Premium ebike on demand? Riese & Müller launch a monthly ebike subscription model

Riese & Müller are known for their innovative urban mobility solutions. The premium brand want to make their ebikes even more accessible by introducing a subscription model. But how does the subscription model work and is it worth it? We’ve summarised all the details for you below.

When it comes to flexible and sustainable urban mobility, ebikes are hard to beat. But the high price tags of many models can often put the dream of modern mobility out of reach. To make it easier for more people to hop on-board the ebike train, Riese & Müller have launched a subscription model, making either the new UBN Five or UBN Seven City ebike available to all interested parties for € 169 a month. The UBN models, which you can find out more about in our 2023 Riese & Müller highlights article, are said to offer user-friendly handling and a dynamic ride feel. The new FAZUA Ride 60 motor and 430 Wh battery should be a perfect fit for the concept of a light-footed and agile city commuter.

The subscription comes with a minimum term of 6 or 12 months, after which it gets renewed on a monthly basis and ends after 15 months at the latest. Apart from the monthly charges for the subscription, there’s a once-off service fee of € 19.90. The monthly charge of € 169 has you completely covered. Riese & Müller will provide you with a bike fitting, repairs, services, as well as comprehensive insurance package covering both wear and theft. All rental bikes also come equipped with the RX package, which means they get linked to your smartphone via the RX Connect app and offer a host of security features. You can pick up the bike at your nearest dealer, who will also take care of the servicing and returns.

Is the subscription worth it? If you had to buy the Riese & Müller UBN model that you can rent, it’ll set you back by € 4,948. At € 169 per month, buying it new would only be cheaper after 30 months, and that’s without taking the service costs into account. Due to the low entry costs, therefore, the subscription model is a viable alternative. For commuters who aren’t yet convinced that ebiking is the most beautiful form of transport, they’ll be able to let themselves get persuaded over six months without having to make a substantial upfront investment.

Who will get access to the ebike subscription model? For now, Riese & Müller have decided to tackle the urban mobility of 12 major German cities: Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Dresden, Essen, Hamburg, Münster, Frankfurt, Cologne, Mainz and Munich. If your city isn’t included, you can only hope and wait for Riese & Müller to expand their subscription offering to your area, and hopefully for their entire product range.

A premium ebike including all the extras for € 169 per month? It sounds fair to us and will allow many who are still on the fence to try making the switch from a car to an ebike without committing. We don’t just need new means of transport but also flexible financing models to revolutionise mobility, making it as accessible as possible. Riese & Müller show us how it’s done. Hopefully, R&M will extend the offering to include other models and encourage other manufacturers to do the same.

For more information visit r-m.de

Words: Rudolf Fischer Photos: Mike Hunger