Dance, the e-bike subscription start-up led by SoundCloud founders, has launched its full services in its home city of Berlin.
The company, which is backed by singers Maisie Williams and Chance the Rapper, is based around a monthly subscription model. It is not a bike share, it’s your own e-bike that you keep, but members save on the upfront cost of buying the bike and don’t have to worry about maintenance.
This, according to the company, strikes a middle ground between full ownership – where high end e-bikes can average around $4,000 – and the sharing models seen in many cities.
“Coming from a subscription background with SoundCloud, we have a lot of experience with subscription services, and we think that’s really a big part of how people will use products like e-bikes in the future,” chief executive Eric Quidenus-Wahlforss said.
Dance’s initial roll-out in Berlin is priced at €79 per month. This will be a test for the subscription model and if it can be applied to bikes on a large scale.
Quidenus-Wahlforss said the aim is to secure long-term customers rather than those looking to try out an e-bike before ultimately buying one for themselves.
“I think people that come from the bike world tend to underestimate just how much you can do with subscription. A subscription is not just monthly billing. From my previous life at SoundCloud, you can go infinitely deep with the subscription model in terms of pricing, plans, partnerships and layering in value-add products.”
Coinciding the launch of its subscription service, Dance has also revealed details of its first-generation e-bike. The Dance One has a custom aluminium diamond frame and offers a maximum speed of 25 km/h. It has a removable battery with a range of 55 km on a full charge, and features a Bluetooth lock that can be opened with the subscription member’s mobile phone.
