Living Car Free - Everyone Bikes?

This looks like a corporate sponsored bike share program...

http://www.everyonebikes.org/

It reads like retailers have gotten the clue that being bike friendly is good for making money.

Not in Little Rock. ;)

Wow! Looks like a program that's aimed at local small businesses that have always been popular with people who want to shop in their own neighborhood and avoid driving to the faraway big box store.

Makes perfect sense that getting more folks on bikes will benefit the neighborhood stores, the same way getting more people in cars almost certainly helps large-corporation type stores.

It's a group of local businesses here that got together. They are hoping to get a lot more bikes out and really expand it. The bikes are great-they worked with one of our local shops to get Kona Africa bikes both single speed and 3 speed.

If you have any suggestions I would be glad to pass them on.

If you have any suggestions I would be glad to pass them on.

Full speed ahead. Maybe a humorous tip sheet for newbies to make them feel comfortable and welcome? At my closest bike shop newbies get this attitude hurled at them. At the second closest bike shop the guys treat the newbies better, they break things down and take time explaining the basics instead of talking jargon. When new people ask about bike shops I steer them to the second closest shop. So the suggestion is to cater to the new comers to grow the customer base. For example, I have no use for the bike sharing service in DC, I have three bikes. It isn't there for avid bikers.

I'm not sure of the business concept. It seems like most people who want to use a bike to run errands would already have a bike, so I'm not sure what group they're marketing this to.

The area they are doing this in is a very big tourist spot just north of our downtown. Our convention center is in the immediate area. I think the idea is basically to get people out and exploring the neighborhoods we have.

The area they are doing this in is a very big tourist spot just north of our downtown. Our convention center is in the immediate area. I think the idea is basically to get people out and exploring the neighborhoods we have.

That makes sense--market to tourists who ordinarily use a bike at home, but are traveling without one.

It's a great idea. If it works (a bigger "if" than it should be), then it would bolster the notion that government doesn't have to force us to get off of oil. That private enterprise can get these things done.

Here's hoping that it gets done one way or the other....

We have some great stuff happening here.

Yay Bikes! one of our local organizations is putting together it's own bike fleet for a bike share. Still hashing out details but they put together a group tour for American Community Garden Association last week of area community gardens. 43 cyclists, mostly on borrowed bikes from the fleet. I think a few even "rented" for the weekend to get back and forth to the conference.

We also have another group running bike corrals for area events. We were talking today about a possible partnership with Yay Bikes once they have the fleet together to rent bikes at some of our festivals.

This looks like a corporate sponsored bike share program...

http://www.everyonebikes.org/

It reads like retailers have gotten the clue that being bike friendly is good for making money.

Again a wonderful idea that has already been tried and failed due to theft..."Those who borrow the bike also get a heavy-duty lock to keep it safe while they shop or dine....."-The Columbus Dispatch

Come on, let's be honest. How many locked-even 'Heavy Duty" ones-bikes are stolen each year no matter what you do in most places (including Europe)? The person who loses the bike to theft is the one that will lose the most. You will be the one to shoulder the price of a new bike plus blame. I will take my chances with my own folding bike, thank you very much. At the very least, I know where my bike is at all times-next to me, not locked up outdoors where anything can happen from vandalism to permament separation. Locks don't cut it-except to get the bike!