With the current supply bottlenecks the industry, the market for Used bicycles to blossom. Many bikers turned to the second-hand market to fulfil their need for new bikes. Instead of finding out about new equipment in bike shops or on manufacturer websites, well-known marketplaces such as eBay Classifieds or the Bike market on MTB-News with a hint of patina scrolled for available bargains. Florian, Jonas and Theo also scrolled for a long time. The three founders of Buycycle. They didn't find a bike, but they did learn one thing: the second-hand trade needs to be professionalised. After all, the bike you want can only be found on the relevant platforms with specialist knowledge and a lot of time. The buying process is often shaky and involves the risk of running into a fraudster. The sales process is extremely time-consuming with individual product descriptions, which is often the reason why only around 30 per cent of all unused bikes currently make it onto the second-hand market. "That can't be the case," says Florian Senoner and founded the start-up Buycycle with his colleagues. On Buycycle.com Thanks to the data stored on the platform, you can post used bikes online with just a picture and a few clicks. In an interview with BIKE, Florian Senoner reveals what this has to do with sustainability and what the start-up is really proud of just six months after its launch.
BIKE: Hi Florian, what exactly does your platform do better than the existing eBay classifieds?
Florian Senoner: The seller has the great advantage that he can offer his bike for sale with us more easily than anywhere else. You take a picture, set your selling price and choose which bike model from which model year you want to sell. We do the rest. We have all the specification lists of old bikes in stock and then match them to your used bike. As a buyer, you can use the data to find the bike you want much more easily. If you want a bike with 3x11 gears, you can select this as a search criterion thanks to our data. We also have a secure payment process where the money really only goes to the seller once you have the bike in your hands. And if the bike is in a different condition than described, we will even take it back. So not only do we simplify the buying process, we also provide significantly more security for both parties.
Sounds logical, but why are you making such a big deal about sustainability?
The longer a bike is in use, the more sustainable it is. Used bikes are a real alternative to new purchases and therefore conserve our resources. However, most bikes don't make it onto the second-hand market, even if they are no longer used, but are left to rot in garages or basements. Even though they would still be roadworthy. With our range of services, we want to significantly increase the rate of second-hand sales and thus establish an alternative and, above all, professional market to complement the first-time buyer market. The idea that bikes can really be used until they reach scrap status is extremely sustainable.
There are many digital start-ups. However, almost half of all start-ups fail. What is your vision to prevent this from happening?
Firstly, we are absolutely convinced of our product and recognise the real need on the market. Just six months after we went live with our website, we have over 760 racing bikes for sale. We are extremely proud of that. On the other hand, we have much more planned. You can already book a service with us to have us inspect used bikes before you buy them from us. The increasing demand for new bikes as a result of the mobility transition cannot be met by the industry in the medium term. This has become clear in the last two years. We are already thinking about how we can cater to the second-hand market not only with a website, but also with a local offer. But I can't reveal any more at the moment.
760 road bikes are all well and good, but when can you buy and sell mountain bikes?
We are working flat out to get this up and running. I assume that it will be ready by January 2022 at the latest.
