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At a public bicycle parking spot near the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center, many bikes have already been rented out.
On December 29 last year, public bicycles in Nanjing’s Hexi area were put into service. They are free for the first two hours, cost one yuan per hour between 2-3 hours, and three yuan per hour after three hours, which is quite affordable for residents. So far about 4,000 people have applied for cards. But after several months of use, complaints from residents have increased, and the most controversial issue is: these custom-made Giant public bicycles come without locks. Netizens have joked, “You can’t even go to the toilet halfway — it’s truly the ‘poor man’s luxury car,’ I really don’t dare to ride it!”
Investigations by reporters found that many cities across the country are struggling with the question of whether public bicycles should have locks, and residents hold differing views. Supporters believe locks make the bikes more convenient and safer, while opponents worry that if locks are installed, some irresponsible users might monopolize or improperly discard them.
In addition, the compensation fee of 980 yuan and the insufficient number of bike racks at docking stations during peak hours have also drawn criticism from residents.
Controversy: Should Public Bicycles Have Locks?
Current Situation in Nanjing: Public Bicycles Have No Locks, Making Mid-Journey Stops Difficult
Yesterday, Mr. Li, who lives in Phoenix Garden, La Defense, Hexi, Nanjing, borrowed a public bicycle to go to the subway station. Passing by a China Construction Bank, he suddenly remembered he needed to deposit some money. Thinking it would only take five or six minutes, he faced a dilemma — the public bicycle has no lock, and there was no nearby rental or return point. Mr. Li had no choice but to park the bicycle in front of the bank, constantly glancing through the glass door to keep an eye on it, afraid it might be stolen. If the bike had a lock, he could have secured it at the bank’s non-motorized vehicle parking area, which would have been much less stressful.
It is understood that on December 29 last year, the public bicycles in Nanjing’s Hexi area were put into use. These custom-made Giant public bicycles all come without locks. Some residents have encountered similar awkward situations as Mr. Li during use: with no lock on the bike, they dare not stop midway if something comes up.
Point Counterpoint
Residents Believe There Are Pros and Cons to Having or Not Having Locks
Pro-Lock Camp: It’s Annoying Without a Lock — Do You Carry Your Bike to the Toilet?
After going through the above experience, Mr. Li believes that when riding a public bicycle, it’s inevitable you might want to run a small errand along the way. Currently, there are only 20 rental and return points, which is not enough. How to secure a public bicycle without a lock midway is indeed a problem. It would be best if they had locks.
Ms. Zhang from Xidi International also thinks locks should be installed: “I borrow public bicycles several times a week. Sometimes when I pass by a store and want to go in and look around, I don’t dare to leave the bike outside. Once I even had to carry the bicycle inside with me. What if it gets stolen? I’d have to pay 980 yuan in compensation. I suggest installing locks.”
Caught between the nearly thousand-yuan compensation fee and the inconvenience, Ms. Zhang chose to put up with the hassle, walking far to return the bike, completing her errand, and then walking back to rent it again.
Anti-Lock Camp: What If Someone Locks and Takes the Key After Returning the Bike?
“For thieves, it makes no difference whether there’s a lock or not. With their skills, they can open any lock,” said Mr. Le, who lives in Jiaye International City. “Locks just make it easier for those who want to hog public bicycles. With locks, some people, wanting the convenience of guaranteed access during peak hours when bikes are scarce, might return the bike but lock it and take the key with them, leaving a locked public bicycle behind. Others can see it but can’t use it, while they ensure they always have a bike available. How is that still a public bicycle? Isn’t it just turning into someone’s ‘private car’?”
Another viewpoint is that having locks might lead to people carelessly discarding them. Resident Mr. Lin said: “With locks, borrowers become less vigilant about theft and are less careful about taking care of public property. The advantage of not having locks is that everyone follows the rules and returns bikes promptly to the stations. Stations are patrolled and maintained by staff, which is better for the upkeep of public bicycles.”
Official Stance
No Plans to Add Locks, More Stations to Be Added Next Month
A staff member from the Public Bicycle Department of Nanjing Hexi New Town Construction and Development Co., Ltd. said: “They indeed don’t come with locks. The purpose of setting up public bicycles is not for you to ride off to run errands, but to solve the ‘last mile’ problem, mainly providing point-to-point service. When you reach the area near your destination, you’re supposed to find a place to return the bike, complete your business, and then rent again.”
Regarding residents’ suggestions to bring their own locks, the staff admitted: “We don’t recommend bringing your own locks to secure the bike midway, as it’s easy to get stolen. Company policy states that if a bike is lost after being returned to a station rack, the resident is not responsible. If there’s no return point near your destination, we suggest you don’t rent the bike.”
The staff also said there are no plans to add locks. Instead, they will increase the number of rental and return points to make it more convenient for residents to return bikes. In the future, a station can be found within 500 meters. Currently, there are 20 stations and 500 public bicycles, and next month 41 more stations will be added. For example, a station will be set up at the south gate of District 1, Xidi International.
Experiences from Other Cities
The question of whether public bicycles should have locks also troubles many cities across the country, and some lessons learned may serve as reference for Nanjing.
Suzhou: From Installing Locks to Removing Them
In 2010, Suzhou public bicycles were equipped with mechanical locks on the front wheel, but starting from March last year, locks were removed. The reason was that there were several incidents where all the bike locks were engaged and the keys were discarded, preventing other citizens from using the bikes. As the number of rental and return stations increased and became denser, residents could basically rent and return bikes nearby, so the locks were removed.
Hangzhou: Keys Can’t Be Removed After Returning the Bike
Hangzhou’s solution was to modify the public bicycle locks, dubbing them “second-generation locks,” which cannot be removed after returning the bike. With this advanced locking system, it solves the hassle of stopping midway and also prevents malicious bike hoarding.
■ Other Concerns
The compensation fee is too high — losing a bike means paying nearly a thousand yuan!
During interviews, many people questioned the 980-yuan compensation fee for public bicycles in Hexi, Nanjing. “Is it necessary to purchase such expensive public bikes? Ordinary people dare not ride them!” “The Giant bikes I buy cost only four or five hundred yuan, but these public bikes are worth nearly a thousand yuan.” Some joked that these were “luxury bikes for the common folk.”
In response, staff from the Hexi New Town Public Bicycle Division explained that the public bikes are custom-made by Giant, with high-tech systems and built-in chips, which naturally makes them more expensive than regular Giant bikes on the market. Compared to those in Xianlin and Jiangning, the Hexi bikes are indeed significantly pricier because they are of higher quality and use more advanced technology.
Many citizens are unconvinced by this explanation, feeling they haven’t experienced the superior performance of Giant bikes during use. “The tires are solid to avoid the need for inflation, but they make riding very strenuous. It would be better to switch to a cheaper brand. Public bikes are mainly for public convenience — there’s no need for them to be so luxurious or high-end.”
Early rush hours often have too many bikes and too few docking stations!
Sina Weibo user @JiJiLiLi complained: “I rode a public bike from my neighborhood to the subway station in the morning, but when I tried to lock it, there was no available dock. Do I have to ride around looking for a place to return the bike?”
Reporters observed that the public bicycle station at Exit 4 of Olympic East Station has only 22 docking points, which are often all occupied during peak hours. Wanting to abandon the bike isn’t an option — without locking it, there’s a risk of loss and having to pay the compensation fee. Trying to return it to another station is time-consuming and inconvenient.
A scheduling officer from the Hexi New Town Public Bicycle Division told reporters that there is a dedicated vehicle for manual redistribution, which adjusts bike availability promptly during morning rush hours. In the future, the company also plans to assign staff to man busy stations during peak times, allowing citizens to hand over their bikes to workers. The busiest station in Hexi is near Xinglong Street Subway Station, and more docking points will be added at popular borrowing and returning locations soon.