Singapore operator oBike rides into Hong Kong with 1,000 shared bicycles
First overseas player to intensify competition in city’s bike-sharing market
Singapore-based bicycle-sharing operator oBike rode into Hong Kong on Friday with 1,000 bikes ready to go across the suburban New Territories and Lantau Island.
It is the first overseas player to tackle the nascent bike-sharing business in the city, and intensifies local competition as the largest operator in Southeast Asia.
In response, home-grown brand Hoba Bike vowed to increase the number of its shared bikes from 100 to 5,000 in the next three months, while Gobee.bike, the first entrant to the Hong Kong market, said it would focus on improving service quality and brand awareness.
“With an extensive 270km of cycling lanes, I am confident cyclists in Hong Kong will embrace this bike-sharing scheme and utilise our services as part of their daily routine,” said Edward Chen, co-founder of oBike.
“We believe the competition is healthy and will drive better service.”