Popular Paris Bike Rental Spawns Spinoff Programs
Have you heard about Vélib? Debuting in Paris in July 2007, Vélib is a an inexpensive, convenient way for residents and visitors alike to use rental bikes for short trips around the city. With 20,600 rental bikes positioned at nearly 1,500 stations throughout the city, people are using the bikes like crazy - with almost 11 million trips in the first four months.
The program is intentionally designed to encourage users to take frequent, short trips. Bike rental is free for the first 30 minutes. After that, the price goes to around $1.50 for the next half hour, and grows increasingly more expensive the longer the bike is out. This encourages people to return them promptly after use, ensuring a ready supply throughout the city.
Due to the success of Vélib, other programs in Lyon, Barcelona, Vienna, and Munich are taking shape, and literally dozens of other cities worldwide are showing interest in creating similar programs.
- Here's a link to a 4 minute video on Vélib produced by the Bikes Belong coalition.
- Related article: Finding Liberté on Two Wheels - New York Times
- Related article: Vive la Vélorution! - The Economist
Have you had experience with Vélib or another short-term bike rental program? How was your experience? Comment below.
Comments
yes i did. and the bikes were really great
Also exists in Brussels, Belgium;
http://www.cyclocity.be/
Not such a big success like in Paris, but not free the first half hour.
I already used them. The bikes are made very strong to protect them against vandalism, but that makes them very heavy. A problem in a city like Brussels with some steep climbs.
The City Council of Dublin was in Discussion with JC Decaux, The French Advertiing Company to use Advertisements on a proposed New Parisien type Bike Hire for Dublin ,but so far Negotiations have broken Down so no Bike Velib as yet for us.They are still Haggling over costs.We will Probably get it eventually.
I keep looking for a sturdy, simple commuting bike. Anyone out there know more about the Velib bike itself? Can you see one or buy one in the States? I’d appreciate an e-mail (robert_fried@hotmail.com) from anyone with information.