Citi Bike launches for the general public

The training wheels came off the city's bike share program Sunday.

While Citi Bike was available only for members last week, the program is now open to any New Yorker who wants to ride any of the 6,000 bicycles.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who worked for years with the city's transportation department to get the program up and running, touted its growing popularity during his weekly radio show.

"Only a week since its launch, over 20,000 New Yorkers have already signed up to become annual subscribers," he said.

Non-annual members who have a credit or debit card can purchase day or week passes for $9.95 and $25, respectively. Those passes allow 30 minutes for each trip with fees charged for extra time. Annual members, who pay $95 a year and can use their bikes for 45 minutes per trip plus charges for additional time, were able to use the service last week. DOT officials said they would use that soft launch week to work out any kinks and make sure the program runs smoothly.

The station at 35th Street and Eighth Avenue, one of the 300 bike stations citywide, was relocated two blocks south over the weekend for technical reasons, said a DOT spokesman.

Some community residents have opposed the stands because they cause traffic headaches among other reasons.