GoBee Bike, Hong Kong’s first cashless and station-free bike sharing service, operates via a smartphone app that allows users to locate a bike, unlock it and ride it to the destination of their choice.

Writer: Travis Poulin

French entrepreneur Raphael Cohen launched GoBee Bike. The Hong Kong-based company has revolutionized bike sharing stations and is  Hong Kong’s first cashless and station-free bike sharing service that aims to solve short-distance commuting problems commonly experienced in large cities. The company aims to integrate fitness and leisure into the busy urban lifestyle while reducing congestion and the city’s carbon footprint.

GoBee bikes are accessible via a smartphone app – Gobee.bike – that allows users to locate a bike, unlock it and ride it to any destination of their choice.

GoBee’s bikes sport an easy-to-identify bright green color, and each bike is equipped with a basket, a solar-powered GPS smart lock and smart light system for night rides and an integrated alarm system to prevent theft. The locks are opened by scanning the QR code located on the bike.

To rent a bike, users log into the mobile app – available in the App Store and on Google Play – register their credit card and locate the nearest bicycle. GoBee is currently working on alternative forms of payment for those without credit cards. Users create an account using their mobile phone number, and accounts will soon be linked to Facebook and Google accounts.

GoBee bikes can be parked at any time, anywhere. Once the bike is locked, the system automatically stops charging the user and the total usage time and price will be shown in the app.

“Currently, there are limited transport options to address the short distance travel problem faced by city dwellers,” said a company representative. “By introducing the simple bicycle in dense cities, people can now complete short trips affordably and conveniently without the need to own and store a bicycle. At the same time, by promoting cycling as a transport option, GoBee Bike is introducing incidental exercise into the lifestyles of urban dwellers and reducing carbon emissions, thereby fostering a healthier lifestyle and better quality of life for everyone.”

Lead photo French entrepreneur Raphael Cohen.  All photos courtesy GoBee Bikes