Swapfiets - Good or Bad Deal? (Biking in Denmark)

If you’ve been around a city like Copenhagen or Arhus, or Odense, you MUST have seen the blue Swapfiets bikes. They’re all over the place, and they’re getting more and more popular.

Swapfiets is a bike subscription. It’s a simple concept - you get a (relatively good) bike, and if it breaks or something, you get a new one almost immediately. All for a fixed monthly price.

BUT - Is it a good deal? In this video, I’ll tell you specifically how long you need to be in Denmark for to make the Swap subscription make sense and what are your alternatives.

My Story

I had my last bike  for around six years, and it broke so much it didn’t make sense to fix it anymore. I then took a look around for what I should get, and - honestly - I seriously considered Swap.

It’s just very convenient - plus they’re good in brand awareness. I know no other bike brand, for instance.

BUT - Personally, I didn’t want a subscription. I don’t like fixed costs and tend to travel a lot. For instance, planning to take two months (at least!) off to travel this winter. It’s just better to own my own bike.

But still, I made a little financial analysis that I’m sharing with you here today.

The Financials

While I considered Swap, I added three alternatives:

• Buy Coop/Fotex Bikes - Mustang, they’re called in Coop. They’ve the 3-gear version and the 7-gear version. They’ve a good reputation for value for money.
• Buy DBA - For a second-hand bike.

I didn’t consider Bike Stores as they’re are a rip off unless you know what you’re doing with bikes (which I don’t). I also didn’t consider anything fancy, as those likely get stolen FAST.

OKAY - Looking at the data:

Swap costs 179 kr for a 1-speed bike and 199 for a 7-gear bike. For most people the 7-gear bike is the better deal, so let’s use that for reference.

Coop, etc. —> These are the prices. They can be lower with time. We paid less than this for a 3-gear Mustang couple years back.

Also - If you fix bikes yourself (patch it up, change tube, etc.) you can lower this number a lot. I can’t be bothered, but, hey, maybe you’ve the time and like that type of things.

WALKTHROUGH

AND… This is all without taking into account re-sell value. Keep that in mind! If you’re here for 12 months, and buy a Mustang, and it’s generally in fine shape, it’s not crazy you can sell it for 40-50% of what you bought it for.

Conclusions

• If you’re in DK for under six months, try Swap. I think it’s an interesting option. If you’re here for a year, so-so. Likely better off buying and re-selling. If you’re here for over a year, it starts getting very shaky with Swap. If you’re here for two years plus, it’s a bad deal.
• I personally went with the 7-gear Mustang. I’m very happy with it. It will take two years to pay off but, judging from the last time, I hope I can keep it for well over that.
  • ALSO - Swap also has electric bike options. But they’re expensive. I didn’t consider then, so I’m descoping them for now. BUT - If you’re planning to buy an electric bike, or you’re curious about it, trying one the swaps for one month before buying your own looks to me like a sensible idea. Especially since e-bikes are so expensive!

Did you try Swap? Let me know in the comments. To hear more tips on how to save money in Denmark, check this video out.