Effects of new dock-less bicycle-sharing programs on cycling: a retrospective study in Shanghai

Objectives To examine (1) the effect of new dock-less bicycle-sharing programmes on change in travel mode and (2) the correlates of change in travel mode. Design A retrospective natural experimental study. Setting 12 neighbourhoods in Shanghai. Participants 1265 respondents were recruited for a retrospective study in May 2017. Main outcome measures Prevalence of cycling before and after launch of dock-less bicycle-sharing programme. Results The proportion of participants cycling for transport increased from 33.3% prior to the launch of the bicycle-sharing programmes to 48.3% 1 year after the launch (p Conclusions Dock-less bicycle sharing may promote bicycle use in a metropolitan setting. Findings from this study also highlight the importance of cycling-friendly built environments and cultural norms as facilitators of adopting cycling.