Renting a bike in Madrid for a semester: how monthly rental works
For students and expats staying a few months: how monthly bike rental works with MadridBikes, what we need from you, and when buying makes more sense than renting.
If you are in Madrid for one semester, buying a bike and selling it again in June is one option. Renting one for the months you are here is the other. This is how the second option works with us, and how to decide between the two.
This is not tourist bike hire
Search “bike rental Madrid” and you get shops near the Retiro park renting bikes by the hour or the day for sightseeing. That is a different product. What we offer is a bike for weeks or months, with a budget per month, for getting to class and around the city.
How it works
- Tell us what you need on WhatsApp or through the form: what kind of bike, how long you need it, your budget per month and your height.
- We propose options that fit.
- You pick one and we arrange the handover.
Everything happens on WhatsApp, in English, German, Italian, French or Spanish.
What we need from you
- How long you need the bike. A semester, a few months, until you leave.
- Your budget per month. Tell us a number and we work with it.
- Your height, so the bike fits.
- What you will use it for. Daily commuting to a campus is different from weekend rides in the Casa de Campo.
Renting or buying?
A few questions decide it:
- How long are you staying? The longer you stay, the more buying makes sense. For a single semester, renting avoids the end of term rush to sell.
- Do you want to deal with repairs? A rented bike you give back. A bought bike is yours to maintain, although we help with that too.
- Do you want to choose exactly the bike you ride? Buying gives you more choice. Some of our readers rented first and bought later, once they knew what they wanted; their stories are in the Spanish blog.
If you are leaning towards buying, read our checklist for buying a second hand bike in Madrid first.
Where in Madrid
All over the city, and we also hear from students at the Getafe and Leganés campuses. Tell us where you live and we will tell you what we can do.
Ask us
The fastest way to find out whether we have something that fits is to write to us with the four things above: how long, budget per month, height and use. We answer on WhatsApp: +34 684 24 48 73.