Zohran Mamdani: New York's First Citi Bike Mayor

The Unexpected Citi Bike Mayor

In one of his TikTok videos, Zohran Mamdani, dressed in a suit and tie without a helmet, unlocks a Citi Bike from an Upper East Side dock. As someone yells “Communist!” in the background, he quickly retorts, “It’s pronounced cyclist!” This moment captures a unique aspect of Mamdani’s campaign: his identity as a real cyclist, potentially making him the first New York City mayor to embrace cycling.

Mamdani's campaign is often defined by his youth, his Muslim faith, his views on Israel, and his association with the Democratic Socialists of America. However, many have overlooked the fact that he could become the first Citi Bike mayor. This irony is not lost on anyone. Citi Bike, named after and sponsored by Citibank, is a symbol of capitalism. It's valued at around $180 billion and is operated by Lyft, a Silicon Valley ride-hailing company with millions of drivers.

These drivers are typically low-paid, no-benefit contractors, which is far from socialism. The mayor who oversaw Citi Bike’s launch was Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire who made his fortune through Wall Street and campaigned as a CEO. He didn’t move into Gracie Mansion but instead had a more luxurious home. No one can reasonably call Bloomberg a socialist.

Despite this, some of Mamdani’s platform includes policies like free buses, free childcare, and city-owned grocery stores, which suggest socialist inclinations. His use of Citi Bike, however, shows he is a pragmatist rather than a rigid ideologue. This might comfort those who fear he is too radical, as it reveals he is more friendly to big business than his reputation suggests.

Mamdani recognizes that the nation’s largest and most successful bikeshare system, a public-private partnership, is actually working. Transportation in New York City is one of the hardest puzzles to solve, given the 8.5 million people navigating a small area. Mayors and candidates have always had to address safety and transportation issues, which are often intertwined and politicized.

Historically, the link between bicycles and leftist politics has been relatively new. In the 1890s, politicians lobbied for the “bicycle vote,” which mostly consisted of affluent white men. Theodore Roosevelt was a member of the League of American Wheelmen and even oversaw bicycle police officers. In 1965, William F. Buckley Jr. proposed a giant, elevated bicycle highway, but it never materialized.

Ed Koch famously rode the bus to his 1978 mayoral inauguration and later pushed for bike lanes, though he wasn't a cyclist. He learned to ride for a photo op, and the lanes were eventually removed by Democrats. Koch also tried to ban bicycles from midtown, arguing they endangered the aesthetic of Manhattan.

When Bloomberg and Janette Sadik-Khan launched Citi Bike in 2013, many were skeptical. The idea of bikeshare was radical, starting in the Netherlands in the 1960s. Bloomberg and Sadik-Khan aimed to address safety concerns and fear of theft. Jeff Blau, CEO of Related Companies, supported Citi Bike, seeing its value. This approach aligns with what urban theorist David Harvey calls “urban entrepreneurialism.”

Blau and Bloomberg are not fans of a Mamdani mayorship. They both support Cuomo, who often talks about Citi Bikes on the campaign trail, pushing for stricter regulations on e-bikes. The best way to protect cyclists is to continue building protected bike lane projects, which former mayor Eric Adams abandoned. Mamdani has vowed to do so, along with maintaining the 15 mph speed limit for e-bikes.

Getting more New Yorkers out of cars and onto buses should help too. These policies reflect Mamdani’s views on the role of government to address safety and his willingness to agree and disagree with political opponents.

Mamdani continues to cycle around the city, not minding that his bike is emblazoned with the Citigroup logo. In September alone, there were over 5.4 million trips via Citi Bike, covering 9.5 million miles. Riders burned over 378 million calories, commuting to law firms, banks, and hedge funds. They enjoy the same practicality and joy that Mamdani does.

If the next mayor can figure out how to make the city healthier, more convenient, and more joyful—whether through socialism, capitalism, pragmatism, or another ideology—we should all be thankful.