A Wiki For Inspiration and Collaboration

Like a bike rental service, but as a collective instead of a service (from an idea on the DIYCity page.

Bike Borrowing Process

You tell a service (e.g., via SMS) where you are, and that you want a bike. The service responds with the nearest location of a bike, and the combination for the lock. You then send another message when you get to your destination, saying where you put the bike (both the address, and a location like "on the railing by the subway" [oh no, not there!]).

The service will start pestering you if you don't respond to where you left the bike. Maybe if you leave the bike in a bad location (i.e., no one else finds it useful to pick it up for a few days) it'll ask you to relocate the bike.

Economics

Many existing systems use specially-designed bikes, with difficult-to-remove parts and which are distinctive and not interchangeable with other bikes. But salvaged bikes and other cheap bikes might also be possible, and open up the possibility of donation. Many cities have bike repair collectives, who would provide a good starting point.

A "rental" process meters use by discouraging people (though financial disincentive), but a sharing service benefits from greater use -- as people use the service, they identify with it, and they start being a positive influence. For instance, bringing a bike to a shop when it needs work (despite the time that takes), or might even do minor repairs on their own. Or a person could try to be more aware of where they leave bikes, so they are secure and useful for the next person. The success will largely be based on the active participation of many members. Maybe feedback about how the bike is later used would help (both negative: it got stolen or vandalized or just sat for a long time - or positive: it was picked up right away).

The overhead would be:

• Acquiring bikes
• Maintaining bikes
• Management (keeping track of lost bikes, when more bikes need to be acquired, managing the repair process, etc)
• Maintaining the computer infrastructure
• Lost bikes (through theft, accidents, bad users, etc)
• Customer service

Possible income sources:

• City or government grants
• Membership dues
• Donations

The program should be structured to enable growth (i.e., income positive to enable investment), as I think a system like this could dwindle and decline without anyone immediately realizing it. So if the program is just sustaining, it might be too easy to fall into disrepair because it takes attention off the necessary metrics.

Prior Art

• Wikipedia Community Bicycle Program page, with comparisons and links and lots of information.
• Only a few US programs: Chapel Hill NC, Fort Collins CO, and stuff that just seems to be "in the planning".
• Twin Cities Bike Share - in planning. Has posted business plans.

Many entirely free systems have been implemented, usually with white or yellow or pink bikes, often on campuses, that people just take and leave at will. These never last long. Lately commercial offerings have happened, like in Paris, and lots of similar plans are happening in US cities. The Chapel Hill program seems closest -- not really commercial, but seemingly viable.