Denver offers an exciting and eco-friendly way to navigate the city with its shared bike and scooter program. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, bike rental in Denver provides a fantastic opportunity to explore the city’s vibrant streets, scenic bike paths, and numerous attractions. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about renting bikes and scooters in Denver, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.
Safe Scooter Riding in Denver: Dos and Don’ts
If you opt for a scooter to zip around Denver, remember these essential rules to ensure your safety and the courtesy of others:
1. Stick to the Bike Lane:
- Bike lanes are designed for scooter and bike riders! Always ride in designated bike lanes or on city streets.
- Sidewalks are for pedestrians and wheelchair users. Riding scooters on sidewalks is not only inconsiderate but also illegal in Denver.
2. Ride Respectfully:
- Treat other road users with respect. Wait your turn at intersections and always obey traffic signals and signs.
- Always ride with the flow of traffic.
- Scooters are designed for single riders only. No passengers are allowed.
3. Park Smart and Considerately:
- Whenever possible, park your rented scooter in designated bike and scooter parking corrals.
- When parking, ensure you don’t block sidewalks, pedestrian ramps, or access for people with disabilities.
- Park scooters upright, neatly organized, and grouped together to maintain clear pathways.
Reporting Parking Violations for Bikes and Scooters
If you encounter a bike or scooter that is incorrectly parked in Denver, you can easily report it. This helps keep our city accessible and navigable for everyone. You can report violations for both bikes and scooters operated by Lime and Bird. Reporting options include calling 311 or using the city’s online Violation Form:
There are different types of violations you can report:
- Operator Violation: This refers to issues with bikes or scooters deployed by Lime or Bird, often seen in groups of five or more. This also includes vehicle damage like flat tires, graffiti, or broken kickstands.
- User Violation: This involves bikes or scooters improperly parked by individual riders after use, typically found in smaller groups of one to three.
- Moving Violation: This covers any illegal operation of a rented bike or scooter, such as riding on sidewalks, riding against traffic flow, or ignoring traffic signs.
Discounted Bike and Scooter Rides for Eligible Denver Residents
Denver is committed to making bike and scooter rentals accessible to everyone. If you are enrolled in programs like SNAP or Medicaid, you may qualify for reduced fare memberships with bike and scooter rental services.
Both Bird and Lime offer needs-based programs to make urban mobility more affordable:
Bird Access: Provides discounted rides at $3 per month and just $0.05 per minute, with no unlock fee.
Lime Access: Offers free 30-minute rides on both bikes and scooters for eligible users.
Future of Denver’s Shared Micromobility Program
Denver’s commitment to shared micromobility is ongoing. The city’s current agreements with Bird and Lime are set to be re-evaluated, with new license agreements planned for 2025/26. This process will consider community feedback, best practices from other cities, and advancements in the micromobility industry. Key areas of focus for the updated program include improving parking compliance, reducing sidewalk riding incidents, and ensuring equitable access to bike and scooter rentals throughout Denver.
Stay tuned for updates as Denver continues to refine and enhance its bike and scooter rental program to better serve the community.
Denver’s Micromobility Data and Usage
Want to see how Denver is embracing shared bikes and scooters? The city provides a public Data Sharing Dashboard, in partnership with DRCOG and Ride Report. This portal offers insights into the usage of e-scooters and e-bikes across Denver. You can explore interactive maps showing ride frequency by street segment on a quarterly basis. This anonymized data helps the city and the public understand and optimize micromobility in Denver.
Click here to view the dashboard
Background of Denver’s Bike and Scooter Sharing
Denver’s journey into shared micromobility began in 2018 with a pilot program for electric scooters and bikes. This initiative quickly demonstrated the potential of shared micromobility to reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles, improve connections to public transit, and offer convenient transportation options. During the pilot phase, over four million trips were taken in Denver, averaging over 4,000 daily.
Building on the pilot’s success, Denver City Council approved licensing agreements in 2021 with Lyft (now Bird) and Lime to operate shared scooter and bike services. A key component of these agreements is the development of over 400 parking stations to provide designated parking areas and reduce sidewalk clutter. Furthermore, both companies are actively involved in public education campaigns to promote responsible riding and parking practices. They also offer discounted rates for residents enrolled in needs-based assistance programs.
Key aspects of the Licensing Agreements:
- Bike integration: Each operator must include bikes in their fleet, with a minimum of 20% of their scooter fleet size dedicated to bikes (e.g., 1,500 scooters require at least 300 bikes).
- Equitable access: At least 30% of the vehicles must be available daily in historically underinvested communities, aiming to improve transportation access in areas with lower vehicle ownership and high public transit usage.
- Geofencing technology: Vehicles are equipped with technology to automatically reduce speeds in designated pedestrian-heavy zones, such as the 16th Street Mall.
Please note: Lyft was replaced by Bird as an operator in December 2024.
Designated Parking Zones for Bike Rentals in Denver
To ensure organized and accessible bike and scooter rental in Denver, the city has collaborated with Lime and Bird to establish designated parking corrals. These can include marked pavement areas, signed corrals, racks, and stations.
| Bike and Scooter Parking: Dos | Bike and Scooter Parking: Don’ts |
|---|---|
| – Always park devices upright. | – Never block sidewalks, curb ramps, wheelchair ramps, or bus stops. |
| – Park in designated areas or near existing bike racks when possible. | – Avoid blocking fire hydrants, emergency call boxes, or other emergency facilities. |
| – Maintain a minimum 5-foot clear pedestrian path on sidewalks when parking. | – Do not block driveways. |
| – Do not park inside transit facilities, on railroad tracks or crossings, or within railroad rights-of-way. | |
| – Refrain from parking in parking garages or building entryways. |
By following these guidelines and utilizing Denver’s bike rental and scooter program responsibly, you can enjoy a convenient, affordable, and sustainable way to explore all that the city has to offer.
