Anyone interested in tech or startups will have heard of the bankruptcy of VanMoof, the Dutch brand that pioneered stylish and tech-intensive urban e-bikes. Soon after the news broke, competitor Cowboy launched an app that provides owners of a VanMoof with a digital key in case the insolvency renders them unable to unlock their bike.
Now, another company is coming to the aid of stranded VanMoof cyclists. The brand's products were no stranger to quality issues — a result of stratospheric growth, COVID supply chain problems and a reliance on custom-built parts. With VanMoof's repair hubs closed, thousands of owners are stuck with nonfunctioning bikes. Which is where Upway comes in. A French marketplace that buys, reconditions and sells used e-bikes — we wrote about them last year — Upway just announced a new service: VanMoof Revive.
For EUR 89 or USD 99, Upway will pick up and return a broken VanMoof bike, inspect it and provide a quote for its repair. The estimate only includes costs for parts — bike owners aren't charged for labor. (In the past, Upway's in-house mechanics were trained by VanMoof technicians.) Once someone approves a quote, their bike is repaired and ready for pickup within four weeks. If a bike can't be fixed, Upway will offer to buy it from the owner for spare parts or send it back free of charge.
VanMoof Revive is available in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and New York City. VanMoof owners need to register for a slot, and Upway aims to complete 500 repairs, depending on availability of parts. The program kicks off on 1 September 2023 and will run for a year.
