"A Cronut! A Cronut! My Citibike for a Cronut!"
All right. So The Bard didn't write that line in Richard III. However, it seems like an apt headline for a story that appeared in Thursday's Gothamist.
A Cronut looks something like this:
Chef Dominique Ansel created it and it's available only in his ShHo bakery. It opens at 8 am, but in otder to score a Cronut, one has to arrive before 7 and wait on line.
That is what someone with a Citibike did. I don't know whether or not he had an annual membership or was renting by the hour. if the former is the case, he is limited to 45 minutes. For the latter, it's 30 minutes. If he doesn't check into a Cititbike kiosk before his time is up, each additional half hour is $9.00 (for an annual membership) or $12.00 (for a one-time rental or holder of a seven-day pass).
Now, if said cyclist were to abandon the bike, the Cronut run, as the Gothamist wryly noted, would cost $1000. Cronut fans claim that is a small price to pay. As I haven't tied one--or a Citibke-- yet, I couldn't tell you for sure.
All right. So The Bard didn't write that line in Richard III. However, it seems like an apt headline for a story that appeared in Thursday's Gothamist.
A Cronut looks something like this:
Chef Dominique Ansel created it and it's available only in his ShHo bakery. It opens at 8 am, but in otder to score a Cronut, one has to arrive before 7 and wait on line.
That is what someone with a Citibike did. I don't know whether or not he had an annual membership or was renting by the hour. if the former is the case, he is limited to 45 minutes. For the latter, it's 30 minutes. If he doesn't check into a Cititbike kiosk before his time is up, each additional half hour is $9.00 (for an annual membership) or $12.00 (for a one-time rental or holder of a seven-day pass).
Now, if said cyclist were to abandon the bike, the Cronut run, as the Gothamist wryly noted, would cost $1000. Cronut fans claim that is a small price to pay. As I haven't tied one--or a Citibke-- yet, I couldn't tell you for sure.
If the Citibikes are priced similarly to Boston's Hubway cycles, then under 30 minutes is the favoured option, certainly. But times over that are allowed, they just quickly turn ridiculous, pricewise. I think (haven't checked the rates recently) if you go for an hour, it adds $2, which becomes $6 at 90 minutes, and close to $20 at two hours. So, while the cronut run might be expensive, it could be a great deal shy of $1000, too. Honestly, I don't understand why anyone uses the bikes with that pricing model, but clearly, many in Boston, at least, do.
ReplyDeleteAilish--I added some information about Citibike fees to my post. As I understand, if a borrower fails to return a bike, his or her card is debited (or he or she is billed) $1000.
ReplyDeleteI, too, think that the pricing structure is a bit prohibitive. But, I guess that if you're going to be in town for a short time, it might be your best option.
What bonkers pricing! The only time I have used any kind of city bike was in La Rochelle where cost was an exorbitant zero, just had to return the same day. all you had to do was leave a deposit or passport if you dared. Bikes were not worth stealing... I passed through a couple of years back and the new bikes there were shaft drive!
ReplyDeleteColine--That almost is reason enough to go to La Rochelle!
ReplyDelete