Nike sponsoring Portland’s bike-share scheme

Nike, the US manufacturing and sportswear giant, is sponsoring a new bike-share scheme is Portland, Oregon, as the city looks to maintain its status as number one for bicycle commuting.

Portland is renowned for its planning and consideration of bicycle routes and cyclists and there have been no recorded deaths from cycling accidents for several years.

City officials have followed the examples of Groningen in the Netherlands and the Danish capital Copenhagen that have developed successful bike-share schemes.

Nike, which is based in Portland, has been confirmed as the new sponsor of the cities’ Biketown programme.

According to media reports, Nike will fund “$10 million over five years in exchange for the right to put its Swoosh logo and signature orange colour on the bicycles.”

The bike-share scheme, which was approved last year, will start in July, and will also increase from 600 to 1,000 bicycles.

Jorge Casimiro, Nike’s vice president of global community impact, said: “Part of our commitment to Portland has been to encourage people to move more by incorporating physical activity into their everyday lives,” said “So to all of us at Nike, the city’s bike-share programme is the perfect way of doing so.”

The Portland City Council approved the bike-share programme in September and the bicycles will be provided by Social Bicycles with the scheme operated by Motivate Co., both New York City firms.

Renting a bike for 30 minutes will cost about $2.50, which the city said would be the lowest fee in the US, and users will be able to buy a $10 to $15 monthly membership.