“The starting point was this image of real bicycle cemeteries. Every year, in France alone, more than 1 million two-wheelers end up in the trash. And that, Laurent Durrieu can not resolve. The Niçois, creator of Teebike, the wheel that transforms any bicycle into an electric machine, decided to recover this “waste”, to have it repaired and put back into circulation, equipped with his device. For 800 euros. That is only 5 euros more than his invention alone, sold for 795 euros.
From the “upcycling” that he wants to develop throughout France with the Fondation des apprentis d’Auteuil. “In recent months, consumers have considerably accelerated this trend of buying a second-hand product, with an extra soul, particularly linked to solidarity integration”, supports his collaborator Marine Billis.
Twenty upcycling workshops by the end of 2023
Two integration workshops are already open in Valbonne (Alpes-Maritimes) and Brignoles (Var) for upgrading these bikes. A third should be installed in Toulouse in September and discussions have been launched for locations in Ile-de-France.
“Each workshop means ten jobs created,” rejoices Laurent Durrieu. And the objective is to set up around twenty of them, in total by the end of 2023.” The creation of a vast network would make it possible, according to him, to limit shipping costs.
“At least half are in good enough condition to be entitled to a second life”
The entrepreneur, who claims the sale of 2,500 electrified wheels in France and 100,000 in Asia in just over two years, is aiming high because the potential of this new activity, called Reebike, is gigantic, according to him. It would make it possible to completely industrialize the reconditioning of “thousands” of scrapped bicycles.
“Of all those that are sent to the trash, at least half are in good enough condition to be entitled to a second life. And for the others, we can at least recover parts. The entrepreneur has started to forge a few partnerships with recycling centers in the Paca region. And hopes to quickly expand its network. He has also opened talks with operators of bike-sharing systems to get their old models back.
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