As Bike Month 2025 gets rolling in Fairfax County, we wanted to share a remarkable story from New York City that reminds us of the transformative power of bikeshare—and what it can mean for our communities, even here in our mix of suburban and urban streets and roads.
No, Fairfax County is not New York City. But stories like that of Citi Bike #32606, recently featured in a piece by Bloomberg transportation reporter Aaron Gordon, help us reimagine what Capital Bikeshare could be with broader community support, more stations, and sustained investment.
Meet Citi Bike #32606
Citi Bike #32606 hit the streets of Brooklyn in October 2017. Over the course of just over two years, it was ridden 8,624 times—an average of 10 trips a day. That single bike covered at least 7,000 miles, enough to cross the country and return, powered entirely by human legs. Its riders ranged from 16 to 85 years old. It was ridden during peak commuting hours and quieter weekend periods. Its busiest time saw 62 trips in a single day.
In an era where private vehicles dominate and shared public infrastructure is too often underfunded, Citi Bike has stood out as a miracle of modern mobility—a shared resource that builds community, supports climate goals, and keeps people moving efficiently and affordably.
What This Means for Fairfax
Here in Fairfax County, Capital Bikeshare offers a similar promise: a way to reduce congestion, connect to transit, promote active lifestyles, and give more people more choices in how they get around. The system has expanded in recent years—with more docks, better connections to Metrorail, and plans for continued growth. But it needs your support, and more importantly, your ridership.
Just imagine what a Capital Bikeshare bike in Tysons, Reston, or the City of Fairfax could achieve if used like Citi Bike #32606—thousands of car trips avoided, emissions cut, and lives made just a little bit easier.
Biking Is Transportation
As Gordon notes, bikeshare systems like Citi Bike and Capital Bikeshare walk the line between public service and private enterprise. Their success depends not just on user fees, but on recognition from local leaders that bikeshare is public transportation—just like buses and trains—and should be funded and treated as such.
Citi Bike #32606’s final trip was short—just three blocks on the Lower East Side—but it saved someone a couple of minutes and helped make a city move. That’s what bikes do. Quietly, sustainably, one trip at a time.
This Bike Month, we encourage you to:
- Take a ride on Capital Bikeshare—even if it’s just to run an errand or visit a park
- Advocate for better funding and expansion of bikeshare as part of our public transportation system.
Imagine how just one bike—used widely—can reshape how we think about mobility. Then, join us and let’s think about all the other ways we can make bicycling better in Fairfax County.
