The number of cities with bike rental systems is growing apace. Google maps now has a special map on the internet denoting locations where bikes can be rented for short or longer periods.
The map demonstrates that Europe is still ahead in this field, with over one hundred cities with rental bikes. America is a growth market, with a dozen initiatives by now and numerous plans. But the rental bike is conquering Asia as well. Shanghai for instance has recently begun testing a bike-sharing system.
Bike-sharing systems are moreover increasingly deployed on the vast university campuses in the US. The University of Portsmouth is beginning with the Veloway system, of French origin. At a growing number of American universities the bicycle is proving to be an alternative for cars. Lack of parking space has already led at several universities to programmes where parking spaces may be traded for a free bike.