Explaining disparities in bike-share usage by neighborhood disadvantage: A decomposition analysis

Despite growing evidence of spatial inequities in bike-share usage, contributing factors remain underexplored. This study investigated differences in bike-share trip density between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged neighborhoods in Chicago and used the Gelbach decomposition method to identify underlying drivers. Findings revealed that both traditional bike and electric bike trips occurred less frequently in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Gelbach’s decomposition indicated that, regardless of bike type, bike infrastructure was the most critical driver of this spatial inequity, with the built environment and socioeconomic/demographic factors also contributing. Specifically, alongside bike-share station dock density, the lack of on-road bicycle lanes in disadvantaged neighborhoods contributed to the inequitable distribution of both bike types. However, lower public bike rack density and higher violent crime rates in disadvantaged neighborhoods were exclusively linked to fewer e-bike trips, whereas the lack of rail stations and limited access to cellular data plans uniquely drove inequity in traditional bike trips.