There has been a new company running Citi Bike in New York, and they have a good system for keeping up with repairs. The whole system is better than it was when you had the problems. And the new model bikes are better, too. The geometry is different in a subtle way I can't describe, but it allows a little for more vigorous riding. They replaced the Shimano 3-speed hub with the Sturmey Archer 3-speed hub, and they replaced the crappy Shimano hub brakes with Sturmey Archer hub brakes. The latter brakes are hugely better. Now the newest models have NuVinci rear hubs which have continuously variable ratios, even better than 3-speeds. I enjoy that hub, as I'm constantly adjusting the ratio while keeping my pedaling cadence constant.

I'm glad the Philly program works well. I get what you're saying about how the bikes suck but riding them is a great thing. I love to see the variety of people on them. I see some Wall Street types, all dressed up, and some of them pedal really hard.