Why these bicycle Banditz choose Apple products to stay connected on the Jozi streets
Based in Braamfontein, the ‘Banditz Bicycle Club’ is carving out a name for itself as a champion of urban cycling as a mode of transport with its bike renting business venture and cycling initiatives. Here’s how they sync all their mobile data with the power and trust of Apple products.
Flitting through the streets of Joburg like a band of two-wheeled bandits you’ll find the aptly named Banditz Bicycle Club cruising the tarmac.
Founded in 2021, auto technician Tebogo Galagala and his friend Tiyiselane Mashele started the nighttime cycling group to get on board with the increasing interest in urban cycling. Galagala and Mashele set out with a simple, but noble objective – to make cycling a more accessible and affordable mode of transport in the cities.
“We wanted to make cycling affordable,” shares Galagala.
“People are getting a hang of it and people are understanding that mode of transport is not only in relation to motor vehicles, motorcycles, buses, or taxis but that bicycles can also be a mode of transport that they can use in the city and out of the city. And we have been introducing that to obviously the public and our friends,” he explains.
Since their launch, the duo has expanded their offerings to having a bike-sharing store, and social cycle ride events, as well as striving to make female cyclists feel seen and safe on the roads.
“As Banditz Bicycle Club - we do night rides, and we do day rides. We also have a new initiative that we're also starting called Girls on Bikes, where we are teaching girls how to cycle and making a cycle bus where we cycle with girls to help them feel more comfortable cycling in the streets of Johannesburg, and also by themselves as time goes on,” Galagala shares.
As for running their day-to-day tasks, Galagala and his team rely on the convenient, efficient, and high-quality prowess of iPhones and iPads.
When on the go, their team stays connected with their iPhones and can easily share images from ride events using the AirDrop feature.
“We have made it a priority that in the shop we’re all using iPhones. So, it’s easier to communicate – especially if WhatsApp becomes an issue, we can use FaceTime. Also, picture sharing comes in handy and communicating details we need and so forth is made easier among ourselves,” explains Galagala.
At their base of operations, Biking Bandits or Bandits Place located in Braamfontein, their team makes use of iPads to help process and track any business payments and financial interactions they deal with.
“In the store, we are using an iPad – which is 8th Gen and everything is processed through it – our banking apps, payment apps, and so forth. So we’ve synced the Yoco machines to the iPad – where there is an app so all our purchases or our daily reports, statistics, that we have to keep in the store are recorded using Apple’s Numbers app,” he adds.
And when they need to meet – Galagala and his business associates hop on a quick FaceTime call to keep everything quick, convenient, and seamless.
FaceTime has also been the best way they found to stay connected with their team while on rides. “Whilst we’re cycling, and we are chaperones on these initiatives and rides – you just have your headphones on and are on FaceTime. And that’s how we actually communicate who’s where, how we’re doing, where we’re going and just be in touch with a long distance of range,” shares Galagala
Another saving grace for their business is being able to secure and back up any business records and data from their iPhones and iPads using iCloud.
“It makes it easier to communicate and exchange documents and whatsoever – because we all know that the main important thing that we need is the iCloud. As long as we have everything on our iCloud, we are happy – everything is safe,” he says.
Having used iPhones since the 6th Gen version, Galagala is no stranger to dealing with the iStore customer service. He finds comfort in the support he receives from his iStore.
He values the quick responses and assistance he gets with minimal wait time. “Sometimes you can make a booking and they can tell you to come on a certain day where they can assist you easier, and for us – it’s been great,” he adds.
As for the future of the Banditz crew, Galagala and his team are hoping to expand their work within Johannesburg’s many areas and eventually even further all with the support of new and evolving Apple tech like AirTags.
“We want people to be able to commute from one area to another – using the bicycles,” explains Galagala. “And this will be bike sharing as a whole and how to keep track of it. There will be cycling hubs where you can leave the bicycle when you get to Rosebank for example or leave the bicycle when you get to, say, Sandton.”
To help fulfil the dream and establishing these bicycle city hubs around Joburg, and ensure product safety, Galagala and his team wish to invest in Apple AirTags – which will allow them to track their loaned bikes that are out for the day to ensure security.
“The AirTags is what would be attached to the bicycle in order to track the bicycle, and, obviously these hubs where we would be using iPads and other Apple devices,” explains Galagala.
This way his team would be able to know where their bikes end up and which hubs it gets stationed at.
If you’re located in the Johannesburg area and are looking to get in on the bandit action – you can find them on Instagram here to find out more about their cycling events: https://www.instagram.com/banditzbicycleclub/
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