Bike Citizens
Bike Citizens (Smettly GmbH) is an Austrian cycling-tech company offering a bicycle-optimized smartphone navigation app, web route planner, and FINN smartphone mount, serving individual cyclists, employers running Bike2Work/Bike2School campaigns, and municipalities that white-label the platform and use its aggregated data for urban cycling planning across 300+ European cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersGraz, Austria
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Bike Citizens does
Bike Citizens (legal entity Smettly GmbH, Austria, with subsidiary Bike Citizens Germany GmbH) is a private cycling-technology company founded in 2011 and headquartered in Wartberg ob der Aist, Austria, with offices in Graz, Laupheim (Germany), and Downey (USA). It builds a bicycle-optimized smartphone navigation app for iOS and Android, a web-based cycle route planner, and the FINN smartphone mount hardware line. The core technology is bicycle-specialized routing built on OpenStreetMap data with multiple routing profiles (Comfortable, Fast, Normal) that prioritize dedicated cycling infrastructure and account for e-bike vs. road-bike preferences, plus a sensor-based smart-tracking algorithm that auto-detects cycling activity with stated >90% accuracy. Offline map support, voice navigation, and integrations with Mapbox, Stripe, and Google Firebase round out the platform.
Bike Citizens firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bike Citizens
- Legal name
- Smettly GmbH
- Website
- https://bikecitizens.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Bike Citizens (Smettly GmbH) is an Austrian cycling-tech company offering a bicycle-optimized smartphone navigation app, web route planner, and FINN smartphone mount, serving individual cyclists, employers running Bike2Work/Bike2School campaigns, and municipalities that white-label the platform and use its aggregated data for urban cycling planning across 300+ European cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bike Citizens industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cycling Navigation Software
- NAICS
- Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Parts Manufacturing (336991)
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bikeshare (Station-Based/Docked) (TLAFAMAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bike Accessories Retail (Lights, Locks, Racks, Bags) (CRAMAHAD), Cycling / MTB / E-Bike Guiding & Rentals (THAAALAG)
Keywords
Where Bike Citizens is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Graz
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Bike Citizens business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Premium App Subscription: The app can be downloaded free of charge with basic functions available. Premium membership enables unlimited worldwide use of all features including route planning with stopovers, voice navigation, custom offline maps, personalization settings, custom trip tags, high-resolution personal heatmap, and profile editing.
- Hardware Sales (FINN Smartphone Mount): Sale of the FINN smartphone mount and accessories (organic cotton bags, reflective spoke card sets) through the Bike Citizens online shop. Products are made in Austria and available in multiple colors and branding options.
- Bicycle Data for City Planning: Aggregated and anonymized cycling data collected via the app is shared with city governments and urban planners to support cycling infrastructure projects. This is positioned as a benefit to municipalities rather than a direct revenue stream.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | — | Free Basic Tier |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Membership |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | FINN Smartphone Mount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Bike Citizens product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bike Citizens develops and operates a bicycle-optimized smartphone navigation app (iOS/Android) offering cyclist-specific route planning, GPS tracking, voice-guided navigation, and offline maps. The platform extends into gamified cycling campaigns (Bike2Work, Bike2School, Bike4Health, regional and international city challenges) that engage workplaces, schools, and municipalities. The company also sells the FINN smartphone mount hardware line, made in Austria, through its own e-commerce shop, and provides aggregated cycling data to city governments for infrastructure planning.
Product overview
Bike Citizens offers a cycling-focused ecosystem centered on its core smartphone navigation app (iOS/Android) with route planning, GPS tracking, offline maps, and voice navigation. The platform extends through cycling campaign initiatives (Bike2Work, Bike2School, Bike4Health, Die Region radelt!) that gamify cycling for workplaces, schools, and municipalities with rewards and competitions. An online Cycle Route Planner web tool complements the mobile experience. Physical products include the FINN Smartphone Mount hardware line and accessories. The Bike Benefit digital rewards system incentivizes cycling by letting users earn and redeem BikeCoins at partner businesses. The International Cycling Challenge enables partner cities to compete during European Mobility Week.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FINN: Smartphone mount for bicycles, made in Austria. Available in various colors and can be branded for companies.
Products and services
- Bike Citizens App A cycling-focused smartphone navigation app providing bicycle-optimized route planning (Comfortable, Fast, Normal profiles), GPS trip tracking, voice-guided navigation, offline maps, and participation in cycling campaigns and challenges. Available on iOS and Android for individual cyclists.
- Bike Citizens Cycle Route Planner
Quantifiable outcome
- Bike2School Dortmund 2024: 240 participants, 76 teams, 2695 recorded tracks, 14842 km cycled, 2360 kg CO2 saved
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Bike Citizens
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Bike Citizens technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature4 records
Bike Citizens partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Partner Cities Network (Europäische Mobilitätswoche)coreBike Citizens enables cities to organize International Cycling Challenges with their partner cities during the European Mobility Week (16-22 September). Cities like Laatzen have organized such challenges with partners including Guben, Gubin, Le Grand-Quevilly, Roselle, and Waidhofen an der Ybbs.
- REWEminorREWE is a prize partner in cycling challenges organized by Bike Citizens and the Region Hannover. Participants can win REWE vouchers as rewards for cycling achievements.
- IKEAminorIKEA serves as a prize partner in cycling challenges organized by Bike Citizens and the Region Hannover, providing vouchers as rewards for participants.
- DecathlonminorDecathlon serves as a prize partner in cycling challenges, providing vouchers or products as rewards for participants.
- LieferandominorLieferando (Just Eat Takeaway) serves as a prize partner in cycling challenges, providing gift cards as rewards.
- WunschgutscheinminorWunschgutschein (gift card/voucher service) is used as a prize in cycling challenges, offering flexible reward options for participants.
- WERTGARANTIEminorWERTGARANTIE, a insurance/warranty company, partners with Bike Citizens for cycling challenges.
- City of LinzcoreThe City of Linz sponsors the Bike Benefit campaign, making the free use of the Bike Citizens app possible for citizens. This is a key municipal partnership enabling city-wide cycling promotion.
- Stadt Dortmund (City of Dortmund)coreThe City of Dortmund provides the Bike Citizens app to citizens free of charge to make mobility in the Dortmund city area more bicycle-friendly. The city sponsors campaigns including Bike2Work, Bike2School, and Bike Benefit.
- Region HannovercoreThe Region Hannover is the primary organizer of 'Die Region radelt!' (The Region Cycles) cycling challenge, using Bike Citizens as the digital platform. Multiple sub-campaigns including Bike2Work, Bike2School, Campus Radeln, and Partner City Challenge are organized under this umbrella.
- Hornbach Baumarkt AGminorHornbach Baumarkt AG (one of Germany's leading DIY store chains) was recognized as a top company in Dortmund's Bike2Work 2024 campaign in the 51-250 employee category.
- Boehringer Ingelheim microPartsminorBoehringer Ingelheim microParts was recognized as a top company in Dortmund's Bike2Work 2024 campaign in the 251-1000 employee category.
- Sparkasse DortmundminorSparkasse Dortmund (savings bank) was recognized as a top company in Dortmund's Bike2Work 2024 campaign in the 1000+ employee category.
- Volkswagen NutzfahrzeugeminorVolkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge (commercial vehicles) was listed among top companies in Dortmund's Bike2Work 2024 campaign.
- Med Uni GrazminorMedical University of Graz participates in Bike2Work campaigns as a partner institution, encouraging staff and students to cycle to work.
- BOKU ViennaminorUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) participates in Bike2Work campaigns as a partner institution.
- Hochschule HannoverminorHochschule Hannover (Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts) participates in Campus Radeln campaigns as a partner institution.
- LKH-Univ. Klinikum GrazminorUniversity Hospital Graz participates in Bike2Work campaigns as a partner institution.
- Kirchentag Mit RadminorKirchentag (Church Day) Hannover 2025 partnership for a cycling challenge as part of the church event.
- OpenStreetMap (OSM)coreBike Citizens map packages are based on OpenStreetMap data. OSM data is generated by users and has a high level of detail. Bike Citizens updates OSM data regularly. Errors in the map are reported directly to OSM.
- Cycling4value Research ProjectminorThe BikePoints calculation formula was scientifically developed and practically tested with cyclist data as part of the Cycling4value research project.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bike Citizens competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Quad Lock: Quad Lock is the market-leading bicycle smartphone mount brand with global retail distribution, directly competing with Bike Citizens' FINN hardware line.
- Komoot: Komoot is a leading bike and hiking navigation app with route planning and turn-by-turn navigation, broadly overlapping with Bike Citizens' core app offering for cyclists in Europe.
- Ride with GPS: Ride with GPS provides cycling-specific route planning, navigation and offline maps, closely comparable to Bike Citizens' core navigation product across both consumer and partner-city use cases.
- Bikemap: Bikemap offers a global cycling route planner with community-contributed routes and a navigation app, directly competing with Bike Citizens in cycling navigation and community mapping.
Broad incumbents
- Strava: Strava is the dominant cycling and fitness tracking social platform with global scale and a deep subscription business, overlapping Bike Citizens' tracking, route and engagement features.
- Google Maps: Google Maps is the default consumer mapping app and now provides bicycle directions in many regions, applying pricing pressure as a free alternative to Bike Citizens' premium navigation.
- MapMyRide (Under Armour): MapMyRide offers GPS ride tracking with training plans and route logging, a closely overlapping feature set to Bike Citizens' automatic tracking and trip overview.
- Lime: Lime is a major shared micromobility operator with a city-facing data platform (Lime Data) that overlaps with Bike Citizens' municipal data-for-planning positioning.
Regional players
- Citymapper: Citymapper is a multi-modal urban mobility app covering cycling and public transport across major European cities, an adjacent reference point for urban-mobility engagement and city-data positioning.
Emerging players
- Locus Map: Locus Map provides outdoor and cycling offline maps powered by OSM, comparable to Bike Citizens' offline mapping and route planning capabilities for cyclists.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bike Citizens social profiles
Digital presenceBike Citizens financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bike Citizens leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Bike Citizens funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bike Citizens M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bike Citizens
What does Bike Citizens do?
Bike Citizens develops and operates a bicycle-optimized smartphone navigation app (iOS/Android) offering cyclist-specific route planning, GPS tracking, voice-guided navigation, and offline maps. The platform extends into gamified cycling campaigns (Bike2Work, Bike2School, Bike4Health, regional and international city challenges) that engage workplaces, schools, and municipalities. The company also sells the FINN smartphone mount hardware line, made in Austria, through its own e-commerce shop, and provides aggregated cycling data to city governments for infrastructure planning.
Is Bike Citizens a public or private company?
Bike Citizens is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Bike Citizens founded?
Bike Citizens was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bike Citizens based?
Bike Citizens is headquartered in Graz, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Bike Citizens make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Premium App Subscription is the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales (FINN Smartphone Mount) and bicycle Data for City Planning.
Who are Bike Citizens's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Quad Lock, Komoot, Ride with GPS and Bikemap. Broad incumbents are Strava, Google Maps, MapMyRide (Under Armour) and Lime. Citymapper is listed as a regional player. Locus Map is listed as an emerging player.
Does Bike Citizens have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bike Citizens.
What industry is Bike Citizens in?
Bike Citizens's product category is Cycling Navigation Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFAMAE, Bikeshare (Station-Based/Docked), with a secondary code of CRAMAHAD, Bike Accessories Retail (Lights, Locks, Racks, Bags). Its NAICS code is 336991 and its SIC code is 4700.