Concerning the design of the bikes, I think there is still room for improvement. The designers can look at the design of the Public Transportation Bike ("OV-Fiets") in the Netherlands[1] which was a major success in a country where there already were more bikes than people before it's introduction.
For a bike that is available 24 you would want a bicycle lamp on the front with a dynamo instead of just reflectors. This is a safety concern because reflectors have proven to be unreliable to signal other road users.
The bike doesn't have any mudguards but I suspect the weather in SF allows that :).
The carrier on the back wheel doesn't look that sturdy and there is a large gap in the middle. A front rack to place heavier cargo on could be a benefit.
There is definitely a lot of things we can do with the bicycles. viaCycle is actually bike agnostic. It's a modular device we can retrofit to secure onto numerous types of bicycles. It's easy to add features to bicycles as well, such as baskets, bells, etc. Customization is part of the offering. We're just showing off the bare-bones test bikes for the most part.
Batteries don't last and you need access to them in order to replace them, making theft easier. There are systems that integrate a dynamo in the chassis of the bike. It's also more environmentally friendly because you provide the power for the lamp. The article mentions there already is a battery in place powered by either solar or dynamo.
For a bike that is available 24 you would want a bicycle lamp on the front with a dynamo instead of just reflectors. This is a safety concern because reflectors have proven to be unreliable to signal other road users.
The bike doesn't have any mudguards but I suspect the weather in SF allows that :).
The carrier on the back wheel doesn't look that sturdy and there is a large gap in the middle. A front rack to place heavier cargo on could be a benefit.
What about bright colors so the bike stands out?
[1]http://www.ov-fiets.nl/binaries/content/gallery/OV-fiets/nie...