New track for the electric bike, with “Dancing” ! Behind this name, that of an all-inclusive offer which includes an electrically assisted bicycle, anti-theft, insurance, but also a concierge. And this time, the idea is that of a monthly or annual subscription which allows you to have your own bike for a few tens of euros. Faced with the enthusiasm of the French for the electric bicycle (whose sales jumped 28% in 2021, according to the Cycle Observatory of Union Sport & Style), the idea is appealing. But what is “Dance” really worth? “20 Minutes” was able to ride the new mount.
A good urban electric bike
The principle consists of subscribing online, choosing your bike (with closed or open frame), a few possible accessories (support for smartphone, basket, etc.) and having everything delivered to the address of your choice. What was done. It remains to adjust the height of the saddle if necessary and… to pedal.
Of a fairly agreed design, but pleasant, although it is not suspended, the “Dance” bike is robust. It is otherwise not but too heavy for an electric bike (21 kg). The mount has a removable battery of 36V and 340 Wh. If it is not extraordinary for long outings, it still allows to align up to about 50 km. More than enough to support the daily trips to and from work. The bike has a connected lock that can be activated from the app and disc brakes.
Despite our quintal on the scale, we were pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of the two levels of electric assistance offered, the second truly acting as a booster to pick up speed or climb a hill. The torque developed by the central motor is very relevant, especially when it comes to restarting after stopping at a red light, or at a Stop. There is hardly any real effort to provide, which is a real plus. In short, “Dance” is a good little urban bike.
Two locks and a concierge
For its part, the concierge service is there in case of a problem. If we could not verify the promise of “Dance” in the facts, it is contractually a question of a repair in 24 hours on working days, and in 48 hours on weekends and public holidays. The good thing is that it is possible to leave the broken down bike duly anti-theft wherever you want. It will be geolocated and repaired, or even exchanged if necessary, without you having to be there.
The connected lock integrated into the rear wheel works very well and quickly. A simple swipe in the app and the bike is ready to go or locked. Nevertheless, we recommend that you also use the “U” lock provided, whatever the circumstances. The “Dance” offer states that “insurance” is included.
However, it is in fact only insurance in the event of bodily injury. You have to search the site dance.co to discover that the loss or theft of the bicycle will be charged 100 euros “for a bicycle stolen or lost while it was correctly attached and locked with all available locks”, and 1,200 euros for a bicycle “stolen or lost without being correctly tied and locked”. It remains to prove his good faith. Verification made, it is “Dance” who will take care of any possible filing of a complaint in the event of theft, after having asked the rigorous questions of the stolen subscriber (exact place where the bike was attached, how it was attached… ). In the event of vandalism, “Dance” also assured us that any repair costs were at its expense.
Several thousand bikes this year
After Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Vienna, “Dance” is therefore arriving in France… but only in Paris for the moment. Éric Quidenus-Wahlforss, co-founder of “Dance” whom we interviewed, hopes to launch several thousand of his bikes on the streets of the capital by the end of the year.
With an introductory offer from 49 euros per month (for a subscription of a minimum of 12 months), or from 69 euros per month (for a one-time subscription), the proposal is far from given. But it remains cheaper than that of the competitor Red Will (present in Paris and Bordeaux) and offered from 79 euros for a six-month commitment.
If you are interested, do not fail to evaluate your use by reporting for example the price of your subscription to your travels. If necessary, consult your employer about the Sustainable Mobility Package. This scheme allocates up to 600 euros per employee per year for commuting to work by bicycle, which can reduce your costs. Finally, it is important to think carefully about the real cost of a subscription accumulated over several months, compared to the cost of acquiring an electrically assisted bicycle, the average price of which is What to choose? between 1,500 euros and 2,000 euros.