Everything to know about Lime bike-sharing in Calgary

Photo: CBC Calgary 

Everyone knows that biking to work is a great idea: it’s good exercise, great for the environment and helps ease traffic at rush hour. However, not everyone has a bicycle or the best bike route – biking uphill to the office is less than ideal. Thanks to technical geniuses, there are now electric bicycles that can assist you when peddling gets hard. These are generally quite an expensive purchase so most people haven’t had the opportunity to try one out. By now, you’ve probably seen the fancy, lime-green electric bicycles roaming around the city – so here’s the scoop.

Lime is an international company founded on the principles of easy, affordable, clean transportation. They supply electric-assist transportation, you supply the environment. Currently, Lime operates across the United States, countless university campuses and several countries worldwide, including Mexico, Switzerland, Spain and New Zealand. You will see Lime transportation in Waterloo, Canada and now Calgary.

So how do I use Lime transportation?

It’s easy – really.

1. Download the Lime application.
2. View the bikes nearby.
3. Scan the QR code or type in the number to unlock the bike.
4. Ride until your heart’s content.
5. Lock up safely when you’re finished using it.

These electric-assist bikes have an 80+ kilometre maximum range and can reach 23.8 km/h maximum speed using a 250-watt motor. Plus, it’ll only cost you $1 to unlock the bike and $0.30/minute to ride it.

So where can I ride and park my Lime transportation?

You CAN ride your bike:

• November-March: around Calgary’s city centre.
• April-October: anywhere within the city limits (these zones are displayed on the Lime app).

You CANNOT ride your bike:

• On sidewalks (this is illegal in the City of Calgary).
• 7^thAvenue Transit corridor downtown.
• Calgary Transit bicycle racks.
• C-train at rush hour.

You MUST park your bike on City of Calgary property and at one of the following locations:

• On sidewalks closest to the curb. Please park your bicycle close to trees, garbage bins, street lights, etc. on the sidewalk to leave as much room for pedestrians as possible (minimum 2 meters unobstructed walking space).
• In city parks within 1 meter of the pathway or along popular pedestrian pathways such as Eau Claire and the Bow River Pathway (bikes must be parked in an upright position with both wheels on the ground).

You CANNOT park your bike at/on:

• C‐Train stations, bus terminals, MAX stations and bus zones, except in designated parking areas.
• Loading zones.
• Accessible parking zones.
• Wheelchair ramps, bicycle ramps or curb ramps.
• Bridges.
• Center median islands.
• Within 1.5 metres of access to a garage or driveway.
• Street furniture that requires pedestrian access (benches, pay parking station, bus shelters).
• Within shrub beds or within 0.5 metres of trees.

Currently, in Calgary, parking is not authorized on university campuses, Stampede grounds, East Village (CMLC), the airport, malls or on any other private property. For more information on using your Lime-E transportation in Calgary, visit their website!