Chicago B-Cycle is joining the likes of environmentally friendly car sharing companies like I-GO and Zipcar with a new self-service bicycle sharing venture. Chicago B-Cycle is initially launching 100 bicycles at six popular locations around the downtown area with additional drop off locations. The company already has successful programs up and running in Denver and Minneapolis.

To use the bikes, bikers sign up for a membership online. They are then provided with a smart card, called a B-card, which unlocks the bikes. Bikers choose where they want to pick up the bike and what bike they want to ride by tapping their membership card to a reader connected to the bikes, which will then unlock the bike from the dock. If potential riders don’t have a B-card but want to use a bike for the day, they can purchase a temporary pass using a credit card at the kiosk on the bike dock.
After signing up for a membership, users enjoy an unlimited number of rides using their contact smart card for everything from biking to the office, trips to the grocery store, or just grabbing some fresh air. If the program is a success in the downtown area B-Cycle is hoping to expand their bicycle offerings to other neighborhoods around Chicago.