Blue bike invasion

It's nearly eighteen months since the controversial Melbourne Bike Share scheme launched, and now some bike stations have even arrived on our foreshore, just in time for Ride to Work Day. It makes perfect sense really with the great bike path into the city easily achievable within the 30 minute per trip charging model. Although it's a shame (especially for energetic cruise ship arrivals) that the map displayed beside the bikes inexplicably hasn't yet been updated to include the station itself, or the next one along the beach at Kerferd Road.

For Port Melbourne residents without a bike (or perhaps somewhere to store one) of their own, it's extremely cost effective to use at $50 a year. Of course for the $2.50 a day casual users, there is still the headache of complying with helmet legislation. The nearest 7-Eleven (which allegedly sells subsidised helmets for $5) is all the way up at the top of Pickles Street, which could explain why a station has also appeared one block down at the junction of Dorcas Street.

From there it's a good on-road bike path to MSAC along Dorcas and then Cecil street. At MSAC you could swap for another bike (after a 5 minute inter-rental gap) and do a 6km circuit of the lake, before heading under the tramline and along sleepy Wright Street to the beach. Another swap is then available at Kerferd Road before heading along the front to this station at the end of Stokes Street. The scheme website handily shows the number of bikes and free spaces currently available at each station.