Bicycle rental companies are tired of ‘unfair competition’ from hotels and want the municipality to intervene

“Commercial use of public space is not allowed,” says Maurits Wijzenbeek of the Professional Amsterdam Bicycle Rental Companies (PAF). “The majority of hotels have bicycles at the door. We have to rent expensive retail properties for this. We think that is major and unfair competition.”

Previously, PAF – which includes Zwarte Fietsenplan, MacBike and King Bikes – asked the municipality to enforce rental bicycles at hotels. That was rejected. Now the trade club is turning to the municipal council, with the Dutch Pedestrian Association.

For many bicycle shops in the city, bicycle rental is ‘necessary’, says Wijzenbeek. In the council address, PAF writes that the sector has suffered major blows during corona, recovered from this, but is now once again threatened with its survival.

Many bicycle shops in the city are having a hard time. AT5 recently reported that MacBike, one of the city’s major bicycle rental companies, will not be able to pay all staff salaries this month. According to the director, this could be due to the heavy rain recently. “That rain is really disastrous, because as a tourist you don’t ride your bike for fun,” he wrote to the staff.

Rules for hotels the same

“That equally applies to bicycle rental at hotels,” says Simon de Vries of On The Rolly, the largest bicycle rental company at hotels, in addition to Amsterdam-based Myhotelbike (which is also active internationally). “Hotels don’t want anything to do with the bicycles. We buy them and customize them completely for the hotel. They offer rental bicycles to their guests through our booking system.” The company also takes care of repairs, flat tires and stray bicycles.

The company now has 400 bicycles at 29 hotels. According to De Vries, the same rules apply as for any bicycle rental company. “We know that the municipality does not allow bicycles to be parked on the street in the canal belt. And that outside of that, in some places there is a maximum limit, often four bicycles and a maximum of two meters from the facade and they are not allowed to be in the loop.”

This changes if bicycles are parked on private property or if there is permission for bicycle spaces on the street through the hotel permit. “We advise hotels about this, but it remains their responsibility. Hotels also know best what is allowed on site.”

Gap in the market

De Vries does not accept that bicycle rental by hotels is unfair competition for regular bicycle rental companies. “Now MacBike is in trouble. That’s annoying, but if they don’t go along with changes, you will lag behind. We saw the gap in the market for bicycle rental through hotels.”

Ten years ago, when landlords also complained about unfair competition, the city council saw no reason to regulate rentals. The municipal council has now listened to the comments of the bicycle rental companies. According to VVD councilor Stijn Nijssen, it cannot be the case that ‘local small businesses do not receive the same treatment as competitors in the form of hotels’.

“A level playing field is needed. In addition, there are more restrictive rules for these types of small entrepreneurs in a broader context. We must keep these types of companies for Amsterdam. I have contacted the authors of the letter to discuss this further.”

Elisabeth IJmker of GroenLinks says that her party is always critical of commercial parties that use public spaces, where accessibility is already under pressure. “From flash delivery companies to hotels. We now also ask the speedy delivery companies to leave the bicycles indoors, so hotels must do this too.”

No issue

It is not an issue for the Amsterdam hotels. “In principle, hotels are also not allowed to leave bicycles in front of the door if it is on public roads,” says a spokesperson for Horeca Nederland, Amsterdam department. “This has also been enforced at hotels in the past. Of course, it is also possible that they do it when it is not allowed. You also regularly see them outside at some rental companies and bicycle repair shops.”

For example, at the Barbizon Palace hotel on the Prins Hendrikkade, there are bicycles in front of the door, but on their own grounds. Bicycles are also available at the Max Brown Canal District hotel on the Herengracht. “We can place them in the designated places,” says a spokesperson for owner Sircle Collection. “The bicycles of our guests are subject to the same rules as bicycles of Amsterdam residents. There are no further agreements with enforcement about this.”

Other hotels in the group, including Sir Adam and Parkhotel, have bicycles inside. “But there is no room for that in the city center. We would like guests to use their bicycle, instead of taking an Uber, to be part of the Amsterdam feeling.”