Overview
BIKETOWN bike-share is a partnership between the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), Lyft, and Nike. All entities work closely together to bring BIKETOWN to life and keep it rolling!
BIKETOWN launched in Portland on July 19, 2016 with 1,000 bikes for rent across a service area of 19.3 square miles of Portland. As of September 2021, BIKETOWN rentals are now 100% electric-assist, and our network has grown as well, with 2,000 bikes available to rent across 41 square miles of Portland!
Learn more below on how to use the system, how we have expanded the system over the years, and what options we have for people living on a low income or people with disabilities.
How to use BIKETOWN
It's as easy as 1,2,3! Follow the steps below to get started riding BIKETOWN! Detailed instructions are included below the following image.
- UNLOCK it. Pick out a bike and use the BIKETOWN or Lyft app to scan its QR code.
- RIDE it. Hop on and start cruisin'.
- Park it. Find an open space at any BIKETOWN station. You can also park at any public bike rack within the service area for an additional $1.
Expanding ridership to ALL
BIKETOWN is Portland's bike-share system. However, there are Portlanders who have not had access to the system because of income, disability, or other barriers. We have expanded access through the following programs:
- BIKETOWN for All. BIKETOWN for All offers affordable, accessible, and fun bike-share transportation for everyone, regardless of income. Those who qualify for certain forms of state or federal assistance can sign up and receive a discounted BIKETOWN membership. Learn more on our About BIKETOWN for All page here.
- Adaptive BIKETOWN. Adaptive BIKETOWN is a partnership between the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Kerr Bikes, providing bike rentals for those living with a disability or looking for nontraditional bikes that might better fit their needs. If this is you, you are eligible to take any of our adaptive cycles out for FREE for one hour. Learn more on our About Adaptive BIKETOWN page here.
Growing our service area, adding electric-assist bikes
2018 Expansion
On June 1, 2018, BIKETOWN expanded its service area to East Portland neighborhoods along the 50s Bikeway that had been calling for service, including Grant Park, Creston-Kenilworth, Laurelhurst, Beaumont-Wilshire, Cully, and Hollywood. An additional 22 city bike corrals in the expansion area were designated as “Community Corrals.” These are additional places where riders can lock up bikes free.
2020 Expansion
In 2020, PBOT and Lyft launched a new fleet of 1,500 pedal-assist electric bikes for BIKETOWN. BIKETOWN’s service area expanded to 32 square miles, including its first expansion to East Portland, encompassing the Jade District and portions of Lents, Powellhurst-Gilbert, and the Gateway area.
2022 Expansion
In January 2022, BIKETOWN expanded its service area to include historically underserved communities in our city. Our new service area now includes St. Johns, and extends further into East Portland beyond previous expansions. While we work to put in more BIKETOWN stations in East Portland, we have made everything east of SE 72nd Avenue part of our "Super Hub Zone" which is basically a free parking zone. You can see the Super Hub (free parking) Zone symbolized by the green area on the map above. While in the Super Hub Zone, if you decide to lock your BIKETOWN bike to a public bike rack or a municipal sign post, you will not be charged the normal $1 out-of-station parking fee for parking outside a BIKETOWN station. While parking out of station is allowed in the Super Hub Zone, we urge everyone to ensure parked BIKETOWN bikes don't block the sidewalk and other public right-of-way. Keep our sidewalks and ADA curb ramps clear for pedestrians and others using mobility devices.
Other equity considerations
To ensure our bike-share system can be used by ALL Portlanders, we remove barriers that prevent people from using our bikes. In addition to the BIKETOWN for All and Adaptive BIKETOWN programs mentioned above, we have also instituted a couple other program changes:
- Prepaid debit cards. We provide prepaid debit cards for those who do not have a bank account, or do not feel comfortable inputting their bank information into the BIKETOWN app. If you need a payment method to create your BIKETOWN account, please email us at sharedmicromobility@portlandoregon.gov
- Other ways to unlock bikes. If your phone does not have a camera, or you want to save data on your phone plan, we can connect your BIKETOWN account to a key card that uses near-field communication technology. By tapping a key card to the back fender of a BIKETOWN bike, you can unlock a bike the same way that a phone would! Having the BIKETOWN PDX app will help you locate bikes and stations, but the key cards can save time and money if your phone dies or runs out of data!