One bright, sunny day last week, we rented electric scooters from the Ride FiiK pickup location at Good People Brewing Company, one of nine self-serve rental spots in the Downtown Birmingham area. Sadly, it was too early on a weekday to grab a craft brew when we stopped by! We took the scooters down to Railroad park to test them out to see what the commotion is all about.
When we arrived at the loading dock where the scooters are stored, we scanned the QR code our phones' cameras. Simply tap the camera icon on your phone, and wait for the QR code to scan. From there, it will take you to the Ride FiiK app, which will connect to the individual scooter you scan. For payment purposes, you’ll put in your credit or debit card information, so that after you finish riding, the app will automatically charge the appropriate amount to your card, based on the length of your ride.
The scooter rental costs about 20 cents per minute and comes with a charged battery to last you a few hours before returning it back to a port. For example, our one-hour-nine-minute ride cost us each $16.80. You can return your scooter to any of the rental locations in town. The app keeps track of how long you've been riding, which is good because you’ll have so much fun, it’s easy to lose track of time!
You can take the scooter wherever you’d like! The app includes a built-in GPS which monitors your location. It gives a lot of free reign for an adventure around Birmingham. Based out of Birmingham Pedal Tours, this incredibly fun activity is great for outings with family or friends, solo trips and overall a great way to get outside and enjoy some fresh air.
It’s relatively simple to operate the scooter. You push off with one foot while simultaneously pushing down the motor on the scooter's handle. Make sure not to push down too fast--we found that out the hard way when we fell off a few times!
We recommend trying your inaugural trip on a sunny day that’s not too windy. A day with extra wind makes the experience a lot colder, needless to say. Plus, warmth and sunshine make for great pictures and better memories! You've probably heard about issues with other scooter rental companies that allow users to abandon the scooters anywhere in town once they're done riding. Ride FiiK has solved that problem by keeping you on the clock until you return the scooter and plug it into the charging port at any pickup location. After your ride, we suggest you grab a bite to eat and a hot coffee or cocoa from one of downtown’s awesome locations like Red Cat Cafe...or hit up happy hour at one of the convenient brewery pickup locations. You might even try a brewery tour, sampling a brew at each stop and then getting another scooter to take you to the next location!
Scooters are available to rent 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. You can pick one up at any of these locations:
Good People Brewing
114 14th St S
Birmingham, AL 35233
The Battery
2201 Second Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35233
The Pizitz
120 19th St N
Birmingham, AL 35203
Cahaba Brewing
4500 Fifth Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35222
Avondale Brewing
201 41st St S
Birmingham, AL 35222
Trim Tab Brewing
2721 Fifth Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35233
Ghost Train Brewing
2616 Third Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35233
The Denham Building
1143 First Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35233
