HELLO BIKE
COMING SOON:
HELLO BIKE! The first smart bike-sharing system in Amsterdam is set to make its début in and around Zuidas in April. In the course of the first three months, Hello Bike will start out with 125 bikes, after which the 'fleet' will be expanded to 500 bikes. Hello Zuidas talked with the The Bikevertising Company’s founders to learn more.
RALPH ATIYA, TIJMEN DE VRIES & THOMAS DE GRAAF
GREEN, HEALTHY AND CHEAP
HELLO BIKE: A LOGICAL STEP
‘We started out with the idea that mobility
Tijmen de Vries, one of Bikevertising’s
De Vries, Atiya and De Graaf started their first
could be better and cheaper. By combining
co-founders, explains, ‘What sets the
bike-sharing company, called Student-Bike,
marketing and mobility in our brand Student-
Hello Bike system apart from others, is that
a year ago. Company CEO Ralph Atiya explains,
Bike, we proved that it’s possible to supply
users only need to download the app and
‘This is a platform that allows students in
students with free bikes. Now, with Hello
they’re good to go. What's more, there's no
Amsterdam to use bikes bearing advertising
Bike, we want to deploy the same strategy.
need to return the bike to the place you got
billboards for free. We realized that this
And ultimately our aim is to offer optimized
it from – just bring it to whichever dropzone
mutually reinforcing match between mobility
mobility to the rest of the Netherlands!’
is most convenient for you.' His co-founder
and marketing could also be used in other ways.
Thomas de Graaf adds, ‘Aside from being
Considering what we’d learned about the biking
green and healthy, Hello Bike is also the
world and emerging bike technologies,
limited to those travelling to, from and
most affordable way to get from A to B.
Hello Bike seemed like a logical next step to us.’
around Zuidas. Bikes will also be avail-
For now, the range of Hello Bike is still
able from docks at Amsterdam RAI, VU
You can grab a bike for as little as 1 euro per hour or 4 euros per day. The rate is so low
PHILOSOPHY
and Gelderlandplein, facilitating better
because the system is financed by various
When asked about the philosophy behind
overall mobility in and around Zuidas.
alternating sponsors!’
their initiative, the gentlemen explain,
Text Romy Lange • Photography Davien Hulsman
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