Bike Window
Which nearby New York stations have bikes and docks?
Data illustration, not an app screenshot. Snapshot retrieved 2026-09-07T16:27:02+00:00. Open the template for refreshed data.
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In the app: Templates → Featured → Bike Window. The app catalog version is signed and unlocks the template’s controls; manual file imports may require Control Pack for some controls.
Try it in 60 seconds
- Read the question. Check the source response and retrieval time before trusting any reading.
- Pan and zoom to locate a station or record; compare it with the table.
- Tap either reading card to reveal what it means. Open Explore for another view and the source records.
- Find the observation time. Default center: Union Square, NYC. Status is a snapshot, not a reservation. Unknown counts are excluded.
The idea worth keeping
One map and two counts turn a large feed into a specific decision you can understand.
A short script you can read aloud
“Which nearby New York stations have bikes and docks? This layout starts with that question, not a wall of controls. The data comes from CityBikes / Citi Bike. Pan and zoom to locate a station or record; compare it with the table. The reading cards tell you what to notice; turn one over when you need context. One map and two counts turn a large feed into a specific decision you can understand. One important limit: Default center: Union Square, NYC. Status is a snapshot, not a reservation. Unknown counts are excluded.”
Suggested animation scene
Begin with one named point. Pull back to reveal the selected area. Bring the corresponding record alongside the map; do not imply that points are moving.
Storyboard: 0–8 seconds, ask the question. 8–25 seconds, introduce one observation. 25–45 seconds, perform the gesture above. 45–60 seconds, show the timestamp and limitation. Keep labels readable, offer a reduced-motion cut, and use actual source values or a clearly marked replay.
How this becomes a layout
The provider publishes data → a small read-only adapter selects and names the useful fields → CAR-TER controls bind to those fields. All controls in this template share one endpoint. Polling is cached for 120 seconds; that is a retrieval interval, not a promise that the source updates that often.
Remix exercise
Duplicate this layout. Keep the source and units unchanged, but replace the primary visualization with the alternative in Explore, or move the record list above it. Ask a new reader which arrangement answers the opening question faster. Changing location or query parameters requires a new allowlisted server-side source, not an unwired selector.
Source, rights and limitations
CityBikes / Citi Bike · Exact upstream query · Usage terms / attribution
Public CityBikes API, with visible source link required; operator data is not blanket open-licensed.
Default center: Union Square, NYC. Status is a snapshot, not a reservation. Unknown counts are excluded.
This is a selected result window, not a full archive. Missing numbers are not replaced with zero. Lines connect available observations; consult records for gaps. A green READY badge means the last retrieval succeeded, not that the underlying observation is recent. STALE means a retained prior response; UNAVAILABLE means no usable cached response. If your device goes offline, check the displayed retrieval time: the last screen can remain visible.
Open-data and publicly accessible API are different promises. This collection labels each source’s conditions; it does not assert that every provider’s database or API is open-source software.