Nice Ride Minnesota geared up for record use Saturday

Nice Ride, the operation behind those recognizable green bicycles around the Twin Cities, wants to see record use Saturday.

The weekend event has a goal of the most trips taken using the bike-sharing system in a single day. Nice Ride's current single-day ridership record is 4,486 trips taken July 26, 2014.

Nice Ride is joining with the Minneapolis Foundation, which is marking its centennial. They're are providing free passes and helmets at several stations. The foundation will donate $1 for every Nice Ride bike trip taken Saturday to Free Bikes 4 Kidz, a nonprofit that provides bicycles for Twin Cities children.

"If you are someone who wants to try a bike or has seen them around, this Saturday is the day to do it. We are going to have people set up at six stations, doing the free passes and helmets, and instruction on how to use the system," said Nice Ride spokesman Anthony Ongaro. "… Nice Ride is a ton of fun to use. It's great for getting around, but a lot of people are using it just to enjoy the weather, to get out and get on a bike."

For a list of stations designated for instruction, passes and helmets Saturday, go online to niceridemn.org/centennial.