Veo's Cosmo-e bike. (Veo)

Shared e-bikes are returning to Bend permanently at the end of the week as the city is partnering with Veo, an independent shared mobility company, to bring a bikes hare program back to the community.

The former blue Bird e-bikes are being replaced with Veo’s teal Cosmo-e  bikes, featuring a throttle assist and active brake lights. Veo will begin introducing its fleet of 300 e-bikes at the end of this week in conjunction with Bend’s Summer Festival and the monthly First Friday art walk.

“I think the program will positively impact the community by giving more commute options to people that really want it and need it,” Tobias Marx, parking services division manager for the City of Bend, said.

The selection of Veo as a vendor occurred following the Bend City Council’s vote in April to establish a permanent bike share program. According to Marx, two other companies showed interest in the project, but Veo was the only one to submit a proposal.

A number of aspects in Veo’s proposal aligned with the needs of the program, including the stability of the company, safety features of the bikes and the variety of e-bike options available, Marx said.

“We felt that their approach to safety, communication and their willingness to work with us to include our programs that we’re using to monitor ridership made it a very good proposal,” Marx said.

This type of shared e-bike program is not new to Bend. Between 2022 and 2024, the company Bird operated a bike share pilot program within the city. The lessons learned from the pilot program will be incorporated into the new permanent program, specifically emphasizing the importance of responsible e-bike parking, the city says.

“I think the biggest lesson learned was that people really liked overall using or having shared bikes available. That’s No. 1,” Marx said. “Lesson No. 2 was the more we as a city focused on oversight and compliance… especially with parking, the more success we will have with it.”

Veo’s technology ensures that bikes are parked in safe drop-off zones and parking areas, as riders are required to take a photo of their parked bike in order to end the ride and stop charges. If the area is deemed unsafe for the bike to be parked, such as in the middle of a sidewalk or in an intersection, charges will continue until the bike is brought to a safe location.

“I think this gives a great alternative to for people that want to travel between some of our destination centers,” Marx said. “I speak from experience, I think especially during concert season it’s a great option for people to park downtown and then jump on a bike and take that to the amphitheater.”

To access a Veo bike, riders must be 18 or older. It costs $1 to unlock the bike and 39 cents for each additional minute. $5 in ride credit is being offered through a launch promotion. To use the credit, apply the code BEND25 when unlocking a bike. Riders with low incomes and AARP members are eligible to apply for a discounted rate through the Veo website.