Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette (MDB)

What Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette (MDB) does

Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette (MDB) is a French non-profit association (Association loi 1901) headquartered in Paris and operating across the Île-de-France region. Founded in 2011 under its current legal form, MDB serves the regional cycling community through a mix of advocacy, education, and direct services. Its constituency is the general public in Île-de-France, with a particular emphasis on cyclists and would-be cyclists in Paris and surrounding municipalities, served through a network of local antennas including a flagship hub at Saint-Lazare.

MDB's core products and services include vélo-écoles (cycling schools for adults and children), bourses aux vélos (second-hand bike marketplaces), ateliers vélo (community repair workshops), the Bicycode anti-theft bike-marking registry, and the annual Convergence Francilienne, a mass ride that functions as both an advocacy demonstration and a community gathering. The association also delivers targeted adult training programs such as "En confiance à vélo," launched in April 2026. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on a standard WordPress website and conventional event-management tools.

MDB's revenue model combines membership dues, individual donations, fees for service activities (Bicycode marking, workshops, bike sales), and public subsidies and grants from local municipalities and institutional funders including ADEME. The organization is governed by a voluntary board and currently operates with a core staff of 12 employees, supplemented by an active volunteer base. A paritarian co-presidency led by Laureen Colvis and Vincent Gaillot took office in July 2026.

Name

Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette (MDB)

Legal name

Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette

Website

https://mdb-idf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette (MDB) is a Paris-based French non-profit association that advocates for cycling and delivers cycling-education and community services across the Île-de-France region. It serves cyclists and the general public through vélo-écoles, repair workshops, the Bicycode anti-theft registry, and the annual Convergence Francilienne.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cycling Advocacy Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling / MTB / E-Bike Guiding & Rentals (THAAALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cycling, Mountain Biking & E-bike Adventures (THAJABAF), Bike Rental, Demo & Tour Operators (Retail-Adjacent) (CRAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Cycling advocacy association
• Bicycle education services
• Community cycling programs
• Urban cycling infrastructure
• Nonprofit mobility association

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues (cotisations): Members pay annual subscriptions to join the association. Members have voting rights at general assemblies and help shape the organization's positions and activities.
2. Donations (dons): The association accepts donations from supporters through a dedicated donations page on the website.
3. Service fees and event revenue: Revenue from services such as bike marking (Bicycode), repair workshops, and bike sales at events. The association retains a percentage from bike sales at their bicycle markets.
4. Public subsidies and grants: Subsidies from territorial collectivities and public establishments. The association may also receive support from organizations sharing its objectives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MDB is a non-profit cycling advocacy association operating in Île-de-France, France. It delivers a portfolio of community-based cycling services including bike schools (vélo-écoles), self-repair workshops, secondhand bike markets, bicycle marking (Bicycode) for theft prevention, mentoring programs (DuoVélo), and mass cycling events (La Convergence). The association also advocates for improved cycling infrastructure through mapping of network discontinuities and engagement with municipal authorities.

Product overview

MDB (Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette) is a cycling advocacy association operating in Île-de-France, France. The organization offers a portfolio of services designed to promote cycling for transportation and leisure: Vélo-écoles (bike schools) provide cycling lessons for beginners; Bourses aux vélos facilitate secondhand bike sales; Ateliers vélo (bike workshops) offer self-repair training with volunteer support; DuoVélo provides cycling mentorship pairing experienced riders with beginners; Marquage Bicycode offers theft-prevention bicycle marking; En confiance à vélo builds rider confidence; and La Convergence is the flagship annual mass cycling event. The organization also maintains a cartography tool mapping cycling network gaps and organizes regular Balades (group rides) and events like Velado. These services are coordinated through local antenna branches across Île-de-France municipalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vélo-écoles Bike schools offering cycling lessons and training for beginners and experienced riders to navigate urban environments safely.
• Bourses aux vélos Bike markets where secondhand bicycles are sold with expert volunteer support and verification services.
• DuoVélo A cycling assistance service pairing experienced cyclists with beginners for mentorship and guidance.
• Ateliers vélo (Bike Workshops) Self-repair bike workshops where volunteers help cyclists learn to maintain and repair their own bicycles, held regularly at local venues.
• Velado A specialized cycling service or program offered by MDB to support cyclists.
• La Convergence Annual mass cycling event in Île-de-France bringing together thousands of cyclists for a festive ride through Paris.
• Balades (Bike Rides) Organized group cycling excursions to discover cities and surrounding areas, ranging from casual to challenging routes.
• Marquage vélo Bicycode Bicycle marking service using the national Bicycode system to help prevent theft and aid in recovery of stolen bikes.
• En confiance à vélo Confidence-building cycling program helping riders circulate more serenely in urban environments with practical tips and guidance.
• Cartographie des discontinuités cyclables Mapping tool documenting gaps and discontinuities in the cycling network across Île-de-France to advocate for infrastructure improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record edition attendance for Convergence Francilienne 2026

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Paris en Selle AsnièresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDB Asnières collaborates with Paris en Selle Asnières and other MDB antennas in Île-de-France to promote cycling accessibility and organize joint activities and events.
• Commerce de proximité d'Asnières-sur-SeineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMDB Asnières works with local businesses in Asnières-sur-Seine to promote cycling-friendly commerce and community engagement.
• Mairie d'Asnières-sur-SeineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMDB Asnières collaborates with the municipal government of Asnières-sur-Seine to advocate for local cycling infrastructure improvements.
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique)minorOthersADEME is the French ecological transition agency. Their logo appears on the MDB website, indicating some form of partnership or funding relationship.
• InfomaniakminorOthersInfomaniak is the web hosting provider for MDB's website. Located in Switzerland, they provide hosting services for the association's digital infrastructure.
• Club Cyclotouriste LSOCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDB Colombes collaborates with the LSOC cycling club for events like the annual rally, providing joint programming and community cycling activities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Collectif Vélo Île-de-France: A regional collective of cycling associations active across Île-de-France. MDB is itself a member of this regional network, and the collective coordinates advocacy efforts overlapping with MDB's infrastructure-mapping and policy positions.
• Place au Vélo: An Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes-based cycling advocacy association performing similar functions to MDB (bike schools, repair workshops, lobbying for infrastructure). Comparable as a regional cycling-membership association offering the same portfolio of education, repair, and advocacy services.
• FUB (Fédération française des Usagers de la Bicyclette): The national federation of cycling users in France and the primary umbrella organization for cycling advocacy. FUB operates the Bicycode marking program and runs policy advocacy at the national level, directly overlapping with MDB's advocacy, marking, and federation-of-members mission.
• AF3V (Association Française pour le développement des Véloroutes et Voies Vertes): A national association promoting véloroutes and greenways in France, with regional delegations. Closely comparable to MDB's infrastructure-advocacy and cartography work, particularly the Cartographie des discontinuités cyclables.
• Paris en Selle: A Paris-focused cycling advocacy association promoting everyday cycling in the capital through campaigns, events, and infrastructure lobbying. Directly comparable to MDB on value proposition (cycling promotion, policy advocacy, member mobilization) and explicitly identified as an MDB partner in the data.

Broad incumbents

• European Cyclists' Federation (ECF): The umbrella European cycling advocacy federation connecting national and local groups including MDB's peer FUB. Broader in scope (continental vs regional) but addresses the same advocacy, infrastructure, and policy objectives from a wider vantage point.

Regional players

• La Maison du Vélo: A network of bicycle culture and repair centers across French cities providing workshops, bike schools, and community programming — overlapping with MDB's vélo-écoles and ateliers vélo. Functions as a comparable community-cycling operator outside Île-de-France.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MDBvelo
• Facebookfacebook.com/MDBvelo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mieux-se-deplacer-a-bicyclette
• Instagraminstagram.com/mdbidf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Mieux se Déplacer à Bicyclette (MDB)