Its purpose is to cover small and medium daily routes within the city in a climate-friendly way, eliminating the pollution, roadway noise, and traffic congestion that motor vehicles create.

However, as of November 2007, the number and frequency of vans is not able to keep up during the peak hours, making it very difficult to find a spot at which to return the bike in some areas.

[citation needed] Use of the system is based on membership, and users can subscribe online or by visiting a service office.

[5] This limitation was imposed upon the city council by pre-existing local bike hire companies (grouped under Bicitours) that feared what they called illicit competition from the Bicing system.

[citation needed] Bike stations have generally replaced on-street car or motorcycle parking spaces, though others were placed in large pedestrian areas.

Each station includes a long series of docks for bikes, with a computerized pylon at one end for completing transactions.

The yearly user fee is €47.16 with tax included, which makes it the city's cheapest public transport service.

[citation needed] The bike-sharing system was received by residents with great enthusiasm, covering approximately 70% of the city area, including Ciutat Vella, the Eixample and some parts of Sant Martí and Gràcia.

[10] The name is derived from bici, the Catalan and Spanish short-form for bicycle, and BCN, Barcelona's airport code and a popular abbreviation of its name.