City Reports Discarded Bike-Share Bicycles to be Recycled, Upgraded

Published on: 2019/04/23 - in News

Following a report of dozens of Dropbike bike-share bicycles found in a dumpster, the City of Kingston reports they have been collected for recycling and will be replaced by upgraded models.

The news came after a resident’s photos of the bicycles in and around a trash bin appeared on social media, including from the Herald, and was met with some outrage – particularly at the sight of seemingly fine bicycles discarded in a dumpster on Earth Day – while others expressed an interest in taking one of the bikes for themselves.

Although most City staff were off for Easter Monday, a statement addressing concerns was issued later in the day.

The release confirmed that Kingston’s bike-share partner Dropbike is recycling older models of their bikes and expressed assurance that the company is environmentally friendly and only recycles outdated hardware when absolutely necessary.

The City also wrote that the bikes set for recycling are first generation models, dating from the 2017 pilot project, and have specialized components that are not easily repurposed on newer models or to other bikes.

“These bikes require maintenance for non-standard parts and are not suitable for personal usage,” the statement added, addressing public interest in using one for themselves. “While these bikes are safe, they have outdated hardware features that no longer meet the safety, quality and telecommunication standards of Dropbike.”

It concluded by saying the City is “excited to welcome Dropbike back to Kingston in early May with a fleet of high quality, safe and sustainable bikes.”


Photo: Submitted