Mobikes in China

Eco-friendly, convenient, and low cost—meet Mobike, a Chinese bicycle-sharing app launched early last year. After a mere 299 CNY deposit and a quick identity verification process, users can rent a bike and cruise through the streets. Founded by Hu Weiwei, led by ex-Uber executive Wang Xiaofeng, and financially backed by Chinese tech company Tencent, the app has been quickly ramping up in popularity this past year. Fleets of these orange-rimmed bicycles with sleek silver frames can now be commonly spotted through the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and most recently Chengdu.

中国去年发布的自行车分享APP——摩拜单车不仅环保便捷，而且价格亲民。下载APP后，只需要299的押金和一个快速的身份验证，用户就能租借到车，然后出街骑游。创始人胡炜炜在Uber总经理王晓峰的带领下，获得了中国高科技大佬级公司腾讯的资金支持，该APP经去年推出后迅速流行开来。摩拜单车家的自行车造型美观，银色的车身和橘黄色的车轮相得益彰，在诸多城市，如北京、上海、广州、深圳以及最近的成都，都能看到它们在街边排成一列列的身影。

After completing a simple registration process, the app allows users to scan the QR code or enter a serial number through the app to unlock the smart lock of a bike. Mobikes are installed with a GPS system, which allows users to locate bikes in their vicinity by pulling up an in-app map and even reserving bikes for fifteen minutes. The innovative app also tracks a user’s journey, calculating distance traveled, length of ride, and calories expended. The bike only costs one CNY per 30 minutes to ride. A newer model, dubbed Mobike Lite, is even cheaper, set at a rate of 0.5 CNY for every half an hour.

简单的注册程序后，APP用户通过扫描二维码或者输入一个序列号，就可以智能解码一辆自行车。摩拜单车自带GPS系统，通过地图指引能让用户在最近的地方找到自行车，甚至在APP上还提供保留自行车十五分钟的功能。这个创新型APP还能追踪用户行程，计算旅行里程、骑车时间和卡路里消耗量。一辆自行车用三十分钟只需要一元钱。另外一个最新推出的模型Mobike Lite价格就更为划算，使用半个小时的自行车才花0.5元

Upon completing a ride, users are allowed to park the bike in nearly any public location along the street, as long as it’s within a legal moped and bicycle parking space. This feature sets itself apart from other competitors in the country and is even an improvement over other longstanding bike-sharing services, such as New York’s Citi Bike or Taipei’s YouBike, where riders are required to park and retrieve bikes from designated parking hubs, an inconvenience that can deter users.

用户在用车完成一段行程后，只要在就近的公众场所找到合法的停车区域，就可以停车。这个特点让这款APP从竞争对手中脱颖而出，甚至可以说是同类型产品中一大标志性提升，比如纽约的Citi Bike和台北的YouBike对停车地点就有要求，需要在指定的停车中心里停放，这造成的不便无疑让很多用户放弃继续使用产品。

Of course, with the widespread usage of the Mobike app, there are bound to be negligent riders who might be tempted to park in less-than-considerate locations. To combat this, Mobike has implemented a points system with penalties attached to discourage such behavior. Points are deducted when a user is caught parking inappropriately. Once a user’s points fall below a certain threshold, the cost of renting a bike drastically increases. For repeat offenders, their account could eventually be completely suspended. Points can be slowly accumulated through completing a ride, taking a photo of where a bike is parked to help the next rider locate it, and reporting parking violations.

当然，随着APP的摩拜单车的广泛使用，必然有冒失的用户为了方便忍不住停在一些欠考虑的地方。为了解决这个问题，MOBIKE采用了一套积分制，对不当行为有相应惩罚以减少类似的情况发生，对于累次犯规者，租金大幅提升。也通过逐步积分的方式，鼓励用户用车后，拍下停车地方以方便后来的租借者定位，或者是举报违规停车行为。

Last month, Mobike debuted a brand new upgraded bike model in Beijing and Shanghai. The main changes to the newer bike is the addition of a storage basket on the front of the bike and an adjustable seat that allows riders to easily change the height of the bike saddle; the weight of the bikes have also decreased and an improved braking system has been installed, substantially improving the overall riding experience. By constantly improving, focusing on user experience, and being located in Chinese cities where gridlocked streets and sardine-like subway conditions are commonplace, Mobike is starting to establish itself as a clearly superior transportation alternative.

上个月，摩拜单车在北京和上海首次推出全新升级版自行车模型。新自行车的主要变化包括：车前添加的储物篮，可轻松调节高度的自行车座椅，车辆重量有所减轻，刹车系统得以改进，总之对用户来说，可以大幅提升骑车体验。摩拜单车不断升级完善，重视用户体验，旨在为中国大城市中苦陷于交通堵塞和拥挤地铁的人群，打造出行的最佳交通方式。