![](https://electricbikereport.com/wp-content/uploads/Citi_Bike_Homepage_Reinvent_your_routine_2x.jpg)
Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these.
Citi Bike rental rates will increase for both members and nonmembers; the company blames high overhead due to the logistics of recharging.
![Time to Stop Renting? Citi Bike to Increase Prices](https://electricbikereport.com/wp-content/uploads/Citi_Bike_Homepage_Reinvent_your_routine_2x.jpg)
![Time to Stop Renting? Citi Bike to Increase Prices](https://electricbikereport.com/wp-content/uploads/Citi_Bike_Homepage_Reinvent_your_routine_2x.jpg)
Citi Bike’s e-bikes provide a great alternative to buying an e-bike for those who live in New York, but they are about to get a bit more expensive due to a new price increase. The convenience of a Citi Bike is considerable: Citi Bike riders don’t have to worry about security, range or charging.
Citi Bike has already imposed one rate increase this year, taking the cost up to $0.20/minute and now the rate will increase by another 20 percent, to $0.24/minute. That’s the cost for members who pay an annual membership fee of $199/year (Lyft Pink) or $219.99/year (Citi Bike). For those who aren’t members, the cost will also rise by 20 percent, from $0.30/minute to $0.36/minute.
Citi Bike blames the price increases on high overhead due to the fact that the docks do not charge the e-bikes. When a Citi Bike’s battery runs low, it must be picked up by staff, driven to a warehouse where it is charged, and then returned to a dock.
Battery swapping would seem to alleviate this issue, but Citi Bike says that battery swapping has proven to be more expensive than anticipated.
While $0.24/minute isn’t much money, as all incremental costs do, it adds up. Combine a $200/year membership cost with $2.40 for a 10-minute ride and anyone who uses a Citi Bike to commute to and from work 150 days per year starts to close in on the cost of some of the budget-conscious e-bikes.
As is the case with many costs, a slightly higher incremental price can be preferable to bearing the entire investment to buy a new e-bike. So even if someone’s annual spend with Citi Bike exceeds the cost of a new e-bike thanks to daily or near-daily riding, the convenience of paying only a bit per day and knowing you don’t have to worry about charging or someone trying to steal your e-bike is likely to keep riders turning to Citi Bike for their service.
Sponsors
Reader Interactions