Who Will and Won't Use Indy Bikeshare

Before the first brick was laid on the Cultural Trail, its creator, Brian Payne, was already looking toward the day when a bikesharing system would go in, too. His vision materialized in April, when Indiana Pacers Bikeshare—funded with a $1 million federal grant that covered the equipment from a company called B-cycle—was installed along the path. Twenty-five stations corral 250 sturdy Treks, each outfitted with a lock, a basket, and a map. The organizers are hoping to average 1.7 rides per bike per day, and David Vega-Barachowitz, a bikeshare advocate with the National Association of City Transportation Officials in New York, believes that the appeal of the Cultural Trail itself—which makes riders feel safe in an urban area—bodes well for reaching that number. On the subject of usage, we have projections of our own:
EASY RIDERS
Visitors from Philly, Houston, Nashville, and other cities that also have B-cycle systems. Their memberships are good here—and ours are reciprocal in 23 B-cycle towns, too.
Andrew Luck, bike-lover.
IUPUI students. Even the ones with cars. Have you tried parking on campus lately? Don’t.
Bluebeard addicts. Bikeshare extends the lunch radius for downtown workers.
Chihuahua owners.
All the apartment-dwellers. The current building boom is expected to nearly double the rental pool in three years.
 
HARD SELLS
Women who wear dresses or heels to the office.
Entitled cyclo-maniacs who can’t be slowed by civilized traffic laws. The B-cycle bikes are too heavy for swift and aggressive maneuvers.
Gen Con-ers.
All the homeowners. They already have $450 Electra Townies in their garages.
Pacers.
Great Dane owners.
 
 
» MORE: Indy Bikeshare 101
 
 

Illustrations by Christoph Hitz

This article appeared in our June 2014 issue.