NYC Commuters

[Caddy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/15/ny...-program.html?

My favorite line is: “It’s designed so even the very best bike rider can only go so fast.”

[tulip]

That sounds quite reasonable. Alta runs the very successful Capital BikeShare in Arlington, Virginia and Washington, DC (as well as Montreal and Toronto, I believe). The intent is to provide for an alternate way to get around, usually for short distances. Speed is not the point, as most areas served tend to be very urban. I hope it works as well for NYC as it has for DC.

[PamNY]

I wish they could design bikes that, in addition to not going fast, will not go the wrong way.

Tulip, has theft been a problem in DC? Are the bikes distinctive enough that they would be difficult to sell?

[tulip]

I wish they could design bikes that, in addition to not going fast, will not go the wrong way.

Tulip, has theft been a problem in DC? Are the bikes distinctive enough that they would be difficult to sell?

Pam, I am just an observer from afar, as I no longer live in DC. But I do know plenty of people who do and they love the system. I haven't heard about theft. The bikes are very distinctive. They are also quite heavy. The program has only been in operation for a year or so. The main problem has been meeting the demand.

[Velocivixen]

Now if we could just get our bikeshare going in Portland that would be nice.

[Crankin]

The bikeshare program in Boston has been successful beyond their wildest dreams. People want more bikes in more places.

[PamNY]

Here's an FAQ from the Times, and another article from the Daily News.

The Times FAQ says the bikes weigh 42 pounds

I'm sticking to my Xootr.

[tulip]

Yes, they are heavy. They are not meant to go fast, just to provide an alternative to walking, taxis, and Metro/bus. Heck, my 1985 Stumpjumper weighs almost 40 pounds, and it was a near top of the line racing mtn. bike in its day. It's relative.

The Capital Bike Share bikes (and I would assume the NYC bikes) sure are faster than walking. They are aimed at people who don't have bikes handy at work. People use them to go to meetings in various places downtown. They really do increase the options for getting around downtown.

In other cities, these bikes tend to gather at the bottom of hills because people don't want to ride them up. I doubt that lighter bikes would change that pattern, though.