Get the Bimba app
Download the app, create your account and complete any information requested on screen. Turn on the permissions the app needs to show nearby vehicles and start a ride.
Your first Bimba ride
How to ride Bimba,
made simple.
Learn how to find, unlock, ride and correctly park a Bimba shared e-bike or e-scooter in Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen and Mal País, Costa Rica. The live Bimba app is the source for current vehicles, pricing, riding guidance and approved parking locations.
The quick answer
How do you ride a Bimba?
Download the Bimba app, create an account and use the live map to find an available e-bike or e-scooter. Scan the QR code to unlock it, check the brakes, tires and lights, and start slowly. Wear a helmet, follow Costa Rican traffic rules and ride for the road and weather conditions. When you arrive, park at an approved Bimba location without blocking access, tap End Ride and wait for confirmation. If the vehicle feels unsafe or you need help, stop somewhere safe and contact Bimba support.
Four simple steps
From app to arrival.
Find the right Bimba
Use the live map to see nearby e-bikes, e-scooters and approved parking locations. Availability changes as riders begin and finish trips, so check the app before walking to a vehicle.
Scan and check
Scan the QR code to unlock. Before moving, check the brakes, tires, lights, frame, controls and remaining battery shown in the app. Choose another vehicle if anything appears damaged or does not work normally.
Ride, park and finish
Start slowly and follow local traffic rules. At the end, use an approved Bimba parking location, leave the vehicle upright without blocking access and confirm that the ride has ended in the app.
Before every ride
Take 30 seconds to check your Bimba.
A shared vehicle may have been used since the local team last inspected it. A quick check helps you decide whether this particular vehicle and today’s conditions are suitable.
- BrakesSqueeze both levers and gently move the vehicle to confirm that braking feels firm and predictable.
- Tires and frameLook for low tires, visible damage, loose parts or anything rubbing against a wheel.
- Lights and controlsConfirm the controls respond normally and that required lights are working.
- Fit and batteryAdjust the e-bike seat before moving and check the app’s battery information against the trip you plan to make.
Choose the ride that fits
E-bike or e-scooter?
Both vehicles use the same Bimba app, but they feel different. Take a moment to understand the controls before entering traffic.
Bimba e-bike
Adjust, pedal and allow more room.
- Starting
- Adjust the seat while stopped. Begin pedaling smoothly and expect the electric assistance to feel stronger than a conventional bicycle.
- Steering
- The e-bike is heavier than a standard bicycle. Look ahead, turn gradually and give yourself space around loose surfaces and traffic.
- Stopping
- Squeeze the brakes progressively and increase your stopping distance on wet, sandy or uneven roads.
Bimba e-scooter
Push off, accelerate gently and stay balanced.
- Starting
- Stand in a stable position, push off gently and apply the accelerator gradually only after you understand the controls.
- Steering
- Keep both hands on the handlebars, avoid sharp turns and reduce speed before bumps, gravel or changing road surfaces.
- Stopping
- Brake smoothly with enough distance. Sudden braking or turning can reduce control, especially when the surface is wet or loose.
Ride responsibly
Good decisions matter more than speed.
Wear a properly fitted helmet and follow applicable Costa Rican traffic laws, signs and signals. Keep both hands ready to control the vehicle, do not use a phone while moving and never ride while impaired.
Santa Teresa roads can change quickly with traffic, dust, loose gravel, standing water and heavy rain. Slow down before uncertain surfaces. Do not continue if visibility, weather, traffic or the vehicle makes the trip feel unsafe.
Bimba is well suited to many short local trips. Choose a taxi or another appropriate option when carrying luggage, traveling in severe weather, riding late at night or going somewhere beyond your experience or the current operating area.
Finish correctly
Park where the app says yes.
- Find an approved location
Use the current parking points shown in the Bimba app. Do not rely on an old screenshot or a remembered station.
- Keep access clear
Leave the vehicle upright and out of roads, driveways, entrances and pedestrian routes.
- End the ride in the app
Follow the on-screen steps, provide a parking photo if requested and wait for confirmation that the trip has ended.
- Get help if it will not end
Stay with the vehicle and contact support with the vehicle number, your location and a screenshot of the message.
Need help during a ride?
Stop safely first.
If anything feels damaged, unstable or unexpected, move out of traffic without taking additional risk and do not continue riding. Contact Bimba with the vehicle number, your location and a short description. For immediate danger or serious injury, contact Costa Rican emergency services first.
First-ride questions
Know before
you go.
These answers summarize the normal Bimba journey. Follow current instructions in the app when they differ.
Do I need to reserve a Bimba?
No advance reservation is normally required. Open the Bimba app to view current vehicle availability before you leave. Availability can change at any time.
Where can I find a Bimba?
The live map in the Bimba app shows available vehicles and approved parking locations around the active Santa Teresa service area.
What if the QR code does not scan?
Make sure the camera can see the complete code and that your connection is stable. Follow any alternate identification option shown in the app. If it still fails, use another available vehicle or contact support.
Where must I end my ride?
End at an approved Bimba parking location shown in the app. Keep roads, entrances and pedestrian access clear, then confirm that the app shows the ride as ended.
What if I cannot end the ride?
Stay with the vehicle, confirm that you are inside an approved parking location and retry with a stable connection. If the problem continues, contact Bimba support and include the vehicle number and location.
Should I ride in heavy rain or poor visibility?
Do not ride when rain, wind, darkness, road conditions or visibility make the trip unsafe. Stop somewhere safe and choose a taxi or another suitable transport option.
Ready to find a ride?
Choose your Bimba.
Ride Santa Teresa.
Open the live map, find a nearby e-bike or e-scooter and choose the vehicle that fits today’s trip and conditions.
