【Peter Baumgartner】

Lyft's electric bicycles across the U.S. are Peter Baumgartnergetting a boost.

Unveiled Wednesday, Lyft's next generation e-bike has a new look with an LCD screen and built-in speakers, a bigger battery, and wider seat that's easier to adjust. Lyft designed the bike in-house after acquiring the bike-share company Motivate in 2018.

Motivate had bike programs like Bay Wheels in San Francisco and Citi Bike in New York City, which Lyft has continued to operate with the same bicycles from before the acquisition. But the new bike design incorporates some distinctly Lyft features, like the mustache pattern on the handlebar grip if you look closely.

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A new look. Credit: lyft

The pandemic was a boon for two-wheeled riding — Lyft says over 1.8 million people tried out a Lyft bike or scooter for the first time in 2020. The company has improved its bicycle design for all these new riders, especially for its popular electric-powered pedal-assist bicycles.

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E-bikers can expect a longer lasting battery (up to 60 miles) which means fewer battery swaps and time charging. The electric motor is also stronger that the predecessor with 500 watts, making it easier to use an electric boost to ride up hills and over difficult terrain.

The screen and speaker will show how to unlock, park, and operate the bike, along with information about the battery and how much you've ridden.

SEE ALSO: It’s a pain to own an e-scooter. I’d rather keep renting, even during a pandemic.

Safety-wise, Lyft added an illuminated LED light ring for better visibility at night (of course it's the signature Lyft pink color), along with retroreflective paint that shines like a street sign in the dark. Sensors keep tabs on the brakes, battery, and motor to know if something is not working properly.

Keeping it pink. Credit: Lyft

Test bikes will start popping up on Lyft's Bay Wheels bike-share program in the Bay Area next week for the public to try out. After a feedback period, the new bikes will first be phased into Lyft's Divvy bike-share system in Chicago later this year.

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