out for 30 mins each time, before returning it to a station. There, you can return the bike, wait 2 mins, and take out another (or same) bike. I used a credit card to pay the initial $5 and a deposit. Afterwards, you use the same credit card to get a code each time to take a bike out. I would recommend the Bixi system if you are visiting Montreal. It's a great way to see the city and an efficient way to get around. Condition of Bikes: 3/5 Number & Location of Stations: 4/5 Convenience: 4/5 Value for Money: 5/5 Would I use it again: Yes read more

Great way to get around Montreal! There are huge "bike highways" around, make sure you find one and you will have a better experience. Google maps is helpful and you can use the little bungee to attach your phone and things to the basket type thing in the front. You can change the language to english. They do take a $100 per bike deposit on you credit card! We had some issues with billing. You need to return the bikes every thirty minutes. Once they are locked in, just wait 5 minutes and you can check them out again. read more

Bike Rental was very easy to use without much problems. At first I stumbled a little bit not knowing any French. I would recommend to install the app you get the first ride free as a promo. Once I got over the first time user speed bump it was easy sailing and I used this more then Uber to get around Montreal while I was there. There are many docks at good locations close to main attractions and things to do. This bikes being used many times per day by many people inevitably will have some problems (rough gear shifts or dirty) but the problems are sparce. read more

Montreal recently came out with a bicycle rental system similar to Paris's Velib. We tried it the day it opened (Tues May 12) and overall were quite impressed. Despite a few glitches, it was a great experience being able to go to an on-street bike rack, put your credit card in the slot and pull out a sturdy bike, which you could use for 20 minutes, 2 hours, whatever. Some positives - lots of places to pick up and drop off your bike, simple system to use, you fit right in to the Montreal bike culture, gearing is good enough to get you up most hills (the trail in Mont Royal Park I tried cycling up was an exception, but I don't think I was supposed to ride up that anyway!) Some things that require work - Seat adjustment is limited (I'm 5'10" and had the seat on the highest setting), gearing is backwards to what you might be used to on a grip-shift system (3 speed internal hub), some of the stations didn't work properly (there are solar panels on each one to provide power for the computer, but some of the streets were in the shade, which might be why we couldn't get a bike) and at present there aren't enough stations to properly service all needs (we had to go to 3-4 stations on the 2nd day before we found some bikes to use). There is a basket with a bungee cord at the front, but it doesn't hold a lot. It would also be nice to have a map with basic cycling route info either as a 'printout' option at the stations, as a plaque mounted on the stations, or embossed on the bike somewhere for easy reference. All in all, a lot of fun! I hope it's a success (Paris had something like a 35% vandalism rate for their bikes) and that it spreads to other places! read more

Be very very careful when renting these for the day. There is deceptive pricing. You can rent for the whole day but you have to CHECK IN EVERY 30 minutes or else you get extra charges. You won't know this unless you read the extra fine print. read more

Very confusing pricing system at first. My friend and I took 2 Bixi for the whole day and expect to be able to keep the bike for a little bit of shopping and got charge 30$ each for reaching the maximum... So, after speaking to a Bixi agent, apparently you are suppose to return you Bixi in a dock every 30 minutes for an illimited times for a period of 24 hours. Otherwise, you would have additionnal charge! I do understand that you need to redock you bikes in order for other people to be able to use it and not keep the bike to yourself for the whole day. However, it is very inconvenient to having redock it in such an short amount of time. Specially when you are not in the center of Montreal, when you are in a part of the island that only have a few docking space (i was at the Rockland Mall, which had seriously no docks nearby) Other that this, the bikes were nice. A little heavy and i would appreciate if the seat could lower just a little bit more. PS. When I was trying to return my Bixi, the first dock was full. So i had to go to the next one, i was lucky that in that part of the island, they had a dock every 3 streets. Otherwise, i'm screwed ! PPS. BIXI should have more docks all around Montreal. And extend to one hour to return the bikes! read more

Total fraud! PREDATORY COMPANY. They hit me with HUGE overage charges that were hidden in the fine print..total scam...the fine print is abusive. BEWARE OF BIXI. BIXI=GANG OF THIEVES read more

Horrible bikes. I also was charged $19.95 for over two hours that I did not use. I parked the bike correctly / waited for the green light, and the last location that showed up on my statement when I contacted the company was a place that I have never been to in my life. I'd give 0 stars but too bad that's not an option. read more

Charged extra for no reason, total scam whenever it wants to. Takes advantage of your credit card.

cool system, wish we have more like this in other cities but... the bikes are of rather poor quality. they are heavy, only 3 levels of shift, and half of the bikes I tried don't brake very well. not really an option for people that want to bike for hours to see the city, unless you want to look for a station every half an hour. read more

As a regular transportation and rare sport cyclist in Austin I was unsure if these Bixi bikes would be any more than a tourist/old-lady novelty. It took my first ride to realize.. I WAS PILOTING A BICYCLE-TANK HYBRID; AND I LOVED IT. STRAP IN YOUR CRAP! RUN OVER THAT POT-HOLE! RING YOUR BUILT-IN BELL! JUMP THAT CURB! DRAFT THAT SPANDEX-WEARING ROADIE! ATTEMPT A WHEELIE! LAUGH MANIACALLY! RING YOUR BUILT-IN BELL! RING YOUR BUILT-IN BELL! RAM YOUR BIKE INTO THE DOCKING STATION! RING YOUR BUILT-IN BELL! Knock a star for the occasional buggy station software and busted bike (though the latter issue is a user issue and not a system issue). read more

When the machine prompts you to read thru 52 pages, PLEASE READ.. They put a $250 hold on your bike till it is returned but credit could take up to 10 days! Very Heavy Bikes! read more

I hate bixi!!! Scam fraud business for first time or second time or third time user. Why we have to stress to check in every 30 mins if we already pay for all day ride. Honestly, why can't we just take our time ride bixi and chill at park without have to check in every 30 minutes. The fact that this type of business run in our country make me so upset. On top off that, if you go to parc jean drapeau you have to pay for parking which isnt cheap at all. 14$ for 2 hours read more

Bixi made our trip to Montreal an absolute blast. Since we didn't pack bike locks in our carry-ons, we were a little confused on what we would do with the bikes once we got to our destination, but we figured out quickly that there are Bixi stations EVERYWHERE. We never had a problem finding a rack to clip our bikes into so that we could walk around, grab some food, or whatever. No pre-planning or mapping out your day required. If you see somewhere you want to stop, or need a rest, you just clip the bike back into the nearest rack, do your exploring, and then when you're ready to ride again you swipe the same credit card you rented the bike with, get a new four digit code to unlock the bike, and you're on your way. You only get charged for the 24 hr. period; that is to say you don't get charged every time you swipe your card. You can clip and unclip as many times as you want. We did get the $200 (per bike) hold on our credit card, but it just stayed in "pending transactions" until it fell off a few days later. I suppose this could screw you up if you were using a debit card, as opposed to a credit card. We saw so much more of the city than we ever would have on foot alone, and had so much fun taking full advantage of the very bike-friendly city plan of Montreal. I would say we're both moderately active (I run two miles two or three times a week) and we had no trouble navigating the city and managing the physical aspect of it. Obviously, you chart your own path, so if you're not in very good shape, you could keep your rides short and on flat ground. The bikes are easy to ride and while sturdy, they aren't too heavy to pedal around the city very easily. The bikes also have a nice basket and bungee cord set up on the front, which we used for our backpack/bags throughout the day. read more

I've had not one, not two, but three of my bicycles stolen! Upon discovering the last theft, sheer outrage (*fists were shaking*) mixed with the feeling of my heart sinking was enough for me to give up cycling forever! OK, for a few days. I soon discovered Monty's BIXI system and before I could say "Holy bananas, this bike weighs a ton!", I was once again pedalling around the city, albeit at a slower speed than my previous street bikes. BIXI is extremely convenient (when you don't unlock one only to discover that it's busted or has a flat tire), and the docking stations are plentiful and easily accessible around the city. In the warmer months, you won't see me on a bus or on the metro...I get my booty to work by working it, literally, along the bike paths that the city of Montreal has been so kind to construct for its city dwellers. Now, if they'd only do something about the actual roads... Before I pedal off on a tangent, I'd like to give BIXI two thumbs up for helping me get to work in a timely fashion, for allowing me to burn a few extra calories every day, for making me feel like I'm reducing my carbon footprint, and for getting me home in the wee hours when public transportation is lights out and I'm too poor to pay for a taxi. On, one, two, three, Yay BIXI!! read more

Utilitarian bike that gets you from A to B. It's affordable. It works. They're everywhere! Here's the drawback - if you use your bank card / debit card, it places a $200 damage deposit hold on your account for 5 days. They need to change that asap. Overall, it's a great way of getting around the city when you don't have a bike of your own close by. read more

The annual pass was purchased for me as a birthday present and I must say that I love my BIXI! I ride it everywhere and it gets me home all the time seeing as the Metro stops so darn early. These bikes absolutely suck going uphill (3 gears?!? Come on!) but they are tanks: potholes, bumps and construction on Laurier ain't got nothing on a BIXI. Cars seem to steer very clear of me and I love slamming my bike into the docking station after a long day, it gets some of that pent up frustration out. I shed a tear as I saw a bunch of stations being taken apart this morning :( Winter *le sigh* read more