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Lyft temporarily pulls e-bikes from three major cities after braking issues

Approximately 3,000 of Lyft's 20,000 bikes in three cities have been pulled. The classic bicycles will still be available, the company said.
Image: A Lyft bicycle at an event in Los Angeles, California, on March 29, 2019.
A Lyft bicycle at an event in Los Angeles, California, on March 29, 2019.Mike Blake / Reuters file
By Kalhan Rosenblatt

Rideshare company Lyft is temporarily pulling its electric bicycles from three major cities after some riders reported braking issues.

The e-bikes, which can be powered with electricity or by pedaling, have been removed from New York City, San Francisco's Bay Area and Washington, D.C. Approximately 3,000 of Lyft's 20,000 bikes in those three cities have been pulled.

“After a small number of reports and out of an abundance of caution, we are proactively pausing our electric bikes from service in three markets. Safety always comes first,” Lyft spokesperson Julie Wood said in an email to NBC News.

Lyft recently received reports that the brake force on the front wheel of its e-bikes was stronger than anticipated and could potentially cause a fall.

The company is now working with its supplier and a third-party engineering firm to investigate the cause of the over-powered brakes.

Lyft said its classic bicycles will still be available while it fixes the e-bikes.

Kalhan Rosenblatt

Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York.