New electric bikes arrive in San Jose

Ford GoBike — the Bay Area bike sharing system run by Motivate, which was acquired by Lyft last year — is getting a revamp that will bring new ebikes to San Jose.

The company, which is set to go by the new name Bay Wheels, released an ebike model with new features in San Jose on Tuesday. The bikes, which riders can rent through the Lyft app, come with pedal assist for hills and a new lock that will let cyclists park outside of a docking station.

Before cruising around the block on one of the new bikes, Mayor Sam Liccardo — an avid cyclist — said the new ebikes would help make cycling more accessible for people who might struggle to ride a regular bike and serve as an environmentally friendly way for commuters to get around.

Councilman Raul Peralez, who rode a Ford GoBike to work at City Hall and planned to ride a Lyft bike home, thanked the company for providing a way “for everyone” to use the bike sharing program. Thousands of low-income residents can use the bikes for a small monthly fee.

Last year, Ford GoBike released 200 dockless bikes in North San Jose as companies operating dockless scooters descended on the city.

The new ebikes are set to arrive in San Francisco and the East Bay later in June.

Unlike the blue color that previously characterized Ford GoBikes, Lyft wants the new wheels to be “pieces of mobile art,” a spokesperson for the company wrote in an email. The company turned to artists, including Allison Tinati or Hueman, to create designs for the new bikes.