Rise of the Bike-sharing Phenomenon

With mobile technology now invading just about every aspect of our lives, it should come as little surprise that bike-sharing, which has been a thing since the 60s, is now available via apps. Dockless bicycle sharing has been in Singapore since last year with moderate success. Today, no less than six different companies vie for their share of the consumer pie.

Basically, you download the appropriate app on your mobile phone, tie your credit card account to it, and use the scanner function in the app (Bluetooth required) to unlock the bike.

The timer starts, and does not stop until you park and lock the bike.

Here's the low-down on the bike-sharing phenomenon...

Conveniently available.

The Good

Generally cheap. Upon signing up, most bike-sharing operators will give you some sort of special trial period offer. Competition is intense on this tiny island.

Perks for responsible use. Parking the bicycle in an approved spot or reporting damaged bikes nets you credit. This credit may offset the cost of your next bike-share.

Convenience. Being able to get from Point A to Point B is a perk that just cannot be understated. If I fall asleep on the bus and miss my stop, having a bicycle at my disposal will ensure I still make it to the office on time. Being able to use a bicycle without the hassle of actual ownership, is great.

Mobile-enabled. Having these services available via mobile is a huge step in the right direction. Yes, I'm aware this started way before last year, but still...

Anyone feel like riding
on this rustbucket?

The Bad

Uneven distribution. If you only use one bike-share app, finding an appropriate bike for your use from that one operator, is a bit of a crapshoot. Certain bikes from certain vendors are simply more plentiful at certain places.

Damaged bikes. There have been times when I found a bike, and the handlebars came off in my hand. Or those whose brakes have been shot to hell. Or those that have been out in the rain so long, the frame has corroded and riding on them is pretty much taking your life in your grubby little hands.

Finding a good fit. The bikes cater to the average build. If you're exceptionally fat, tall or lightweight, there just aren't that many bikes you can simply pick up and ride without a certain amount of discomfort.

Language. Some of the apps are almost incomprehensible. Ofo, for instance, comes from China and the English they use in their app... horrible does not begin to describe it.

Randomly dumped.

The Downright Ugly

Bike-hogging. I've seen these bikes being parked outside someone's front door, as if they own them. Worse - I've actually seen personal bicycle locks on the wheels of these bikes.

Dumping. Some people just toss the bikes when they're done. In the drain, in the grass, in the middle of the road... seriously, guys?

Vandalism. I can understand wear and tear. I can understand a few knocks here and there. What I can't condone is the seat of a bike being knifed, or your initials being scraped into the body. Or pedals missing. That's just being a douche.

Operator names. Can I just say that the names of the operators are really terrible? Firstly, they have very similar names to each other. And then there's Ofo, which rhymes with the short-form for an impolite term describing an incestuous dude. And then there's GBikes. When you say it fast, it sounds like a Hokkien expletive. The only possible exception is Baicycle, which is a pun on the Chinese word for "white". And damn, I love puns. The lamer, the better.

The Future

Bike-sharing's here to stay, that's for sure. However, with the rising costs of a bike-share, along with up-front payment implemented by many vendors, casual users are being put off, while serious users will probably buy their own. Kind of like the rising costs of ride-sharing - it was a good thing while it lasted.

Singapore's a tiny island, and over time it's my belief that one or two operators will trump the rest. There's just not enough space for that many bike-sharing operators here. Something has to give, eventually.

You don't GBike!
T___T