The episode in detail
400,000 bikes stolen a year: the problem Vél’home wants to solve
In France, more than 400,000 bikes are stolen every year, more than 1,000 a day, according to the Fédération française des usagers de la bicyclette (FUB), France’s cyclists’ federation. Theft is the second barrier to cycling after the lack of cycling infrastructure. Paul Ravet, a business school student in Lyon passionate about restoring vintage bikes, lived with this fear every day. When you spend two years gathering parts to build a bike, the risk of having it stolen during a trip to the cinema becomes off-putting. With his co-founder Octave Clenjans, he created Vél’home (velhome.co) to offer a community-based solution.
“Beyond the money it’s worth, when you’ve spent time restoring a bike, taking the risk of having it stolen during a trip to the cinema is something that stopped me using it.”
Vél’home: bike parking between private individuals
Vél’home works on the principle of mutual aid between cyclists. Hosts offer a secure space (garage, cellar, courtyard, storage room) to take in other users’ bikes. The service is free. The platform puts hosts and users in touch by email or phone, with follow-up from the Vél’home team. The project was trialled in Rouen before expanding to other cities. Hosts are often cyclists themselves, which creates a caring community. Some even offer accommodation to touring cyclists passing through on major routes.
“Bike parking outside a company, out in the open, is not bike parking. It has to be inside the building.”
The theft map: a community tool against bike theft
Vél’home also offers a national map of bike thefts. The starting observation: Facebook groups for stolen bikes (one per major city) are effective but short-lived. Posts disappear over time. The Vél’home database centralises reports with photo, description, location and the bike’s features. The tool makes it possible to spot theft hotspots and identify a stolen bike on classified ads sites. The map also includes France’s main cycling routes, to help spot hosts available along the way.
“The bike that was stolen two weeks ago is completely forgotten on Facebook. We keep it in the database.”
From vintage bikes to the circular economy
Paul buys second-hand bikes on Le Bon Coin and Troc Vélo, restores them part by part with locally sourced parts, and resells them. He refuses to order new parts from the other side of the world. His process: hunting for vintage components, sometimes buying a whole bike for a single part, trading with other enthusiasts. His last build took two years of collecting. This circular economy approach feeds his vision of the bike: a durable, repairable object, full of history. Paul discovered this passion during a prépa, the intensive course that prepares French students for entry to the country’s top graduate schools, as a pressure valve, before turning it into an entrepreneurial project.
“I can spend an entire day redoing the braking surface of a wheel to bring it back to its original condition.”
Bike commuting in Berlin on a fixed gear: the best memories
During a six-month placement at 8 Bar Bikes in Berlin, Paul discovered intensive bike commuting: 10 km a day on a fixed gear, in all weather. He got to know the Berlin Wall from his bike’s handlebars. The fixed gear sets a pace that makes every ride a workout. Paul draws a lesson from it: when you have no choice of transport, you stop asking the question. As soon as it rains a few drops and there’s an alternative, you give in. Being dedicated to a single mode of transport simplifies everyday life and keeps you fit.
“When all you have is the bike, you stop asking yourself questions. And in the end, you get your exercise every day.”
Businesses and bike parking: a productivity issue
Paul argues that businesses should invest in secure bike parking on their premises. An employee who arrives by bike is fitter, in a better mood and more productive than one frustrated by traffic jams. Outdoor stands are not enough: the bike storage room needs to be inside the building. Changing rooms and showers are also part of the equation. For a young professional like Paul, the quality of bike parking is becoming a factor in choosing an employer. Parking is set to become an increasingly important issue as cycle tracks develop.
