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Copenhagen City Bikes or ''Bycykler København'' was the bicycle sharing system of Copenhagen, Denmark. Launched in 1995 with 1,000 cycles, the project was the world's first organized large-scale urban bike-sharing scheme, which, unlike its Dutch predecessor, featured what are now considered basic elements such as coin deposit, fixed stands and specially designed bikes with parts that cannot be used on other bikes. Riders paid a refundable deposit at one of 110 special bike stands and had unlimited use of a bike within the specified downtown area.〔Free City Bike Schemes, Søren B. Jensen, City of Copenhagen, Conference Proceedings, Amsterdam 2000〕 The scheme was funded by commercial sponsors. In return, the bikes carried advertisements, which appeared on the bike frame and the solid-disk type wheels. When the programme was abolished in October 2012, some 1,500–1,700 bikes were still in service, out of a total of 2,500 put onto the streets.〔〕 ==History== Following the first-generation bike sharing scheme from Amsterdam in the 60s, the first second-generation bike sharing system was introduced in 1991 in Farsø.〔 Even though it was a small-scale scheme, it paved the way for the Copenhagen city bike scheme, where the original idea behind the scheme was to reduce the theft of bicycles in the city by offering specially designed units for free public use based on commercial sponsoring and advertising. It was initiated by entrepreneurs Ole Wessung and Morten Sadolin who believed that insurance companies would be willing to sponsor the programme as they would benefit financially from the reduction in stolen bicycles which were running at 27,000 a year in the city at the time.〔("Bycyklens historie" ), ''Bycyklen København''. Retrieved 9 June 2010.〕 Initial trials were, however, unsuccessful, and it was not until the scheme was backed by a foundation supported by the Municipality of Copenhagen, together with various government ministries and some private interests, that it became viable. Indeed, once the foundation had raised 2 million Danish crowns, the scheme finally got off the ground in May 1995. By 1996, with 10 additional sponsors including the Coca Cola Company, 1,500 cycles were made available throughout the city. By 2003, as a result of additional sponsors, the foundation was able to increase the number of city bikes to 2,500.〔 The scheme served as an example for many other cities worldwide to adopt similar approaches.〔(Louise Skov Andersen, "Københavns bycykler skal skrottes" ), ''Ibyen.dk'', 28 May 2008. Retrieved 8 June 2010.〕 In the final years the city bikes were available from 110 cycle stands distributed throughout the downtown area.〔("Bycykens område" ), ''Bycyklen København'' Retrieved 9 June 2010〕 The cycles could be used in daylight hours during the summer months (mid-April to November) by using a 20 DKK coin to retrieve them from the cycle stands. The coin was refunded when you returned the bike.〔("Free city bikes" ), ''VisitCopenhagen.com''. Retrieved 9 June 2010.〕 Copenhagen had an extensive and well-designed system of cycle paths, earning it a reputation as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Best City for Cyclists: Copenhagen )〕 In recognition of Copenhagen's emphasis on bicycling, the city was chosen by the Union Cycliste Internationale as their first official ''Bike City''. ''Bike City Copenhagen'' covered the period 2008 to 2011 and consisted of big cycling events for professionals as well as amateurs.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Bike City Copenhagen )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Copenhagen City Bikes」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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