You may have heard about the new free bike program in Paris, but what you may not know is that Americans can’t use it.
But in some cities, you CAN bike cheap.
The new Velib bike program in Paris provides bike usage for free and discounted rates.
Unfortunately, unless you’ve got an embedded microchip in your credit card, or an American Express or JCB card, which many Americans don’t, you can’t use it.
But more cities are offering free, or cheap, bicycles to residents and tourists alike.
Stockholm’s BikeShare has 80 bike stations citywide, with free riding for the first three hours.
In Copenhagen, the Bycyklen has 110 stations where your 20 kroner deposit is returned when the bike is. Helsinki also has a program, modeled after Copenhagen’s.
Closer to home, Reno, Nevada has a Community Bike Cooperative that provides cheap bikes and repairs.
New York City’s July pilot program tested the waters for a full-blown program in the future.
Learn how to Bike Safe on Unfamiliar Terrain.
Or for ideas, take a look at Riding the Underground Railroad.
