This dockless bikeshare is offering free rides all month

In the fall, ofo was one of a handful of dockless bikeshare services to launch as part of a pilot in the District. The company brought the yellow bikes into the mix. Now, if you can stand the cold weather, the company is looking to stand out by offering free rides for the month of January.

“As ofo continues to rapidly expand across the country, we wanted to take a moment to thank our first U.S. cities and give something back,” said Taylor Bennett, ofo’s comunications manager for North America. “Through January 31, all rides in the D.C. area are on us.”

ofo, which launched hundreds of its dockless yellow bikes in D.C. last October, is one of five bikeshare companies to participate in the city’s pilot program, which runs until April. The Chinese company was founded in 2014, and has bikes in 250 cities in 20 countries around the globe.

📣 ANNOUNCING: To help kickstart your year…
Every #ofo ride in January is FREE!

So whether you're working toward fitness goals, planning to spend more time outdoors, or simply looking for a fun way to get around – ofo rides are free & just a push of a button away! 🚲 pic.twitter.com/LCumgYMwV3

— ofo US (@ofo_bicycle) January 3, 2018

With freedom from a dock and the ability to be unlocked via app, the bikes can be left pretty much anywhere. But there are limits. On January 3, one ofo bike was found parked on the frozen Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, according to WTOP. This led to a request from the D.C. deputy mayor for public safety and justice.

Please don't park your dockless bike in the middle of the C & O Canal. #bikedc https://t.co/9OKcXF7oXC

— Deputy Mayor Lindsey Appiah (@SafeDC) January 3, 2018

The city’s pilot program is intended to supplement, not replace Capital Bikeshare. The other participating bike-sharing companies competing for the D.C. contract are JUMP, LimeBike, Mobike and Spin.