Cycling has always been a popular form of transportation in the downtown core, especially in the summer months. If you do not have a bike and want to join in on the fun, there’s an app that can help you out.
Spotcycle, available for Android, BlackBerry and iOS, is a free app that gives users the opportunity to find bikes at various stations around the downtown core without having to conduct a search on foot for one, especially if you see nothing but empty stations in and around your neighbourhood.
With this app you can use the map or list features to see which stations are closest to you and how many bikes are available. This information is constantly updated to ensure accurate information at the time of your search.
While I realize bike sharing is mostly available in the downtown core, there seems to be a lack of information for the Toronto Islands, where bike rentals are very popular, especially in the summer. It would be great if somehow this app, with help from the City, could show the availability of bikes on the Islands.
With the map feature you can also locate bike paths across the city. A timer feature is included to track how long you have rented your bike for. Also, this app allows you to create your own route and highlight your favourite spots to share with friends using social media.
If there is a particular station that you enjoy renting from, stations can be saved as favourites for future use. With the favourites feature, users can create groups to differentiate different stations and locations to allow for an easier sorting process.
When saving a favourite station you need to remember to bring up the menu, select your group, and actually click the save button. It seems like a small thing to harp on, but if there was a button featured on the station profile that allowed for easy saving without having to do all of the extra steps.
If you find yourself traveling anytime soon, Spotcycle supports bike-sharing programs in other cities in Canada, and around the world. Bike sharing programs from countries such as the United States, Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom can be found using this app.
If you are looking to take a bike ride through the city while the nice weather is still with us, give Spotcycle a try. This app gives you all of the information you need short of paying for the bike rental. As you cycle along the streets of Toronto, feel free to document and share your ride with your friends and family and tell everyone how much fun cycling around the City of Toronto can be.
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Rob Kirsic writes the App of the Week column for Toronto Standard. Follow him @robertkirsic.
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