Bike Sharing Spreads, But Will It Last?

Though many cities have been successful at starting up these ventures, their long-term viability depends on how the systems are run and funded.

"[N]ot all cities have had the same phenomenally positive experience seen in Paris. In Helsinki, the Finnish capital, officials have announced they will shelve the city's free bike program for the time being next summer. The city had hoped to recoup its expenses through advertising, but those goals proved to be overly ambitious.

At the end of the day, the financial burden could be reduced if all the bike-rental projects in Europe adopted the same model. In France, there has been talk about standardizing the bike rental system, at least regionally."