The pool bikes are council staff use for business purposes only. This means that the bikes can be used during working hours. Pool bikes can also be taken home overnight or for a weekend to encourage staff to cycle to and from work (commuting) or when they attend a work event during the weekend. When you bring a bike home, make sure the bike is stored securely and in a dry place.

We especially encourage staff to use the pool bikes when they have site visits in or around Elgin, which is within a cyclable distance.

The use of the bike for personal use is not permitted, as the bikes are not insured for that purpose.

Please be aware that if you bring an e-bike home on a carrier rack on the car, to check the weight allowance of your carrier rack. The e-bikes weigh 24.36 kg (with battery)/ 21.76 kg (when battery taken off) (small size). We do not encourage people to transport the e-bike laying down in the car, as it might damage parts of the bike. Transporting standing up in small vans should be okay, when the bikes are well attached and cannot fall left and right / protected with sheets or cardboard.

As of May 2023, we have access to 8 brand new bikes. Two of them are e-bikes and the other 6 are non-motorised ‘push’ bikes.
 

Sizes:

• E-bikes (Merida eSpresso City 300 – with external battery)
  • Small
  • Medium

E-bike with a ‘step-through’ frame

• Push bikes (Giant Escape 3 City Disc)
  • Small (2x)
  • Medium (2x)
  • Large (2x)

Non-motorised ‘push’ bikes with a triangle shaped frame

When you use a staff bike, it comes with the following items:

• Set of keys (to be picked up from facilities office after booking):
  1. Shelter key
  2. Bike lock key
• Waterproof panniers
  1.  Contents of panniers on E-bike:
     • Battery charger with two wires: 
       • One to connect the charger with the battery
       • Another to connect the battery with the plug socket (of the e-bike unit that’s in the shelter, or when you charge somewhere else).
     • An integrated ‘plug-in’ chain (see below for description of usage)
     • A paper manual on how to use the charger
  2. Content of panniers on ‘push bike’:
     • A U-shape Kryptonite lock with a wire chain. Good video (2 min) on how to use the lock is here. (Key to use the lock is on the bundle picked up from Facilities, together with the shelter key)

•  Lock:
  1. E-bike:
     • frame lock with key
     •  ‘plug-in pin chain’ lock.
     •  This additional chain lock HAS TO BE USED and be wrapped around a non-removable object and then inserted back into the plug.  See guidance here.You do not need an additional key for this: you first use the chain- around a non-removable object, then insert the pin in the frame lock and then lock the frame lock by twisting the key and moving the metal bar down (to make a circle of the frame lock).

1. 1. Standard bike:
      • A U-shape Kryptonite lock with a wire chain. Good video (2 min only) on how to use the lock is here.
      • A key to unlock / lock the chain

• Lights:
  1. E-bike: lights are part of the bike
  2. Push bike: removable small lights (but please leave on bike). There are four positions on the lights: bright, medium, flicker and off. They have to be USB-charged, so please inform activetravel@moray.gov.uk when this needs to be done.

• A helmet (option to use, but we do recommend it) - to be collected from facilities office at point of picking up key
• There’s a pump inside the shelter, in case the tyres need pumping up and an Allen key (three sizes in one) to be used for instance to adjust the saddle height. Please leave these items in the shelter!

pump

Allen key with three sizes

Also, near the ‘old’ cycle shelter (East side of Annexe building) is a work stand with tools such as Allen keys  and wrenches.

If you’re new to cycling an e-bike, there’s a few things you might want to know:

• Make sure to check that the battery is full (enough, two or more blue dots) when you start cycling, by pressing the power button on the battery.(above the five white dots).

Battery of an e-bike
 

• This also makes the computer panel on the left of the handlebars, go on (unless you’re charging the battery, then the panel doesn’t come on). See page 29 in the manual, see below.

Computer panel to assist with cycling the e-bike (off while picture was taken)

• There are different levels of ‘support’ on the bike:
  1. None (no bars)
  2. Low (one bars)
  3. Normal (two bars)
  4. High (three bars)
• The more assistance you require from the battery, the quicker the battery will be used up. Once this happens, you can still easily cycle your bike, but it will be slightly heavier than cycling a normal bike.
• The speed of the bike is capped at 15.5 mph / 25 km/h. You can cycle faster than that with the e-bike, but the bike’s support will have stopped. Cycling at a higher speed feels normal (often people think it is super heavy). The support automatically comes back on again when your speed drops below that threshold.
• The lights of the bike (front and back) come on by pressing the ‘lights’ button on the computer display (slightly hidden at the bottom) for a few seconds.
• How to save your battery:
  1. Use as little assistance as possible; so better use one bar assistance instead of two or three bars when you’re going downhill for instance.
  2. Cycle the bike like a normal bike with gears: when you slow down / come to a stop, go down in gear / lighter gear. When you start cycling again you therefore start off in light gear and gradually increase your gears into heavier ones. In this way you’re not draining the battery unnecessarily.
• Charging your battery can be done in two ways (you normally charge your battery when it’s near or below 30-40% and depending on the distance you plan on cycling / options you have for charging along the way):
  1. When the battery is still on the bike:
     • Simply open the rubber seal at the bottom of the battery:

• • • Insert the charger lead into the opening

:

• • • Insert the other charger lead into a plug socket
    • Watch the charger light up, when it flashes it’s charging – see page 16 of manual (below)
    • Once you’re done (all five LED lamps are full – see page 17 of manual, below), pack up the charger incl two leads, back into the pannier of the bike and push the rubber seal back properly.

2. When you remove the battery and take it (inside) with you to charge:
   • Take the frame lock  key  and insert it in the top of the battery:
     
     
   • Turn the key
   • Click-out the battery and carefully support it with both hands (don’t drop the battery!)
     1. click-out the battery    
        
     2. hold it with both hands
        
   •  Bring it to a plug socket and open the rubber seal at the bottom, insert the lead, etc (see description at 1.)
   • Once charged, bring the battery back in reverse order. Make sure the battery is clicked in properly and remember to turn the key again! This is important, otherwise the battery could fall out while cycling or be removed when the bike is left (locked up) in town for instance. (this won’t generally happen, but it is technically possible)
   • Do not charge the battery unnecessarily long or overnight, as this could cause damage or fire to the charger.

The battery is a Shimano E8014, and the manual can be found here, and derived from this page.

When locking your e-bike (other than in the council’s bike shelter), make sure to use the plug-in chain lock as well as the frame lock (in that order). This provides optimum security and is important for insurance purposes as well.

Booking a pool bike is as easy and the same as booking a meeting room.

• Click on your ‘calendar’ and choose the times you want to book the bike for
• A new window opens (‘untitled appointment’)
• Click on ‘invite attendees’ and then on ‘address book’
• Type in ‘pool’ and choose the bike you would like
• Click ‘ok’ and see it appear on the left bar
• You can check it’s availability by clicking on ‘Scheduling assistant’ in the top bar
• If it’s available, click back on ‘Appointment’ in the top bar, and check the date and time
• Fill out location (i.e. destination) please
• Then click on ‘Send’ and an automated replay will be generated

Add permanently to your calendar:

If you found a bike that you like, or a couple, you can arrange to see their calendars permanently.

• Go to 'Calendar Groups' and click on the dropdown menu to select 'Create New Calendar Group'.
• In the window, type 'Pool Bikes' (make sure you select 'Global Address List'), in the search bar alongside and enter pool 'e-bike' or ‘pool bike’. That will call up the list of available staff pool bikes.
• Select all the bikes you would like to have calendar access to and click on 'Group Members' to add them before clicking 'OK'. They should then appear in your new calendar.

There is a reoccurrence option as well, in case you need to use the bike various times over the next while. Please be mindful; to ensure the greatest use of pool bikes, please only book for the time and duration you need the bike for.

We have looked into using the same booking system as is used for pool cars. However though, this isn’t possible due to practical reasons (people signing up for the bikes can technically get access to the cars, even without a valid drivers’ licence).

If you book a bike, you'll be supplied with a key to the cycle shelter (picked up from the Facilities team in the Annexe). The key ring also contains a key to the lock of the bike and a label with the  number of the bike on it. Each of the bikes are numbered (1-8).

The bike shelter is situated at the councillor’s car park, which is just West of Glover street. The car park is only open on working days in between 7am and 6:30pm, so make sure to plan your pick-up / drop-off accordingly. Facilities (01343 563992) are in charge of opening / closing the car park.

NOTE: PICK UP / DROP OFF OF BIKES CAN ONLY HAPPEN DURING WORKING HOURS, AS THE SHELTER IS NOT ACCESSIBLE OUTWITH THESE TIMES, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A KEY. THE CAR PARK IT IS SITUATED IN WILL BE PHYSICALLY LOCKED WITH A FENCE.

When you pick up your bike, please ensure that the tyres are pumped up and that the brakes work. This is part of the 3-min ABC Quick Check. A more thorough bike check can be found here.

These are the valves of the bikes where you pump up your tyres:

Valve closed, cap on

Valve cap taken off and valve screwed opened to tap. Give a little tap to the end bit, to release pressure, and then apply the pump and start pumping. Once done, screw the end bit down again and apply the cap back on.

When you apply the pump head onto the valve, lift the handle up (‘open’) to create a seal onto the valve. Then start pumping. Add a bit more, because when removing the pump head, a little air always escapes. Before removing the pump’s head, click the handle back down again, to disconnect the ‘seal’.

Handle of pump head is ‘closed’; do not (yet) pump

Handle of pump head is open; an ‘air seal’ is created so you can start pumping now

Please check the pool bike is in good condition before you bring it back. If you detect a problem (while using it or at the end of your booking), please report this to activetravel@moray.gov.uk immediately.

Please ensure the pool bike is returned in the same condition it was picked up in and clean. Here’s a link to a quick clean video (don’t take of the rear wheel though or turn the bike upside down!).

Please make sure to return the e-bike to the green unit on the right. Push bikes will have to be placed back in the ‘toaster Sheffield stands’ on the left.

Lock the shelter and bring back the key to the bundle of keys to Facilities.

Please leave the e-bike charging in the green charging unit on the right, when the battery has less than 40% battery remaining (two blue dots visible on the front of the battery). If  possible,  please could you inform the Active Travel team at activetravel@moray.gov.uk that you’ve left the bike charging (so that we can unplug it again at the end of the day or the next day).

The bikes will undergo a programme of regular maintenance but if any problems are found they should be reported by emailing activetravel@moray.gov.uk

The ‘old’ shelter, east of the Annexe building, can now be used by staff’s personal bikes. The shelter will be open at all times; the door will be closed, but unlocked. 

A repair station is situated next to the shelter, underneath the canopy and toaster racks.