I don't know how much research they've done in NYC, but anything not welded into the main-frame will be stolen. You can't leave a bike locked up unattended for any significant duration of time and expect your bike to be intact when you get back. It's just a matter of fact here.
This looks awesome—like an ad hoc form of the state-sponsored Cycle Hire recently introduced here in London.<p>I just wonder how long it will be until NY legislators attempt to outlaw unregulated short-term cycle hire :)
Felix Salmon's thoughts on the difficulties with SoBi's business model:<p><a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2010/08/11/why-small-scale-bike-sharing-wont-work/" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2010/08/11/why-small-s...</a><p>An interesting take since Felix is very pro-bike.