Nike-backed Portland bike share pilots accessibility program
Biketown, the Nike-supported bike share program in Portland, Oregon has introduced adaptive bicycle rental, a year after the launch of the overall program.
Nike's Jorge Casimiro (white shirt) joins stakeholders in Adaptive Biketown announcement in Portland / Belen Herrera
Working with Portland’s transportation bureau, Adaptive Biketown is the first city-sponsored effort in the United States that helps people with varying abilities and will offer a mix of tandem, hand-cycles and three-wheeled bicycles for rent, with the goal of increasing access to cycling. It will be operated by Kerr Bikes, which is owned by the Portland non-profit Albertina Kerr, an organization that helps Portlanders with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges.
“Nike believes in the power of sport to unleash human potential and build community — for all people, of all abilities,” said Jorge Casimiro, Nike vice president of Global Community Impact. “This is why we’re so excited to support Adaptive Biketown as part of the Biketown program with the City of Portland and the Portland Bureau of Transportation. Adaptive Biketown will give even more Portlanders and visitors an opportunity to enjoy Portland’s innovative bike share program and experience the joy of cycling in the city.”
“Portland is already known across the country as a destination for bicycling, and I am proud that we will now be a cycling destination for people of all abilities,” added Portland transportation commissioner Dan Saltzman. “This program helps everyone experience our city’s excellent bicycle network.”
Over the past year, the Portland Biketown program, that launched with a $10m Nike partnership, has seen over 72,000 riders, taking more than 300,000 trips and logging over 600,000 miles. In a nod to the brand, the bikes themselves include Nike’s iconic orange brand color and baskets that are reminiscent of Nike shoe boxes. Special branded editions of bikes were inspired by three popular Nike shoes (Air Max 95, Air Trainer 1 and Air Safari) and two rainbow-colored BETRUE designs were unveiled to celebrate the LGBTQ community in June during Pride Month.
The Adaptive Biketown pilot will run through fall of 2017 and be assessed to determine any changes or additions for the 2018 season.