Baiskeli Centre- where you can rent a bicycle, commute to work and shower afterwards

Briefly introduce yourself                         

My name is Victor Gitau, a graduate quantity surveyor and a cycling enthusiast. I am the founder of Baiskeli Centre, Nairobi’s first bicycle parking facility. The facility is equipped with hot showers and safe lockers to store belongings. Commuting cyclists can park their bikes and take a quick shower before proceeding to their workstations. We also have an in-house bike mechanic who services and repairs bicycles. We sell bikes and bike accessories. Baiskeli Centre is a one-stop-shop for everything cycling. We are located on Kipande Road, next to the Globe Cinema Roundabout.

What motivated you to venture into this business? And what were you doing before?

Before opening Baiskeli Centre, I was working in the CBD. The offices where I worked did not have shower facilities and I was always worried about the safety of my bike. I used to - and I still do - commute daily using a bike. That is when I saw the opportunity to open a bike parking facility, with showers where people could freshen up before heading to work. I believe cycling will be more popular in the coming years and more people will opt to use bicycles to commute if the right non-motorised infrastructure is put in place. All we need are designated cycling lanes.

Take us through your entrepreneurship journey. How long did it take you to get your first client?

I identified a convenient location around May last year, which took me two months to fully renovate. By August, it was fully operational. So far, it has been a good experience and more people are using the facility. However, I cannot say that the facility is fully sustainable on its own as it does not generate enough money to cover operational costs. The facility can hold 100 bicycles at any given time. We charge Sh100 for bike parking and one personal locker. Those who want to take a hot shower pay an additional Sh50. We also offer overnight parking for Sh100.

How much did you use to start this business and how many employees do you have?

I spent slightly more than Sh2 million to start off. I currently have two employees.

What problem is your business trying to solve?

Traffic: There is a lot of traffic in the Nairobi CBD and by using a bike, you can move from point A to B much faster.

Pollution: Using a bike to commute reduces pollution to the environment.

Health: Studies have shown that people who cycle regularly for even short distances are likely to be much healthier, and more productive at work.

What are some of the challenges you are facing?

Infrastructure is one of them. Many people want to commute using bikes but there are no safe/designated cycling lanes on most roads. There is a potential risk when you have to cycle on the same road motorists are using. Government agencies dealing with transport need to have cyclists in mind when designing roads.

 How do you get clients?

We advertise the facility through our social media platforms and also through various cycling groups.

What do you think the government can do to solve the challenge of the shortage of bicycle parking?

The government needs to invest in secure bike parking facilities in different parts of the CBD to encourage more people to use bikes.

What are the benefits of having quality parking facilities?

Everyone benefits when communities are bicycle-friendly. To make cycling a convenient form of transportation, it needs to be easier for people to ride from point A to B and park in a convenient and secure location.

What do you do to ensure that no one takes a bike that doesn’t belong to him or her?

When checking in with your bike, you register all your details at the reception and your bike is given a unique tag that matches the number on the receipt. This makes it almost impossible for someone to take a bike that belongs to someone else. The bikes are also parked in a partitioned area that is only accessible to the staff. Our facility also has 24-hour CCTV surveillance.

What are your long-term plans?

I would like to open branches all over the city and possibly in other major towns like Mombasa and Kisumu.