People have lots of reasons for not owning a bike: they're expensive, they don't know how much they would ride them, they have no idea how to fix them, and they're not completely wrapped in aqua corduroy. Okay. Perhaps not that last one. But what if you had the opportunity to ride a bike without fully committing to a purchase? Now you have the chance. A local business provides this service free of charge. And it looks like San Francisco is about to embark on a bike sharing journey itself.

Timbuk2, known for their customized messenger bags, offers a service where you can borrow a bike to run errands, climb the hills of Noe Valley, or pedal past the bison in Golden Gate Park. Bikes are picked up and dropped off at their retail store at 506 Hayes, and are available for use during business hours. What does Timbuk2 hook you up with? A Globe bike, Bern helmet, Kryptonite lock, and even a Timbuk2 bag to schlep your stuff. All they ask for in return is a Driver's License and credit card number (in case anything happens). Once you sign the form, you're ready to bike around Hayes Valley (or anywhere in SF) just like this woman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-rztrRORUU4#! You also may have heard that San Francisco is considering a program like this for the entire city. According to the SFMTA website, "a regional pilot program led by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in partnership with the SFMTA will bring approximately 50 bike share stations and 500 bikes to San Francisco’s downtown core beginning in summer 2012." To get more details on the new program, check out their fact sheet. Would you use a bike share program? Would it make you more or less likely to purchase your own bike? If you moved here from a city or university that had a program like this, share with us what worked and what didn't.