Hong Kong bikesharing firm quits Florence, Italy

FLORENCE, ITALY – Hong Kong-based bikesharing Gobee bike has decided to quit Italy after suffering too many cases of vandalism, the company said.

The company has been operating for a few months in Rome, Florence and Turin. It also said it was quitting the rest of Europe, for the same reason.

“Some 60% of our bike fleet has been vandalised in two months,” it said.

But bikesharing in Florence is a huge success. In The capital city of Tuscany registers an average of 10.000 bike rentals per day. Mobike, the bike sharing service, to get around in Florence, Bagno a Ripoli, Scandicci and Sesto Fiorentino, is very popular for residents and tourists.

Gobee bike will be replaced by OFO, another giant company in bikesharing, active in Italy in Milan.