Two nights in a row this week I helped out people on the West Side Greenway with flat tires -- yes, I always carry a bike pump. But it got me thinking back to visiting Stockholm years ago where they have 'cykelpump' stations scattered around the city offering free air to all since after all, lots of flats are a result of low air pressure.
With the growing number of cyclists (including the upcoming launch of NYC's own Bike Share) and the city pumping$$$ (no pun intended) enhancing its waterfront with an eventual continuous bike path around the island... incorporating some free air filling stations would be nice!!! Here's my dreamy scenario of installing air pump stations along the waterfront every 2-3 miles around the city since gas stations and bicycle shops are few and far between...
Additional pump station add ons that come to mind: presta valve adapter, PSI control so you could fill up your road bike tires to 100+PSI(!),and attached wrench and set of Allen keys.
This past weekend a spur of the moment visit to DUMBO proved to be VERY eventful with tasty treats at The Brooklyn Local, the opening of Jane's Carousel AND.... a demo of the newly announced NYC Bike Share system launching in Summer 2012!!!
Portland, Oregon-based Alta Bicycle Share, who will be operating the NYC Bike Share, was at the Manhattan Bridge Archway in DUMBO last Saturday with a sampling of their other successful city bike share bicycles from DC, Boston, Minneapolis, Toronto, Montreal, Melbourne, and London. The NYC DOT has not released the official look (colour/graphics) of the NYC bicycle as of yet, but the overall design/style/components will resemble other Alta models. These bikes are really sturdy machines with lots of great components built-in (and theft proof) and was totally excited to see for myself how the Toronto Bixi could handle DUMBO's cobble stone streets...
For starters, what to do with my purse? Easy! The bikes have these front racks with a built-in bungee cord which you can adjust using those little nubs. It was a perfect fit for my purse -- but not set up to bring home a load of groceries. Nor is there a rear rack - well at least currently!
While details have not been finalized, the NYC Bike Share (like other Alta city bike share systems) will just require a credit card which you can pay-as-you-go (for something like $6 a day) OR get an annual membership (for approx. $100) which would give you a key/card - that red thing above - and allow you to access any bike for 30-45 minutes easy-peasy. You'd just have to insert your key and the docking station releases the bike which you slide out and ride off -- and be just be charged for additional time.
Oh, and note those little red hexagons icons with a wrench... upon swiping your key and realizing you got a bike in need of a maintenance check of any kind you simply press the button on the docking station and it lets the system operators know it can be fixed -- it also keeps the bike locked into the docking station/rack so that someone else won't come along and get the pleasure of borrowing a problematic bike! In general, I was told at the demo that all the bikes get a maintenance about check every 5 weeks.
The moment I hopped onto the bike I totally felt like I was on a motorcycle - more then a bicycle! The handle bars had a lot to do with that -- they are wide and really easy to handle. It is also designed in such a way that it feels like you have a dashboard in front of you with a bell (!) on the left side and 3-gear (internal hub) shifters on the right side. The brakes could have been a little more responsive, but they did a fine job.
The bikes are fully loaded with features that make cycling in the city easy rain or shine... fenders, chain guard, grippy pedals for all types of shoes, skirt guard, and really wide knobby tires that could handle our cities largest pot holes with lovely reflective sidewalls! I've also heard that they'll have integrated front and rear lights - serious essentials.
I have to say, it was a smooth ride. Next time I'd like to have more time and test ride the bike over the Manhattan Bridge - but the three gears seem to give you a good range even if most of the city is flat as a pancake. If you missed last Saturday's DUMBO demo, there are many more demonstrations, open houses and workshops scheduled to take place this fall so you can test them out yourself!
NYC Bike Share will consist of 600 stations, 10,000 bikes in Manhattan and Brooklyn, potentially stretching to Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx. It will be privately sponsored, privately launched and privately operated, with no public funding.
It’s more than just a different way to get to work. 54% of all trips New Yorkers make are less than two miles. Bike sharing is a great mobility choice for short trips that are too far to walk, but too short for a cab or subway ride.
The idea is really to help you out from point A to B. The bikes do not come with a lock which means you'd have to find a docking station to both pick up and drop off the bike -- hence the idea that there will be 600 stations in the city and the DOT is taking your suggestion for station locations. While there will be no doubt some growing pains associated with such a large scale addition to the city streets -- I CAN NOT WAIT for more NYers to open their eyes to the world on two wheels...
So you've got until this Thursday, Sept. 15th (yeah, that's five more days, including today) to...
1) pick up a Tour de Fashion bicycle from one of two locations (just look for the bright yellow tents) -- you just show a drivers license and credit card but its free of charge at either locations (weekends 11am-6pm, weekdays 10am-6pm):
> Fashion District Station @ 40th + Broadway
> Meatpacking District Station @ W14th St. + 9th Avenue
3) return the bike - after an hour of enjoyment and attention getting - to either the Fashion District or Meatpacking District Station!
This is such a fantastic project - at the very least stop by and check them out. I was in the garment district yesterday (sadly, having missed Betsy Johnson's roses-galore-bike, along with some others being borrowed) but got to take these snap shots... (Oh, and if you re-publish, please let me know!)
Gretchen Jones' wood veneer lovers dream - crafted by Ben Wilkinson-Raemer - accessorized with an incredible arrow basket and pedals to accommodate your stilettos...
George (owner of Hudson Urban Bicycle shop + manager of the Tour de Fashion bike share operations) with Lela Rose's friendship bracelet-esque embellished frame (can't help but imagine it in reflective rope!)....
