The bright yellow and blue “Nice Ride” bikes can be checked in and out at the self-service kiosks concentrated near the University of Minnesota campus, downtown and uptown. The bikes are available by subscription for 24 hours ($5), monthly ($30) and yearly ($60). Additional fees of $1.50 to $6 are charged to users’ credit cards for trips lasting more than 30 minutes.
Equipped with fenders, baskets and lights, the bikes are intended for people to use running errands and taking short trips. The Nice Ride bicycles are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from April to November.
The program startup was financed by the Federal Highway Administration, city of Minneapolis, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and local businesses. For more information, go to www.niceridemn.org.
Bicycling magazine recently named Minneapolis the best bicycling city in America.
On a much smaller scale, St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, debuted on June 5 a free bike-sharing program called Yellow Bike. Former Mayor Brad Foss solicited donated bikes, made them road ready and painted them yellow. The 20 single-speed bikes are available at no cost at the Overlook at the dam and the St. Croix Falls Public Library, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
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