RUTILE.bike

What RUTILE.bike does

Rutile is a French e-commerce and showroom retailer that sources, refurbishes, and resells premium electric bicycles under the legal entity Rutile SAS (founded 2021, Villeurbanne/Lyon). Its catalog spans five categories — city, VTC/hybrid, VTT/mountain, folding, and cargo/longtail — across four pricing tiers from under €1,500 to over €5,000, priced at a 20-60% discount versus new-bike retail and eligible for French government and regional subsidies. Beyond hardware, the company earns revenue from accessories, trade-in purchasing, warranty-backed maintenance, and a corporate-leasing partnership with Moustache (Smiling Entreprise), as well as from a theft-and-damage insurance tie-up with Neat and financing through Betterway. Geography is France-first (with delivery extended to Belgium), supported by four owned showrooms in Lyon-Villeurbanne, Paris-Ivry-sur-Seine, Aix-en-Provence, and Nantes-Carquefou and a 72-hour nationwide home-delivery capability via France Express.

The company's core technology is a structured refurbishment workflow rather than software: every unit passes a 40-point (or 50-point for cargo) quality-control inspection, with batteries individually diagnosed for residual capacity and cycle count, and motors connected to diagnostic equipment to surface error histories. Operations run on Shopify storefront infrastructure, integrated with Crisp for live chat, Klaviyo for email, YouCanBook.me for appointment scheduling, Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity for behavioral analytics, and Google Tag Manager for conversion attribution. Asset-light positioning within France's Social and Solidarity Economy (Économie Sociale et Solidaire) underpins a circular-economy brand narrative. As of November 2025, capital structure reflects a ~$2.3M round from Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Future Industry Fund alongside private-equity investors HAND PARTNERS and UI Investissement; the company remains founder-led, with CEO and co-founder Thibaud Thomé also serving as Président of Rutile SAS and co-founder Adrien Goxe on the team. Headcount is in the 1-10 range, consistent with early-growth-stage retail operations.

Name

RUTILE.bike

Legal name

Rutile SAS

Website

https://rutile.bike

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rutile is a French retailer that sources, refurbishes, and resells premium reconditioned electric bicycles (city, VTC, VTT, folding, and cargo) at 20-60% discounts via a Shopify e-commerce platform and four owned showrooms across France with delivery into Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refurbished Electric Bicycles

akta.pro primary industry

Used & Refurbished Bike Retail (CRAMAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cycling & Bike Retail (Sales, Service & Accessories) (CRAMABAH), Bike Accessories Retail (Lights, Locks, Racks, Bags) (CRAMAHAD), Cargo & Utility Bike Retail (CRAMAHAF)

Keywords

• Refurbished electric bicycles
• E-bike retail
• Bike reconditioning services
• Electric cargo bikes
• Sustainable mobility products

Headquarters

HQ city

Villeurbanne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Electric bicycle sales: Primary revenue stream from selling refurbished electric bicycles across multiple categories (city, VTC, VTT, folding, cargo). Revenue is one-time per transaction with pricing ranging from entry-level to premium models.
2. Accessories sales: Secondary revenue from accessories including locks, helmets, baskets, bags, mirrors, smartphone mounts, cargo accessories, and child seats.
3. Services: Additional services including bike trade-in (buying used bikes from individuals and professionals), maintenance and repair services, and enterprise leasing partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rutile sells refurbished electric bicycles (city, VTC, VTT, folding, cargo, gravel/fitness models) sourced from premium brands such as Yuba, Tern, Riese & Müller, Focus, Lapierre and Haibike, each passing a proprietary 40-to-50-point inspection with battery and motor diagnostics. The company operates an e-commerce platform plus four French showrooms (Lyon, Paris, Aix-en-Provence, Nantes) and complements bike sales with accessories, trade-in purchasing, maintenance/repair services, corporate leasing, and theft/damage insurance. Units are sold at 20-60% discount versus new, carry a 1-year warranty, and are eligible for French government and regional subsidies.

Product overview

RUTILE.bike is a distributor of refurbished electric bicycles operating as an e-commerce platform with four distinct product tiers: Vélos Seconde Chance (entry-level refurbished), Vélos Seconde Main (40-point inspected premium used), Les Pépites (high-end premium refurbished), and Bons Plans (limited quantity special offers). The company offers electric city bikes, VTC (hybrid), VTT (mountain), folding bikes, and cargo/longtail bikes across multiple price segments from under €1,500 to over €3,000. The portfolio includes a complete accessory range (locks, helmets, baskets, mirrors, phone mounts) and complementary services including a professional 50-point refurbishment workshop, four French showrooms (Lyon, Paris, Nantes, Aix-en-Provence), corporate leasing partnerships, and theft/damage insurance. Customers can purchase online with delivery (72h via France Express from €59) or Click & Collect at showrooms, with financing options through Betterway. All bikes include 1-year warranty and are eligible for regional/state subsidies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Refurbished Electric City Bikes (Vélo de Ville Électrique) Reconditioned electric city bikes for urban commuting, fitted with comfort-oriented equipment such as mudguards, racks and LED lighting; sold with 1-year warranty and eligible for French government subsidies.
• Refurbished Electric Hybrid Bikes (VTC Électrique) Reconditioned electric hybrid bikes combining city-comfort geometry with off-road capability; specifications typically include wider tires, front suspension, more powerful motors and larger batteries.
• Refurbished Electric Mountain Bikes (VTT Électrique) Reconditioned electric mountain bikes in semi-rigid and full-suspension variants from brands such as Focus, Haibike and Lapierre, with powerful motors and long-range batteries for trail and off-road use.
• Refurbished Electric Folding Bikes (Vélo Pliant Électrique) Compact reconditioned electric bikes that fold and unfold in approximately 10 seconds, designed for apartment storage, multimodal commuting and easy transport in cars or on trains.
• Refurbished Electric Cargo and Longtail Bikes (Vélo Cargo et Longtail Électrique) Reconditioned electric cargo and longtail bikes capable of carrying up to 200kg, including longtail models, front-loading bakfiets and trikes for transporting children, goods or equipment, from brands such as Yuba, Tern and Riese & Müller.
• Refurbished Electric Gravel/Fitness Bikes (Vélo Électrique Gravel/Fitness) Reconditioned electric gravel and fitness bikes suited to mixed-terrain riding, combining road efficiency with light off-road capability.
• E-bike Accessories and Equipment Accessory catalogue for electric bikes including folding locks, U-locks, chains, helmets (adult and child, with and without visors), baskets, panniers, bags, mirrors, smartphone mounts, racks and cargo / child-seat accessories.
• Professional Refurbishment Workshop Service (Atelier de Reconditionnement) In-house professional cycle-mechanic workshop service performing the 50-point inspection checklist (40 points for non-cargo bikes) on every refurbished unit, including motor diagnostic, battery capacity and residual-cycle testing, and complete mechanical restoration.
• Showroom Test-Ride and Consultation Service (Lyon, Paris, Aix-en-Provence, Nantes) Appointable in-person showroom services across four French locations (Lyon-Villeurbanne flagship, Paris-Ivry-sur-Seine, Aix-en-Provence, Nantes-Carquefou) covering test rides, Click & Collect and personalised consultations with sales advisors.
• Used E-bike Trade-in Purchase Service (Rachat) Service enabling individual owners and professionals to sell their used electric bikes directly to Rutile for refurbishment and resale.
• Maintenance, Servicing and Repair Service After-sales maintenance, revision and repair services available at Rutile showrooms for existing customers, also handling warranty claims on frame, motor and battery.
• Corporate Bike Leasing Service (Moustache x Smiling Entreprise) B2B enterprise leasing offer letting businesses provide Moustache e-bikes to employees as a mobility benefit through the Smiling Entreprise program, delivered via Rutile.
• Theft and Damage Insurance for E-bikes (Neat partnership) Theft and damage insurance product for electric bicycles, offered through Neat and accessible from the Rutile purchase journey.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 60% savings vs new bike prices
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• France ExpresscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLogistics delivery partner handling nationwide home delivery of bicycles. Partners with Rutile to provide scheduled delivery appointments, ensuring customers are present to receive their bikes. Delivery available throughout France and Belgium with 72-hour turnaround.
• BetterwayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayment financing partner enabling customers to pay for bikes in installments through the Betterway platform.
• Moustache (Smiling Entreprise)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnterprise leasing partnership allowing businesses to offer Moustache e-bikes as employee benefits through the Smiling Entreprise program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Decathlon: Decathlon is France's dominant sporting goods retailer with a substantial new-bike and e-bike business, including its own B'Twin / Riverside brands and trade-in/recycling programs. It is not a refurbished-only player but competes for the same consumer wallet share and could enter Rutile's category more aggressively.

Direct peers

• Probikeshop: Probikeshop is a French online bike retailer owned by Decathlon, selling bikes, components, and accessories with nationwide delivery. Comparable to Rutile in the online channel for bikes and accessories, with a similar target customer base of enthusiast and commuter cyclists.
• Cyclable: Cyclable is a French bike retailer network with strong refurbished and used-bike offerings, multiple physical locations, and a workshop/refurbishment model. Comparable to Rutile in combining showroom retail with bike reconditioning services in France.
• Upway: Upway is the leading refurbished e-bike retailer in France and Europe, with significantly larger scale, multiple showrooms, and institutional backing. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor to Rutile in the certified-used e-bike category, competing on price, brand portfolio, and warranty.
• Rebike: Rebike is a major German refurbished e-bike retailer with a similar certified-quality model, multi-brand inventory, and warranty offering. It competes directly with Rutile in the premium-used e-bike segment and represents the main DACH-region parallel to Rutile's French positioning.
• Alltricks: Alltricks is a large French online bike and cycling equipment retailer selling new and used bikes, accessories, and components. Comparable to Rutile's e-commerce-led approach with broad category coverage, though Alltricks is not refurbishment-focused.
• GreenMoov: GreenMoov is a French-based refurbished e-bike reseller focused on affordable, inspected used electric bikes. Comparable to Rutile in targeting price-sensitive urban commuters and offering refurbished e-bikes with warranty in the French market.
• Re-Cycle: Re-Cycle is a French refurbished-bike specialist focused on inspected, warrantied second-hand bicycles including e-bikes. Direct overlap with Rutile on the certified-used bike proposition, though with a less electric-bike-skewed inventory.

Regional players

• M Cyclist: M Cyclist is a Belgium-based refurbished e-bike retailer operating a showroom and workshop model similar to Rutile, also covering premium e-bike brands. Geographic adjacency to Rutile's Belgium delivery footprint makes it a near-peer operating just across the border.

Emerging players

• Lemon Electric: Lemon Electric is a smaller French refurbished e-bike startup with an online sales model, focusing on inspected used electric bikes with warranty. It competes in the same certified-used e-bike niche as Rutile, though at smaller scale and without Rutile's showroom footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RutileBike
• Facebookfacebook.com/Rutile.Bike
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rutilebike
• Instagraminstagram.com/rutile.bike
• Pinterestfr.pinterest.com/Rutile_Bike

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RUTILE.bike