How to ride a shared bike

There are three major bike-sharing platforms in Shanghai, namely, Hellobike, Meituan and Qingju. Hellobike bikes can be rented via the Hellobike app or Alipay, Meituan bikes via the Meituan app, and Qingju bikes via the Didi Qingju app or the Didi app.

Using Hellobike as an example, the steps to rent a bike are as follows:

1. Open the Hellobike mini program in Alipay, or download the standalone Hellobike app. Fill in your details, link a payment method, and then pay the deposit.

2. Go to the homepage of the mini program or app, touch "Bike" to view available bikes nearby on a map, and then use the navigation feature to locate the bike you choose.

3. Verify that you have located the correct bike, and then scan the QR code on the bike to rent it.

Sources: City News Service, Expat Guide: Work and live in Shanghai