Montreal’s BIXI found itself alongside the 23andMe DNA test, YouTube, the iPhone and other incredible innovations launched in the 21st century on TIME magazine’s “Best Inventions Hall of Fame.” The magazine began highlighting three great inventions starting in 2000. The 2008 launch of the public bike system has been replicated by major cities across the group, “but Montreal revolutionized the trend,” the magazine said. That year, TIME placed it alongside the Mars Rover and the first Tesla as one of the three best inventions of the year. “When lots of people use a communal resource—like, say, a cheap public bicycle-rental program—they tend to abuse it," the magazine wrote in 2008. “So when the city of Montreal built its Public Bike System, nicknamed BIXI, the designers packed in all the technology they could find, in a desperate attempt to out-engineer human iniquity.” TIME said the tech behind Montreal’s scheme outshone those in Paris and Copenhagen and became the backbone of similar systems in London, New York, Chicago and dozens more. “Being recognized by TIME confirms that innovation born here can have a worldwide impact,” said BIXI Montreal general director Christian Vermette. “We are proud to show that local solutions can transform everyday life and inspire cities around the world. This is a day of great joy and pride, not only for our team, but also for Montreal, Quebec, and bike sharing everywhere!” The BIXI network now spans 13 cities in Quebec and includes around 12,600 bicycles and 3,200 e-bikes, as well as the world’s first bike trailer service. The other 24 inventions in TIME’s hall of fame are:
