How it all started
LEKKER Bikes Germany – It all started in 2008 when a young Dutch entrepreneur called Meindert packed his bags and flew across the globe all the way to Sydney. Little did he know what the future had in store for him. After getting to know the Australians, their energy, and their lifestyle, he fell in love with the world down under. There was only one thing missing: Dutch bikes. Following his instincts, he founded ‘LEKKER Bikes’ a few years later.
One step at a time, by talking and listening, being open to change, innovating the product whilst remaining true to its core, LEKKER Bikes became what it is today. With shops in Melbourne, Sydney and Amsterdam, our Dutch bikes are selling and the LEKKER community is expanding.
Germany as our next step
A few months ago, we partnered up with an online marketplace in Germany called ListNRide. Through them, our customers can now rent a LEKKER Dutch bicycle for an hour, an entire day, or even for a week if that’s what it takes to get to know it. It wasn’t until then that our German customers could get a taste of LEKKER, before going LEKKER. For now, all our eBike ranges can be tested in Hamburg, Berlin, Munich and Düsseldorf.
Thanks to all this excitement coming from Germany, it seems only logical to take the next step and think bigger.
We thought of a few ideas of how we could bring the full LEKKER experience even closer to the German cities where we see a lot of traction and interest in our products.
Our goal this year is to open not one, but two LEKKER Bikes locations in Germany. One of the two will be more of a satellite store and will have the purpose of selling and servicing bikes, as well as offering test rides. The second location will offer the same services as the first, but will also have headquarter elements. So make sure to keep an eye on our Homerun page, as there will be a lot of job opportunities coming out – and not only in Germany.
Hamburg & Berlin
All across Germany, there has been a lot of talk about improving the conditions for cyclists and making Germany a real ‘cycling country’. At LEKKER Bikes, when we see a city showing ambition and interest towards their cycling community, it becomes an interesting city. We immediately want to be a part of this vision and see how our brand can give support by offering our product locally.
In January 2022, Niels Bark, CEO of LEKKER Bikes, traveled through Germany to get a personal feel for which city could be the perfect match for our brand. Now, we can confirm that the two cities we’ve got eyes on are Hamburg and Berlin. Why? Because both cities have the same energy and mentality as we love and know so well from Amsterdam.
Hamburg
Hamburg is definitely on our radar. Just like Amsterdam, Hamburg is also known for its many waterways and canals. Throughout the entire city you will see a whole network of canals that stem from the Alster, the lake of Hamburg. These canals give us the same vibe Amsterdam also gives us, and we love it!
Another important factor that caught our attention was the infrastructure of the city. Hamburg has and still is, investing in their cyclists. Over the next few years, the city will see more paths for cyclists that are separate to busy car lanes, more floor markings and signs in the cycling network, and more bike parking around train stations and public transport spots. In return, this of course means that there will always be more people switching from cars to bikes. And we want to be here to help Hamburgers make this transition as smooth as possible.
Berlin
With no doubt Berlin, the capital of the country, also caught our attention. Berlin is known for its multicultural society, its history and as a place for everybody to express themselves as they wish. The energy this city gives us is simply unique, and that’s why we love it. With its many diverse neighborhoods, vibrant streets, riversides, abandoned sights to explore, Berlin has simply so much to offer. And can you guess what the best way to explore all these hidden gems is? That’s right – on a Dutch bicycle! Because we believe that you miss out on so much if you get around a city by sitting inside a bus or car, or underground in the subway. Only by bike will you experience everything the city has to offer to its fullest.
Just like Hamburg, Berlin also has a few interesting projects that cyclists can look forward to. For instance, there is a new campaign called People’s Decision for Auto-Free Berlin. The goal of this campaign is to limit cars within the ring of Berlin and only vehicles with a special permit could enter it. In this proposal, most people would simply enjoy Berlin by foot, bike, or public transport. Just to give you an idea of the size of this project, the area within the ring is larger than Manhattan. So, if this project goes through, Berlin would have the largest car-free area in the world. Now that’s LEKKER!
What we long for as a bicycle brand
At LEKKER Bikes, we are excited about cities that allow you to roam free. Cities that allow you to step away from the fixed gear. We are not fans of seeing our streets filled up with cars and crowded trams and buses. Our dream is to allow you to experience your city in the best possible way, which is on a bike. Cycling isn’t just an efficient and healthy way of moving from A to B, but it also increases in so many ways the livability and the quality of life of a city. Because only by exploring a neighborhood by bike, will you immediately feel like a local.
At LEKKER Bikes, we see a huge potential in both Hamburg and Berlin. But we won’t stop here. We have big plans in store for 2023, including opening shops in two further cities in Germany, so stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter ;)