Swapfiets offers “the bicycle as a service” and the future of circular design

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One of the real benefits of the last decade has been the introduction of new business models in micromobility. An example is Swapfiets, which is the first “bike as a service†company in the world.

So we were thrilled that their CEO, Marc de Vries, took the stage at the TNW 2021 conference and told us more about how the company is disrupting cycling sustainability.

Founded in 2014 in the Netherlands, the scale-up has more than 220,000 members in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Austria and the United Kingdom.

The concept of Swapfiets is quite simple: for a monthly subscription, members of Swapfiets receive a fully functional bicycle or an electric mobility solution for their own use. If necessary, a repair service is available within 48 hours to directly repair or exchange the two-wheeler at no additional cost.

The challenges of micromobility during COVID-19

Three students founded the company in 2014. Marc de Vries joined as CEO in January – yes, in the midst of a pandemic while everyone was working from home. His first challenge was to get to know the company and understand the culture of the company. He noted:

Culture is what you see when others aren’t watching

Then there is the pressure to join us, with an organization that grows as its owners mature. As he explained:

If people ask me, “What do you really bring? I would say concentration. The company is full of good ideas and energy. Therefore, I make sure that every good idea can be validated and executed.

In addition, the company is not immune to the difficulties of shortage of semiconductor chips. The chips are built into both the batteries and the bikes themselves.

Fortunately, the impact was reduced thanks to a valuable partnership. They collaborated to order wholesale chips with suppliers Bosch and Shimano.

Sustainability above all else and a move towards a circular economy

Swapfiets is a leading company in the sector by greening its workflow. Take bicycle tires. Tires are generally difficult to recycle. Earlier this year, the company partnered with Italian tire maker Vittoria to improve performance and extend the life of their e-bikes.

Swapfiets is changing the world of bicycle tires by renting them from the supplier Vittoria.

Swapfiets has subscribed to the Vittoria2GO service – renting tires instead of buying them – in a key step towards achieving their goal of creating 100% circular bikes.

In the “pay for use†business model, the manufacturer manages the value of a product throughout its lifecycle. The model encourages the design of products optimized for durability, ease of maintenance and repair.

De Vries notes that the company is in a privileged position to rethink the production supply chain. He noticed

that traditionally most companies cared little about what happened to bicycles when they were no longer in use. This evolved into a trend of designing bikes to last, creating models of perpetual bikes for repairing and reusing parts.

The company aims to produce a fully circular bicycle within the next three years.

Introducing The Power 1 by Swapfiets

Trade in the Fiets Power 1 bike
The single-speed Power 1 bike

The company launched its latest bike, Power 1 in September. It owes its name to its one-speed setup, which means there is no speed, which makes it easy to use and maintain.

A Shimano E5000 electric bike system runs The Power 1, offering three levels of electric assistance up to a top speed of 25 km / h. When fully charged, the battery provides a maximum range of 80 km, which is perfect for a full day of work and play in the city.

Given how stylish this bike looks, we can’t wait for the fully circular


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