Downtown Des Moines may get rental bicycles

Fri September 25 2009
Posted Sep 25, 2009
13,224

Des Moines, IA A program that offers rental bicycles for temporary use may soon be coming to downtown Des Moines. Supporters say B-Cycle is similar to a Red Box movie rental. A user swipes a credit card, checks out the bicycle and later returns it to an B-Cycle bike rack. Iowa fitness consultant Tim Lane says similar bicycles are available in many areas of Paris, and he would like to see them in Des Moines. The B-Cycle racks would be stationed at 10 spots around town and users could rent the bikes at one location and return them at another. The first half-hour of use would be free and every hour beyond that would cost a dollar or two. The idea is already working in Washington, D.C., and Denver, and Minneapolis will be adding the bicycles soon.