The idea of using an app on a mobile phone to access a bike would have been pretty mind boggling in 1965. After-all, the first mobile phone was still almost a decade away from being made.

Back then a group of people painted a fleet of bikes white and left them across Amsterdam for anyone to use and leave behind for the next person.
The bike-share concept has come a long way since beginning all those years ago and it has now arrived in Perth’s north.

Our app-activated bike-share network was officially launched in Joondalup on Monday. We are so excited to have our innovative, sustainable system up and running. It was great to see so many people making the most of pedal power and having a go on our bikes. The launch marks the start of the one year trial we are running for the City of Joondalup. Not only did we have Deputy Premier Roger Cook and Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard with us for the event but loads of people who live, work or study in the area came along to give our urbi bikes a go.

The event also marked the start of a relationship with the Edith Cowan University Student Guild which offers students at the uni, special discounted rates when using urbi. It was on college campuses in the 1990s that the bike-share concept really gained ground, so it was fitting that the beginning of urbi’s first bike-share network was marked at ECU.

We are looking forward to expanding the network, by adding to the existing eight bike stations already operating and can’t wait to see how it helps connect people to not only the places they are going but to their community.

Check out our Facebook page to see all the fun from the launch event.