BCycle has launched a new generation of dock-based bike share with the 3.0 docks. The 3.0 docks combine the flexibility and streamlined infrastructure that cities and riders want with the order and predictability that have made BCycle’s bike share programs successful for more than a decade. Unique to the bike share industry, this technology allows programs to grow more quickly and at a lower cost by eliminating the need for a kiosk. Its modular design also allows for smaller stations in more locations.

“Our goal at BCycle is to get more people on bikes,” said Morgan Ramaker, Executive Director of BCycle, LLC. “To do that, we need to make it easy for bike share programs to grow quickly and flexibly, whether that’s expanding into new neighborhoods, or creating greater density in downtown areas. We have developed a best-of-both-worlds solution that offers the flexibility that bike share riders expect, without sacrificing the reliability that we know docks provide.”

BCycle’s new docks feature:

Modular, kiosk-less, easy-to-install design for countless station configuration options

Durable aluminum construction

Power savings through new technology

Theft deterrents

Easy rider access via mobile app or RFID card

“BCycle’s new docks open so many doors for us,” said Helen Bradley, General Manager of Madison BCycle. “With lower costs and more flexibility, we can put docks in places we couldn’t previously—areas where space was limited, and a traditional kiosk wouldn’t fit—but where our riders want to be.”

Madison, Wis., Santa Barbara, Calif., and Broward County, Fla., are the first communities to launch the 3.0 docks. All BCycle docks and stations are designed in Wisconsin and made in the United States.

Contact the BCycle Sales Team today to learn more.

Urban bike sharing company Charlotte Joy Rides has a new name, a new look and a really cool new feature. Formerly Charlotte BCycle, the company’s 250 revamped e-assist bikes hit the streets of Charlotte on Wednesday — and you might notice that they go a little faster. (Its new website will be unveiled at the same time.)

Riders can now channel their inner Lance Armstrong with a turbo boost button that allows the bike to go up to 15 mph. So if you’re running late to meet a friend or spent a little too much time picnicking in Romare Bearden Park on your lunch break, you can get to where you need to be quickly.

“Charlotte Joy Rides’ pedal-assist bikes are going to be life-changing,” said Dianna Ward, owner and executive director of Charlotte Joy Rides. “With the additional power from the electric assist, people will be able to travel farther, faster.”

RIDEABLE ART

It’s not just the speed that’s been taken up a notch, the bikes themselves have been transformed into moving pieces of art, thanks to a team of Charlotte artists. In partnership with Atrium Health, Blue Cross of North Carolina and Charlotte City Center Partners, Joy Rides commissioned seven local artists to design the fleet of bikes.

“I was honored to be one of the artists selected,” Marcus Kiser said. “As a member of the Sol Nation Collective, I love the idea of using art and design to bring awareness to renewable energy resources to combat environmental injustices.”

Kiser joined other local artists Sydney Duarte, Sam Guzzie, Georgie Nakima, Nick Napoletano, Owl from Arko & Owl and Rosalia Torres in creating the mobile art.

“Art and innovation go hand in hand. It’s great to see Charlotte embrace sustainable transportation solutions that are not only fun, but functional to the city,” Napoletano told CharlotteFive recently. “This is where we are headed: Where art and design, utilitarian function and beauty work together to make a more beautiful world that we can pass onto our children and our children’s children.”

“Charlotte Joy Rides, with these e-assist bikes and new stations, are a game changer for our community and will raise the bar on the experience our residents, workers and guests enjoy as they move through Center City,” said Michael J. Smith, president and CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Community Relations District Manager Michael Restanio called the bikes a “fun and healthy way to explore Charlotte.”

HOW TO RIDE

Dear Friends, 

I continue to hope that all is well with you as many continue to be challenged by the uncertain times in which we are living.  In the spirit of continued community building, I want to share an exciting opportunity to impact our city by serving as the next Executive Director (ED) of  Houston Bike Share, the nonprofit operator of the Houston BCycle system.

Houston Bike Share (HBS) seeks a leader who is passionate about urban mobility to serve as its ED.   The ED will partner with the Board of Directors to provide leadership that ensures the delivery of equitable bike share services that foster recreation, mobility, and personal wellness.  We are looking for a strategic thinker who can visualize a future where bike share becomes more of an integral part of Houston’s transportation network, and someone who can respond to the unique needs of different communities across the city. 

The ED is responsible for simultaneously leading the operations, community relations, revenue development, marketing, and team management aspects of HBS.   The leader should be an exceptional communicator who understands advanced social equity models that build inclusive economic, cultural and innovative communities.   A top priority for this leader will be to utilize key data to make strategic decisions.  The ED directs a staff of more than 20+ people to help support the growth and expansion of Houston Bike Share.  From its start in 2012 with three stations and 18 bikes, HBS has grown to 113 stations and over 700 bikes and will be hoping to grow to 130+ stations and 1000+ bikes in the next year.  In addition, HBS is soon introducing E-Bikes.

You can read the full profile for the Executive Director here.  If you know someone who would be a good candidate for this position, please forward this email.  Interested candidates should apply here. Letters of interest will be received until October 26, 2020. 

Thanks in advance for your continued support in finding great leaders for organizations impacting our city!

MADISON, Wis., Aug. 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BCycle, the bike sharing system powered by Trek Bicycle, has released data from markets across the nation supporting the trending global bike boom, showing increased ridership in both traditional fleets and those with e-bikes integrated.

Examples of key markets with increased ridership numbers in 2020 compared to the same time last year include:

• Des Moines, Iowa: +29%
• Fort Worth, Texas: +50%
• Houston, Texas: +21%
• Las Vegas, Nevada: +186%
• Madison, Wisconsin: +20%
• Omaha, Nebraska.: +39%
• San Antonio, Texas: +75%

Madison BCycle recently released a comprehensive annual report exploring overall bike sharing ridership, station performance, and the impact on the local community. Results revealed that e-bikes were driving ridership, a finding that has held true from last year into 2020. Of the cities with increased bike sharing usage, only Des Moines does not have e-bikes in their fleet. At the time, even pre-pandemic, the report also showed that about 50% of the time, e-bikes were replacing driving or carpooling for 75% of BCycle members that own their own car. During a time when social distancing is the new norm, this trend appears to be growing nationwide as people look for alternative ways of travel in place of public transportation.

"At the beginning of 2020, we never could have predicted our current situation and the massive demand we're seeing within our bike sharing network across the nation," said Morgan Ramaker, BCycle Executive Director. "The bike boom is real for personally owned bicycles as well as bike sharing, with no signs of slowing down. BCycle's mission has always been to change the world by getting more people on bikes, and we're embracing the momentum and cultural shift as consumers seek out bike riding for essential transportation as well as for mental and physical health benefits."

Wisconsin-based Trek Bikes launched #GoByBike in May 2020, encouraging people to choose to ride a bike at least one trip a week, replacing other modes of transportation, for the health of our planet and people. While society is still responsibly social distancing, there has never been a better time for consumers to ride bikes – whether their own or from a bike share system – to stay healthy, help fight climate change, for fun and to shape a better future for generations to come.

BCycle offers the following tips for city-dwellers seeking out bike sharing as a transportation option:

1. Don't Forget a Helmet – When sharing the road with cars and pedestrians, it's important to protect your head in the event of unexpected incidents. While many bikes have bells and lights, no one wants to share helmets which is why it's best to remember to bring your own.
   
   
2. Remember the Rules of the Road – It's not illegal to ride on sidewalks in some cities, but it's encouraged to ride in the street. Cyclists should abide by all the traffic laws that cars do, and still must yield to pedestrians.
   
   
3. BYO… Hand Sanitizer – BCycle has already increased sanitation protocols and is cleaning bikes several times a day, as well as disinfecting high touch areas at all stations. But just like it's the new norm is other areas of our lives; riders should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after each ride to keep themselves and others safe and healthy.

All BCycle bikes are designed in Waterloo, WI by Trek Bikes. To learn more about BCycle visit bcycle.com or follow BCycle on Instagram. Download the BCycle app in the App Store or Google Play Store.

ABOUT BCYCLE 
Headquartered in Waterloo, Wisconsin, BCycle LLC develops and delivers best-in-class bike share systems and is committed to providing an environmentally sustainable transportation alternative for cities. BCycle believes that bike share is the bicycle's role in public transit and is on a mission to change the world by getting more people on bikes. BCycle, a fully owned subsidiary of Trek Bicycle, partners with organizations across the country like to deliver community-based bike share. For more information, visit www.bcycle.com.

SOURCE Trek Bicycle Corporation