Bikeshare Hawaii Introduces Biki Honolulu’s New Bikeshare Program

HONOLULU – Bikeshare Hawaii today introduced Biki, the name for Honolulu’s new bikeshare program. Biki will launch this summer with 1,000 bikes at 100 conveniently located self-service “Biki Stops” from Chinatown to Diamond Head. Biki bikes, manufactured by Lyft Urban Solutions, are designed to meet the needs of Honolulu’s diverse population. They are easy to maneuver, fun to ride, and retain all of the comfort and safety features of larger bikeshare bikes. Honolulu will be the first city in the world to have this new generation of bike.

“We are delighted to announce Biki as our bikeshare system name as well as show off a prototype of the brand new bikes that will be our fleet,” said Lori McCarney, CEO of Bikeshare Hawaii. “Why did we choose Biki for our name? Well, it’s friendly and fun just like our operations will be. And, what do you get when you cross “bike” with “wiki”, which means fast and quick in the Hawaiian language? Biki!”

New brand

Bikeshare Hawaii collaborated with Honolulu brand design agency, Wall-to-Wall Studios, to develop the Biki brand name, logo and other important design elements. The simple logo, along with the cheerful blue and bright yellow colors, connotes the joy of Hawaii’s island paradise.

“When our agency was first approached by Bikeshare Hawaii in 2015 to help develop the brand vision for a bikeshare system in Hawaii, we immediately knew we wanted to be a part of the team,” said Bernard Uy, Co-Founder of Wall-to-Wall Studios. “We’ve seen how bikeshare programs in other cities have become a successful and integral part of the urban transportation system, and we want the same future here. As a Chinatown-based studio with several employees who bike to work, we want to play our part in encouraging safe biking options to the general public. We developed the Biki branding to appeal to Hawaii visitors and to our local community, too. Our goal was to keep things simple, unique and relevant. But above all, fun.”

“We’re extremely pleased with the great work Wall-to-Wall Studios produced and are excited to see the Biki brand engage the community,” added McCarney.

A very nimble bike

Bikeshare Hawaii recently announced it had signed an agreement with Secure Bike Share to be its financing and operating partner, and 1,000 bikes and 100 docking stations are on their way from Lyft Urban Solutions.

“We also are pleased to partner with Lyft Urban Solutions, who has the largest bikeshare fleet in the world, outside of China, and are considered by most to produce the top bikeshare bikes in the industry. It’s an honor to be the first city in the world to debut Lyft Urban Solutions’ new generation of ‘FIT’ bikeshare bikes for our system. We are proud to work together with Lyft Urban Solutions and Secure Bike Share to achieve our goal of building the best bikeshare system in the world,” said McCarney.

“We take pride in working closely with our partners to ensure our technology and hardware suit each location’s urban environment. Lyft Urban Solutions understands that every city is different, which is why we are excited to provide Bikeshare Hawaii with our new generation of FIT bikes, the perfect design for Honolulu’s needs,” said Gian-Carlo Crivello, Client Relationship Officer of Lyft Urban Solutions.

“Bikeshare Hawaii travelled to cities around the world to find the system that we felt would best serve our community. The reliability and experience of Lyft Urban Solutions stood out with impressive systems in many cities including London, New York, Washington, D.C., Montreal, Chicago, and Aspen. Their original bikes were designed from scratch for urban bikesharing, and nearly 10 years later, many are still in service. Lyft Urban Solutions' design ideas set the standard in the industry and the FIT bike is an exciting evolution that makes the world's most reliable bikes accessible to even more riders," said Ben Trevino, President and COO of Bikeshare Hawaii.

Honolulu’s Biki bikes will have the following features:

• Biki bikes will be fun and comfortable to ride, even for new bicyclists or people who haven’t been on a bike in years;
• There are 3-speeds for easy pedaling;
• The seat height can be adjusted in seconds;
• Clothing is protected from dirt and grime because of specially designed wheel covers and chain guards;
• Bright lights on the front and back illuminate when pedaling, and reflectors increase visibility on the sides;
• An easy on and off step-through frame;
• A basket with bungee to carry personal items of different shapes and sizes;
• It’s sturdy, dependable and theft-resistant and;
• Biki bikes lock securely into any Biki Stop.

“Biki bikes are super simple to use and can accommodate riders of all sizes who can jump on a bike and start riding no matter their attire, even if they’re wearing a suit or a dress and heels,” said McCarney.

Biki will launch this summer with its stations typically a five-minute walk apart so users don’t need to worry about where to pick up or drop off a bike. The bikes are designed for trips of one to two miles in street clothes. The primary goal of the system is to provide convenient and affordable mobility in urban Honolulu for the vast majority of people who don’t bike now. In many situations bikeshare provides a cheaper, healthier, friendlier and faster alternative to driving and parking.

“With 100 stations packed into 5 square miles, Biki will work for a lot of the trips you want to make in town and it will help you get to your destination quickly. A 20-minute walk is an easy 5-minute Biki ride. Whether you’re on vacation in Waikiki or working downtown, Biki is for you,” added Trevino.

Bikeshare Hawaii is a nonprofit, bringing a new, practical transportation option to urban Honolulu that provides economic, environmental, health and ultimate convenience benefits. It depends upon donations, sponsorship, and fares from riders for its viability.

Electronic files of this news release, Biki logo and images of the Biki bike are available at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kxgna1jcvrv8uhc/AABZ0Qxg1n3MRcyKv8diiomMa?dl=0

Videos of the Biki bike in action can be viewed at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8o1v0m6csym73mj/AAAGH2wQF3ZJ3U5_-1lua1nfa?dl=0

MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Jennifer Pang, Pang Communications (Cell: 371-2882; jpang@pangcomm.com)
Francis Choe, Pang Communications (Cell: 366-4220; francis@pangcomm.com)