Hi, this is Raph’ from Lokki 👋
I just got back from Prodays— a great opportunity , after the first two months of the season, to answer the question everyone’s asking: Did the heat wave take a toll on the end of June?But that’s not all: I’m taking this opportunity in the newsletter to share my market analysis following Prodays. Let’s dive in and break it down together!
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Many of you have told me , “The second half of June saw a slowdown.” I wanted to check this against the full set of Lokki data.
My first instinct was to compare the two halves of June. And there, to my surprise, the second half saw a 14% increase in rentals and revenue compared to the first half.
Nearly 24,000 rentals from June 16 to 30 alone. Not exactly a slump.
But that doesn’t mean you were dreaming. When I compare figures on a like-for-like basis—using the same rental companies as in 2025—the figures for early June jumped by 14% year-over-year…while those for late June rose by only 2 %. In other words: the usual surge we see at the end of the month didn’t happen.
My take: The heat wave has most likely slowed things down—but don’t panic.
It’s just a temporary lull in the weather; in any case, the French will unfortunately have to adapt to heat waves and will get back on their bikes.
The proof is that things have really picked up again since then, with July 6 being our biggest day of the 2026 season, featuring 2,600 rentals and €355,000 in bookings on July 6 alone.
The best part of the season is still ahead of YOU đź’Ş
Have any other analyses in mind? Just ask me!
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The big event this week is the Prodays trade show in Paris. Here are my two initial impressions:
My point: How can I help you avoid piling up costs across a thousand different in-store services? You’re asking me for point-of-sale software, electronic invoicing, rental services, visibility on the Marketplace, roaming, multi-location inventory management, insurance, a central purchasing department...
IN SHORT: How should I prioritize? Please help me prioritize—SERIOUSLY.
Fill out this short form & help shape our Road Map: Click here
I mentioned this last week: bike shops are closing—yes, there are a lot of closures. Over the past 12 months, 110 Lokki stores have shut their doors.
It’s tough, but that’s the reality.
The silver lining here? Those who stick with it are making progress. Bike rental companies are getting better at what they do year after year.
With a comparable number of active rental companies, here’s how June stacked up against last year:
It’s great to be in the rental business, isn’t it? The retail market, on the other hand, is tightening everywhere except in the gravel and road bike segments, according to several discussions at Prodays. (-8% in bicycle sales by 2025—source: UESC)
The best rental companies have figured this out, and even shops that used to offer rentals just as a “stopgap” are now making it a real strategy.
A quick shout-out to Fabrice at Bouticyle Nice—you’ve got this.
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P.S.: Here are some links I think you'll find useful:
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Thank you for the dozens of positive comments—they really warm my heart. Let's keep it up!
Please reply—I read everything.
Raph' ✌️
Co-founder of Lokki
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