The City of Longmont and Zagster, Inc. are today launching a bike share program. Made possible by a collaborative funding partnership between the City of Longmont, Colorado Government, Oskar Blues Brewery, Visit Longmont, Boulder County Government and Longmont Hospital, the Zagster bike share will provide residents and visitors with a convenient, affordable and healthy way to get around town.

Beginning today, 50 cruiser bikes are available at 10 stations for members to use for on-demand, local trips. Riders can pay by the hour, or join the program by signing up for monthly or annual memberships. Rides for members — who must be 18 or older — are free for the first hour, and then three dollars per hour after that.

“Biking is a great way to get around town and explore everything Longmont has to offer, and bike sharing makes that opportunity available to everyone,” said Longmont Mayor Dennis Coombs. “This program bolsters our broader transportation network by solving for last-mile trips, and it makes Longmont an even healthier, happier and more bike-friendly place to live and visit.”

Longmont’s bike share features the Zagster 8, an award-winning bike known for its practical design, comfortable ride and easy handling. The bike includes a spacious basket that’s perfect for carrying groceries, takeout, or personal belongings. And because rider safety is a priority, every bike includes automatic lights, a bell, and full reflectors.

Unlike big-city bike shares, in which riders must drop off bikes at designated stations for every stop, the built-in lock on every Zagster bike gives users the freedom to ride as long as they want, wherever they want. Offering connections with other forms of transit, Longmont’s bike share promises to ease commutes, but it also unlocks vast recreational opportunities for exercise and fun.

“Oskar Blues has always been focused on all things bikes, so when the City of Longmont reached out about helping to bring Zagster to Longmont, we jumped at the opportunity,” said Diana Ralston, Marketing & Sponsorship Director for Oskar Blues. “Longmont is our home and we’re committed to improving the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Having a bike share will help put Longmont on the map with other progressive, bike-friendly destinations — and that’s a win for everyone.”

Riding Longmont’s bike share is easy. Bikes can be found via the free Zagster Mobile App — available for iPhone and Android — or online at zagster.com/longmont.  Each bike has a unique number which riders enter into the app to obtain a single-use code to open the lockbox on the back of the bike. (Alternatively, riders can obtain unlock codes via text message.) A key, stored inside and tethered to the lockbox, allows the bike to be locked and unlocked throughout a ride so users can plan their trip around their needs — and not around the location of the stations. After the rider returns the bike to a designated Zagster bike station, the rental ends and the bike is available for the next person to enjoy. 

Representatives from the City of Longmont, Zagster and local sponsors will unveil the program at a kickoff ceremony on Thursday, April 20th, at 4:00pm, beginning at the recently completed SH 119 Pedestrian Underpass at Hover Street and continuing at the neighboring Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids. The event will include a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and an inaugural bike ride, with remarks from Longmont Mayor Dennis Coombs, Oskar Blues, Boulder County and Zagster.

About Zagster 
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Zagster is the largest and fastest-growing bike-share provider in the United States. Zagster works directly with over 150 communities across North America to make scalable bike-sharing programs available in areas where traditional bike-share providers can’t reach. Zagster manages all aspects of its programs — from bikes and technology, to maintenance and marketing — enabling Zagster’s partners to create and deploy scalable bike-share systems that best suit their communities. The company’s goal: To make the bike the most loved form of transportation. 

More information about Zagster and its programs can be found at www.zagster.com

About Longmont
Longmont, Colorado, located within Boulder County, is a 22-square-mile city with more than 300 days of sunshine and a spectacular vista of the Rocky Mountains. With a population of 90,000, Longmont sits at an elevation of 4,979 feet above sea level. With more than 1,500 acres of parks and open space, a robust craft beer scene, thriving art culture, fresh dining opportunities, and a Main Street teaming with new energy, Longmont is perfect for everyone from young families to those young at heart. Longmont is also home to several high-tech companies and a nationally recognized school district. Longmont is conveniently located 37 miles from Denver, 16 miles from Boulder and 30 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park.

Media contact for Zagster 
Jon Terbush, Zagster communications manager
617.681.4914, jterbush@zagster.com

Media contact for Longmont
Rigo Leal, City of Longmont Public Information Officer
303-651-8840, Rigo.Leal@LongmontColorado.gov