Hybrid electric bikes now available in San Francisco

  • 2019-07-24
San Franciscans have another option available in their quest to get around the city quickly—hybrid electric bicycles.

The Bay Wheels program, which was known formerly as Ford GoBike, is a bike-share system run by Lyft. The company already introduced the new bicycles in Oakland and San Jose a few weeks ago. There are plans to expand the bikes to Berkeley and Emeryville in the future. Flyer printing is often used to advertise new systems like this.

The hybrid status means the machines can be locked to a regular bike rack, or docked at a recharging station. They also have a pedal assist to help riders climb San Francisco's notorious hills.

Lyft's bikes are also part of its “Bike for All” program, which people can join for their first year for $5. After that, the fee is $5 per month. Bikes are available in San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco 7/24/365. Members of the program enjoy the first hour of every trip free, but riders who take the bike out for longer than an hour will pay $3 for every additional quarter-hour. The bikes are compatible with Clipper cards, and they can be rented without a debit or credit card.

Lyft is not the only company providing ride-share bikes; Jump bikes are also available. This system is run by Uber, and riders can rent a machine by using Uber's app. The Jump bicycles are electric, and do not require a dock.