Paris to offer 20,600 bikes at 1,450 stations to rent by the end of the year
Live in Paris or plan on visiting soon? Like to ride a bike? Good news, then. You will soon be able to rent a bike at one of 1,450 stations in the city, meaning that every 250 yards there will be a bike rental site. According to this article, the city is patterning their efforts around those of Lyon, France. The system proved very successful in that city, and bike riders can be seen traveling throughout the city. Not only will the cycles clean up the city, but a recent study found that they are also the quickest way around. Practical greenery at its best.[Source: Washington Post]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tim 5:17PM (3/26/2007)
I wonder when A123 or Nanosafe batteries will be available for electric bikes.
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rgseidl 7:21PM (3/26/2007)
Vienna, Austria has operated a similar scheme called CityBike for a number of years now - with great success. The first hour is free, you can drop the bike off at any of the many unmanned parking facilities dotted around the city. Each additional hour costs EUR 1, up to some maximum. Except during rush hour, you can take bikes along in the subway.
To use the service, you first have to pay EUR 1 to obtain a card containing your ID, which is tied to a direct debit authorization against your bank account (sounds scary, but this is a common practice in Europe). An alternate payment system is available for tourists. To use a bike, find one and use your card to open the lock. The system communicates both your ID and the bike to the central computer, which timestamps the transaction.
The bikes are regular, not electric. For more info, follow this URL and set your language preference (top left of page):
http://www.citybikewien.at/
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Xavier 4:34AM (3/27/2007)
Barcelona has started the same scheme a couple of weeks ago, although the extension now is ridicolous, not covering the real commuting areas of the city. Check http://www.bicing.com
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