Bikesharing in Lyon, France
By Jenn (TinyChoices.com) | October 30, 2007
I love reading about how various cities implement customized versions of bikeshare programs– and seeing as how the success or failure of these schemes lies in the details, it’s fun to think about what would make a NYC bikeshare successful. Mayor Bloomberg visited Paris over the summer and, while he seemed enthusiastic overall about the concept, said “he was unsure it would translate to New York… You try to see whether it fits, and some parts of it will, but it may very well give you an idea to do something totally different.” That flexibility– in bikeshares as in life– is where success is born.
The bikeshare program in Lyon, France (Vélo’v Grand Lyon) is free for the first half-hour, and $1.20 each hour thereafter. Since most bike trips clock in at less than half an hour, the journeys are essentially free of cost for many riders– which is a pretty amazing incentive for folks to get off their bums and onto a bikeseat. To safeguard against theft, users submit their credit card registration and and a $180 deposit in 
exchange for an access card. Swipe the card at any of the 150+ kiosks peppered around the city and take a bike, then return it to any kiosk when you’re done. If there’s no bike at the kiosk you’re at, swipe your card and you’ll be shown a map of neighboring kiosks with available bikes. Each bike is equipped with a built-in lock, and an alarm which sounds if an attempt is made to steal a bike from a kiosk. These bikes are also packed with super-cool high-tech features: built-in sensors monitor tire pressure, breaks, lights and gears, and the kiosk won’t rent the bike if it needs maintenance. The geek in me loves these futuristic touches, but I also think this is one key to bikeshare success– by ensuring that folks are getting well-maintained and safe bikes on every ride, and thus consistently positive bikeshare experiences, everyone ends up happy.
As an aside: for those of you who don’t live and/or bike here in NYC, here’s a photographic journey through just one of the obstacles that NYC riders have to deal with: dopes who park in the bike lane.
[Images from the Vélo'v Grand Lyon site]
Topics: Transportation | 9 Comments »
I think a bikeshare is a fantastic idea, but the credit card plus deposit would put it out of reach for many, many people. I don’t know how to get around that!
I know, this is a big hurdle. It’s clear why a large deposit is necessary, but it takes a certain level of disposable income to be able to set such a sum aside. One thought is to offer a payment plan– the food Coop I belong to does this, where you can pay the deposit off in monthly $5 or $10 installments. Clearly this isn’t ideal but it might make the scheme feasible for many more folks.
I would also love the bikeshare to be available in Chicago, but would balk at the hefty deposit fee. I believe Mayor Daley went to France as well this summer to look into how such a program would function here.
I love the idea that all of these mayors are going to France to check out bikes! my next question is: how do *I* become mayor so *I* can go to France?
Maybe you can marry into the Daley family. They’re only sort of corrupt, at least by Chicago standards.*
*It is not wise to apply said corruptibility standards anywhere outside the Chicago metro region.
[...] a few cities have tried bike sharing programs as a green-friendly method of transportation. Lyon, France seems to be doing it particularly [...]
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we love france…
We love France!…
cool idea duuuuuuuuuude