German bicycle industry launches Leasing-Check initiative

The German bicycle industry has launched the Leasing-Check initiative for leasing service verification.

Leasing-Check introduces a standardised, read-only verification layer that allows authorised retailers and workshops to check whether a leasing contract is active and which service entitlements, budgets or maintenance packages are currently valid.

The technical architecture is based on standardised APIs and supports integration through a dedicated web portal as well as POS and dealer management systems. Depending on the leasing provider, information can either be displayed directly within Leasing-Check or accessed through secure deep links to existing provider systems.

Moreover, Leasing-Check does not process transactions, payments or bookings. Instead, it focuses on providing a minimal and interoperable service verification mechanism for workshop processes.

The first production version of Leasing-Check is scheduled to go live in September 2026.

The project was coordinated by DiBike | Digitize Bike Business together with Zukunft Fahrrad and was developed in collaboration with stakeholders from bicycle retail, leasing, software infrastructure and industry organisations across the German market.

“Many service workflows in bike leasing are still highly fragmented. Leasing-Check is intended as a practical and lightweight interoperability layer that helps retailers and workshops verify service eligibility across different leasing systems while remaining compatible with existing provider infrastructures,” said Nick Becker, Managing Director of DiBike.

The German bike leasing market is currently the largest in Europe, with an estimated leasing fleet of more than two million bicycles and annual market volumes exceeding €2.5 billion. The project partners believe operational standardisation and interoperable infrastructure will become increasingly important as leasing markets mature internationally. Multiple leasing providers active in the German market are already participating in the implementation phase.

“As bike leasing markets mature, interoperability becomes increasingly important for retailers, workshops and leasing providers alike. Open and neutral infrastructure can help reduce complexity while maintaining competition and provider diversity,” said Wasilis von Rauch, CEO of Zukunft Fahrrad. “Bike leasing has become a key pillar of the bicycle industry and an important driver of wider cycling adoption. As an association, we want to ensure that all stakeholders benefit as much as possible and that the process runs smoothly.”