UK — Bicycle and electric bicycle (e-bike) share programs are increasing in popularity. It’s widely done in Europe, and the US is following the lead in big cities such as New York, San Francisco, and LA.
Citybyke is an automated system for renting and returning e-bikes that utilizes an ATM-like kiosk/charging station that controls a bank of bicycles.
You go to a kiosk to rent a bike (with a credit card or member card). You’re given a PIN number that you use at the docking station to release the bike. You then return the bike to any kiosk station in the area and plug the bike back into an empty docking station, which ends your rental.
Currently, Citybyke is only available in the UK . Memberships start at two pounds per day. The local partner company, Share Limited, manages the kiosks.
The Bike
The Citybyke system uses a proprietary bicycle — only it can be placed on its docking station. They make extensive use of fairings and enclosed components to keep any moving parts from being exposed as well as to prevent theft of bicycle parts. The bikes are built in module fashion, so that portions can be removed and replaced quickly, which will allow for localized requirements like lights or reflectors to be added.
Source: Citybye
Resource: Zoomilife
