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United States

San Francisco

A city of fog and hills. The cable cars are still working public transit, while BART and Muni do the daily grind.

Lyft Bike (formerly Bay Wheels)

Bay Wheels is now Lyft Bike - both names share the street. You ride on the app with a card on file; a single ride has no free minutes - $1.00 to unlock, then a per-minute rate. Free time starts with the $15 Day Pass.

Updated on August 2, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Install the app and add a card
    Install the Lyft or Lyft Bike app and add a credit or debit card. There is no cash option, and riders must be 18 or older.
  2. 2
    Scan the QR code to unlock
    Pick a bike at a nearby station and scan its QR code in the app. Clipper unlocking is a members-only feature.
  3. 3
    Ride the bike lane, not the sidewalk
    Never ride on the sidewalk. Use the bike lane, ride with the flow of traffic, and stop at red lights and stop signs.
  4. 4
    Dock it and wait for the green light
    Push the front wheel firmly into an open dock and wait for the green light - without it, the ride has not ended.
  5. 5
    If the station is full, find another dock
    Tap the P in the app to see open docks nearby; a cable-lock ebike can also be locked to a public bike rack.

Fares

Single fares3

Single ride unlock fee
Charged on every single ride; no free minutes are included, and the per-minute rate is added on top.
1 USD ≈ $1
Classic bike (per minute)
Added on top of the unlock; with a Day Pass the first 30 minutes are free and this applies beyond that.
0.19 USD ≈ $0.2
Ebike (per minute)
Billed by the minute from the start; a Day Pass makes the unlock free but not the ebike rate.
0.49 USD ≈ $0.5

Passes & multi-ride1

Day Pass (24 hours)
Unlimited classic-bike rides of up to 30 minutes for 24 hours; ebike time is charged separately.
15 USD ≈ $15

Add-ons & fees1

Ending an ebike ride at a bike rack
Only for cable-lock ebikes; free if you lock within 50 metres of a station that is full.
2 USD ≈ $2

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

Payment

Tap to ride
The reader on the bike and dock takes Clipper only, not bank cards
IC card
Clipper unlocks for members only, and only 10-digit cards
App tickets
The Lyft or Lyft Bike app handles signup, unlocking and payment
Cash
Registration requires a card number - there is no cash route

Quick facts

Fares from
1 USD+

Heads-up

  • The ride keeps billing until the dock light turns green

    Always wait for the dock's green light. If the bike isn't secured the ride keeps billing, and once it passes the maximum rental time - 12 hours for a classic bike, 24 hours for an ebike - it is treated as lost or stolen with a charge of up to $1,200, plus $25 for the overlong rental and a $30 recovery and re-docking fee.

  • No sidewalk riding - use the street and go with traffic

    Sidewalk riding is not allowed. If there's no bike lane, use the street, stop at red lights and stop signs, and ride in the same direction as traffic.

Timetable

Typical duration A hilly city - ebikes make the climbs realistic, while the waterfront routes stay flat and easy
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka