Pacers Bikeshare launched on April 22, 2014, with 25 docking stations and 250 bicycles centered on or near the
Indianapolis Cultural Trail in the vicinity of
downtown Indianapolis. Initial startup and maintenance costs were provided by the Herbert Simon Family Foundation.
Herbert Simon is chairman emeritus of
Simon Property Group and owner of the
Indiana Pacers. At the time of its launch, the system was the only bike-share service in the U.S. sponsored by a professional sports franchise. The
Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program granted an additional $1 million. An additional docking station was installed at
OneAmerica Tower on December 2, 2015. In its second year, annual membership had grown to 2,878 with users logging more than 117,000 trips for a total distance of . In 2016, Pacers Bikeshare began information sharing
GPS tracking data with academic researchers at
IUPUI to understand trends useful to the fields of public health and tourism management. The system added two docking stations and 26 bikes in October 2016. Officials announced the system's first major expansion on May 15, 2018. A second $960,000 CMAQ grant from FHWA and $240,000 gift from the Herbert Simon Family Foundation and an unnamed private donor funded the expansion. Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. solicited input on docking station placement at public meetings, farmer's markets, library branches, and online, largely siting docking stations near popular attractions and close proximity to existing pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit infrastructure. The expansion, completed on September 5, 2019, nearly doubled available bikes and docking stations. In November 2019, Indianapolis-based health insurer
Anthem donated $1 million to support the system's programs and ongoing maintenance. In October 2023, officials announced that 250
electric bicycles would be introduced to the system in spring 2024. The expansion is funded through a $1.2 million federal grant and contribution from the Herbert Simon Family Foundation. In May 2024, officials announced the IndyRides Free program, which allows residents of
Marion County unlimited 30-minute rides at no cost after an initial registration. In August 2025, officials announced 3 new stations on the campus of
Butler University, along with 30 additional electric bikes added to the system. ==Payment==