Biking in Philadelphia.
It’s no secret that Philadelphia is a bike-loving city. The streets are packed with them and even our lovely mayor rides to work on one (even if it is a publicity stunt). So, when someone offers to let you ride his bikes for free, our ears perk up.
Well, let’s start by saying that nothing in life is truly free. But, if you are a resident in one of Carl Dranoff’s glitzy apartment buildings like Symphony House and 777 South Broad, you’re part of a cool, new bike sharing program. Each of his five rental properties now houses three single speed porker-class Dutch bikes for the residents to tool around on anytime they want.
“I went to Rome with my wife and saw bike-sharing there. I thought, ‘Why not do it here?’ ” Dranoff told Philly.com.
It only cost him a meager $25,000 to outfit the properties with the 15 bikes and a helmet, lock, basket, and bell for each. But, he’s convinced that offering the resource to his residents will help transform Philadelphia into the biking city it’s trying so hard to be.
As for an official bike-sharing program, Philly.com is reporting that Mayor Nutter will have a statement about as much in the next month.
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