Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Streetsblog SF

San Francisco E-Bike Fleet Will Be Restored Months Before NYC

This just in: Lyft will restore e-bike service for its bike-share customers in San Francisco at least three months before the same bikes return to the streets of New York City.

One day after Streetsblog reported exclusively that the grounded e-bike fleet would return to the Big Apple after Sept. 21, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that e-bikes would be restored by June in Baghdad by the Bay, where the system is called Ford GoBike.

A Lyft spokeswoman said that the company needed to fix its problem in San Francisco first because so many of the Bay Area bikes were the electric-assist kind.

“Almost half of the GoBike fleet was removed when we took the e-bikes off the street, so it’s important that we bring the Bay Area system back to its full fleet level as quickly as possible,” Lyft spokeswoman Julie Wood told Streetsblog this morning.

Roughly 1,000 e-bikes had been removed from San Francisco and New York due to the front-brake problem. But New York’s 12,000-bike system was not crippled by the loss of the e-bikes. Though e-bike fans were obviously disappointed, Citi Bike maintained fleet size by redeploying its “classic” bikes.

Another explanation for the rapid fix in San Fran: Lyft’s competitor Uber operates electric Jump bikes in the same zone in Frisco. In New York City, Lyft enjoys a monopoly over its existing service area.

Wood confirmed that when Lyft e-bikes return to San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C., they will include a new model. Some of the bikes in New York will be repaired versions of the popular pedal-assist bikes that New Yorkers had quickly come to love for their speed.

Data: Citi Bike
Data: Citi Bike
false

During its initial deployment, Citi Bike e-bikes were typically ridden five times more per day than the average “classic” bike, the company said.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Governor Signs Major Changes to CEQA to Cheers from YIMBYs, Jeers from Environmental Groups

Newsom fast tracked changes to CEQA to fast track development and housing. But what do the changes to the law actually do?

July 1, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines

Gov Signs CEQA Bill to Increase Housing, Higher Fees on Parking and Tolls, Opposition to Road Widenings, ICE

July 1, 2025

Does Constant Driving Really Make Our Country Richer?

A new study reveals that constant driving is making America less productive and prosperous — and getting people on other modes could help right the ship.

June 30, 2025

Panel: Doing High-Speed Rail Right

At the APTA conference in San Francisco, representatives from France, Germany, and Japan revealed the secrets behind their high-speed rail success stories.

June 30, 2025

Eyes On the Street: Metro and L.A. City Restore Wilshire Blvd. at New Subway Stations

Construction is winding down on Metro's 3.9-mile $3.35 billion D Line subway extension section 1.

June 30, 2025

Monday’s Headlines

Telsa's Robocars Make Streets Less Safe, ICE messing up California, Heat Is Bad for Cars, Bus Lane Enforcement in Weho and More...

June 30, 2025
See all posts