oBike was a Singapore-registered stationless
bicycle-sharing system
A bicycle-sharing system, bike share program, public bicycle scheme, or public bike share (PBS) scheme, is a shared transport service where bicycles are available for shared use by individuals at low cost.
The programmes themselves include both ...
started by businessmen
Yi Shi and Edward Chen with operations in several countries. The bikes have a built-in Bluetooth lock and can therefore be left anywhere at the end of a journey, not just at a
docking station
In computing, a docking station, port replicator (hub), or dock provides a simplified way to ''plug-in'' a mobile device, such as connect common peripherals to a laptop, or charge a smartphone. Because a wide range of dockable devices—from mo ...
. Users use a
smartphone
A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multi ...
app to locate and rent bikes. It launched in Singapore in February 2017, and ceased operation on 25 June 2018 in Singapore. Subsequently, the parent company filed for insolvency in its home market. The effect on operations outside of Singapore is unknown.
The firm had expanded to 24 countries including Australia, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom.
The system
The bicycles were single speed with a plastic chainguard, short mudguards on both wheels, front and rear rim brakes, and dynamo electric lights.
To make use of the system, the user had to download the oBike application, register and pay a deposit. The App was used to rent and return the bicycles and users were charged by 15 or 30 minutes, with payment charged to their Credit/Debit card. To ride bikes, users needed to have an internet connection and
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...
enabled on their mobile device to enable unlocking of their desired oBike, which was done by scanning the
QR code or entering the corresponding bicycle number. If successful, the lock on the rear wheel opened automatically. Once users finished with their ride, they needed to manually lock and leave the bike in any parking spot to be ready for the next user. At the time of locking the bike, the user must again ensure they had a Bluetooth and an internet connection, in order for the oBike system to record the end of the ride and correctly calculate the hire charge. If violations were reported, a credit system penalized the corresponding user after a certain number of times, and in extreme cases, the user could be suspended from the platform. At the beginning of 2018 oBike entered into a partnership with ''TRON''. In addition customers of oBike could use the app to pay with a
Cryptocurrency
A cryptocurrency (colloquially crypto) is a digital currency designed to work through a computer network that is not reliant on any central authority, such as a government or bank, to uphold or maintain it.
Individual coin ownership record ...
called ″oCoin″ which the company planned to offer.
Areas serviced
Asia
Singapore
When oBike first started its operations in
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
in 2017, 1,000 oBike bicycles were rolled out across the city. One month later, the Singapore
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a Statutory boards of the Singapore Government, statutory board under the Ministry of Transport (Singapore), Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
History Incorporation
The Land Transport Au ...
rolled out bicycle parking zones in seven areas and in April, the company officially launched.
Tampines
Tampines ( or ) is the Regional centre (Singapore), regional centre of the East Region, Singapore, East Region of Singapore. With a population of 284,560 living across its five subzones as of 2024, it is the most populous Planning Areas of Sin ...
Town Council was their partner for the Ride and Roll programme.
On 25 June 2018, oBike announced that they were exiting the Singaporean market as they are unable to meet new legislation addressing indiscriminate parking of bikes. Under the new rules set by the Land Transport Authority, operators will have to pay a S$30 licensing fee and a S$30 security deposit for every bicycle they deploy and a S$1,500 one-time application fee.
Malaysia
Launched in the Federal Territory of
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
. oBike is appointed as the KL2017 official green initiative partner, they were glad to be part of the biggest sporting event in the Southeast Asia region by providing bicycles all around KL2017 venues in Klang Valley in a bid to encourage people to preserve the environment.
Korea
Launched in
Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
in early 2017.
Thailand
Launched in Bangkok in July 2017.
Hong Kong
oBike launched in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
on 15 September 2017, with 1,000 bikes available in
Tung Chung
Tung Chung ( " eastern stream") is an area on the northwestern coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. One of the most recent new towns, it was formerly a rural fishing village beside Tung Chung Bay, and along the delta and lower courses of Tung C ...
,
Yuen Long
Yuen Long is a town in the western New Territories, Hong Kong. To its west lie Hung Shui Kiu (), Tin Shui Wai, Lau Fau Shan and Ha Tsuen, to the south Shap Pat Heung and Tai Tong, to the east Au Tau and Kam Tin (), and to the north Nam Sang Wa ...
,
Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun () or Castle Peak is an area near the mouth of Tuen Mun River and Castle Peak Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It was one of the earliest settlements in what is now Hong Kong and can be dated to the Neolithic period. In the mo ...
and
Tseung Kwan O
Tseung Kwan O New Town, commonly known as Tseung Kwan O ( zh, t=將軍澳新市鎮, j=Zoeng1 gwan1 ou3 san1 si5 zan3), is one of the nine New towns of Hong Kong, new towns in Hong Kong, built mainly on Land reclamation in Hong Kong, reclaimed ...
,
becoming the third operator provides bike-sharing service in Hong Kong. Bike hire in Hong Kong area is HK$3 for 15 minutes, with a HK$350 deposit being required.
Taiwan
oBike’s
Bicycle-sharing system
A bicycle-sharing system, bike share program, public bicycle scheme, or public bike share (PBS) scheme, is a shared transport service where bicycles are available for shared use by individuals at low cost.
The programmes themselves include both ...
began operations in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
during April 2017 under the management of Taiwan's
Aozhi Network Technology Co., Ltd. As of 20 June 2017, oBike has set up shop in the cities of
Keelung
Keelung ( ; zh, p=Jīlóng, c=基隆, poj=Ke-lâng), Chilung or Jilong ( ; ), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port city in northeastern Taiwan. The city is part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area with neighboring New Ta ...
,
New Taipei
New Taipei City is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality located in regions of Taiwan, northern Taiwan. The city is home to an estimated population of 4,004,367 as of January 2023, making it the most populous city in Taiwan, a ...
,
Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
,
Hsinchu
Hsinchu (, ), officially Hsinchu City, is a city located in northwestern Taiwan. It is the most populous city in Taiwan that is not a special municipality, with estimated 450,655 inhabitants. Hsinchu is a coastal city bordering the Taiwan ...
,
Tainan
Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in southern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and commonly called the "Taiwan Prefecture, ...
and
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.73 million p ...
as well as the counties of
Nantou,
Yilan
Yilan may refer to:
China
* Yilan County, Heilongjiang (依兰县), county of central Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China
* Yilan Town, Heilongjiang (依兰镇), seat of Yilan County
* Yilan, Jilin (依兰镇), town in Yanji
Taiwan ...
,
Hualien and
Taitung.
oBike's managing company in Taiwan, Aozhi Network Technology, stopped oBike's activities in Taiwan in June 2018 and actually owe 18.57 million Taiwan dollars only in impound and custody fees.
Australia
oBike launched in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
in June 2017. At the end of August 2017 the
Melbourne City Council
The City of Melbourne is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. In 2021, the city has an area of and had a population of 149,615. The city's motto is "''vires acquirit eundo''" which ...
began impounding the bikes, declaring them
visual pollution
The visual system is the physiological basis of visual perception (the ability to detect and process light). The system detects, transduces and interprets information concerning light within the visible range to construct an image and buil ...
after they were found on a raft in Albert Park Lake, up trees, on railway tracks, and on top of toilet blocks. Lord Mayor Robert Doyle described them as "urban clutter" but did not take any action in regards to banning them. oBikes were found submerged in the Yarra River. Filmmaker Tommy Jackett released a video on social media "Fishing For O Bikes In The Yarra River". The short video highlighted the frustrations faced by oBike users; attempting to ride bikes with excessive marine growth - primarily
Mussels
Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, whic ...
. oBike was later requested to hire external contractors by
Parks Victoria
Parks Victoria is a government agency of the state of Victoria, Australia.
Parks Victoria was established in December 1996 as a statutory authority, reporting to the Victorian Minister for Environment. The ''Parks Victoria Act 2018'' updates ...
to recover the bikes. The month of September saw more than 40 bikes being removed from the river. In August 2017, oBike launched in Sydney. By October 2017, there were similar complaints of oBikes being left in trees, parks and other public places. oBike announced it would cease operations in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
after the
city council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
was given the right to fine the company $3,000 every time it failed to comply with tighter regulations from the
Victorian
Victorian or Victorians may refer to:
19th century
* Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign
** Victorian architecture
** Victorian house
** Victorian decorative arts
** Victorian fashion
** Victorian literatur ...
Environment Protection Authority.
oBike also operated in
Adelaide
Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
(ceased),
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
,
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
,
[ and The Gold Coast, but current status of these operations is unknown.
]
Europe
Austria
oBikes were introduced in Vienna on 17 August 2017. Bike hire cost €1 for 30 minutes. On 1 August 2018, Viennese authorities effectively banned oBikes. It was reported that 780 bikes had been seized, representing virtually all such bikes in the Austrian capital.
Belgium
oBike started its service on 22 September 2017 in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
. The bike hire is €1/30 minutes. As of June 2018, there are few bikes left around the city and it doesn't seem possible to rent them using the app. The company is also not responding to queries.
Germany
oBike launched in Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
on 24 August 2017 and Hanover
Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
on 15 November 2017. They had to withdraw 6000 bikes from Munich already. Bike hire is €1/30 minutes with a €79 deposit (€29 for students). The sale of oBikes was banned by the state of Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein (; ; ; ; ; occasionally in English ''Sleswick-Holsatia'') is the Northern Germany, northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical Duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of S ...
in September 2018.
Italy
oBike launched in Turin
Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
on 17 November 2017. The bike hire is €0.50/30 minutes after the initial free trial period ended on 31 December 2017 and a brief period at €0.30/30 minutes. oBike was also available in municipalities I and II of Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
as of March 2018. The bike hire is €0.50/30 minutes. oBike left the city of Rome due to vandalism reasons.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is oBike's first European market. It officially launched in Rotterdam in June 2017 and Amsterdam in July 2017, and was banned from Amsterdam in October 2017. Bike hire is €0.25 per 15 minutes with a €79 deposit (€49 for students).
Portugal
oBike launched in Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
in February 2017 with 350 bikes at a cost of €0.50 per 30 minutes of bike rental.
Spain
oBike launched in Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
in September 2017, operated by oBike Spain, SL.
Sweden
oBike launched in Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
on 15 November 2017. The bike hire cost 10 SEK per 30 minutes after the initial free winter trial period.
Switzerland
oBike launched in Zürich
Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
in July 2017, operated by oBike Swiss Ltd. It originally deployed approximately 350 bikes and soon after increased to 900. Bike hire is CHF 1.50 for 30 minutes with a CHF 129 deposit. Meanwhile oBike has stopped its service in Switzerland.
United Kingdom
In July 2017, oBike launched in London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
with 400 bikes. Bike hire was 50p for 30 minutes with a £49 deposit. oBike's operations in London were put on hiatus at the end of 2017
Controversy
Australia
After oBike has announced it ceased operations in Melbourne, there were reports of many users being unable to get their deposits back, or having their deposits unwillingly converted to VIP subscriptions. Furthermore, the app was redesigned to prevent people from requesting refunds.
Malaysia
In March 2019, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall authorities announced a strict ultimatum for the oBike company owners to claim the thousands of abandoned oBike bicycles by mid-April that is currently piled up in a depot or otherwise be destroyed or turned to scrap. It is believed that the oBike Malaysia company has shut down its operations; and are uncontactable by the media or authorities.
Complaints include that the bikes were not sturdy, poorly maintained and had no parking facilities. Bikes collected by the authorities were found in every nook and cranny of the city including the river, back alleys and clogging drains.
Singapore
In 2018, after oBike shut down operations in Singapore, its bicycles are left abandoned on the streets. On 28 June, 2018 the Land Transport Authority instructed the company to remove the bikes by 4 July or they will be charged for the towing and storage service. oBike's provisional liquidator, FTI Consulting, subsequently removed the bicycles as part of their commitments to Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a Statutory boards of the Singapore Government, statutory board under the Ministry of Transport (Singapore), Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
History Incorporation
The Land Transport Au ...
remove them. On The Consumers Association of Singapore also told customers to keep proof of debt while the company assets are liquidated. oBike chairman Yi Shi told Lianhe Zaobao
''Nanyang Sin-Chew Lianhe Zaobao'', commonly abbreviated as ''Lianhe Zaobao'', is the largest Singaporean Chinese-language newspaper with a daily circulation of about 136,900 (print and digital) as of 2021. Published by SPH Media (formerly ...
that he is willing to use his shares to bear the cost of refunding users' deposit. He also said that the company's ability to refund users will be affected if the Land Transport Authority imposed fines on them, implying that the deposits which are to be refunded will be used to pay off the fines instead.
Users with $19/$49 deposits were unable to gain a refund via the Obike app after they removed the refund button with an app update. Contacts through other means were ignored as well.
Before oBike withdrew from Singapore, it transferred the deposits owed to the Singapore users to its sister company, oBike Hong Kong. oBike was then investigated for misappropriation of funds and was deemed not to have committed any offence in September 2021.
Taiwan
Bicycles parking in car parking spots
oBike bicycles parking in normal automobile parking caused public complaints. The Keelung City Government
The Keelung City Government (KLCG; ) is the municipal government of Keelung, Taiwan.
Organization
* Chief Secretary
* Department of Civil Affairs
* Department of Finance
* Department of Economic Affairs
* Department of Education
* Department ...
, Taipei City Government
The Taipei City Government is the municipal government of Taipei.
History
Taipei was known as Taihoku during Japan's rule of Taiwan, which started in 1895. Initially, the city was directly controlled by the Governor-General of Taiwan. In ...
and Yilan County Government have since stated that bicycles can legally park in automobile spots. On 7 July 2017 the New Taipei City Government Transportation Department announced a ban on rental bicycles parking in automobile spots in the districts of Sanchong, Tucheng
Tucheng District () is a district in the southwestern part of New Taipei City, Taiwan.
History
On 26 June 1993, Tucheng was upgraded from rural township to a county-administered city within Taipei County. On 25 December 2010, Taipei County w ...
, Zhonghe and 11 other districts
A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...
as well as bicycle parking spots around MRT stations, train stations and other public transportation areas.
Other
In April 2017 during its trial period, several instances of parking violations in Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
; The Taipei City Government
The Taipei City Government is the municipal government of Taipei.
History
Taipei was known as Taihoku during Japan's rule of Taiwan, which started in 1895. Initially, the city was directly controlled by the Governor-General of Taiwan. In ...
Transportation Department required oBike to reach an agreement with the city before continuing operations.
In May 2017, in the county of Taitung, the Taitung Police Department discovered many people parking illegally; in the county of Hualien, oBike bicycles were parked on the sidewalk in front of the Yuli Train Station, inciting complaints from the public; in the city of Tainan, the government made oBike undergo an audit before continuing operations; in the county of Yilian, oBike bicycles were parked on pedestrian walkways and in automobile parking spots. Jiang Congyuan, the mayor of Yilian, stated that if the company does not control this, they will begin confiscating the bicycles. On 31 May, the city of Yilian confiscated 34 illegally parked bicycles.
Germany
In March 2018, oBike announced the withdrawal of the majority of bikes from Munich. The city accused the firm of making mistakes in the rollout of the service which left bikes vandalised and obstructing the city. 12,000 oBikes already sold in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein will have to be called back after the state ministry for consumer protection banned their sale in September 2018. The reason for the ban was a lack of roadworthiness because of poor brake performance.
Portugal
One month later, oBike ceased its services in Lisbon due to alleged abusive occupation of space within the city and lack of a municipal license to operate.
Switzerland
In June 2018, oBike announced the withdrawal of its bike fleet from Zurich. According to news reports, the low quality of the bikes, vandalism, the aggressive initial roll-out and controversies about the company's data collection and privacy policy forced oBike to withdraw all of its bikes. By November 2017, the company had stopped paying the local delivery and service companies which were hired to maintain the local bike fleet.
United Kingdom
In Hammersmith and Fulham the local authority placed obstruction notices on some oBikes parked on the public highway or "littering" the city.
See also
* Bicycle-sharing system
A bicycle-sharing system, bike share program, public bicycle scheme, or public bike share (PBS) scheme, is a shared transport service where bicycles are available for shared use by individuals at low cost.
The programmes themselves include both ...
* List of bicycle-sharing systems
This is a list of bicycle-sharing systems, both docked and dockless. As of December 2016, roughly 1,000 cities worldwide have bike-sharing programs.[Mobike
Mobike ( zh, s=摩拜单车, p=mó bài dān chē), also known as Meituanbike, founded by Beijing Mobike Technology Co., Ltd. ( zh, s=北京摩拜科技有限公司), is a fully station-less bicycle-sharing system headquartered in Beijing, Chi ...]
* Ofo
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obike
Bicycle sharing companies
Transport companies of Singapore
Community bicycle programs
Mobile software
Defunct bicycle sharing companies