\n<\/p>\n
Marketing executive Jamie Nicole recently tried Helloride for the first time at East Coast Park.<\/span><\/p>\n “I think I’ll continue using shared bikes. They’re more widely available across the country and they’re cheaper as well,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n The 27-year-old acknowledged that bicycle quality could be inconsistent. While the bicycle she rented came with a basket and phone holder, the one her boyfriend used was more worn and lacked those features.<\/span><\/p>\n “But all we had to do was stop and get a new one at the next parking zone we saw. If I rented a bike from a shop and it broke down halfway, I would have to carry it all the way back.”<\/span><\/p>\n Some cyclists continue to support rental shops despite the higher prices. Mr Dan Heng said he still gravitates towards rental bikes at East Coast Park and Pasir Ris Park out of nostalgia, and added that staff can quickly replace a faulty bicycle.<\/span><\/p>\n Anywheel, which operates about 35,000 bicycles islandwide, said it has expanded its fleet in recent years, particularly in residential estates, transport nodes and recreational destinations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Chief executive Htay Aung attributed strong, sustained ridership growth over the past five years to more Singaporeans cycling for commuting and leisure.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe have seen an increasing trend among users employing shared bicycles for long leisure rides, particularly on weekends and public holidays, especially at popular scenic routes at East Coast and Gardens by the Bay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n HelloRide, which operates about 25,000 shared bicycles islandwide, has also seen more riders use its bicycles for recreational trips, errands and work-related journeys, with East Coast Park among its busiest locations, said CEO Hayden Choo.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWith growing infrastructure improvements of park connectors from government agencies, this can only get better,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Another rental shop feeling the pressure is The Bicycle Hut along North Bridge Road, where owner Kamal Ishnin said rental customers have fallen by about 35 per cent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The shop, which has been operating for 14 years, derives about 80 per cent of its revenue from bicycle rentals.<\/span><\/p>\nFINDING NEW REVENUE STREAMS<\/h2>\n