City Bike Shares in Colombia: How Foreigners Use EnCicla and Tembici

Quick answer: Colombia has three different things people lump together. EnCicla is the free public bike system of the Valle de Aburrá. Tembici is the paid shared-bike app in Bogotá. Registro Bici (often searched as "BiciBogotá") is a city registry for a bicycle you own, not a rental. Pick the one that matches the city you live in.

I have watched newcomers lose a whole afternoon because they tried to register a rental bike in the ownership registry, or because they showed up at a dock on a holiday. The details below come from the operators' and the city's own pages, accessed 11 October 2026. Rules change, so treat the live form or app as the final word.

EnCicla signup for foreigners

EnCicla is free for a registered user (EnCicla system page). A foreigner can apply with a valid passport or a cédula de extranjería. The mechanical-bike form currently asks for:

• Age 16 or older (guardian permission for minors)
• An active email address
• A recent selfie
• A photo of your ID
• A utility bill issued within the last 3 months
• Acceptance of the terms

Approval is emailed and can take up to 3 business days, so do not sign up the night before you need the bike. A personalized Cívica card is optional.

Here is the honest frustration: the utility bill is the sticking point for renters in furnished apartments or hostels, because the bill is rarely in your name. I will not suggest a workaround, since the operator has not published one. If the upload is rejected, message EnCicla on WhatsApp at (+57) 317 154 1927 or call (604) 385 6004.

One more oddity. EnCicla's questions page says Valle de Aburrá residents, or users over 16, update their data every 12 months, while visitors or tourists update every 8 days. Those two sentences overlap, so follow whichever status (visitante or residente) the live form assigns you.

Riding EnCicla: hours, docks and time limits

The system lists 132 operating stations and more than 140,000 users across ten municipalities: Caldas, Sabaneta, Envigado, Itagüí, Medellín, La Estrella, Bello, Copacabana, Girardota and Barbosa.

Some stations differ: Museo de Antioquia runs 5:30–17:30 and I.U. ColMayor 5:30–19:00. The Área Metropolitana station is listed as temporarily out of service.

Manual versus automatic stations

At a manual station you show the physical photo ID already tied to your account, and a passport works. At an automatic station you use a personalized Cívica plus a 4-digit PIN, or a one-time code from the EnCicla 24/7 app. So the Cívica is not required if you use the app. If you want one anyway for the metro, see our Medellín Metro and Metrocable guide.

Loan clocks and electric bikes

Mechanical loans last up to 1 hour, and you can take several per day if each bike comes back on time. Overtime can mean a temporary suspension; the questions page does not publish how long. Electric bikes are capped at 30 minutes and 20 km/h, are loaned only at 30% battery or more, and require the mandatory training plus an active registration. They must stay inside the official geofences and be returned at authorized electric stations such as Universidad de Antioquia, Ciudadela Robledo, Estación Floresta or Parque Principal La Estrella. The geofence maps are on the system page.

For in-person help, go to the Área Metropolitana building, Carrera 53 #40A-31, Medellín. The counter is open Monday–Thursday 8:00–17:00 and Friday 8:00–16:30, with no Saturday service.

Tembici in Bogotá: the paid app

Bogotá's shared bikes run as Tembici. Per the city's guide (bogota.gov.co, page dated April 2024), the flow is: download the app, create an account with your email, choose a plan charged to a credit or debit card saved in the app, scan the QR code to unlock, ride, and dock at a station. Both the city and the operator describe a daily window from the early morning until 22:00, but check the app for today's open stations.

Coverage was concentrated in six localities as of that April 2024 page: Usaquén, Chapinero, Barrios Unidos, Santa Fe, Teusaquillo and La Candelaria. Confirm the station map in the app before you plan a commute.

I am deliberately not printing peso prices. The public pages I found disagree with each other, so the number shown in the app when you pick a plan is the only one worth trusting. The operator also mentions cash at some sale points; confirm the counter in the app before going.

Registro Bici is not a bike share

This is where the "BiciBogotá" confusion bites. Registro Bici is the district registry that links you to a bicycle you own, so police and prosecutors can return it if it is recovered (Portal Bogotá, February 2026). Online you create a user, enter brand, color, type, frame serial and model, swear the declaration, upload four photos and download the certificate.

A Tembici bike is not yours, so there is nothing to register. If you decide to buy a bike in Bogotá, then Registro Bici matters, and our used bicycle inspection guide covers what to check first. Active listings on Colombia Move (October 2026) show 3 bicycles offered, 3 of them recent, and 94 views on those listings, so a dock bike is still the faster way to ride this week.

Where to ride in Bogotá: ciclorrutas versus Ciclovía

Two different things. The ciclorrutas are the permanent lane network, 630 km according to the Secretaría de Movilidad map (updated 2 July 2026). The Ciclovía is the temporary car-free program: 7:00–14:00 every Sunday and public holiday on a 141.46 km circuit, 13.75 km of it ciclorruta (IDRD). For the Sunday-ride overview, read our Ciclovía guide; this page is the up-to-date signup companion to it.

Safety and what to do when things go wrong

Article 5.16.8 of Resolución 20263040030675 de 2026 makes a bicycle helmet obligatory for users of non-motorized vehicles and electric bikes of this category, especially minors and anyone in sport, competition or training on public roads. Until national specs exist, a certified helmet from your home country is accepted. EnCicla separately tells riders to wear a helmet and reflective gear, and it bans passengers. For kit ideas, see this Spanish-language gear guide.

If a dock will not accept the bike, stay with it until the return is confirmed, try another module, film the bike number and dock, and contact EnCicla. You stay responsible for damage, loss or theft under the conditions of use. If a bike is stolen, file a complaint with the Fiscalía and a PQRS with the Área Metropolitana.

On Ciclovía, IDRD says its staff never ask for your belongings or your bicycle. People have used fake approaches to steal valuables, so walk away.

Weekend of 11–12 October 2026

The IDRD bulletin schedules Ciclovía on both Sunday 11 and Monday 12 October, 7:00–14:00. Carrera 60 from Calle 53 to Calle 66B is suspended, as is Calle 66B from Carrera 60 to Carrera 58, during those hours for Rock al Parque. EnCicla's standing rule is no service on public holidays, and IDRD is treating Monday 12 October as a Ciclovía holiday, so do not plan an EnCicla loan that Monday.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Can I join EnCicla with a passport?

Yes, the operator accepts a valid passport or cédula de extranjería. You also upload a selfie and a utility bill no older than 3 months. Approval is emailed and can take up to 3 business days. (verify with the official source, as accessed)

❓ Do I need a Cívica card for EnCicla?

Not for automatic docks if you use the EnCicla 24/7 app, which issues a one-time code. Manual stations still need the physical photo ID on your account. A personalized Cívica is an optional second method. (verify with the official source, as accessed)

❓ Does EnCicla run on public holidays?

No, the standing rule is no service on public holidays. On Sundays the window is shorter and only automatic stations operate. Check the operator's home page before any long weekend, because special station hours also apply. (verify with the official source, as accessed)

❓ Is Tembici the same as BiciBogotá?

No. Tembici is the shared-bike app operating in Bogotá. Registro Bici, often searched as BiciBogotá, is the city registry for a bicycle you personally own. You do not register a rented Tembici bike there.

❓ What does a Tembici ride cost?

The price is whatever the app shows when you choose a plan, charged to the card saved in your account. Public pages have shown different tariffs over time, so no peso table is printed here. Confirm the plan inside the app before paying. (verify with the official source, as accessed)

❓ Is a helmet required?

Article 5.16.8 of Resolución 20263040030675 de 2026 makes a bicycle helmet obligatory for non-motorized vehicles and electric bikes of this category, especially for minors and for sport or training. EnCicla also tells riders to wear one. No fine amount is stated here. (verify with the official source, as accessed)

❓ What if the dock will not take the bike back?

Stay with the bike until the return is confirmed, try another module, and film the bike number and the dock. Then contact EnCicla. You remain responsible for the bike until that confirmation is registered. (verify with the official source, as accessed)