Dott electric bike test: freedom without comfort

Following a vote organized on Sunday April 2, 2023, the Paris town hall decided to ban self -service scooters in Paris from September 1, 2023. Listed bikes are not a priori affected, nor personal electric scooters. So you have until August 31, 2023 to enjoy the self -service scooters in Paris.

Bikes and scooters

The RATP hello app allows you to locate and rent a scooter or a Dott, Lime and Tier self -service bike. Access thousands of bikes and scooters available day and night in Paris and Île-de-France, without having to download several applications !

How much is a traveler or self -service scooter trip ?

The price of a route in scooter or self -service bicycle with our partners includes:

• fixed costs for unlocking the vehicle of € 1;
• A price per minute of a journey of a maximum of 0.25 €/minute.

Minimum costs and promotions may apply. The exact rates are displayed when you scan the QR code of the vehicle. Once you have finished your journey, the costs are rounded up to the upper minute.

Good to know : when you start a trip, the system reserves a fixed amount of € 9, also called pre-authorization. It’s a bit like a bank deposit: this makes it possible to ensure that you have enough funds on your payment method to adjust your journey. As soon as the journey is finished, we annul this pre-authorization. Note that the availability of this amount may, depending on your bank, require a few days. If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to contact her to request confirmation.

© Lime

How to rent a self -service bicycle or scooter ?

To rent a scooter or a bike with the hello RATP application, nothing could be simpler !

• Locate a vehicle either from the application card or since the result of a route search;
• Once next to the vehicle, press the “scanner to unlock” button then scan the QR code of the vehicle;
• Accept the general conditions of sale of Bonjour RATP and the scooter or bicycle partner concerned;
• Confirm the payment. here we go !

If this is your first trip with Bonjour Ratp, you will need:

• Be connected to your Customer Account Bonjour RATP or create one;
• Activate the camera to scan the QR code (if activation of the camera does not work, if you refuse to give access to it or if the camera does not decipher the QR code, you can manually enter the QR code);
• activate geolocation for parking;
• have a payment card, which you can if you wish to register for the next times.

If the application displays an error, it is probably:

• of a vehicle problem: please try again with another vehicle nearby.
• a missing payment method: Enter information from your bank card.
• of a pre-authorization failure: the balance of the account associated with the card used is not sufficient is not sufficient, please change the payment card.

© Dott

Cycling and scooter traffic advice

To run safely, follow our advice !

• Be 18 years old or over;
• Do not drive by more than one person per vehicle;
• Stay concentrated – Do not wear headphones, do not consult your phone and do nothing else that can distract our conduct;
• Respect local traffic rules and high traffic requirements and pay attention to other vehicles and pedestrians;
• Never roll or park on the sidewalks to ensure pedestrian safety;
• Driving on cycle paths or greenways when they exist if not on the roads whose maximum authorized speed is less than or equal to 50 km/h;
• Do not roll after drinking;
• Wear reflective equipment when driving at night and by low visibility (for example in the event of a fog);
• Do not forget to wear a helmet. Even if it is not compulsory in some countries, it is everywhere an essential safety measure. Please note that you are not insured against head trauma if you do not wear a helmet;
• Park according to the parking rules in force in the city.

As a reminder, non-compliance with traffic rules is liable to a fine of 135 euros.

© tier

frequently asked Questions

Are electric scooters prohibited in Paris ?

Following a vote organized on Sunday April 2, 2023, the Paris town hall decided to ban self -service scooters in Paris from September 1, 2023. Listed bikes are not a priori affected, nor personal electric scooters. So you have until August 31, 2023 to enjoy the self -service scooters in Paris.

Do you have to be of age to be able to use a self-service scooter or bike ?

In Paris, you must be at least 18 years old to have the right to use a self -service scooter. This limitation does not apply to self -service bikes.

Dott electric bike test: freedom without comfort

Among the major players in shared scooters, Dott launches his own free-floating electric bike in Paris. We have tested this new competitor of Lime bikes, a particularly effective solution in current traffic conditions.

Saturation of the streets which limits the movements of motorized two-wheelers, public transport not conducive to social distancing: even more than the scooter, less sure and easy, the electric bike remains the most effective means of transport to move in the capital city. But not everyone wants to acquire an electric bike, when it is an occasional use. This is where sharing solutions come in, with actors like Velib and its fixed stations and, for free-floating (without fixed point), Lime is now joined by Dott with a new model of bicycle that we tested.

Launched in Paris with a first salvo of 300 bikes last October, Dott plans to strengthen its service with some 3,000 electric bikes in the streets of the capital. With VAEs soon available in Rome, Milan, Brussels and London, the brand wants to deploy a fleet of some 10,000 electric bikes in total in Europe, whose maintenance will be made by the same mechanics, patrollers and fleet managers as the scooters of the brand.

In Paris, they are divided between the mixed micro-mobility locations for bikes and electric scooters and the 6,300 locations reserved for bikes. The dott app makes it possible to locate the available bikes, or even make them ring if you do not see them in a full bicycle parking lot. You just have to scan the QR code to identify the bike in the app and unlock it to go to your handlebars. A service which should soon be available also via the Freenow application which agglomerates different mobility solutions. The prices are the same as for the scooters, with € 1 release + € 0.23 per minute, the same price as Lime bikes, the great competitor, but much more than the electric velib, certainly linked to fixed terminals. Different packages, however, lower costs for assiduous users.

Wooden tires

Dott bikes recognize themselves with their bright blue color which contrasts with their 26 -inch red stick rims. A machine of a large template which may seem impressive, perched on its central crutch like a scooter and heavy with its two interchangeable batteries authorizing a range of 60 km. Fortunately, the ergonomic saddle is adjusted in a turmoil and the driving position is pleasant. A practical front basket allows you to carry a bag in a sure way. From the first rounds, we appreciate the effectiveness of the assistance once the first second has spent before it starts. A single speed is on the program and, even on the dish, it is sometimes difficult to exceed 20 km/h without pedaling by providing a little more effort than with others. In the ribs, the long multiplication allows even less easily to maintain its speed, damage.

The robust machine could be comfortable if it did not suffer from a major defect: its designers have opted for full tires which, certainly, avoid any puncture, but do not spare the back of the user either. For comfort outside of billiard type coverings, we will come back, and it becomes frankly unbearable on the cobblestones and degraded coatings. The braking provided by two drums is of an average power, but sufficient. Fortunately, if necessary, remains the super bell with high power integrated into the right handle on the handlebars.

So here is a new quick and effective solution to cross the city with a strong bicycle, pleasant but frankly lacking in comfort.

Dott electric bike test: the balance sheet

We liked	We liked it less
Pleasant to drive Costaude design Easy saddle adjustment	Steep comfort High price Average braking

Good electric bikes