Decathlon has announced plans for a “Second Life Marketplace,” in its stores where refurbished second-hand bikes will be available for purchase. “Nothing will go to waste,” said the firm’s appropriately-named UK cycling leader, Pete Lazarus, when outlining the plans.
“The Decathlon Second Life Marketplace is due this year across Europe and it will apply to adult and kids’ bikes,” Lazarus told Cycling Industry News. “The idea is to generate more of a circular economy and various options will be available to customers who may wish to cycle but also not buy new every time.”
In June of last year, Decathlon UK CEO Eric Mazilier had to apologise for bike shortages following very high demand during the first lockdown.
The firm said this wasn’t a direct motivation for the new plans, but the move should still help reduce the impact of any future supply chain issues.
“We as a company are looking to recycle parts where possible,” said Lazarus. “If we get a defective bike it’s an option to strip it down and re-use the working parts. For the customer, it’s an option to participate in upcycling work and save money. There will be a much bigger effort to repair over replacement where possible.”
He continued: “Sometimes wheels, for example, may be buckled in transit. These will be switched out, perhaps even with better wheels and the old ones will be repaired. The key is that nothing will go to waste and the bikes sold will be given a full [pre-delivery inspection] and safety check before they’re displayed and they’ll carry a warranty.”
The firm is also set to offer customers a buy-back option on old Decathlon bikes, in exchange for money or vouchers to spend in store.
I'm not actually sure why Mr Freeman is described as 'a cyclist' in this report. By the sound of it he was simply a drunken drug addict who just...
It's a slippery slope - once we accept athletes talking about politics, it's only a step away from politicians cycling around and being sporty.
Totally agree - it astounds me how the design of an unarguably safer (for everyone not in the lorry) design has existed for years, but hasn't been...
Oh, and a follow up article in teh guardian, but with fancy graphics https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2021/mar/02/low-traffic...
I wondered how it worked. Do you have to put in any additives as well?
As opposed to their non-mechanical bikes?
Shame they're not the Ewan McGregor style Samba, there's something about that moulded sole that puts me off. A great idea, I used to work/ride in a...
I think you missed the point the OP was making - which is that in an awful lot of such stories, someone (sometimes the journalist, sometimes the...
I didn't spot that! Thanks
Frustrating that it's difficult to spot thread updates on road.cc forum. Unless I'm missing something obvs!...