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Stationless bike-sharing is coming to Victoria

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Not only does September mark the start of new bike-related construction in Victoria, but also the introduction of an army of new bicycles to fill those two-way lanes.

U-bicycle North America, a China-based bike-sharing company, are launching the first stationless bike-sharing service in the city.

Starting September 30th, 2017, 200 GPS enabled and self-locking smart technology U-bicycles will be distributed across the city to provide what the press release calls an “innovative and convenient source of transportation for residents and visitors of Victoria”.

The service will offer pay-as-you-go rides costing $1 per 30-minute time blocks.

U-bicycle North America will scale up its Victoria’s bike-sharing fleet over the next month with the goal of deploying another 150 bikes for a total of 350 across the city.

More Bike-Parking Freedom

bike-sharing

Unlike other traditional bicycle sharing services, the U-bicycle system requires no fixed bicycle racks. Users can park bikes anywhere that is legal and responsible. Riders simply locate bicycles using the U-bicycle app.

Equipped with three-level speeds, a carbon belt drive system, and helmets, U-bicycles are environmentally friendly and safe.

You can get an early glimpse of the technology today. U-bicycle North America will be showcasing 20 of their stationless bicycles on September 18, 2017 at the sixth annual national Liveable City Forum, a 4-day event that tackles climate change action in Canada, as the environmentally-friendly-mode-of-transportation.

Firsts for both Victoria and U-bicycle

As its first North American location, Victoria marks a milestone for U-bicycle. The company has expectations and plans of expanding to other major Canadian cities and eventually to the US.

“We could not be more thrilled to launch in Victoria as our first North American location”, said U-bicycle North America CEO Grace Min. “This is a big step and milestone for U-bicycle as we get ready to disrupt the bike-sharing market across Canada and the United States”.

“We met Grace on our mission to China last fall,” said Mayor Helps. “We’re thrilled that one year later she’s moved to Victoria and is bringing this new business with her. Victorians have been waiting for this type of bikeshare for some time; U-bicycle is a welcoming addition to Victoria’s sustainable mobility options.” says Lisa Helps, Mayor of Victoria.

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Alistair Ogden
Former staff writer at Victoria Buzz.

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