Frequently Asked Questions

General

Healthy Ride is Pittsburgh’s bike share system. Bike-sharing is meant for quick trips around the City of Pittsburgh. Customers can pick up a bicycle at one of the 100+ stations throughout the city, return the bike at any station in the system, and move about their day.
There is a map of nearby stations on the back of each kiosk. You can see our full, interactive station map by clicking HERE or on the nextbike app.

Register Online:

Register In Person:

  • Touch the kiosk screen and press "Start Here>>"
  • Follow the prompts to complete your registration

Register Over the phone:

  • Call Customer Service: 412-535-5189
  • Press the # key to register with a customer service agent.
We will charge $1 to your account to verify your method of payment. This $1 will be applied as a credit towards your first ride. You must link a method of payment to rent a bike.
No. You can register with any mobile phone, on our website, or by calling Customer Service. Once registered, rent bikes using the kiosk or the bicycle keypad.

Rules and Safety

While Healthy Ride does not offer helmets, all riders are STRONGLY encouraged to wear their own helmets. If you're in the market for a helmet, check out one of our local bike shops! Remember that you should replace your helmet after any major impact or every 5 years.

Standard Winter Weather Procedure

Winter weather conditions may affect the functionality of the Healthy Ride system. While we can anticipate and respond to winter weather as conditions arise, we want our riders to be safe and prepared for all of the different winter scenarios. Visit our Winter Weather Advisory page for details. Remember, you can report unsafe routes to Pittsburgh’s 311 Response Center. If you do choose to ride during inclement weather, please ride safe. Visit our Winter Weather Riding Tips for details.

Extreme Winter Weather

Safety is a top priority to Healthy Ride. If weather conditions threaten the safety of our riders, we will temporarily suspend service for all customers. Bikes already in use at the time of closure can be returned to any Healthy Ride station. In the event that Pittsburgh receives a storm of any kind that may interfere with the safety of our riders and will result in a full system closure, we will notify all of our registered users via our newsletter and to the main page of our website. If you want to ensure you are subscribed to our newsletter, simply check your account settings by logging into your account via the app “nextbike” or healthyridepgh.com. To receive real-time closures and openings, follow us via Facebook and Twitter.
If you lose your Healthy Ride bike or it gets stolen, please contact Healthy Ride customer service.  You must do this within 24 hours. Please also call the police precinct where the incident occurred within 24 hours and send a police report to Healthy Ride customer service at [email protected]. Your bike is your responsibility until it is successfully locked at an official Healthy Ride station. If a rider fails to report an unlocked, missing, or stolen bike, a fee of $25 will be assessed to cover the cost of recovery. If we are unable to recover a bike, you will be billed for the replacement of the bicycle, which is  $1,175.
Riders must be 16+ years to ride and must be 18+ years to register for the system.
In Pennsylvania, bicycles are treated just as any other vehicle.

• Follow all traffic signals and signs.
• Yield to pedestrians.
• Do not ride on sidewalks.
• We strongly encourage all of our riders to bring and wear a helmet.
• NEVER ride against traffic

For more information and an illustrated guide to riding in the city, please visit: bikepgh.org/101
To take a class to become a more confident rider, join one of BikePGH's Confident City Cycling Classes and your Healthy Ride rental is free for the class!
If you are involved in a crash and someone is injured or there is any type of property damage to the bicycle or other vehicles, call the police (9-1-1). Once you have a police report, you will need the officer’s name, the names of all persons involved, and a copy of the report. Please call our office to follow up, (412) 621-0464. You are responsible for riding safe and for returning bikes in good condition. Please read our Terms and Conditions for more information on our liability policy.
No. We strongly discourage riders from riding on the sidewalk, and in many cases it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk. If you need to use the sidewalk, please dismount and walk your bicycle. Please ride on the street, obey all traffic signs, and yield to pedestrians.

For more information on cycling safely and legally in the City of Pittsburgh, please visit bikepgh.org/101

Bike Rentals and Returns

Rent using the nextbike app

  • Type the bike number into the app and press 'Rent bike.'
  • Remove the cable lock from the wheel and place it in the holster behind the basket.

Rent using the bicycle keypad

  • Enter your phone number on the bike's keypad and then press the green button.
  • Enter your PIN on the bike's keypad and then press the green button.
  • Remove the cable lock from the wheel and place it in the holster behind the basket.

Rent over the phone: 412-535-5189

  • Follow the voice prompts to rent a bike.
  • Enter the code provided by the system into the bike's keypad and then press the green button.
  • Remove the cable lock from the wheel and place it in the holster behind the basket.
  • If you need additional assistance, press 5 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.
If you do not return your bike to an official Healthy Ride station, please report your bike's location to customer service at 412-535-5189. A $10 service fee (per bike) will be applied to your account. For bikes left outside the city limits, a $25 service fee (per bike) will be applied to your account. Please make your best effort to return bikes to a Healthy Ride station so we can continue to share the bikes with others. Thank you!
Email [email protected] with the return location, the telephone number associated with your account, and duration of the rental so our staff can end the rental and adjust the rental cost before you are billed. If you are still renting your bike, enjoy!

Return your bike at any official station

  • Insert bike into any available rack
  • Insert cable lock through front wheel
  • Press the green button on the keypad to return

Station Full? No Problem.

  • Park the bike near station kiosk using the kickstand
  • Insert cable lock through front wheel
  • Press the green button on the keypad to return
Once registered, you may rent up to 4 bicycles at one time. Each bike is the same rate, $2 per 30 minutes. If you are a monthly member, you will be charged $2 per 30 minutes for each additional bicycle you rent. If you have linked your ConnectCard to your Healthy Ride account, your free 15-mins will apply to one ride at a time.
When you register, you will receive a text message with your secret six digit PIN code. Use this and your phone number to rent bikes. Do not share your PIN code.

Changing your PIN code:

  • Log in to HealthyRidePGH.com with your phone and current PIN code.
  • Click "PIN" to change your PIN code.

Forgot your PIN code?

Station Full? No Problem.

  • Park the bike near station kiosk using the kickstand.
  • Insert cable lock through front wheel.
  • Press the green button on the keypad to return.
If you have questions or issues with your return, please call Customer Service at 412-535-5189.

Temporarily Park your Bike

  • Park your bike at any bike rack or use your kickstand
  • Insert cable lock through lock hole in front wheel
  • Press the red button on the keypad to park

Unlocking your Bike

  • Type in your PIN code and press the green button
  • Pull cable lock from the front wheel and place in holster
  • Ride on! Remember to return to an official station
**Rental time ongoing when parked. Return to an official station to end your trip.**​
No. Only rent bicycles when you are physically at the station. Although the mobile app will allow you to rent a bicycle from an offsite location, do not do this. If a rider leaves a bike unlocked or unattended and it is stolen, the rider is expressly responsible for its replacement cost. The rider shall be liable and responsible for any costs and claims of any kind relating to a stolen, lost or damaged bike, as is outlined in section 2.14 of the Healthy Ride Terms & Conditions.
The cable lock is inserted through the front wheel. Reach down and pull the lock out of the wheel and place the lock in the holster on the right hand side of the front basket. You are ready to ride!

Costs, Memberships and Fees

Pay-As-You-Go Riders: Rides are always just $2 per 30 minutes, + tax. For example, if you take out a bike for 90 minutes, you’ll be charged $6 + tax.

Standard Monthly Members (unlimited 30-minute rides): If you go over 30 minutes in a single ride, you will be charged $2 per 30 minutes. For example, if you take a 60 minute ride, you’ll be charged $2 + tax.

Deluxe Monthly Members (unlimited 60-minute rides): If you go over 60 minutes in a single ride, you will be charged $2/additional 30 minutes. For example, if you take a 90 minute ride, you’ll be charged $2 + tax.

ConnectCard Riders (unlimited 15-minute rides): If you go over 15 minutes in a single ride, you will be charged $2 per 30 minutes.
1. If you haven't already, you need to Register. Enter basic personal info AND a method of payment. Select “Pay As You Go”. Your credit/debit card will be charged a $1 deposit, which, should you ever go over your free time, will be deposited to your ride time. *You can register here, or on the mobile app “nextbike” 2. Log-in to your account. 3. Under Account Settings select “Redeem Voucher”. 4. Enter Voucher Code and hit “Redeem Voucher”. Should you go over your ride time, you’ll be charged the Pay-As-You-Go rate, which is $2 per half hour. If you have any questions, call Customer Service at (412) 535-5189.
No, at this time only one membership can be used per Healthy Ride account.
No. As of March 2020, Healthy Ride discontinued offering Membership Cards. For those Monthly Members who already have a Membership Card, you may continue to use the card that you have. Monthly Members can use the same rental methods as Pay-As-You-Go riders: nextbike app, bike keypad, or Customer Service 412-535-5189.
Healthy Ride requires a $1 deposit on all Pay As You Go and ConnectCard accounts. This is to ensure you have an active credit or debit card on file. The $1 will be put towards your first ride or membership purchase.
If you do not return your bike to an official Healthy Ride station, please report your bike's location to customer service at 412-535-5189. A $10 service fee (per bike) will be applied to your account. For bikes left outside the city limits, a $25 service fee (per bike) will be applied to your account. Please make your best effort to return bikes to a Healthy Ride station so we can continue to share the bikes with others. Thank you!
Bikes are not to be left unlocked and unattended at any point during your trip.  A $10 service fee will be charged to your account (per bike) if your bike is found unlocked at a Healthy Ride station. Additional fees may be assessed if an unlocked bike is stolen.
To cancel a Standard or Deluxe Monthly Membership subscription, please email [email protected].
Yes. While we are working to create a cash payment option, for now you must have a credit or debit card.
No. We will not place a hold on your credit or debit card.
We do! You can visit our Corporate Membership page or contact Erin Potts at 412-621-0464 or partner[email protected] for information on Corporate Memberships.

Mobile Apps

The app is called nextbike. There is one app for all nextbike systems worldwide. Download it from Google Play or iTunes. There is no Blackberry version.
Check to make sure that you have enabled GPS in the nextbike app.
Check to make sure that you have allowed the nextbike app to access your photos/camera.

ConnectCard

Visit a Healthy Ride station with a touchscreen kiosk to link your ConnectCard with Healthy Ride. Press the ConnectCard button on the touchscreen and follow the prompts. Now your ConnectCard can be used to unlock Healthy Ride bikes. Free 15-minute rides will only be applied to one rental at a time.
Student IDs are not accepted. We hope to work with local universities to extend this benefit in the future, but for the time being, only ConnectCards are valid for the free 15-minute rides University of Pittsburgh students, staff, and faculty receive unlimited 30-minute rides. Visit https://www.pts.pitt.edu/commuting/healthy-ride for more information on how to access this benefit.
Connectix passes are not accepted; only ConnectCards are valid for the free 15-minute rides.
Tap your ConnectCard on the sensor located on the back of any Healthy Ride bicycle (or rent by using any other method). The bicycle will unlock within a matter of seconds. Pull out the lock from the front wheel and store it in the lock holster on the right side of the basket before you ride.  
A lot! According the National Association of City Transportation Officials, the average bikeshare member's trip lasts only 12 minutes. Take Healthy Ride from your home to transit, from your office to lunch, or from school to your social life.

With 100+ stations across Pittsburgh, the possibilities are endless. Visit our station map to explore.
Yes, you can rent a bike for as long as you would like. After 15 minutes, your Healthy Ride account is charged $2 per half hour. To avoid being charged, return your bike to any Healthy Ride station within 15 minutes.
No, at the moment it is not possible to use the stored cash value on a ConnectCard to rent Healthy Ride bikes. We hope to be able to launch this feature in the future.
Yes, you must be able to receive text messages on your cell phone to link your ConnectCard with Healthy Ride. A smart phone is not required.
Yes, riders using the ConnectCard need to link a method of payment to their account. If you exceed your free 15 minutes, your credit or debit card will be charged $2 per 30-minutes of additional ride time.
If you have a Standard, Deluxe, or Corporate Healthy Ride Membership and you link your ConnectCard with your Healthy Ride account, your membership will be unchanged. You will not receive additional free time.

COVID-19

Yes. We believe that Healthy Ride should continue to be made available to the essential workers who still need to get to supermarkets, health care facilities, public safety, and other jobs. As a public transit service, Healthy Ride will continue to be operational during this time, pending further updates from local and state government. Click here to learn more.
Healthy Ride is taking every precaution to ensure the safety of our customers. We're sanitizing bikes and stations using EPA-approved disinfectants. In addition to wearing masks and gloves, our team is practicing modified scheduling and operations practices that emphasizes social distancing. Staff members who are able to work remotely are doing so. However, Healthy Ride is also encouraging all riders to practice social distancing, wear masks, and take steps to sanitize bikes before and after using them. Learn more about our safety procedures here.
If you choose to use Healthy Ride during this time, we recommend the following safe practices to prevent the spread of coronavirus:
  • wash your hands before and after each ride (or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol)
  • avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
  • consider wearing gloves as a precaution
  • maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet when using our system
  • wear a mask when riding
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