Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.With modest fanfare last August, Citi Bike began rolling out its first electric bicycles, giving New Yorkers a powered boost when navigating the city’s various bridges and (limited) hills. I rode one on Day 1, and a handful of times since — overall, the e-bikes have been a great addition, and they haven’t cost a penny more to use.That changes after April 27, 2019, when Citi Bike plans to introduce a new $2/ride surcharge for all annual subscribers, while electric bikes cost $2 more per ride for all day-pass riders right away. Some members clearly aren’t happy — TPG reader Alejandro Alvarez went so far as to call the surcharge a “slap in the face” — and the move could prove incredibly costly for riders who choose to go electric.Assuming New Yorkers begin using electric bikes for their daily round-trip commutes, they’re looking at an additional charge of $2/ride twice a day. Assuming 48 weeks with Citi Bike commutes — estimating four weeks for vacations, holidays and rough weather — that’s $960 per year, plus the $169/year annual pass.While you could theoretically buy your own e-bike for the cost of a year of electric Citi Bike rides, you’d have to deal with charging, storage and upkeep, not to mention the fact that utilizing a sharing program is far more convenient, since bikes are always just a short walk away. And, fortunately, Citi Bike isn’t raising rates for “classic” bikes — conventional bicycles won’t cost extra, and you’ll still have a chance to get your usual en-route workout, too.
