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Citi Bikes Getting 'Olympian' Redesign (That Looks The Same)
By
Nathan Tempey
Published Jun 7, 2015
Modified Jun 7, 2015
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By
Nathan Tempey
Published Jun 7, 2015
Modified Jun 7, 2015
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Citi Bike is rolling out a new and allegedly improved model of steed to begin replacing the ones currently on the road. The bikes have been redesigned by a world famous Olympic racing bike designer, who gave a Daily News reporter a test ride, from which we learned a few things:
The most noticeable change is the seat, which will feature a hole in the middle to stop the saddles from getting soaked with rain.
[...] They’re also easier on the backside, said designer Ben Serrota.
“You’re being supported in areas you need to be supported,” said Serrota, whose bikes have been ridden in the Olympics, as well as National, European and World Championship titles.
Other improvements include a new gear system — the old one was prone to breaking down, which left fewer bikes on the road because of repairs — and a European-style kick stand, which is more steady.
For all the changes, the bikes are extremely similar in looks to those in the streets now. The tabloid reports that 1,000 of the new model will hit the street in a week, and another 1,400 will come later in the year. The upgrade comes as the bike-share program's new management is scrambling to clean up the mess left by the old, flying in mechanics to address hundreds of backlogged repairs, upgrading glitchy software, and retrofitting all the 12,000 stations.
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