Ready for a different and relaxing kind of bike ride? Earlier this week, Nice Ride rolled out its fleet of ebikes with pedal-assist technology.

Isn’t riding an ebike cheating?

At Blue Cross we are always encouraging people to ride bikes—it’s great for your health. That said, there are some situations where pedal power alone might not be enough. Where you need a little extra push on a longer trip or if you’re in a hurry but not eager to get sweaty, a Nice Ride ebike is the perfect transportation option. Plus, they are fun to ride, healthier than taking a car and better for the environment.

Where do I find them?

You can find the new ebikes at Nice Ride stations around Minneapolis by checking out the Nice Ride station map online or by downloading the new Nice Ride app. Look for the lightning bolt. The ebikes can be unlocked using a scannable, contactless QR code in the app, or by using a Nice Ride key.

How much will it cost?

For the first two months ebikes will be available for just $.05 per minute for annual members and casual pass riders, and $.02 per minute for Nice Ride for All members. Find out more about annual memberships, passes, and Nice Ride for All memberships on their website.

Where can I park the ebikes?

Ebikes can be parked at Nice Ride docking stations, new Nice Ride ebike-only e-stations and University of Minnesota bike racks for free. They can also be parked at public bike racks using a built-in cable lock for an additional out-of-station fee.

What should I do to be safe as I'm out biking?

Nice Ride is committed to making sure all riders have a safe experience. As such, they are doing extra cleaning and taking extra steps to make sure the bikes are safe for riders. We covered how Nice Ride is responding to COVID-19 in this earlier blog post.

As more businesses are beginning to open again and warmer summer weather calls for more time outdoors, it is important to continue to follow best practices to slow the spread of COVID-19. In this earlier blog post, we shared tips from our chief medical officer that will help you be out and about safely. We also covered tips about safely using parks and trails in this blog post.

In addition, be sure to check out these safety resources from Bike MN’s Minnesota Bicycling Safety Handbook:

• Rules of the Road
• Wear Your Helmet 

Update: Nice Ride Critical Workers Program

Lyft and Nice Ride are also extending their Critical Workers Program, which provides essential workers—including healthcare workers, transit workers and first responders—free 30-day bikeshare memberships.

Now through June 30, eligible essential workers can sign up through their employer to access unlimited 60-minute trips on the classic bikes for 30 days. Companies and organizations interested can email herobikes@lyft.com to learn how to receive free memberships for their employees.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is proud to serve as Nice Ride's title sponsor.