A Guide to Renting Scooters and Bikes for Point-to-Point Travel
The scooter and bike rental options in Washington, DC can be a great way to travel a short distance or a fun way to see the sights. In this post, we’ll walk through the different options available in the city including Capital Bikeshare, Lime, Lyft, and Spin.
Tips for Riding and Parking Rental Scooters and Bike Shares
- Follow Traffic Laws: Adhere to all traffic signals and signs, and ride in bike lanes where available. I personally find it more difficult to use the scooters in Downtown DC due to increased traffic so stay alert or limit your scooter use to other neighborhoods like U Street, Adams Morgan, Navy Yard, The Whaft, the Metropolitan Beer Trail, and NoMa/Union Market.
- Stay Off Sidewalks Downtown: Bikes and scooters are prohibited from riding on the sidewalk in the Central Business District, which is the areas between 23rd Street NW on the western edge, Massachusetts Avenue on the northern edge, 2nd Street NE on the eastern edge, and D Street (east of 14th) and Constitution Avenue (west of 14th) along the southern edge. Confused? See a map from DC here.
- Be Aware: Stay alert to your surroundings and avoid using headphones while riding. Be mindful that rental scooters are a little slower than bikes and personal electric scooters. Yield to faster riders when needed.
- Park Responsibly: Always park scooters and bikes in designated areas, keeping sidewalks and pathways clear for pedestrians. Many areas have bike racks every few blocks.
How To Ride
- Sign Up: Download the app for the service you’d like to use and create an account.
- Find a Bike or Scooter: Use the app to locate the nearest docking station or dockless scooter/bike.
- Unlock: Scan the QR code to unlock the scooter or bike.
- Ride: Start your journey. Remember to check the battery levels of scooters or e-bikes.
- End Ride: Park responsibly and tap “End Ride” in the app or dock the bike at the bikeshare station. Make sure to lock scooters or e-bikes not at a bikeshare station to a bike rack or sign post and snap a picture as prompted in the app.
Example Routes
The rental bikes and scooters are best used to travel short distances between points of interest or neighborhoods. They can also be fun to rent for a few hours exploring the National Mall. A few ways to use the rentals include:
- Explore the monuments on the National Mall: Grab a scooter and ride from the Lincoln Memorial to the US Capitol Building. Just make sure you have enough time to take the scooter off the National Mall to park it properly since there are some no parking areas directly on the National Mall.
- Take a waterfront ride along the Wharf to Navy Yard. Stop for ice cream or a drink along the way.
- Spend a weekend afternoon zipping from Columbia Heights to U Street to Adams Morgan to try a variety of restaurants.
- Ride down the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Stop for lunch or a beer
Pricing Summary
| Service | Unlock Fee | Per Minute Fee (Scooters) | Per Minute Fee (Bikes) | Day Pass | Weekly/ Monthly Membership | Annual Membership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Bikeshare | $1 | No scooters | $0.05* | $8 (unlimited 45-min trips) | – | $95 (unlimited 45-min trips) |
| Lime | $1 | $0.51 | $0.51 | Various options in the Lime app (30, 60, 180, and 280 minutes) | $5.99 for unlimited unlocks and 30 min reservations only | – |
| Lyft | $1 | $0.49 | $0.05* | – | – | – |
| Spin | $1 | $0.54 | $0.54 | Various options in the Spin app (30 and 90 minutes) | 7 Day Commuter Pass -$3.99 flat fee plus $0.39 per minute | – |
Capital Bikeshare
Capital Bikeshare is one of the most popular and widely used bike-sharing services in Washington, DC. With numerous docking stations throughout the city, it’s easy to pick up and drop off bikes as you go. Unlike the other services, Capital Bikeshare only provides bikes (not scooters) and you will need to make sure you know where the docking stations are. If a station is full, you’ll need to find the next available station using the app.
Pricing:
- Single Trip: $1 to unlock, then $0.15 per minute for an e-bike or $0.05 per minute for a classic bike.
- Day Pass: $8 per day for unlimited 30-minute trips within a 24-hour period.
- Annual Membership: $95 per year for unlimited 45-minute trips.
Lime
Lime offers both electric scooters and bike. In my opinion, Lime offers the most economical pricing options for a Washington, DC scooter rental with their Lime Pass. You can find Lime scooters and bikes in the Uber app but the passes are only available in the separate Lime app.
Scooters and bikes can be easily found throughout the city and may be parked near bike racks or curbside as long as they don’t obstruct the sidewalks, driveways, or private properties.
Pricing:
- Scooters: $1 to unlock, then $0.51 per minute.
- Bikes: $1 to unlock, then $0.51 per minute.
- Ride Pass: Lime offers several Ride Pass options that provide different benefits, such as unlimited unlocks and reduced per-minute rates. These passes vary by duration and can save you a lot if you plan on multiple trips. Details can be found in the Lime app, and prices range from $5.99 for a 30-minute pass (use within 24 hours) to $36.99 for a 280-minute pass (use within 30 days).
Lyft
Lyft, known for its ride-sharing services, also offers electric scooters and bikes for rent in Washington, DC, providing a convenient way to navigate the city. Lyft e-bikes shares docking stations with Capital Bikeshare. You can park your bike at the Capital Bikeshare docking stations for free or $2 at a public bike rack.
Pricing:
- Scooters: $1 to unlock, then $0.49 per minute.
- Bikes: $1 to unlock, then $0.15 per minute for an e-bike or $0.05 per minute for a classic bike.
Spin
Spin is similar to Lime in terms of price point and ride pass options. They offer both scooters and bikes but there are many more scooters avalabile. There are no docking stations – scooters and bikes can be parked in public bike racks or other public places where they do not block sidewalks, driveways, or private property.
Pricing:
- Scooters: $1 to unlock, then $0.54 per minute.
- Bikes: $1 to unlock, then $0.54 per minute
- Ride Pass: $6.99 for 30 minutes (use with 24 hours); $12.99 for 60 minutes (use within 72 hours). Both passes have free unlocks.
- 7 Day Commuter Pass: $3.99 for 7 days of rides at $0.39 per minute.