All the buzz this week has been about the new fleet of e-bikes that hit the trails last weekend. Riders of every age are taking a spin around Kimball Junction and Old town, and the reviews are awesome! Leave it to Park City to lead the nation in innovative ways to support people’s health, reduce traffic congestion, and support the environment.
A little help lets you go a long way
The pedal-assisted lithium battery system adds the extra oomph needed to get up Park City’s hills with ease. Each rotation of the pedals is super-charged by the battery, making it feel much like walking on the moving walkways at an airport. The e-assistance is enough to keep the 80-pound bikes and their riders going at a top-speed of 14 mph for about 60 miles between charges. The speed and battery life is displayed on a screen in the middle of the handlebars, leaving the rider in control.
City and County working together
The funding for the fleet is a result of a Summit County ballot initiative that won overwhelming support last November. The partnership between Summit County and Park City view this as making great strides toward their mutual carbon reduction goals for 2020. This is the first full-fledged e-bike share program in the whole country, and one of only a few hundred in the world.
Cheaper than Uber and more fun too!
Canadian company and industry expert, Bewegen, supports the current fleet of 88 bikes. There are currently nine charging stations throughout Park City and the Snyderville Basin: the Kimball Junction Transit Center, Newpark Plaza, Canyon Corners, Tanger Outlets, Canyons Transit Hub, Park City Library, Park Avenue Bike Station, Old Town Transit Center and the Prospector Neighborhood. 45-minute rides cost $2 and charges an additional $2 for each half hour over the first 45-minutes. Users may also purchase a weekly pass of $18 and a monthly pass of $30. An annual pass is also available for $90. The program will launch a second phase in the summer of 2018, implementing additional charging stations to expand the program.
Let’s do this thing!
We at Chin-Macquoid-Fleming-Harris are always thrilled by how progressive Parkites are when it comes to health and the environment, but we especially love it when it’s also fun! We can’t wait to “get our motor runnin’, head out on the, well, … trail” and remember we were born to be wild! See you on an e-bike this weekend!
