Cyclobility among the top 3 Riese & Müller dealers in Belgium

Cyclobility is not just one of the largest dealers. The vision and mission of Riese & Müller align seamlessly with ours. In the following article, it becomes clear how sustainable entrepreneurship and responsible practices take shape at Riese & Müller. Riese & Müller is a company to look up to! Want to lease a Riese & Müller bike ? Or prefer to buy one ? You can do so at Cyclobility.

Sustainable development since 1993

At Riese & Müller, sustainable development is essential. Since its founding in 1993, sustainable mobility has been the driving force behind the company. It would be contradictory to aim for sustainable mobility if the products themselves were not produced sustainably. Sustainable development means meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We live in a materialistic society where prosperity plays a central role. Suddenly reducing that prosperity would be unrealistic. That is why we must find a responsible way of producing. This is exactly where Riese & Müller excels. They produce high-quality electric bikes that enable sustainable mobility. Of course, like any production process, manufacturing these bikes has an impact on the environment. Riese & Müller has been producing in a climate-neutral way since its inception and continues to do so today, following a progressive roadmap that is transparently outlined in their responsibility report.

Climate neutral

In 2020, they conducted an extensive climate audit highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement. Despite unprecedented and unexpected growth in 2020, R&M continued to operate in a climate-neutral way. Climate neutrality includes company buildings, logistics, business travel and the vehicle fleet. All electricity is sustainably generated, and packaging is FSC-certified, ensuring that the cardboard comes from responsibly managed forests. Together with suppliers, they have adjusted, reduced or eliminated packaging. Increasingly, air freight is being replaced by alternative transport methods, such as rail transport combined with air and sea freight. In this way, they continue to explore new measures to protect the environment.

Timeline

Mobility revolution

Since 1993, R&M has been striving to make daily transport by bike easier, more convenient and more comfortable. For almost as long, they have been committed to a transport revolution: less car traffic and more livable urban spaces. They are convinced that the bike is often the better means of transport. The e-bikes produced by R&M continue to improve year after year. Their range keeps increasing, as does their load capacity, without compromising riding comfort or rider safety. These improvements are steadily lowering the barrier for people considering giving up their (second) car. R&M bikes enable cyclists to adopt a significantly more sustainable lifestyle, consciously or unconsciously. By using a bike daily, they contribute not only to the environment but also to their own well-being. Cycling is clearly on the rise! More and more cities and municipalities are rethinking their infrastructure to make cycling more accessible and safer. Examples include Copenhagen, Paris, Brussels, Portland, Sydney and Bogotá, to name just a few.

Responsible workplace

Riese & Müller not only respects society and the environment, but also takes full responsibility towards its employees. The R&M office is equipped with electric charging stations. Employees who arrive by electric car can charge their vehicles at any time. For those who cycle to work, changing rooms and showers are available, making it possible to exercise before, during breaks or after work. No less than 31% of R&M employees cycle to work every day, well above the German national average. Those who want to relax between busy meetings can unwind on the green roof among wildflower meadows. The roof is also fitted with numerous solar panels that generate sustainable energy. In the staff café, employees can enjoy local products.

The people

Riese & Müller was founded on friendship, mutual respect and trust, and above all a love for cycling. These are values that unite Markus Riese, Heiko Müller and Sandra Wolf. All three are committed to ensuring these values have the space they need within a fast-growing company and are embraced throughout the organization, because business thrives on the people who work there every day. With their different personalities, backgrounds and orientations, as well as their knowledge, skills and experience, employees are encouraged to support one another and foster both personal and professional development on a daily basis.

2020: 0% waste, 0% emissions

Waste

They achieve a high recycling rate mainly through carefully sorted waste. Although they continuously work to avoid waste production from the outset and introduce new concepts and ideas, their business processes still generate a significant amount of waste. That is why they have completely revised their waste management system together with their employees. All colleagues have been trained in the new measures and are now able to sort waste properly. The waste management system has also been implemented across all offices. In addition, they maintain close contact with the local waste processing company, and waste is regularly monitored. Together with all employees and the waste processing partner, they aim to further increase the recycling rate and significantly reduce the share of plastic waste.

The motor and battery are the beating heart of an e-bike. After use, at the end of a battery’s lifespan, it must be returned to a recycling system. In export countries where return systems exist, these are supported as much as possible by Riese & Müller. Each system represents an individual solution for the standardized collection of used batteries. These systems are the only way to ensure proper recovery. They enable the extensive collection of used batteries, thereby increasing recycling rates. Batteries are returned to dealers, municipalities or commercial companies. In Germany, R&M is involved in the GRS Foundation (Joint Battery Return System), which guarantees the systematic nationwide return of used batteries. Out of 40 export countries, they support return systems in 23 countries, sometimes voluntarily, representing 97.2% of their sales volume. In the past financial year, R&M invested approximately €183,000 in total battery returns. They also proactively inform their dealers about the systems in their respective countries and assist them in meeting the requirements.

Emissions

To this day, R&M remains a climate-neutral company. Year after year, they work to reduce CO₂ emissions, with the goal of becoming the most sustainable company in the e-bike sector. In 2020, they achieved all their targets despite enormous and unexpected growth due to the COVID pandemic.

Load cargo bike versus king car

The R&M Load cargo bike is designed as the ideal replacement for a car. With this bike, it is possible to transport three children and carry out your daily shopping. You can carry up to 200 kg! The low center of gravity ensures a very comfortable riding experience. The bike can be fully customized to your needs. You can even opt for a high-speed version, which is useful for longer distances. In their annual report, R&M compares the CO₂ emissions of a car with those of the Load 75 Vario.

The following graph shows the comparison, taking into account the emissions from the production of a car and the Load 75. The Load cargo bike produces a total of 25 grams of CO₂, or 8%, compared to the car’s 311 grams of CO₂ emissions.

Future after the crisis

1. The bike boom continues, and e-bikes will play an increasingly central role in urban environments. They are one of the keys to the transport revolution.
2. A positive outcome of the crisis is that the bicycle will hold a strong, emotional place in the future of mobility. As a result, cycling will be more deeply embedded in our society than before the crisis.
3. Consumers increasingly want to know where their products come from and what impact they have on people and the environment.
4. In the long term, companies will only survive if they are resilient and flexible, capable of continuously reinventing themselves in an ongoing crisis.
5. Speed, courage and a now-or-never mindset are crucial for success!