Bixi Bikes Coming to Boston

At last, beantowners can trade in their DUIs for BUIs (which by the way are a much lesser offense) and get home on two wheels, hopefully running over nothing more than an errant soda can. The Bixi bike is set to arrive in Boston in the near future. A hybrid of "taxi" and "bike," Bixi is the Montreal version of the oh-so-popular bike-sharing system that sprung from Paris two years ago (though that program certainly has its problems). Bixi bikes have the added benefit of being eco-friendly, as they are solar powered.

You sign up, throw down your credit card deposit, and you’re off. If you time it right, and you only ride for 30 minutes or less, you only pay a small usage fee—$5 for 24 hours or $78 for the year. You pick up a bike at one of the Bixi racks and return it to another, locking it in each time. The Boston system will have 2,500 bikes at 290 stations in the downtown area. With this new system in place, it’s only a matter of time before the MADB starts up. Get in while the getting is good! Check out the Montreal system here.