Pacers bikeshare marks 1st birthday with party, free rides

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The Indiana Pacers Bikeshare program is celebrating its first birthday on Wednesday.

Organizers say the program has far exceeded expectations. People downtown have taken more than 100,000 rides this first year and that number will spike Wednesday as bicyclists enjoy free rides. 

IU Health is sponsoring the free biking event. People can check out the bikes like usual, but still have to use your credit card so a name is attached to the bike. The card won’t be charged for the first 30 minutes, but riders should make sure to check in at a bike station after the first half-hour, because standard usage fees apply after 30 minutes.

Karen Haley, the Cultural Trail’s executive director, says the bikeshare has really given Indy a boost, and has helped the city go green.

“I think we are a very bike friendly city. We’ve got his amazing Cultural Trail which is a protected bike lane, we’ve got a bikeshare program and we’ve got over 80 miles of bike lanes on city streets. So between the cultural trail, the bike lanes and the bikeshare, I think we’re a great city for bicycling, ” said Haley.

There will be a free party at Bankers Life Fieldhouse at 4:30 p.m. with local beer, food trucks and live music. Organizers said they’ll be making announcement about exciting changes happening in the bikeshare’s second year.