What Are Unicorns?
Unicorns are special bikes in the Bluebikes fleet. You may have seen or ridden one before. They are scattered across docking stations throughout Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville.
Many of the bikes sport unique designs created by local artist and organizations. Unicorns celebrate neighborhoods in the Bluebikes service area, major milestones for the system, and various local initiatives just to name a few.
We’re celebrating these unique bikes during the 2019 Unicorn Madness. During Unicorn Madness, eight bikes face off against each other during a three-round competition. Bikes that receive the most votes during each round advance on to the next round.
How Unicorn Madness Works
Throughout Unicorn Madness, you’ll get the chance to vote for your favorite bikes. Bikes with the most votes advance to the next round. There are three different rounds where you can vote for your favorite Unicorns:
| Round | Duration | Description |
| One | Monday, March 18th - Sunday, March 24th | The competition kicks off with eight bikes matched up into four different pairs. Only four bikes will move onto the next round. |
| Two | Monday, March 25th - Sunday, March 31st | Four of the original eight bikes face off to move on to the final round of the competition. |
| Three | Monday, April 1st - Sunday, April 7th | In the final round of the competition, the final two bikes face off to become the overall winner of Unicorn Madness is decided. |
Polls for each round will be posted to our Facebook page. One vote can be cast for each pair of Unicorns facing off per round.
Let’s Go Unicorn Hunting
Throughout the competition, we’ll be sharing real-time updates and stations where these elusive bikes can be found. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see updates on where these bikes are docked, learn fun stats about the bikes, and more.
If you spot a Unicorn in the wild, share a photo with using hashtag #UnicornMadness. Want the chance to be featured and earn bragging rights? Fun and creative photos will be shared to our social media pages.
Round 3: Final Round!
- Emerald Explorer (left): this bike features the winning design from the 2014 "Design-a-Bike" Contest. Designer Amy Fater, a Senior Campus Planner for Harvard University, used a map of the Emerald Necklace for inspiration. The design celebrates how residents and visitors alike can connect to the beauty of Metro Boston.
- Red Sox (right): one of the original Unicorn bikes that celebrates Boston's World Series Winning team. The Red Sox bike was introduced by Wally the Green Monster in spring 2016.
https://www.facebook.com/RideBluebikes/posts/2391969237493144
Round 2: Semi-Finals
Duration: Monday, March 25th - Sunday, March 31st
- Voting for the second round of Unicorn Madness starts on Monday, March 25th. You can vote for your favorite bikes on polls shared to our Facebook page.
This blog post will be updated with polls for each faceoff once Unicorn Madness kicks off.
Matchup 1: Mattapan vs. Red Sox
- Mattapan (left): in celebration of the expansion of Bluebikes into more neighborhoods, the Mattapan Bike debuted in summer 2018. The intricate design for the bike was created by youth from Artists for Humanity.
- Red Sox (right): one of the original Unicorn bikes that celebrates Boston's World Series Winning team. The Red Sox bike was introduced by Wally the Green Monster in spring 2016.
Vote Now
Matchup 2: Emerald Explorer vs. Go Boston 2030
- Emerald Explorer (left): this bike features the winning design from the 2014 "Design-a-Bike" Contest. Designer Amy Fater, a Senior Campus Planner for Harvard University, used a map of the Emerald Necklace for inspiration. The design celebrates how residents and visitors alike can connect to the beauty of Metro Boston.
- Go Boston 2030 (right): On March 8th 2017, the City of Boston released the Go Boston 2030 Vision and Action Plan that details the future of transportation in Boston. The bike celebrates the thousands of people who informed the plan, and the current and future initiatives that make Boston a great place to live. It features the many ways we intend to get around: bicycling, walking, public transit, hopping in an autonomous vehicle, and even floating on a hover-board.
Vote Now
Round 1
Duration: Monday, March 18th - Sunday, March 24th [voting is now CLOSED]
- Voting for the first round of Unicorn Madness starts on Monday, March 18th. You can vote for your favorite bikes on polls shared to our Facebook page.
This blog post will be updated with polls for each faceoff once Unicorn Madness kicks off.
Matchup 1: Bruins vs. Red Sox
- Bruins (left): introduced to the system in spring 2018, the Bruins Bike is one of the newer additions to the Unicorn Bike fleet. This bike memorializes one of Boston’s most beloved sporting teams.
- Red Sox (right): one of the original Unicorn bikes that celebrates Boston's World Series Winning team. The Red Sox bike was introduced by Wally the Green Monster in spring 2016.
Vote Now
Matchup 2: Mattapan vs. Dorchester
- Mattapan (left): in celebration of the expansion of Bluebikes into more neighborhoods, the Mattapan Bike debuted in summer 2018. The intricate design for the bike was created by youth from Artists for Humanity.
- Dorchester (right): this bike debuted in 2017 to celebrate the additional stations added to Dorchester. This bike features a unique design from the youth artists of Artists for Humanity. The design celebrates and speaks to the history and culture of Dorchester.
Vote Now
Matchup 3: East Boston vs. Emerald Explorer
- East Boston (left): this unicorn was unveiled in fall 2017 by Mayor Walsh to commemorate the first stations in East Boston. Designed by the youth artists of Artists for Humanity, it features an abstraction of clipper ships built by East Boston's own Donald McKay. The colors draw from flags representing the rich heritage of today's neighborhood, including Italy, El Salvador, Brazil, and Colombia.
- Emerald Explorer (right): this bike features the winning design from the 2014 "Design-a-Bike" Contest. Designer Amy Fater, a Senior Campus Planner for Harvard University, used a map of the Emerald Necklace for inspiration. The design celebrates how residents and visitors alike can connect to the beauty of Metro Boston.
Vote Now
Matchup 4: Roxbury Bike vs Go Boston 2030
- Roxbury (left): this bike debuted in summer 2016 to celebrate the expansion of Bluebikes in Roxbury. The bright design was created by the youth at Artists for Humanity. It features three important figures in Roxbury's history: Ruth Batson, Melnea Cass, and Elma Lewis.
- GoBoston2030 (right): On March 8th 2017, the City of Boston released the GoBoston 2030 Vision and Action Plan that details the future of transportation in Boston. The bike celebrates the thousands of people who informed the plan, and the current and future initiatives that make Boston a great place to live. It features the many ways we intend to get around: bicycling, walking, public transit, hopping in an autonomous vehicle, and even floating on a hover-board.
Vote Note
Voting begins on Monday, March 18th at 9:30 a.m. and ends on Sunday, March 24th at 11:59 p.m. EST. Only one submission per person per matchup.
