The start of the season also brought challenges, which service provider Freebike has resolved in collaboration with the city.
– It’s great to see that people have discovered city bikes early in the spring. We’re sorry for the challenges some users have faced when renting bikes. If you’re having problems with the bikes, don’t hesitate to contact customer service. They’ve been busy as the season kicked off, but things are starting to settle down, says public transportation planner Emilia Virtanen.
Service provider Freebike is also responsible for Mankele’s customer service, which city bike users can contact via email at lahticitybike@freebike.com or by phone at +358413140858.
Starting and ending a rental
The difficulties related to starting and ending rentals were caused by a bug in the Freebike 3.0 app, which has been resolved with an update. Users with an outdated app version will automatically receive an update request when they open the app. The app update resolves the issue.
Activating a ticket after purchase
Some users have been unable to activate their tickets after purchase. The issue was caused by the payment service provider and has been resolved with a hold that verifies the right to purchase. When adding a payment card, users may see a €1 hold in their account details; this amount will not be charged and will disappear from view.
Cycling near lakes
Last season, several bikes ended up in the water, partly due to vandalism, because the bikes’ operating areas extended too close to the shoreline. For this season, the safety zone between land and water has been expanded.
Some users have found cycling to be difficult near the water’s edge. Following this feedback, map boundaries have been adjusted in several locations to improve usability while maintaining safety.
Bicycle condition and reporting vandalism
The condition of the bicycles is checked daily. A bicycle is sent for repair if any problems are detected. Despite heavy use, the bicycles are in good working order.
The surface of some bikes is worn due to heavy use. The surface of some bikes has also been damaged due to vandalism. If city users notice vandalism targeting the bikes, they should report it to Mankeli customer service.
Check the bike’s condition before riding. Report any issues via the Mankeli app. Users can report a problem by tapping the warning sign icon next to the bike in the app.
Learn more about city bikes