Article about nextbike Cyprus posted in Bahrain News Agency

Talal Ahmed Almahmood and Nawara Fattahova reported on Bahrain News Agency about their experience of using nextbike bike sharing network in Limassol. Read the article below from the Bahrain News Agency:

In Cyprus Limassol, cyclists find joy in pedaling

Limassol, May 21 (BNA): With the soft sun on her face, the breeze in her hair, music in her ears and peace within her, Nawara was pedaling in total freedom.

She had no worry now that she was able to avoid the tentacles of the vehicles on the highway and was cruising on the well-manicured promenade of Limassol, the second largest city of Cyprus.

She was on her second visit to the eastern Mediterranean island, but this time, she was actually enjoying beautiful sights that she could not have appreciated if she was driving or being driven along the busy motorways.

As she was cruising on the bike path on the promenade, the Kuwaiti journalist offered a silent prayer and deep thanks to the Cyprus Tourism Organisation for organizing the tour for Gulf media and giving them the opportunity to discover how beautiful the modern resort of Limassol, sprawling below the Troodos Mountains, was.

Riding the friendly bike personally selected for her by Neofytos Ioannou, the manager of Nextbike in Limassol, she understood how the concept of bike rental stations was important in exploring the city and its assets and contours, and in appreciating its charm and beauty.

She was moving at a pace that was faster than normal walking, but slow enough to take in the smell of the roses and food on the promenade, the sounds of the gentle waves lapping at the shore, and the sights of the clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the rising towers interlaced with old buildings on the other.

For Nawara, riding the bike meant a better and deeper knowledge and appreciation of the city and a better discovery of its features since everything seemed to come to life more vividly.

She was not the only one.

“More and more people enjoy riding our bikes in the city,” Ioannou said. “We have 22 rental stations and 172 bikes in Limassol. We also have bike rental for groups, which means that companies and groups can rent five, ten or 50 bikes for outings, along with the services of transport and maintenance.”

The boost for bike riders in the city occurred when Ioannou launched the rental stations through the international Nextbike franchise.

He had just returned from England, and finding a job in electrical engineering, his favourite field, proved dauntingly challenging.

As he was not the type to give up or lament, he sought out a new opportunity and drawing on his profound love for bikes, he opted for the Nextbike franchise. A success story was launched in Limassol in 2012 and the 20,000 registered customers today are an outstanding testimony to its achievements in four years. The partnership with ForexTime (FXTM) as a regular sponsor has also been crucial.

Under the scheme, a cyclist can rent a bike for anything between one hour and one month, individually or for a group.

Companies keen on team building are increasingly resorting to Ioannou and his team to achieve their goals. And so are guided tours and people eager to participate in the steadily successful Friday night rides.

For the riders, mainly locals, but also from several countries, ranging from Russia to the Arabian Gulf, the ease of use and the low cost of the rentals are a major factor in the success story.

Nawara was grateful everything was working fine for the company since she had the opportunity during her short stay in the city to enjoy a ride on the bike alongside the limpid waters of the sea that could not be missed.

Perched on her black bike and wearing a large smile under her oversized glasses giving her a mysterious, movie-star look, Nawara was pedaling her way on the land of Aphrodite, as people were sauntering, jogging or relaxing by the tranquil sea.

As she approached the finish line, she could see Dena, the ever-smiling Limassol-based tourist guide, waiting for her to start the Troodos Mountains adventure.

See the post from BNA here!!!