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The new gray e-bikes have been a hit with riders since they arrived in Portland in 2024. Image by BIKETOWN.
Save the Date: July 19 for a momentous birthday bike ride in downtown Portland!
(April 20, 2026) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) invites the public to celebrate the 10th birthday of BIKETOWN, Portland's beloved bike-share system known for its ubiquitous electric-assist bikes.
BIKETOWN was launched on July 19, 2016. To commemorate 10 years of bike-share service, PBOT will host a massive group ride on Sunday, July 19, where all Portlanders are welcome to ride downtown in the morning and celebrate at the Portland Pride Parade.
To mark this milestone and make bike-sharing even more convenient, BIKETOWN will replace all first-generation e-bikes with new e-bikes this year. The zippy gray e-bikes have double the battery life, a stronger motor, onboard information display and more seat-height options. Crews recently started replacing the older e-bikes and will complete the replacement in phases.
Since arriving in Portland in 2024, the Cosmo e-bikes have been a hit with BIKETOWN riders. In 2025 the new e-bikes made up only 30% of the fleet--yet accounted for 50% of all BIKETOWN trips.
Community members often ask for "more gray bikes" when they see BIKETOWN staff at events. The upgrade also means more bikes will be available more often, as the new e-bikes have larger battery capacity and require charging less frequently.
The fleet upgrade is made possible by a Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) allocation that is matched by Lyft, BIKETOWN’s operator. The fund already supports BIKETOWN’s equity programs: BIKETOWN for All and Adaptive BIKETOWN.
Save the date: July 19, 2026!
More details will be released in June on how everyone can join in the group ride, riding a BIKETOWN e-bike or a personal bike. A celebration with swag, music and special guests will ring in a decade of BIKETOWN, PBOT's bike-share system, with title sponsor NIKE, Inc. and operator Lyft.
The new gray BIKETOWN e-bikes are increasingly visible in Portland. On Saturday, April 11, BIKETOWN attended the City of Portland's Earth in Motion -- Earth Day 2026 event, offering information and free test rides. Photo by City of Portland.
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BIKETOWN is Portland’s bike-share system, launched on July 19, 2016 with 1,000 bikes available to ride from one point to another for a small fee. BIKETOWN has deployed 3,000 electric pedal-assist bicycles serving a 32 square mile service area, including portions of East Portland. BIKETOWN is a partnership between the City of Portland’s Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and NIKE, the program’s sole title sponsor. BIKETOWN is operated by Lyft, the world’s leading bike-share operator. It uses innovative new “smart bikes” which make it easy to find, rent, and park a BIKETOWN bike. BIKETOWN is designed to be affordable and accessible, encouraging even more Portlanders to ride and allowing visitors to experience the city by bike. Portland joins over 60 U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., San Antonio, Indianapolis, Boise, and Austin and another 500 cities worldwide that have popular, safe, and successful bike-share systems. biketownpdx.com
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the city’s transportation system and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage, and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility.
NIKE, Inc., based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world’s leading designer, marketer, and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned subsidiary brand Converse designs, markets, and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, NIKE, Inc.’s earnings releases, and other financial information are available at investors.nike.com. Individuals can also visit news.nike.com or follow @NIKE on social media.
Whether it’s an everyday commute or a journey that changes everything, Lyft is driven by our purpose: to serve and connect. Founded in 2012, Lyft has grown into a global mobility platform offering a mix of bikes, scooters, rideshare, taxis, private hire vehicles, executive chauffeur services, and car sharing across six continents and thousands of cities. People have chosen Lyft for billions of rides - helping to create a more connected world, with transportation options for everyone. Lyft operates six bikeshare programs across the US and provides equipment for many more cities worldwide. Lyft
About Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF)
Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund initiative was passed by 65% of Portland voters in November 2018. It provides a consistent, long-term funding source and oversight structure to ensure that our community's climate action efforts are implemented to support social, economic and environmental benefits for all Portlanders, particularly communities who have been historically under-resourced. The initiative was supported by a broad coalition of groups and individuals and represents the first environmental initiative in Oregon led by communities on the frontlines of climate change.
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