Using Shared Bikes in China: A Foreign Visitor’s Guide to Scanning, Riding, and Returning

To use a shared bike in Beijing, scan its code with Alipay, WeChat, or the bike platform’s app. For your first ride, complete registration and any required verification, grant permissions such as camera and location access, and set up a working payment method. Before unlocking a bike, check its brakes, tires, and bell, then scan the QR code on its frame. Ride in bicycle lanes, obey traffic signals, and do not ride against traffic, carry passengers illegally, or cycle in pedestrian-only scenic areas. At your destination, park in an area marked on the map or somewhere that does not obstruct traffic. Lock the bike as instructed and confirm in the app that the order has ended. If charges continue, take a photo of the parked bike and contact the platform’s customer service. Pay attention to lights and road conditions at night, and slow down in rainy weather.