New electric bikes for rent coming soon to downtown Dayton

More than 100 bikes bikes will be available for rent through Link: Dayton Bike Share

After a roughly six-month delay, Link: Dayton Bike Share has received its shipment of 140 new electric bikes that are expected to start hitting the streets in a week or two.

The bike-share group will more than double its supply of popular electric-assisted bicycles, which it first introduced a few years ago.

Link originally was supposed to get its order of e-bikes (called eLink) in December, but the organization has been affected by supply-chain issues, which also has led to fewer bikes at its 37 hubs.

Link hopes to put about 100 of its new eLink bikes in circulation as soon as possible and then add to that based on demand, said Laura Estandia, executive director of Bike Miami Valley.

The expansion was funded with $286,000 in federal grant money that went through the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Here’s what you need to know about the new bikes:

-- eLink bikes are rented or checked out about twice as often as Link’s standard green pedal bikes.

-- E-bikes help riders travel faster and go up hills much easier.

-- Every Wednesday in July Link is hosting a program called Free Ride Wednesdays.

-- The $1 fees to unlock bicycles will be waived, and the first 60 minutes of trips will be free.

-- Riders unlock and pay for the bicycles using their smartphones.

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