Six more stores for Bike Republic

Bike Republic will expand from 42 to 48 locations in the coming months. The Colruyt Group ’s bicycle chain is now deliberately targeting city centers and expects to return to profitability this year.

More service-oriented

In Mechelen, Bike Republic will open a store of about 750 square meters on Hoogstraat in November. Aarschot, Antwerp-Berchem, and Genk will also get new locations. A total of six new locations will be added, CEO Miek Vercouteren told bike magazine Wielerkrant.

The new locations also reflect a new retail strategy: whereas the chain previously favored larger stores on the outskirts of cities, Bike Republic now aims to be closer to cyclists for purchases, maintenance, and repairs. According to Vercouteren, service centers in Leuven and Antwerp have demonstrated that there is demand for such services.

Service is becoming increasingly important, especially for electric bikes and speed pedelecs, as maintenance requires more and more specialized technical knowledge. The chain sells approximately 20,000 new bikes annually and performs nearly 100,000 maintenance and repair services. Bike Republic is therefore also investing in training for bike mechanics and in more efficient inventory management.

On the path to break-even

The store expansion comes after several financially challenging years. Bike Republic posted losses for four consecutive years and, according to Vercouteren, also ended the fiscal year ending in March 2026 in the red. This fiscal year, however, the chain is again expecting a positive operating result.

Parent company Colruyt Group recently provided Bike Republic with a capital injection of 5 million euros. “In principle, that’s enough to get us through the next four to five years without any issues,” said the CEO.