By Joey Aguilar
Staff Reporter
The ‘Cycle in Aspire’ rent-a-bike scheme at Aspire Zone is becoming popular with both children and adults, with a significant increase seen in the number of users since its launch in October.
A supervisor told Gulf Times that from an average of 200, they now receive more than 300 bikers during the weekend, from 12pm to 9pm.
While the number drops to an average of 50 during the weekdays, he said it is expected to rise in the coming days as the weather becomes cooler.
“Cycling is safe and it’s a good exercise,” he said, adding that they always urge users to use helmets and other safety gear. Staff also teach and accompany beginners, especially children.
“The only problem is that some children do not want to use helmets and when we insist, their parents get mad at us,” he explained.
Besides wearing helmets, some of the safety reminders include checking the brakes and tyres first, giving way to pedestrians, sticking to designated areas open to cycling and avoiding areas used by vehicles, among others.
The initiative has also attracted adults who often ride around the newly-opened 5km cycling lane at Aspire.
The Cycle in Aspire area is located at the end of the road between Villaggio and Hyatt Plaza, near the children’s playground and outdoor football pitches.
Although they intend to bring more bikes, the supervisor said the initial 120 units can service the existing number of users at the moment. “We also try to maintain the bicycles well to keep everyone safe and away from injury,” he added. The operator of the rent-a-bike scheme charges QR20 per hour and an additional QR5 for every additional hour.
A Filipino couple who regularly use the bikes at Aspire told Gulf Times that cycling is “an enjoyable way to prevent diabetes”.
“People like us find this kind of hobby appealing because you can go to places while reaping the benefit of doing exercise,” said one of them.
