[UPDATE BELOW] Despite assurances that the forthcoming Citi Bikes are real rugged, sturdy things capable of navigating even the most pitted of Manhattan streets, they will apparently just shatter under the weight of any human over 260 pounds. This factoid was buried in Section 5 of Citi Bike's terms of service, and unearthed today by the Post.
The article mentions that the weight limit won't be strictly enforced—“I think people will be self-selecting, practical and safe,” Department of Transportation policy director Jon Orcutt told the tabloid. All of this is a far cry from stats reported by New York Magazine last year, which states that the bikes can accommodate riders up to 6-foot-8, and come equipped with "heavy-duty tires" and locks that are “pretty much bombproof.” For what it's worth, a website called "quickBMI" calculates that the ideal weight for a man standing 6-foot-8 is between 203 and 249 pounds, so tall Citi Bike riders had damn well better be in fighting form before even thinking about hopping on.
So will the weight limit ever be enforced? Will svelte patrolmen roam the streets armed with scales, prepared to wrestle cyclists from their Citi Bikes if they appear to be closer to, say 283 pounds? (For the record, the terms also state that nothing over 17 pounds shall be transported in the bike's cargo carrier. Not 15 pounds, nor 20. 17. But why?) We reached out to DOT in an attempt to demystify the seemingly arbitrary weight limit, and, more excitingly, to what extent any enforcement will be possible.
Update 2:06 p.m.: According to DOT, there are no plans for actual enforcement. Also, the weight limit of 260 pounds (not that it matters) was selected on the basis that everyone else is doing it.
"These technical specs are established by the equipment manufacturer and are the same as other bike share cities around the world and standard on commercially available bikes and components," said DOT spokesperson Seth Solomonow. "We expect people will use the bikes safely."
