Photo by Glyn Lowe Photos

It was big news last week when Citibank offered up $41 million to brand New York’s nascent bike-sharing system. Not only will the sponsorship offer the new system much-needed operating cash, but it will also allow Citbank to paint the system’s 10,000 bikes blue for five years.

In January, our own iconic Capital Bikeshare bikes became focus of similar discussions—according to the Huffington Post, D.C. officials are floating a number of sponsorship, branding and advertising opportunities to help cover the costs associated with running the popular and ever-expanding bike-sharing network. (Next stations? Near the U.S. Capitol.)

That, of course, got us to thinking. Should it ever come to pass, who could step up to be a title sponsor for Capital Bikeshare?

Capital (One) Bikeshare: If Citibank got New York, Capital One could get D.C. Not only does the name work perfectly, but there’s even a local connection—Capital One purchased Chevy Chase Bank in 2008. Alternatively, Wells Fargo could always step in and brand the system’s 1,100 bikes “Wheels Fargo.”

One City Cycles: Mayor Vince Gray isn’t shy about slapping his “One City” brand on anything that doesn’t move, so how about something that does? D.C. already pays for Capital Bikeshare as it is, so the naming rights are basically his anyways. Fringe benefit: D.C. could find a way to allow the bikes to issue tickets to users who run red lights, ride the wrong way down one-way streets, etc. More revenue!

Boeing B-45 Nighthawk Bicycle: Defense contractors are an integral part of Washington’s identity (for better and for worse), and there’s no better way to show off new and emerging technologies (with cool-sounding names to boot!) than on a fully-branded and upgraded bikeshare bike. Drone bikes? Yes, please!

Busboys and Bicycles: Who doesn’t love Andy Shallal’s ever-growing Busboys and Poets restaurant empire? Not only has he opened four area locations—two in D.C., one in Maryland and one in Virginia, with more always rumored—but the stores within them donate part of their proceeds to good causes. Not only could Shallal jump in with the urbanist crowd, but he could cluster Bikeshare stations around his restaurants. Alternatively, how about Ben’s Chili Cycle?

No Cycling Without Representation: An enduring reality of being a D.C. resident is that you’re a vote-less second-class citizen. If D.C. voting rights advocacy organization DC Vote can rustle up the money, they shouldn’t only brand the Bikeshare bikes, but take a wheel off of every bike in the fleet. What better way to demonstrate how frustratingly slow progress towards democratic rights is than that? Alternatively, the NRA or National Right to Life Committee could step up with big money, given how often they push for more guns and fewer abortions in D.C.

CyclingSocial: LivingSocial is a D.C. company, and Gray has even proposed giving it some generous tax breaks to keep it in town. Why not ask it to put some money up to brand Capital Bikeshare? D.C. could even entice it with full naming rights for half the going rate. What a deal! (But it’s only available until Wednesday.)

What famous D.C. personality or company do you think would be a good fit for Capital Bikeshare?