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Travel Tip: Bike Share Programs in the U.S.

Daily Travel Tips, Health & Fitness, Midwest, Northeast, Travel and Health, Travel Planning, Travel Tips, USA, West — on November 13, 2012 6:00 am
Travel Tip: Bike Share Programs in the U.S.

Bike sharing programs are no longer just a European phenomenon. They’re popping up in cities around the United States.

In Denver, B-Cycle has 500 bikes you can rent from 50 stations. Just pick up or drop off a bike at the convention center, the Denver Art Museum, the 16th Street mall, the Denver Zoo or the botanic gardens.

Nice Ride Minnesota has 95 pick-up and drop-off locations in Minneapolis. You must leave a $50 deposit, pay a $5 subscription fee and pay additional trip fees for all rides over a half an hour.

Capital Bikeshare has a 110 stations across Washington, D.C. and Arlington, VA. Watch out for late fees in D.C. If your bike comes back over thirty minutes late, you will incur a fine that keeps growing.

Bring your smart phone. Capital Bikeshare and Nice Ride Minnesota use the Spotcycle app that helps users keep track of rental times, find bike lanes and locate return stations.

And if you’re in Boston, cycle smart with HelmutHub, a new bike helmet vending machine designed MIT students that will be set up near the bike share by the Boston Public Library.

For more cycling adventures, visit our Biking archives.

Click here to read more of Peter’s Travel Tips.

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  • skylorjane

    If you really want to explore a city by bike, I’ve found its generally better to go with a local bike rental company than bikeshare; they may not have multiple locations but their rates are generally far better for keeping the bike all day and most do not charge a security deposit. They also typically provide a lock, helmet & map for free. Some also offer guided tours which can be a great start to your trip; take a tour, get the lay of the land then ask about discounts for keeping the bike out as a rental for the rest of your trip…or just the rest of the day.