Divvy debut: 700 bikes ready to ride today
Seven hundred brand-new bicycles — available through the city’s new Divvy bikeshare program — will be among the public transportation options for Blackhawk fans going to the city’s Stanley Cup celebration Friday.
The bright blue threespeed bikes will be stocked by no later than 12:01 a.m. Friday in all but four of 65 bike-docking stations scattered throughout Chicago for Divvy’s debut.
Four bike-docking stations along or near the Blackhawks parade route and rally won’t be open until noon Friday to prevent fans from climbing on top of them to get a better view of the celebration, said Peter Scales, a spokesman for the Chicago Department of Transportation.
Those four stations are
More than 1,500 cycling fans already have signed up for $75 annual Divvy memberships.
at Clinton and Washington; Clinton and Madison; Daley Center Plaza, and at Michigan and Randolph near the Cultural Center.
More than 1,500 cycling fans already have signed up for $75 annual Divvy memberships.
Despite a downpour, about 30 showed up Thursday evening for a special Daley Center Plaza event that allowed “founding” bike-share members to be the first to ride the bikes.
“Rain is a sign of birth, renewal and change,’’ Chicago Department of Transporta- tion Commissioner Gabe Klein said beneath an umbrella. “So maybe this is auspicious and not a bummer.’’
Other riders can get a oneday pass for $7 for an unlimited number of 30-minute rides from one bike-docking station to another within a 24-hour period.
Only credit or debit cards are accepted at docking kiosks.
If Blackhawk fans grab a Divvy bike Friday morning near Union Station and ride it to the Divvy docking station at Dearborn and Madison, they could face a $2 late fee if crowds of people slow their ride and they go over the 30-minute limit.
If that happens, Elliot Greenberger, Divvy marketing manager, urges riders to call the customer service number on their bikes. He anticipated that “we’d be understanding with those edgecase scenarios.’’