Divvy’s sleek new electric bike model is going to be a hot commodity for riders

On Monday, Divvy rolled out a redesigned e-bike, essentially Divvy 3.0 given that this is the third major design change to the fleet since the system launched in 2013. Divvy plans to add 2,000 of these new bikes to the system.

Similar to the existing black e-bikes, which see two to three times as many riders per bike as the baby-blue non-electric bikes, these bikes are going to be popular. The novelty of the new color, the increased range (60 miles compared to the upper 20s for the black bikes), and a new design that makes riding more comfortable for people of a wider range of heights will aid in the new cycles being a hot commodity in the Divvy network. When I went to test out a bicycle, a couple noticed the new bikes, snapped a photo, and rode off. 

Jordan Levine, the head of Divvy concessionaire Lyft’s transit, bike and scooter communications, said the single gear transmission will eliminate the need to shift gears. Lyft characterizes it as “power with finesse.” The new e-bike is equipped with a stronger motor with the ability to sense how much effort the rider is putting in and matches the rider’s efforts. Levine added that riders should have a smoother riding experience and that the sensors on the bike monitoring road conditions will prove helpful in Chicago. My test ride experience on the new bikes definitely felt smoother than riding the black e-bikes. There was no jerkiness or sudden acceleration, just a smooth increase in speed. 

I appreciate the new seat adjustment set-up. The seat adjustment lever reminds me of a U-lock. You adjust the lever to the desired height and lock it in place. It felt much easier than the quick-release lever on the black bikes. I’ve had some frustrating experiences with the seat adjustment on Divvies, with the lever being stuck or super difficult to open, and it appears this new design will be frustration-free.

Divvy’s website states the new model has an LCD screen and speaker that give riders instructions for unlocking, parking, and more.  While I was unlocking the bike, I didn’t receive instructions from the LCD screen – at least not audible instructions. As for the LCD screen during my ride, I think it would’ve been cool to have the LCD screen display your current speed and how much range is left on your bike while users are riding. While I was riding the screen simply read that a ride was in progress. 

Overall I’m impressed with the new Divvy bikes and look forward to snagging one whenever I’m away from my own bike.