The Best of Bike Share

Skip the cab ride and travel like a local by hopping on a shared bicycle for short trips around these great bike share cities.

NEW YORK, NY – CITI BIKE

citibikenyc.com

24-hour pass: $9.95 USD

7-day pass: $25 USD

Ride length before additional charges: 30 minutes

Bikes: 4,300

Stations: 330

Where to go: Hop on a Citi Bike anywhere south of Central Park in Manhattan (and in parts of Brooklyn) and follow the city’s growing bicycle network past many new pedestrian squares. Dock your Citi Bike in Soho where you will find shopping options for most budgets and countless restaurants and cafés. A Momentum Mag favorite is The Dutch at the corner of Sullivan and Prince.

MIAMI BEACH, FL – DECOBIKE

decobike.com/miamibeach

24-hour pass: $24 USD

30-day pass: $35 USD

Ride length before additional charges: 60 minutes

Bikes: 1,000

Stations: 100

Where to go: Perhaps the sexiest bike share system on the planet. Limited to just Miami Beach and Surfside, this small system allows riders to take bikes out for longer periods of time similar to bike rentals. Join the swimsuited masses on the beachside bike path and dock in the Art Deco District to take in the twentieth-century architecture and the sunshine.

PARIS, FRANCE – VÉLIB’

velib.paris.fr

24-hour pass: €1.70

7-day pass: €8

Ride length before additional charges: 30 minutes

Bikes: 20,600

Stations: 1,451

Where to go: Spend the day in Paris’ Le Marais district. One of the city’s most historical and artistic neighborhoods, this spot is virtually unknown to many outsiders and provides perhaps the most wonderfully romantic and beautiful experiences in the iconic metropolis.

MONTREAL, QC – BIXI

bixi.com

24-hour pass: $7 CDN

72-hour pass: $15 CDN

Ride length before additional charges: 30 minutes

Bikes: 5,120

Stations: 450

Where to go: The Bixi system boasts excellent integration with Montreal’s public transportation system. Outside of most Métro stations you will find a rack of silver and black Bixis ready to take you along the city’s impressive bike route system. Enjoy a morning espresso in a Plateau neighborhood café with eclectic locals or wander through the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Parc du Mont-Royal to the west.

CHICAGO, IL: DIVVY BIKES

divvybikes.com

24-hour pass: $7 USD

Ride length before additional charges: 30 minutes

Bikes: 4,000

Stations: 242

Where to go: Tourists may flock to Chicago’s Millennium Park to snap a photo in front of the reflective Cloud Gate sculpture (the Bean), but this is also a great location to meet with a local volunteer who will show you the sites for free as part of the city’s Chicago Greeter service. In July, take Divvy Bikes to Union Park and enjoy some of the world’s best new musicians and artists at the three-day, not-just-music Pitchfork Music Festival.

BE BIKE SHARE PREPARED

+ Plan your route

Make your destination a specific dock and note those nearest in case you arrive and there are no spots left.

+ Do a walk around

Before taking a bike, give the brakes a squeeze and check the tires. A backwards saddle means that the bike is not in useable condition.

+ Understand the fees

Most bike share systems limit trip length before additional charges are applied. Many will also place a security deposit on your card that is removed once your pass expires.

+ Mix it up

For destinations farther away, try mixing bike share and public transit.

+ Know your needs

Bike share might not always be your best option when traveling by two wheels. Bike rentals are a better option if you plan to spend a lot of time in the saddle.