Pedaling toward greatness: Join James Symes and Bike Club on their journey to transform family cycling and champion sustainability as finalists at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2023.
James Symes founded Bike Club in 2016 to solve a problem that affects most families with children: the hassle and expense of constantly buying new bikes to keep up with kids’ growth. Bike Club, Europe’s largest kids bike subscription service, provides high-quality, lightweight bikes to families for a monthly fee.
As a father and environmentally-conscious accountant, Symes realised the huge environmental cost of manufacturing and storing short-lived kids’ bikes. Most are used for just 15 months before being discarded, emitting 100 kg of CO2 per bike.
Symes envisioned a greener solution. Bike Club refurbishes and re-rents bikes up to six times, slashing waste and emissions. For parents, Bike Club eliminates the hassle and cost of buying and selling used bikes. Kids get perfectly-sized, premium bikes to spark a lifelong love of cycling.
Bike Club has raised £50 million to fuel expansion across Europe. Despite challenges, Bike Club grew 340% from 2020 to 2021, securing major contracts with leading bike suppliers. They’ve added 50,000 square feet of workshop space to refurbish 25,000 bikes per year in the UK and Germany.
After six years, Bike Club has revolutionised family cycling. 85% of subscribers stay for over two years, and 50% for over five years. Bike Club launched in Germany in 2022, exceeding first-year sales targets. They acquired Barcelona’s Bicircular in 2023 to enter Spain.
Bike Club sees huge potential for growth in the UK and Europe. They aim for 5% of the UK market this year, and faster expansion where cycling is most popular. While competition may increase, Bike Club is confident that their hassle-free, eco-friendly model will keep them ahead.
Symes and his team have built a product parents love and a company with a lasting impact. As finalists in the 2023 Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Bike Club and its founders are recognised as leaders revolutionising an industry and the planet. To learn more about this inspiring business and its visionary founders, visit www.bikeclub.com.
