Fitted Kitchen, South-Facing Balcony and an Ebike. The “Nearbyk” Principle.

Companies that rent ebikes in cities usually rely on large fleets. Rental bikes are placed in bunches in city centers and at other logistically important points in order to reach as many people as possible. The real estate group Vonovia is taking a different approach. With its start-up Nearbyk, it is targeting small neighbourhoods where many of its tenants live. In addition to the actual four walls, they should also be able to rent an ebike with minimal effort. And if they like it, they can even buy one.

Vonovia launched this vision of the future in 2023. So far, three Nearbyk branches have opened their doors, first at the company headquarters in Essen and later in Dresden and Bremen. However, they are not located near major tourist attractions such as the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, the Semper Opera House or the Bremen Roland. Instead, you will find the stations in Essen’s Eltingviertel, Dresden’s Hauptstraße and Bremen’s Hamburger Straße. These locations are surrounded by districts with a particularly high proportion of Vonovia apartments.

Three different rental models

However, before this system can be established throughout Germany, it first has to prove itself. Vonovia has therefore announced a test phase lasting around 16 months. This will show whether the offer meets with the expected level of interest from people. As mentioned, Nearbyk primarily wants to score points with its rental offer. Initially, this is rather streamlined. Anyone who wants to can rent an urban city ebike with a trapezoidal frame and complete equipment with mudguards, lights and carriers in blue-green or light grey. The cheapest option is to opt for an annual subscription. You can then take the ebike with you at all times for 49 euros per month.

If a shorter rental period is sufficient for you, you can choose between six months and three months. The costs increase to 59 euros per month or 79 euros per month. At the end of your rental period, you simply return the ebike to the store. Of course, it is not just Vonovia tenants who can rent, but anyone who is interested. Bookings can be made either via an online system on the Nearbyk website or by telephone.

Renting and more

In addition to the rental station, Nearbyk is also a bicycle repair shop. Giving it some thought, this is hardly surprising. The provider needs a workshop and mechanics to maintain the rental bikes anyway. So why not turn this into a regular additional source of income? In Germany, where many people live together in rather small spaces, a lot of bicycles are ridden and consequently a lot of bicycles wear out. And when deciding which workshop to take the bike to for repairs, the distance to the workshop plays a not insignificant role. Especially as Nearbyk accepts both ebikes and bikes without electric assistance.

In addition to renting and selling ebikes, Nearbyk also offers repairs and maintenance.

To a limited extent, it even offers spare parts and accessories. There is also a discount waiting for Vonovia tenants at this point, which some of you may have already expected when renting. They will receive a ten percent discount if they buy bicycle helmets, locks or other parts on site.

Once the test run has been successfully completed, Vonovia could expand the Nearbyk project further. The Group still has large housing portfolios in Berlin, the entire southern Ruhr region and the Rhine-Main area. These could form the framework for new stores. “We want to gradually connect our neighbourhoods to the municipal bicycle path networks. We are also seeing an increasing demand from our customers for such an offer, which will make the neighbourhoods even more attractive and promises an affordable mobility solution for all interested parties,” says Arnd Fittkau, Chief Rental Officer (CRO) at Vonovia.

This is the Nearbyk

An important piece of the puzzle within the concept is, of course, the rental bike itself. It shares the same name as the start-up, i.e. Nearbyk. It obviously wants to fulfil two criteria in particular: City suitability and ease of riding. That’s why a city ebike with a trapezoidal frame was chosen. Many people will probably be happy with this, as it makes getting on and off the bike a little easier compared to a bike with a diamond frame, without looking old-fashioned.

The Nearbyk is powered by a Bafang rear hub motor with a torque of 45 Newton meters. It pushes well, especially in the higher support levels, so that you can convert the tailwind into propulsion together with the 9-speed derailleur gears. A small control unit mounted on the handlebars and a display with a relatively large screen and large symbols and characters make the system easy to operate.

Concessions in charging comfort

The Nearbyk’s 360 watt-hour battery is integrated into the seat tube. Theoretically, you can remove it for discharging and charge it in your home, a cellar or another storage room, depending on the circumstances. From our point of view, however, charging on the ebike itself seems more practical. This is due to the plug that connects the battery to the ebike system. If you want to disconnect it in a convenient way, you either have to turn the Nearbyk upside down, clamp it in an assembly stand and lift it up or get down on your knees yourself. All feasible, but not particularly convenient solutions in themselves. This is because the socket for the plug is located on the underside of the transition from the seat tube to the down tube.

Before removing the battery, a rather difficult to access plug near the bottom bracket must be disconnected.

That’s why charging directly on the bike is perhaps a better option. Fortunately, this is not often necessary. According to Nearbyk, the bike supports you for up to 100 kilometres on a single charge. That’s plenty of range for everyday urban use. The same applies to the two carriers fitted as standard. You can store plenty of cargo on them or, with the help of the panniers on the sides, on them as well.

The rental bike for sale

The remaining equipment includes hydraulic disc brakes, mudguards, a bell and a complete lighting system. The headlight is located at the front of the front carrier. Bags, baskets or other items cannot obstruct it there. However, it does not follow the steering movements of the front wheel. Instead, it always shines where the front carrier is pointing. In some situations, this proves to be less ideal.

The model assembled by Coolmobility in Bielefeld is available in a one size fits all frame. Thanks to the extendable seat post and the angle-adjustable stem, it is easy to adapt to different body sizes. If you would like to know how the Nearbyk rides, you are welcome to take a look at our upcoming video on this ebike. In the conclusion, we also discuss the riding experience. If you want to buy the bike afterwards, you can do that too. Simply contact Nearbyk. The price is 2,499 euros – even without prior rental 😉.

Nearbyk city ebike at a glance

• Frame: 27.5″, aluminum
• Motor: Bafang H400B
• Battery: 360 Wh
• Display: LCD display
• Control unit: Bafang CR S10R.250.FC 3.0
• Drivetrain: Shimano Alivio
• Brakes: TRP hydraulic disc brake / 180 mm
• Weight: 20 kilograms
• Maximum front rack load: 15 kg
• Maximum rear rack load: 25 kg
• Maximum permitted total weight: 130 kg
• Colors: Blue-green, light grey
• Price: 2,499 euros

Pictures: Nearbyk GmbH