Public bicycle-rental services have proven an efficient and green solution to ease traffic jams, but the systems must be properly managed to achieve the desired outcomes, experts say.

"Ultimately, whether a public bicycle-sharing system has staying power depends on the frequency of use," says Chen Yanyan, a professor at Beijing University of Technology's Transport Research Center.

"To encourage more people to cycle, either on their own bikes or rental ones, we have to ensure right-of-way and have good infrastructure, such as a proper distribution of rental stations, easy payment methods and good bike lanes."