The Coming Tsunami of Bikes

Bike sharing has become a global phenomenon, with companies that didn’t even exist a few years ago, like Ofo, Mobike, and Bluegogo renting some 20 million bikes a day in China. And these private-sector companies are now coming to America. Renting in a little more than one day the number of bikes rented in the U.S. last year, these bike-sharing operations have a business model that floods cities with inexpensive bikes at a very low – or no - cost. Whether pervasive and nearly free bike sharing turns Americans into cyclists, it will have a huge impact on our streets and public realm, with more dedicated bike lanes, parking lots, and support infrastructure. This will change not only how Americans move around, but also how American cities look and function. Tom Fisher