Though it has gained popularity in recent years, the idea of a public bicycle system was born in Amsterdam in 1965.

Since then, the idea gradually evolved till 1998 when Rennes, France, became the first city to launch a city-wide bicycle system.

Since then, mobile modern cities have streamlined and adopted the bike sharing program.

Which cities boast the best public bicycle systems? Read on to find out!

Montreal, Canada

Montreal is known for more than its French-Canadian culture and winters. It’s also the city of cyclers. Once winter clears, bikes come out, and it remains a biker’s paradise until winter comes back around.

This system is so good that numerous other cities have used it as a model when creating similar systems of their own.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona adopted a public biking system in 2007, complete with sufficient infrastructure and adequate docking stations.

Its technology backed as well, with users being able to see each docking port in real-time. The average docking distance is estimated at 450 yards making it very convenient.

Its only downside is that only residents are allowed to use the bikes.

Milan, Italy

Milan bike-sharing system dubbed BikeMi impressively spans over 4,500 bikes. This includes 1,000 electric bikes. Some have a child seat.

This system is operational year-round from 6 am to midnight with possible extensions over summers and other special days.

The first thirty minutes of aboard a traditional bike are free.

To attract as many users are possible, the docking stations are situated close to subway stations and the main rail.

Moscow, Russia

Since 2013, Moscow has had its own super effective public bike system with over 300 conveniently situated docking points.

What’s even more impressive is that these bikes are accessible to both city residents and visitors.

Signing up for the bike rental system is easy as well. Prospective users only need to buy a card that offers them access. The system is, however, unavailable during winter.

New York, USA

It’s impossible to discuss good public biking systems without giving New York a mention.

With 10 000 bikes and 600 docking stations, NY’s biking system is one of the most extensive bike-sharing systems in the world.

The system has amps sought to be inclusive by having different packages to suit different user requirements.

There is a day pass for tourists and visitors and an annual subscription option for city residents.

Berlin, Germany

Berlin makes this list because of how much it has simplified its bike-sharing system.

Users need to register on the site for free using their android or IOS phones. Once registered, you get a bike using a lock code sent to your device.

You can then opt for a pay as you go plan or get a yearly, monthly, or weekly subscription.