Citi Bike Rolls Past Daily, Weekly Records As Pandemic Slows

NEW YORK CITY — Gorgeous spring weather and newfound freedom amid falling coronavirus levels last week apparently inspired New Yorkers to take a spin on a two-wheeled friend: Citi Bike.

Citi Bike reported its "best week ever" last week , with more than 631,000 rides total, according to a release.

The record-setting week saw ridership spin past 100,000 three days in a row. The last of those days — Saturday — set Citi Bike's single-day record with nearly 119,000 rides.

"That’s over 5.5 rides per bike in a single day!" a release states.

The week coincided with the city's "Streets Week!" — a weeklong spate of transportation-related announcements.

Mayor Bill de Blasio — who lately has embraced good-humored, if arguably awkward publicity stunts as the city recovers from the pandemic — also took a spin on a Citi Bike that week to tout 30 miles of protected bike lane and new "bike boulevards" coming this year.

"2020, of course, we saw a bike boom across New York City," he said. "We want to keep it rolling, we want to keep it growing."

Citi Bike indeed grew in popularity amid the coronavirus pandemic as New Yorkers avoided the confined spaces on subways and buses.

The bicycle share has expanded this year into Astoria, Sunset Park and Inwood. More stations are planned in the Bronx and across the river in Hoboken, where they'll connect with an existing network in Jersey City, according to a release.