‘Thömus AG’ from Oberried near Bern is taking over 12 ‘Bike World’branches and their employees from Migros. The locations will be redesigned and reopened under the name ‘Thömus Bike World’ on 1 March 2025. ‘Thömus Bike World’ is the perfect combination of over 30 years of experience and innovative strength in bicycle construction on the one hand and an efficient, broad network of branches on the other – the best basis for developing the history of ‘Thömus’and ‘Bike World’together and driving forward the bicycle revolution in Switzerland.

Cycling is already the second most popular sport in our country and Switzerland aims to double the number of kilometres cycled to 5.3 billion per year by 2035. Against this backdrop, the takeover of most of the ‘Bike World’ branches and the brand rights by ‘Thömus AG’ offers a wide range of opportunities. Strengths and traditions complement each other perfectly: ‘Bike World’ brings with it a busy branch network with a clear focus on bicycles and highly qualified employees. The bicycle manufacturer ‘Thömus’ gains well-established distribution channels to an almost nationwide network and thus strengthens its position in the Swiss market.

Ideal complement and Swissness

‘Our entire value chain is characterised by Swissness. We research, design, develop and produce our bikes in Switzerland, where we assemble them according to our customers’ needs and sell them directly. With ‘Bike World’, we are expanding our sales network further into the country,’ says Thomas ‘Thömu’ Binggeli, owner and Managing Director of “Thömus AG”. The takeover is therefore an ideal addition for ‘Thömus AG’, which has already opened various locations in recent years. Binggeli assures: ‘We remain true to our values as an agile SME majority-owned by the founding family that lives and breathes cycling passion and drives innovation.’

Peter Schmid, CEO of Migros Fachmarkt AG, on the takeover: ‘This takeover is extremely promising and we are very happy about it. We are pleased that we can place the majority of the Bike World shops in experienced, bike-enthusiastic hands from Switzerland, who will continue to look after our customers and take on the employees.’

The parties have agreed not to disclose the sale price of the 12 out of 14 branches. The locations being taken over are Affoltern am Albis, Au Wädenswil, Baden, Ebikon, Muri (BE), Payerne, Pratteln, Romanel-sur-Lausanne, Schlieren, St. Gallen, Volketswil and Zuchwil.

Shopping experience and home for cycling enthusiasts

Following a redesign in February 2025, ‘Thömus Bike World’ will reopen its shops from 1 March 2025. These ‘Thömus Bike World’ locations will continue to focus fully on bikes in the future. In order to be able to offer customers a choice in all segments, the ‘Thömus’ range will be supplemented with additional bike brands as well as clothing and accessories.

Like the current ‘Thömus’ locations, the redesigned shops will also offer a unique shopping experience. This includes community offers for cycling enthusiasts, a wide range of test options and additional services such as bike fittings and performance tests. In the centre of each shop, there will also be a meeting zone for socialising, which will also provide a home for cycling and bike clubs from all regions.

In the new ‘Bike World’ branches, the focus will not only be on service, but also on training. ‘We want to do even more to train young talent in the service and sales area. We offer young employees attractive career opportunities,’ says Urs Schaeppi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ‘Thömus AG’.

Caring for employees and customers

Thömus AG is particularly pleased that it can continue to employ all the staff in the 12 branches it has taken over and can count on their many years of experience. Thömus AG will make the employees in the other ‘Bike World’ branches an equivalent offer of employment.

The takeover will also bring major benefits for existing ‘Bike World’ customers. In future, they will be able to choose from a wider range of products. In addition, ‘Thömus AG’ will provide all warranty work on bicycles and articles purchased from ‘Bike World’.

Further information:
Thomas Binggeli, CEO and owner of Thömus AG | 079 410 90 40
Stefan Honegger, Project Manager | 079 677 41 05

Media-Kit:
https://bike.thoemus.ch/media-kit

With new Swissrider and three more locations into the new year: Thömus launches the new Swissrider, probably the nimblest e-bike ever. The launch took place in Santa Monica (USA), where Thömus has a new location and is entering a new market through a partnership. At the same time, Thömus is strengthening its presence in its home market with new locations in Lenzburg and the Principality of Liechtenstein.

The Swissrider with its modern design and its light weight of 11.5 kilos is the bike for daily use. Its basis is the ultra-light carbon frame and the drive technology from maxon, which has also proven itself in NASA’s Mars Rover. In the summer, Thömus launched the Lightrider E Ultimate, the first e-mountain bike with Swiss drive specialists maxon.
For Thomas Binggeli, CEO and test rider at Thömus, the new development is a milestone: “The Swissrider is an e-bike for life. Light enough that it can be carried up the stairs and hung on the train without effort, yet with enough power to ride with ease.” Only a discreetly integrated control element on the top tube suggests that there is more power in the bike.
The Swissrider is available now in dark red, sand and black starting at CHF 4,750 and is designed as a bike for all situations – with mudguard, luggage rack, the light integrated into the frame and the fast road tires. The Swissrider is also available with wider gravel tires, with straight handlebars or with racing handlebars. As with every Thömus bike, components and equipment are freely selectable and configurable.

Thömus goes USA

Thömus also developed the Swissrider at its headquarters in Oberried, where Binggeli started his bike production on his parents’ farm. But he presented it on the occasion of the opening of his new location in a good location in Santa Monica, California.
“In the USA, velomobility has huge potential, and Swiss precision is in demand there. I am delighted about the partnership with Bernardo Gonzalez,” says Binggeli. He offers the entire Thömus range in a franchise and assembles the bikes there individually. Gonzalez has already successfully opened up new markets in partnerships with Nespresso or Technogym.
“Switzerland is a technology and design center, especially for bicycles and e-bikes,” says Bernardo Gonzalez, explaining why he wanted to partner with Thömus. “When Thömu Binggeli explained his vision to me, it was clear that this would be a success story in California.”

Also present in Santa Monica was former NASA CTO Thomas Zurbuchen, who is very familiar with maxon’s drive technology through a wealth of experience from various Mars missions. The CEO of maxon Group, Eugen Elmiger was also present at the presentation of the new Swissrider. “We are convinced that light e-bike drives have a lot of potential in urban life. The Swissrider relies on sleek design, super-light construction and electric tailwind from maxon. A promising package for this market.”

Two new locations

Thömus is also strengthening its presence in its home market. Since the beginning of the year, there have been additional locations in Lenzburg as well as in the Principality of Liechtenstein – currently in Triesen, and from April in Schaan.

About Thömus

For more than 30 years Thömus has been an independent producer of technically high-quality bikes – and thus trumps even in the middle of the bicycle boom with fast delivery times. “Swiss made to fascinate” is the motto of the company with 120 employees. Thömus produces in its own factory in Thörishaus near Bern with creativity, innovation and passion. Whether mountain bike, road bike or city bike – the high-quality Thömus bikes are available with electric assistance and without motor. Because everyone’s anatomy is different, as are their needs, there is no “one bike” at Thömus. Each bike is built individually according to the customer’s wishes. The community and its feedback is important to Thömus. Bike fans of all ages and strengths meet at many events for joint activities and exchanges. The experiences of customers and athletes flow directly back into the further development of the models.

About Bernardo Gonzalez

Born in Mexico City in 1973, Bernardo Gonzalez founded his first company (cement trading) at the age of 21, which he successfully resold seven years later. He took over a food services company that grew to become the largest of its kind in Mexico. Nespresso – which he brought to Mexico – was the first time he came into direct contact with a Swiss company. Gonzalez founded Cascada Fund, took over the trading company for Technogym distribution and founded Spinciti. He holds master’s degrees in entrepreneurship from Babson University Boston and in economics from Monterey Tech, was also a finance professor there, and attended two executive programs at Stanford.