New electric bike with fitness tracking technology debuts for Silicon Valley workers

PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) -- A new electric bicycle with fitness tracking technology debuted in the Bay Area Tuesday aimed at helping to reduce traffic congestion from commuting drivers.

Swiftmile installed an electric bike station that is solar powered at PARC in Palo Alto. They had apilot program in San Jose at VTA and Google.

Riders just need to download the app to reserve a bike.

"Show up, you hit the button, boom the bike's available and then you can take it home, you can take it wherever you'd like," Swiftmile Co-founder Colin Roche said.

PARC was looking for a way to help ease the commute and parking for its employees so it invested in the e bike stations. Like other companies they have shuttles but the schedules don't work for everyone.

Rob McHenry, PARC Chief Operating Officer

"It's kind of a win-win. They're not only a fun alternative way to commute, but it also decreases the number of cars and the traffic congestion around the area and the number of cars parking out here," PARC COO Rob McHenry said.

Swiftmile incorporated fitness tracker technology that tells riders information such as their distance and how many calories burned. Its founders feel the bikes be in demand because research has shown people are more likely to commute to work on a bike if they don't have to sweat.

"I got up this hill really easy earlier. I don't think I'd sweat too much on a bike like that so I'd be cheating a little bit I wouldn't be burning as many calories if I used that system, makes the ride a lot nicer," PARC employee Tim Curley said.