What It's About
Bicycle manufacturers such as Cube, Canyon, Rose, Riese & Müller and KTM Bike run mixed sales models: factory sales, specialist retail, own stores. Direct-to-Dealer combines the best of these: online sales on the brand website with delivery and service by the specialist dealer near the end customer. The end customer gets the bike assembled, ready to ride, with a local service anchor.
Why the Canyon Model Doesn't Fit Most Bike Brands
Canyon is the most prominent exception in the DACH bicycle market: a premium brand without a dealer network, selling only direct, delivering in a box. That works for Canyon because the business model was designed for it from the start.
For established brands with a dealer network (Cube, KTM, Riese & Müller, Stevens, Centurion), Canyon-style D2C is not strategically feasible. The dealer channel generates 70 to 90 percent of revenue. Dismantling this channel to build D2C is a 3 to 5 year risk with no clear guarantee of success.
D2D is the path that connects both worlds: the brand's online presence (configurator, inspiration, advice), order completion on the brand domain (data and attribution stay with the manufacturer), delivery and service by the specialist dealer. The end customer gets the best e-commerce experience and local service at the same time.
How a D2D Setup Works for a Bike Brand
The configurator is built into the brand website (e.g. manufacturerbrand.com). The end customer configures their bike (model, size, color, components) and clicks Buy. The Dealer Checkout widget shows regional dealers, the customer picks one and pays directly on the brand domain.
In the background, the order is routed to the dealer. In the portal, the dealer receives: end-customer data, configuration, payment confirmation, delivery date. They pick the right model from their stock (or order it from the manufacturer if it is not in stock), assemble it and contact the end customer for the handover, whether that is pickup in store or delivery with a service appointment.
The manufacturer sees in the dashboard which models sell where, which configurations are popular and which marketing channel drives which revenue. This data was not accessible in the classic dealer model.
Three Bike-Specific Arguments for D2D
Last Mile With Service: A €4,500 premium e-bike should not be left in a box at the door. The end customer wants a test ride, a fitting and a proper handover. D2D delivers this by having the specialist dealer do the final handover.
Maintenance and Warranty Handling: Bikes need annual maintenance, wear parts and warranty handling. The specialist dealer is the natural service anchor. D2D strengthens this relationship instead of destroying it.
Configuration and Order Transparency: Premium bikes are configurable (size, color, components). The manufacturer's shop is the natural place to configure. D2D passes the fully configured order to the dealer who delivers. The end customer benefits from the brand's depth plus a local handover.
Typical Figures for Bike D2D Setups
Premium brands with ~50 to 200 online dealers typically start with 10 pilot dealers. Onboarding per dealer: 30 minutes. Integration on the brand website, including the configurator connection: 6 to 10 weeks.
First D2D sales in month 2. Volume of 10 to 50 orders per month, depending on the price level (e-bikes sell for €3,000 to €8,000). ROAS improvement through attribution: typically 25 to 40 percent. End-customer repeat purchases and retention measurable from month 6 through a direct CRM connection.