There are going to be some new wheels on Ann Arbor streets starting this week. The city is unveiling a shared e-bike program.
E-bikes are just like regular bikes but can reach speeds up to 20 miles per hour. City council voted to enter into an agreement with a company called “Spin”. The company will add 100 new bikes to city streets, combined with the existing 400 scooters that Spin already has scattered around the area.
Fourth Ward city council member Dharma Akmon says it will give residents who might not have tried a battery-powered bike a taste of how much mobility they offer.
“You still have to pedal. This isn’t like you turn on the throttle and go like a motorcycle. You actually are pedaling, but it gives different levels of assist that you can choose depending on how hilly it is.”
The e-bikes can be rented using Spin’s mobile app. Low income residents can get reduced rates, and there are also card options for individuals who do not have a smart phone.
Residents can bring a helmet and test drive the new bikes today. It begins at 1 p.m. just off the border-to-border trail, east of the Main Street and Depot Street intersection.
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