NORTHAMPTON — For the first time since ValleyBike’s 2022 season ended, hundreds of bikes will be available on Aug. 12 to ride around the Pioneer Valley in a long-awaited relaunch of a regional bike-share program.

“We are so excited to bring back this popular micromobility program that has been so important in serving the transportation needs of our residents,” Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra said in a statement. “I warmly invite all ValleyBike communities and residents to join us in the celebration of this launch at noon in Pulaski Park on Aug. 12, here in downtown Northampton.”

The launch date comes two months after Sciarra announced ValleyBike’s new operator, Drop Mobility, will deploy 50 Drop e-bikes and 300 existing bikes at the 79 stations across Northampton, Easthampton, Holyoke, Hadley, South Hadley, Amherst, Chicopee, Springfield, West Springfield and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“We are excited to bring the successful ValleyBike Share program back to Amherst,” Stephanie Ciccarello, director of sustainability, said in a statement. “The system provides a convenient and healthy transportation option for community members that helps reduce carbon emissions when people opt to use it versus driving their own vehicles.”

Bikes will begin to arrive at their stations on Aug. 10, and are available to rent two days later after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon in Pulaski Park. To promote safe riding, ValleyBike will give away 15 helmets to the first people who arrive at the event. They’ll also have helmets available to rent.

Details about bike pricing, equity memberships, and pre-sale deals can be found online at ValleyBike.org beginning Thursday, Aug. 1. In early May, city officials said membership prices for the program are still being worked out, although they are likely to be comparable to previous rates, which charged $20 for a monthly membership and $80 annual membership.

Northampton agreed to pay $1,200 per bike for up to 500 bikes in an initial contract with Drop Mobility, but only 50 of those bikes will be available during the initial relaunch. However, the request for proposals the Planning & Sustainability office put out in January asked the program’s operator to expand both bike availability and the number of stations. The contract also asks Drop Mobility, based in Toronto, to establish payment methods for low-income residents or people without access to bank accounts, smartphones or credit cards.

ValleyBike ceased operation in November 2022 after the program’s previous operator, Bewegen Technologies, defaulted on its contract with Northampton and declared bankruptcy last year.

Northampton officials attempted to negotiate a short-term contract to reopen the service last summer, but eventually decided such an effort was too risky to pursue. The search for a new vender began in January.

Bike-sharing is intended for recreational trips or short commutes, generally an hour or less. The bikes can be picked up and returned at any of the stations. In addition to providing a secure dock for the electric-assisted bicycles, the stations charge the motors that assist riders in pedaling. The motors, which can be turned off, do not propel the bikes on their own.

The ValleyBike share program began in 2018. Communities served by the program combine to cover more than $70,000 in administrative costs to run the service.

Emilee Klein can be reached at eklein@gazettenet.com.