Kakao Bike, a complete summary of how to use a bike!
Do you know Kakao Bike (electric bike)?
The future is said to be the era of sharing economy. Bicycles also provide convenience to users through sharing. In the past, you could rent a bicycle as much as you like by paying the rental fee, but Kakao Bike has a distinctive feature from other bicycle rentals.
From now on, I will tell you the pros and cons of Kakao Bike and how to use it, so please read it to the end.
Kakao Bike has differentiated itself from general bicycle rental systems.
I would like to express that it is exceptional.
The biggest advantage of Kakao Bike is accessibility.
Use the app to locate and use the Kakao Bike, and if you want to quit, just park anywhere. That’s it. 카카오바이크 요금
Just ride it and throw it away. Is there any easier way than this? 좋은뉴스
If the service is available, whether it is in the apartment complex or in front of the house, after parking and exiting, the fee is paid and the use is completed. However, there is no inconvenience except that parking is not allowed indoors and parking is only possible in serviceable areas.
If I take the example of Jeonju, which I usually use, there are more bicycles than I thought. It was always near where I live.
I would like to say that the Kakao Bike service is innovative.
Let’s take a look at the Kakao Bike (electric bicycle) from now on.
Kakao Bike service area
Seongnam-si, Songpa-gu, Wirye New Town
Yeonsu-gu, Namdong-gu, Incheon
Jeonju
Available only in Ulsan Metropolitan City.
It is said that Kakao is currently discussing adding service areas through cooperation with local governments. Also, if you ask Kakao for a region you want to hope for, they say they will promote it as soon as possible.
Kakao Bike is an electric bicycle
The Kakao Bike is an electric bicycle with an electric powertrain. When you turn the pedals of the bicycle, the electric motor automatically runs, which is quite convenient.
The maximum speed allowed by law is 25 km/h, but for safety, Kakao Bikes can go up to 20 km/h.
How much does Kakao Bike cost?
Rates are slightly higher than regular bicycle rentals. It’s an electric bike, so you have to take that into account.
When using the service, a deposit of 10,000 KRW is required in advance. The service charge is automatically paid by credit card, but if the balance on the check card is insufficient or the credit card payment is not possible, the charge is paid from the deposit.
For example, if 5,000 won was withdrawn from the deposit due to insufficient balance on the card, the next time you use the service, you must pay 5,000 won again to make a total deposit of 10,000 won before you can use it.
Deposit refund method
Kakao T App → Information in the lower right corner → Deposit → Payment cancellation
When using a bicycle, the basic rate is 1,000 won for the first 15 minutes, and 500 won for every 5 minutes thereafter. And what you should be aware of is that an additional 20,000 won will be charged if you terminate your service in a place other than the service area.
When I actually used it, I tried to end the service outside the service area by mistake, but the app gave a notification voice saying ‘Service Area Unavailable’ and moved to an available area.
It is convenient to calculate the fare of Kakao Bike at 100 won per minute.
Payment methods are Kakao Pay, mobile phone micropayment, and PayPal only.
What if there was an accident while using Kakao Bike?
It shouldn’t happen, but accidents can happen unintentionally.
The first is to terminate service or emergency shutdown.
Second, you must file an accident report.
SIMG Customer Center : 1877-3006
Operating Hours: Weekdays (Mon-Fri) 09:00-18:00 (Lunch break 11:30-13:00)
Compensation limit (per accident)
Personal compensation: 300 million / 100 million per person
Property damages: 10 million won
Treatment fee: 5 million won / 5 million won per person (Drunk driving exempted)
Deductible (per accident)
Personal compensation: 100,000 won / 3 million won for drunk driving
Property damages: 100,000 won / drunk driving 1 million won
Treatment fee: 200,000 won
Kakao Bike insurance is automatically subscribed. Payment is made automatically when using the service.
It is 130 won per trip (includes insurance fee of 120 won and fee of 10 won).
How to use Kakao Bike
From now on, we will guide you on how to use Kakao Bike.
1. Launch the Kakao T app and check available bikes displayed on the map
One thing to note here is that Kakao Bike is an electric bicycle, so you need to check the battery level. When you select the bike you want, the battery level is displayed at the top of the app screen. There are many bikes around.
The bike on the left says it can be used for 1 hour, and the bike on the right says it can be used for 3 hours and 20 minutes at full capacity.
If you only use the service for 30 minutes, you will probably want to use the bike with 1 hour left.
Of course, it can be used, but if the battery capacity is low, the motor power is also low. It feels lacking power on the flat as well as uphill roads. We recommend that you use a bicycle with a full battery if possible, even for short distances.
2. Select the bike you want to use and move it forward
The app found a bike with full battery and a nearby location.
You need to check the condition of your bike. You need to check if the condition is ok, the tires are properly inflated, the brakes are working well, and the transmission is working.
The reason the bike frame (circled in red) is thick is because the battery is installed there. So the bike is pretty heavy.
There is a gear shifter, but the closer the number is to 1, the less power to turn the pedals, but not as much speed. However, 7 to 8 out of 10 Kakao Bikes did not work well, as if the transmission was worn out. In actual driving, there was no inconvenience as the electric motor supported it even if it was only running in 7th gear.
After checking the bike, if there is no problem, move on to the next step.
3. If the deposit is less than 10,000 won, charge the insufficient amount
If you are a first-time user before using Kakao Bike, you must pay a deposit of 10,000 won in advance.
4. Select Use a Bike at the bottom
5. Authenticate by entering the QR code or authentication number attached to the bike into the app
After executing ‘Use a bike’, enter the QR code on the front and back of the bike to proceed with authentication.
6. Freely use the bike service after completing the certification
When authentication is complete, the lock device on the rear tire of the bike is unlocked and can be used.
7. End use using the smart lock attached to the rear wheel of the bike
To terminate the Kakao Bike service, park the car in a suitable place and lock the rear tire lock. After that, payment is made and the service is terminated.
Disadvantages of Kakao Bike
1. Expensive Fees
The rate is around 100 won per minute, which is more expensive than regular bicycle rentals. ‘Tashu’, a public bicycle business in Daejeon, rents 500 won per day, so Kakao Bikes feel relatively expensive. Of course, it is unreasonable to compare electric bikes and regular bikes, but it is true. So, rather than an all-day bike tour, it seems more suitable as a means of transportation to destinations.
2. Sometimes crappy GPS
I’ve experienced it once so far, and I moved to the location where the bike was located on the map, but there was no bike. It seems to be a GPS technical error. I went on foot, but it was not there, so I was disappointed.
3. Bike size
I’m 185 cm tall, and I feel like I’m very short even with the saddle set to the maximum. It’s okay for short distance travel, but it felt uncomfortable when traveling for about an hour.
caution
Kakao Bike does not have a separate parking lot. You can park anywhere within the service area. That’s a big plus. The picture below shows the service area in Jeonju.
Bikes are also available in shaded areas, but parking is not available. Parking is only possible inside the shade, so be sure to check.
Also, when parking the Kakao Bike, you must park it so that it does not obstruct traffic at the entrance of a building or in a place where there are many people. And you can’t park indoors. This is because the bike’s built-in GPS needs to determine its location.
These days, the weather is clear, so it’s great to use the riverside or bike path. If you plan to visit the Kakao Bike service area, I think it’s good to try it once.
Lastly, we recommend that you use your bike with protective gear if possible in preparation for safety accidents.
Have fun riding with Kakao Bike (bicycle)^