They're two wheels, a set of handlebars, some energy and a little bit of balance. They're exercise machines, avenues for recreation and alternative forms of transportation - a means to get from point A to point B.

An initiative of the city of Lancaster, the Bike It Lancaster bike share program is redefining the bicycle, its usage and its role in the community.

"The overall purpose of the program is to encourage active transportation, giving people another way to get around the city," said Amber Strazzo Righter, communications manager for the city of Lancaster's office of the mayor. "It's also a way to decrease the number of traffic accidents. People are trying to get more active and reduce their impact on the environment."

The Bike It Lancaster bike share program has made its way into Manheim Township. On Nov. 1 of last year, the city's 8-year-old bicycle program added 25 electric bikes (e-bikes) to its fleet and established three new pickup/drop-off spots in Manheim Township, as well as one in East Lampeter Township.

"Expanding Bike It Lancaster into neighboring communities and introducing e-bikes aligns with our mission to offer active transportation options and improve mobility for all," said Lancaster city Mayor Danene Sorace. "We're excited to see this program grow and connect even more people to places in and around Lancaster."

The Bike It Lancaster program can be utilized in Manheim Township at stations located at Stehli Silk Mill, 619 Martha Ave., Lancaster; Stauffer Park, 1231 Lititz Pike, Lancaster; and Foundry Apartments, 5000 Foundry Drive, Lancaster, near the intersection of Fruitville Pike, Manheim Pike and Prince Street. The program offers membership opportunities, and there are nominal costs involved with using both electric bikes and pedal bikes.

The bikes can only be rented with a credit card through the Movatic app. Bikes can be picked up and returned to any station in the Bike It Lancaster network.

"We love (Bike It Lancaster)," said Righter. "I love seeing people using their bikes. It's kind of cool to be in the know about the program. I definitely see a lot of usage in the downtown area."

The addition of the 25 electric bikes brought the Bike It Lancaster's fleet to a total of 75 bikes.

"There are a lot of people interested in biking who are curious about getting started, and this really speaks to them," said Righter. "There's definitely a big biking culture in the city and outside of it. I think more people in the city are using bikes for need. I think the bike share program is for everyone. I love how passionate people are about biking, even though it's not really my thing."

The Bike It Lancaster program was established in 2017 and had been primarily used as an alternative form of transportation in the city. From January 2024 to October 2024, the Bike It Lancaster program was utilized for 1,696 rides.

About 80% of the costs involved with the program are being covered by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, a federal initiative designed to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.

"The larger cities have been doing this for a while," said Righter. "We're just borrowing it and applying it to Lancaster. In the city, we're definitely trying to make it easier to get around with a bike. We have converted some of the traffic lanes to make them bike accessible."

"It's definitely been a goal to collaborate with townships to expand the program beyond the city," Righter added. "Just to improve the access and mobility for residents."

For additional information, go to https://bikeitlancaster.com.