It took a couple of weeks, but we finally know the fate of the remaining ofo bikes in Dallas. For a time after the company decided it just couldn't take Dallas' new bike-share regulations and pulled up stakes, its yellow and black two-wheelers staggered along, still available on the company's app and still taking up space on the city's sidewalks.
No longer, though.
Sunday afternoon, photos of hundreds of the company's bikes, stacked up for recycling at Commercial Metals Co. in South Dallas, began circulating on social media.
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings issued a rare personal tweet from his office account, lamenting the bikes' fates.
Terrible. -MR https://t.co/puYnMuAjSV
— Mike Rawlings (@Mike_Rawlings) August 5, 2018
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Monday morning, ofo told the Observer that it's working with the company to recycle bikes that are no longer in working order. Ofo plans to give bikes that can be ridden to CitySquare and Bikes for Tykes, the company said.
“As we wind down select markets, we remain committed to environmental sustainability and will continue to donate ofo bikes in good working condition to local communities and recycle all bikes when they're beyond repair or no longer able to use," ofo said in a statement.
After having as many as five bike-share companies operating in the city earlier this year, Dallas' streets now only sport Lime's bright green offerings and vBike's silver and yellow bikes. Electric scooters from Lime and its competitor, Bird, remain available.
The Observer reached out to Commercial Metals Co. to see what kind of deal they are giving ofo on the recycled bikes. The woman answering the phone at their Good Latimer Expressway location referred us to their corporate office, which has yet to get back to us.
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