Reflective numbers affixed on both sides of frame by rear wheel axle, uniquely identifying each bike.
The bicycles are utility bicycles with a unisex step-through frame. The cycles are not provided with locks (unlike the Vélib' scheme in Paris).
The one-piece aluminium frame and handlebars conceal cables and fasteners in an effort to protect them from vandalism, damage and inclement weather. The heavy-duty tyres are designed to be puncture-resistant and are filled with nitrogen to maintain proper inflation pressure longer.[32] A row of 5 LEDs on front of the luggage rack and twin LED rear lights are integrated into the robust frame, which weighs approximately 23 kg (51 lb).[31][33]
The bikes were designed by industrial designer Michel Dallaire and built in the Saguenay, Quebec region by Cycles Devinci, with aluminum provided by Rio Tinto Alcan,[34] a Canadian company based in Montreal and part of an international mining group headquartered in the UK.
The cycles are low-geared to compensate for their weight and to provide a way of limiting their top speed. Using a Shimano Nexus 3 hub gear with a 38 tooth chainring in front and a larger than standard 23 tooth rear sprocket the setting is 32 gear inches in 1st gear, 44 gear inches in 2nd gear, and 60 gear inches in 3rd gear.[35] This gearing is about 22% lower than would be usual on a three-speed cycle of this sort.
The cycles and the docking stations are built in Canada and are based on the Bixi (bike taxi) cycle rental system that operates in Montreal and other Canadian cities.