Lyft is launching new electric-assist bicycles for its Bay Area bikeshare programs and giving them a new name. Instead of Ford GoBike, the program is now called Bay Wheels. The move comes less than a week after Lyft sued San Francisco to maintain what it says is an exclusive contract to operate bike-share programs in the city.
Lyft says that its new ebike has some new features: “pedal assist for the hills, and in addition to the traditional dock option, a new lock that will let riders park outside of a station.” The new lock could make the bikes much more convenient to use, as riders won’t have to go from dock to dock on every ride. On the other hand, San Francisco is a city notorious for bike theft, so that new option could also come with some new headaches for Lyft.
