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Two days in: How are Mike’s Bikes doing in New York City?

 

Simon Usborne
Tuesday 28 May 2013 18:34 BST
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New Yorkers have embraced the Citi Bikes
New Yorkers have embraced the Citi Bikes

New York City, home of the horn-leaning taxi driver and death-wish bicycle courier, has survived a second day on its version of London’s Boris Bikes. At the time of writing, there were no reported calamities involving the new swarm of 6,000 rental machines.

Citi Bikes, plastered with Citigroup’s logo rather than Barclays’ (but made by the same Canadian company), have been almost exclusively embraced in a town that traditionally makes our capital look like Amsterdam.

On Monday, day one, the bikes clocked up more than 6,000 trips covering 14,000 miles. There were even reports of cycle-related bonhomie (CRB). Doug Gordon, a bike blogger, wrote on The Village Voice: “A cabbie at an intersection said, ‘This is really cool.’ Never in all my years have I had a day like this.”

Of course, New York wouldn’t be great without grumbling. Loaded Nimbies are worried about property prices. Generally, though, the bikes are a hit. But what’ll New Yorkers call them? So far, “Mike’s Bikes” (after Mayor Mike Bloomberg) hasn’t taken off, but a nickname may yet stick. I suggest: Boris Bikes. I mean, why not?

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