Using a bicycle without buying one takes several forms in Germany. An industry survey counted 102,550 publicly accessible bike-share bicycles on 1 September 2026. That is a slight increase on the previous year, while the number of private bicycle subscriptions edged down to 98,000.
Bike sharing is designed for short trips with automated pickup and return. A subscription offers longer use for a monthly fee. The survey also estimated business bicycle subscriptions separately for the first time: between 12,500 and 14,000, including electric bikes used for delivery work. That new category cannot be compared directly with a previous annual figure for business subscriptions.
The survey further estimates 35,000 to 40,000 tourist rental bicycles along the Baltic coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a regional figure rather than a national total. Together the numbers distinguish three services: short-term city sharing, monthly access and holiday rentals. The cycling economy is therefore broader than the number of bicycles sold each year.