BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Bicycle insurance company Laka has partnered with sports retailer Decathlon to provide a tech-driven insurance offering for customers.
The announcement follows Laka’s recent $12million Series A funding round that will help accelerate growth and further build its tech capabilities, with a focus on introducing deeper API and e-commerce integration options for Europe-wide partners.
According to bike theft monitor Safe, 22,593 people reported their electric bikes stolen last year in the Netherlands. The partnership between Laka and Decathlon sets out to beat the bike thieves by launching an anti-theft system across Decathlon’s new connected electric bikes.
The anti-theft system, developed by AXA Security based in the Netherlands, allows customers to connect their bike and smartphone to provide them with the precise location of their bike via a hidden GPS chip. Bike owners will be notified when a third person touches their bike, or when it is moving without their knowledge.
Additionally, when protected with Laka insurance, the GPS tracking functionality allows a stolen bike to be tracked and recovered by a specialist recovery company. If they can’t find it quickly, Laka will provide a full bike replacement to customers.
Laka is now available on Decathlon connected e-bikes in the Netherlands and Belgium, with other European countries to follow.
Tobias Taupitz, Laka CEO, said: “Laka are proud to provide innovative tech solutions to commercial and retail partners, and we’re thrilled to partner with a leading international brand who are so closely aligned with our tech and customer-first model.
“Working with a tech-savvy partner like Decathlon not only ensures that customers have access to a market-leading and best possible price product, but together we can help customers fully enjoy their bike, and make their lives less painful by taking care of the bad stuff and deterring bike thieves.”
Eric Bastin, Decathlon urban cycling product manager, added: “Laka has performed very well since its debut in the UK, quickly becoming the preferred insurer for British cyclists, and now expanding across Europe. They have made their brand cool with a modern digital approach based on transparency and proximity with their customers.
Read more: Bikmo Bike Shop Insurance launches to provide premium protection for cycle retailers
“Working with the Laka team on this project has been a real pleasure and I’m very happy to associate them with the launch of this first connected Decathlon bike, which will hopefully make cycling a truly sustainable means of transport in our cities.”
For further information about Laka, visit Laka BE at laka.co/be/decathlon or Laka NL at laka.co/nl/decathlon. For further Decathlon connected e-bike information, visit here.
