Riese & Müller —Premium German eBike Manufacturer Launches Subscriptions with circuly

Riese & Müller, one of Germany’s most renowned premium e-bike manufacturers, expanded beyond direct sales to launch its Riese & Müller Bike Abo. The subscription business makes high-quality e-bikes accessible on flexible monthly terms while keeping dealers at the core of delivery, service, and maintenance. Powered by circuly, the Bike Abo has grown into a scalable operation that combines seamless digital subscription management with Riese & Müller’s dealer network expertise.

Business Model

Riese & Müller is best known as a premium German e-bike manufacturer with strong brand equity in quality and innovation. By introducing the Bike Abo, the company extended its value chain beyond sales into mobility-as-a-service, aligning with consumer demand for flexibility and sustainability. The Bike Abo allows customers to access premium e-bikes without committing to ownership, while Riese & Müller retains control of the asset lifecycle—ensuring bikes are maintained, refurbished, and kept in circulation through its dealer network.

This model not only opens up e-bikes to new customer groups who may not afford or desire ownership but also strengthens the role of Riese & Müller’s dealer network, which remains central to pickup, maintenance, and returns. By combining subscription pricing with local dealer expertise, Riese & Müller creates a hybrid digital–physical customer journey that lowers barriers to entry while reinforcing its premium positioning.

To keep both models distinct, Riese & Müller operates two separate online platforms:

• r-m.de for outright bike purchases.
• abo.r-m.de for e-bike subscriptions.

On the subscription platform, the customer journey works as follows:

1. Customers select a bike model and a minimum subscription duration (with longer durations lowering the monthly fee).
2. A local dealer is chosen during checkout, who becomes the customer’s contact for pickup, adjustments, maintenance, and eventual return.
3. Customers enter their details, address, and payment information to finalize the order.
4. After a successful credit check, the bike is collected at the chosen dealer, where it is adjusted to the rider’s size.

Key Elements of the Model:

• Wide range of e-bikes at tiered monthly pricing (€69–€139).
• Dealer-centric structure: pickup, service, and return handled locally.
• Transparent ownership option: buyout available with 90% of prior subscription fees credited toward the purchase price.
• All-inclusive package: insurance, service, and maintenance are bundled.
• Digital-first process: circuly’s integrated credit check is required for approval.

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Operations Where circuly Supports Riese & Müller

circuly became the subscription management system behind Yuno, automating the core infrastructure needed to run a subscription-based business model for physical products such as consumer tech & electronics. Out-of-the-box, circuly handles subscription management, recurring billing and invoicing, asset tracking, product lifecycle management, return management, a customer self-service portal, transactional communication, and fraud prevention through credit checks — allowing Yuno's team to focus on growth rather than manual admin.

1. Core Subscription Management

Automated billing, invoicing, asset tracking, lifecycle management, and recurring payments.

2. Self-Service Customer Portal

Customers use circuly’s white-label portal to update payment details, track subscriptions, and manage their account independently.

3. Advanced Buyout Feature

circuly enables automatic calculation and charging of buyout amounts, crediting 90% of all past subscription payments toward the purchase.

4. Dealer Integration

circuly supports the unique Riese & Müller setup where the dealer is central to subscription fulfillment, ensuring data consistency while keeping customer contracts linked to the dealer network.

5. Credit Check Integration

circuly’s built-in credit check solution reduces fraud and ensures only qualified customers can take out subscriptions.