Turning Casual Cyclists into Loyal Members: My Cyclistic Capstone Case Study

Written By Chris Umbanhowar

This month, I wrapped up my Google Analytics Certificate capstone project by diving into Chicago’s Cyclistic bike-share data. As a storyteller, I wanted to understand how casual riders and annual members use the service—and how Cyclistic could convert more of those one-time cyclists into year-round subscribers.

 

The Big Question

How do annual members and casual riders use Cyclistic bikes differently—and what can we do with those insights?

 

Key Findings

  1. Shorter Commutes vs. Long Leisure Rides

    • Members average about 13 minutes per trip, suggesting point-to-point, commute-style usage.

    • Casual riders average 1 hour & 25 minutes, indicating more leisure exploration.

  2. Peak Times Differ

    • Members spike at 7–9 AM and 4–6 PM

    • Casual riders peak 12–4 PM.

  3. Hotspot Stations

    • Between 12 PM–6 PM, casual riders cluster at tourist-friendly stations.

    • Members concentrate around business districts (e.g., Clinton & Madison, Clinton & Washington).

  4. Day-of-Week Patterns

    • Tuesdays and Thursdays are busiest overall—ideal for mid-week membership promotions.

    • Casual ridership surges on Saturdays, while members still ride heavily on Sundays.

 

Strategic Recommendations

  1. Midday “Discover Chicago” Pass

    • Promote a 4-hour bundle or half-day pass at popular leisure stations (Canal & Adams, Michigan & Washington) to convert casual riders exploring the city.

  2. Rush-Hour Commuter Bundles

    • Offer a discounted “5-day commuter” pass for members at business-district stations (Clinton & Madison, Clinton & Washington).

  3. Station-Targeted Messaging

    • Deploy digital signage or in-app notifications at top stations during key time windows (7–9 AM for members; 12–4 PM for casuals) to highlight annual-membership perks (e.g., unlimited rides, reduced per-ride cost).

  4. Weekday Trial Offers

    • Run a “Two-Week Free Trial” email campaign on Tuesdays and Thursdays—when ridership is already high—to nudge casual riders into the membership funnel.

 

Dive Deeper: View the Full Presentation

I’ve packed all my charts, data tables, and step-by-step analysis into a Google Slides deck. Click the link above or below to explore every visualization and insight:

🔗 View the Cyclistic Capstone Presentation

 

Thanks for reading! If you’re curious about data-driven storytelling, let me know!

Chris Umbanhowar