Colm Doyle writes:
When I started using dublinbikes more frequently, I couldn’t really find an app that ticked all the boxes for me. Some were focused on showing me a map, others wanted to show me a big long list of really small text that didn’t really make it clear what the situation was in terms of bikes or stands. And forget trying to use the website on your phone when you’re running around town looking for a bike.
Frustrated, I decided to just build my own. I focused on what I find to be the most common situations
It shows you the important details about a station in a giant numbers – How many bikes, how many stands? The list is sorted according to my current location, so I get the more relevant stations at the top. I can mark stations as favourites and show just those ones, again, with the important information highlighted.
If a station gets closed for maintenance (which happens more often than you might think), then I instantly get a notification to let me know and I can plan accordingly.
Rothar is available on the Apple App Store for free.
Do you have an Irish app (especially an Android one)? Let us know: Broadsheet@broadsheet.ie
Colm, you are a hero. Is there an android version? Also did Dublin Bikes just agree to let you have the realtime info? What a joke that they didn’t build their own!
Dublinbikes API is available for all, much like how public transport is.
I was looking for a decent one of these…. *flutters eyes* ….on Android please :)
Fair play Colm.
So I’ve hacked together a web version. It’s not quite as good as a native app, but it sure beats the dublin bikes website on mobile.
http://rotharapp.com/stations
app reviews? you havn’t reviewed this app
@Blublu / @Clampers – No android version yet, it’s been years since I touched Android. But I did build it all in such a way that I’ll hopefully get around to one.
Great to see this, it’ll definitely make finding available bikes easier in the morning rush!
Looks similar to allbikesnow. Does it provide absolutely up to date information?
@Peter – Yep, all info is <= 60 seconds old. That's as fresh as I can make it.
Impressive. Ok Colm, meself and the extended Hoop network will give it a try.
Thaaaaaaaaaaaank yoooooooooouuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice. Had been using BikeCompass which is good. Will give this a whirl.
I built a similar web application, so if anyone on an Android Device is looking for DublinBikes information you can get it here. http://datacycle.evennode.com/#/stations
I don’t want to take anything away from Colm though fair play!