Tern Bicycles and SXSW Announce Festival’s First Bike Share Program
OutdoorHub 02.14.12
Urban transport specialist, Tern Bicycles, and Austin’s SXSW, announce the conference’s first ever bike share program while serving as its exclusive cycling industry partner. Dubbed “SXcycles,” the bike share program will be available Friday, March 9, through Tuesday, March 13, from 9:00am until 2:00am. SXSW-Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology.
With a Tern Link D8, SXSW-Interactive attendees can leave buses and taxis behind while cruising through the sights and sounds of Austin, dropping in to different venues around town on a whim.
“SXSW-Interactive is an amazing event but it can get pretty hairy looking for a cab or parking when hundreds of people all need transport to a different venue at the same time,” said Steve Boyd, head of Tern in North America. “Our goal with SXcycles is to let people see how convenient, fun, and fast it is to get around by bike. Austin is an amazing cycling town and our hope is that if attendees enjoy their bike trips in Austin, they’ll think about incorporating more bike trips when they get home.”
One hundred and fifty Tern Link D8’s will be available for SXSW-Interactive attendees with “Interactive,” “Film,” “Gold,” and “Platinum” badges. Bikes will be available on a first come, first serve basis but riders can pre-register with their information on VeloLet.com to save time waiting for their Tern.
A bike with the perfect gearing for the city (8 speeds, 32″ – 85″ gear inches), a quick 10 second fold-to-unfold turnaround time, and zippy 20-inch wheels makes the Link D8 a versatile urban cycling solution. Each SXcycle rider will receive a Link D8 along with a helmet, a lock, as well as BioLogic front and rear lights, Portage Rack, and Commute bag for stowing laptops, tablets, and other festival necessities.
In addition, Tern will team up with Guerilla Cyclewerx, a collective of mobile mechanics who will be available to assist with flat tires, bike swaps, and other minor repairs on the road (full repair services will be available at the main rental area across the street from the Austin Convention Center). Providing the front end service is Austin Bike Tours And Rentals (ABTAR), Austin’s go-to bike tour guide and rental company.
