Decathlon launches children’s bicycle subscription

A child’s bike will soon be too small, so why should you buy one? It is better to rent, Decathlon says: that way you always have a bike for your child’s size. The French chain is therefore launching a subscription formula (and knows well why…)

First long-term rental service

53 models that are usually sold in shops can now also be rented. This way, the sports store chain wants to offer parents a bike that grows with their child, so they do not have to regularly buy a new bike.

Subscribers can change bikes every three months. Prices range from 3 euros a month for a balance bike to 22 euros for a city bike for a teenager. An inspection after six months is included, as is cover for accidental damage, such as flat tyres or a broken derailleur in the event of a fall. Decathlon staff should also always offer advice when choosing.

Decathlon is fully committed to “new ways of consuming”, by shifting the emphasis from purchase to use. It had already started subscriptions for renting sports equipment, from ski boots to kayaks, but now, for the first time, the French chain is stepping into long-term rental. Decathlon is also betting on second-hand sales. There is obviously a positive side to the story for the chain itself as well: subscriptions, unlike (one-off) purchases, provide a continuous and nicely predictable income stream.