Decathlon Buyback Service

Upcycle you bicycle! The Decathlon BuyBack service lets you recycle your old Decathlon bike.

Decathlon has launched a Buyback service across its 50 UK stores to release some of the estimated 1.2m unused bikes. These could be kids bikes that are too small or are no longer wanted. Or it could be those lock-down bikes that were bought when people had loads of free-time to ride. The Decathlon BuyBack service will allow those bikes to be recycled, freeing up room and giving you store credit towards your next purchase.

Decathlon’s BuyBack mission was launched by Olympic and World Champion cyclists, Jason and Laura Kenny. They said: “Decathlon’s BuyBack service is an absolute game-changer for a cycling-loving family like ours! Kids, as we all know, have a knack for outgrowing their bikes faster than we can blink. This new initiative from Decathlon not only keeps the whole family active, but also works wonders for your wallet and our planet, what’s not to love? So if you’ve got an old bike hiding in your shed, wheel it over to your nearest Decathlon store now to get one you can actually ride!”

Decathlon BuyBack

Initially Decathlon will only be accepting their own brand bikes, but they hope to eventually take other brands. They also hope to expand the service to other sports equipment such as kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, rackets and fitness equipment. 

To see how much you can get for your old Decathlon bike, you can use their valuation page. Here you select the make and model of your bike and give them details of its condition. You’ll get an initial value, which will be confirmed once Decathlon’s mechanics have checked your bike. Once they’ve confirmed the value of your bike, the credit is transferred to your Decathlon store account.

You could get more selling it privately, credit is only up to 45% of the original value, but this will save you some hassle. However, you won’t have to deal with FaceBook market-place hagglers, eBay commissions or dodgy looking buyers! You will also get a nice warm feeling from knowing that you are participating in a circular economy. Decathlon’s Second Life and Rental services are also part of their circular economy, allowing more people access to sports equipment.

BuyBack success in Europe

The Decathlon BuyBack service has seen over 250,000 items being brought back and re-sold in Europe. BuyBack of Decathlon’s cycles have been particularly successful in Belgian stores, making up over 40% of sales. Chris Allen, Sustainability Leader at Decathlon UK, comments: “With the cost of living still continuing to impact sport and fitness participation across the UK, at Decathlon we are determined to ensure that sport participation continues and is not affected by the rising cost of goods. BuyBack, will allow customers to return their old and unwanted sporting equipment for store credit to use on refreshing their kit.” 

Research commissioned by the Decathlon revealed that over 50% of adults have unused sports equipment stored in their house. Of which bicycles make up 18% of the unused kit. A quarter of those people also admit to never wanting to resell old sporting gear. They would rather opt to store kit in their basement or garage. So if you have an old, un-used Decathlon bike taking up space at home, maybe consider giving Decathlon BuyBack a try?