By Kushtrim Gojani
Fall 2019 Newsletter

Getting there …

Since the beginning of the partnership with Pedals for Progress in early 2018, GoBike LLC from Kosovo has had a second successful summer of bike sales. The summer season opened in March 2019, and closed for the autumn/winter in October 2019 due to temperature drops. GoBike, as a young start-up, continues to work on building its image and reputation as the bike place in Kosovo’s capital, Prishtina.

As a country of around 2 million inhabitants, Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe. More than 65% of the population are younger than 30 years old, whilst internet penetration rate is 88.8%. Taking advantage of this fact, GoBike’s marketing strategy was entirely reliant on social media. The benefit of this approach is also that social media is free, a key factor for GoBike at its early stage of existence. GoBike now numbers 1200 followers on Facebook, and 3800 on Instagram, two platforms where most customers hear about GoBike.

Whilst in the first season in 2018 GoBike was concentrated on sales, this season, in 2019, GoBike worked hard to build bike-renting services, and put bikes to good use to people and to the environment.

Cycling Schools

As Prishtina is often one of world’s most polluted cities — due to dense traffic and 100% reliance on coal-produced electricity — encouraging people to cycle is vital for the environment. To this end, since June 2019, GoBike teamed up with a local youth non-governmental organization AYA ‘Pjetër Bogdani’ to organize Cycling Schools and teach people how to ride a bike. Cycling Schools were quite popular. One can never have enough of such events, as the demand was high, particularly amongst children.

Cycling Schools operated in downtown Pristina and were free of charge. Whilst our teams helped every interested person balance and pedal, we gave particular attention to little girls, for whom parents often neglect this important milestone in their lives — learning to ride a bicycle, be free, and grow their independence. GoBike can only hope that through these activities we can contribute to growing the cycling community of Pristina; help young girls and boys grow independent; provide a cycling experience to the adults who have never experienced cycling before; and reduce carbon emissions by promoting cycling as a more sustainable way of transport.

Cycling Champion

Anel is a customer GoBike will never forget. Indeed, he will never forget GoBike either, as GoBike is now firmly part of his life’s story.

Anel is 4 years old. When he walked into the GoBike shop with his father in late March 2019 to purchase a bike, he had never cycled without the aid of side wheels. However, with the grit and determination of a child, he chose a bike he liked that had no side wheels. He knew what he was doing. He hopped on it, started pedaling and wobbling, but feeling confident by the presence and help of his father. He did a few rounds with assistance, asked to be released, carried on pedaling, and did not stop cycling the whole summer. His happy face is the best reward for GoBike.