How Bike-Sharing Changed My Life - And Put More Cash In My Pocket

You’ve probably noticed them popping up in the last couple of years or heard the chime of a bell as a dash of green and blue flashed past you. Curiosity gets the better of you as you inspect the “abandoned” machinery strewn across your neighbourhood.

Soon, the people you love become “infected”, discarding their sense of community, and adopting a far more primitive, and sometimes individualistic, mode of transport – one where the vehicle is passed from host to host.

We’re not talking about an apocalypse by any means, but instead, something a lot more positive not only for humanity, but for the Earth – we’re talking about bikes.

For almost half a year now, I’ve been consciously part of the “infected” segment of Singapore’s population, and I can safely say that I’ve never felt better. I mean, how can you ride a bicycle and not look like this:

If you’re not already a pedal-pal, here’s why you should consider making bike-sharing a part of your daily commute and join the cycling hordes.

1. You're saving the planet

It’s no secret that riding a bike leaves a much cleaner carbon footprint compared to gas-reliant transport options. But how much cleaner is it? Well, choosing a bike over a car just once a day reduces the average person's carbon emissions from transportation by 67%, according to research by Oxford University.

2. You're saving yourself

Beyond just being environmentally friendly, you’re also exercising every time you cycle, which, in a way, means you’re saving yourself, too! So, the next time you’re about to take the bus or drive your car from home to the nearest MRT, consider the greener and cleaner option of bike-sharing instead.

SCREENSHOT: ANYWHEEL APP

If you’re using the Anywheel app, and also a huge statistics nerd like me, you can track how much you’ve cycled, the calories you’ve burnt along the way, and how much carbon you’ve saved for the environment.

3. You're potentially saving a ton of time

I say “potentially” because this depends heavily on the pace at which you cycle, as well as the distance you’re cycling. I’m no bemedaled biker, so I’ve not attempted cycling from my home in Pasir Ris to my office in City Hall, but I bet you could potentially save a ton of time cycling to work if you work pretty close to where you stay.

Me personally? I save, on average, two minutes every morning cycling from my home to the MRT station, and an additional three minutes from the MRT station I alight to my office. That’s five minutes every day, which seems trivial, but that’s 1,310 minutes in a work year – enough to watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. TWICE.

Alright, I’m convinced – so which bike-sharing app should I use?

There are currently two major bike-sharing companies – Anywheel and HelloRide – boasting a combined fleet of around 40,000 bicycles in Singapore.

To use their bikes, you just need the app and a payment method – you select a bike from a designated parking spot, and then park the bike at another designated parking spot at your destination.

Both have similar payment models, with a fixed rate based on the duration of use, and a bike pass which allows free trips not exceeding 30 minutes. Here are the rates as at 1 April 2024:

Anywheel:

• Regular bike: $1.00 every 30 mins
• Family bike: $4.00 every 30 mins

Anywheel bike pass (only applicable for regular bikes):

• Free for first 30mins, $1 for every subsequent 30mins
• 7-day pass – $6.90
• 30-day pass – $9.90
• 90-day pass – $26.90

HelloRide:

• Regular bike: $1 for first 30 mins, $0.50 for every subsequent 10 mins
• Family bike: $4.00 every 30 mins

HelloRide bike pass (only applicable for regular bikes):

• Free for first 60mins, $0.50 for every subsequent 10 mins
• 7-day pass: $5.90
• 30-day pass: $9.90
• 90-day pass: $24.90

Both apps have reward & loyalty systems that award you points per ride that you can redeem for various vouchers.

Pro-Tip: Taller folks might want to go for Anywheel. HelloRides’ adjustable seats don’t go up as high as Anywheels’ seats and can make for an uncomfortable ride.

Okay wait, so are bike-sharing bikes hard to find?

You might be thinking, “Well it’s not like having my own personal bike, so can I really rely on bike-sharing?” At times, you might be right. But in the six months since I made the switch to bike-sharing, I’ve managed to find a bike easily most of the time.

Generally, there’s a higher concentration of bikes in residential areas, but they are also a common sight in popular cycling or walking areas such as Esplanade, Marina Bay, and public parks. Both companies often relocate their bikes to “spread the love around”, and the app allows you to suggest spots where you’d prefer to have bikes.

Best practices

Another important part of bike-sharing: Sharing. So, keeping the bikes clean, safe, and parked in the proper locations helps bike-sharing users find these bikes more easily. There’s also something satisfyingly beautiful about seeing these Anywheel bikes parked neatly at a designated bike parking spot. (And oh yeah, whoever has been stealing the seats off these bikes – please stop 😒)

Deciding to commit to a bike-sharing bike pass has saved me a ton of time, and it’s also saved me a bit of money as well. I’ve also realised how easy it is to cycle in Singapore, and I find myself looking to cycle instead of taking the MRT or bus if the distance isn’t too far.

Just try lah! They could very well become part of your lifestyle, like they did mine.

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