How to buy and ride a bicycle in Berlin

Berlin is better on a bicycle. The city is very flat, and it has a big network of bike paths. In the summer, it’s the best way to get around.

In this guide, I show you how to buy a bike, what rules you must follow, and how to deal with bicycle theft.

Where to buy a bicycle in Berlin

Buying a new bicycle

Go to a small, independent bike shop. You will get better service and personalised advice. They will help you pick a good bike for your needs and budget. There are many great bicycle stores in Berlin. I recommend Little John Bikes in Prenzlauer Berg. They speak English.

Big bicycle stores like Decathlon, Stadler and [Radhaus] have more choice, but worse service. Decathlon bikes are good value for the price.³³

Buying a used bicycle

Used bicycles are cheaper. There are many places where you can buy them:

Berliner Fahrradmarkt (Moabit, Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg)
Monthly bicycle markets with hundreds of bicycles. There is also a bicycle workshop.
Fietsenbörse (Schöneberg)
Monthly bicycle market with hundreds of bicycles.
Kleinanzeigen
Classified ads website. Many bikes are listed there.
Flea markets
There are flea markets every Sunday in Berlin. Many of them sell bicycles. Do not buy a bicycle there. The bicycles are too old, too expensive, and often stolen.
Sell Your Bike Berlin
Facebook group with over 30 000 members. If you speak French, there is also Les vélos de Berlin. Watch for stolen bicycles.
Toll office auctions
There are regular auctions for lost and found bicycles. You can bid online.

The quality of used bicycles varies a lot. Always try the bike before you buy it. Check if the brakes work, the gears change smoothly, the frame is not cracked, the wheels are straight, etc. This guide can help you.

If you buy a used bicycle, get it fitted and adjusted at a bicycle shop. Your bike will ride smoother, and it will be more comfortable.

Buying a stolen bicycle

Many used bicycles are stolen. Before you buy a used bicycle, find its frame number (Rahmennummer) or registration tag (Fahrradkennzeichen), and enter it in this database, this database and this database.

Sign a sales contract (Kaufvertrag) like this one. If the bike is stolen, the seller usually refuses to sign a contract.¹

If you are caught with a stolen bicycle, the police will seize it. If you can find the seller, you can get your money back. If not, you lose your money and your bicycle.

Renting a bicycle

If you only stay in Berlin for a few months, you can rent a bicycle instead.

Swapfiets
Rent a bicycle for a few months. Minimum 15€ per month. Maintenance and repairs are included in the price. They also rent electric bikes.
Recyclies
Recycled and refurbished bicycles. Cheaper than Swapfiets, with more flexible contracts. Maintenance and repairs are included in the price.
Bikesurf
Borrow a bike, pay what you can.
Bike sharing
Some bike sharing services let you rent a bike for less than a day, only when you need it.
- Jelbi – Rent bikes, scooters and cars from different services
- Nextbike and Call a Bike – Regular bikes. Also in the Jelbi app.
- Lime, Tier and Bolt – Electric bikes. Also in the Jelbi app.
- fLotte – Free cargo bike rental
- Cargoroo – Cargo bikes. Also in the Jelbi app.

Bicycles for refugees

If you are a refugee, you can get a free bicycle from Rückenwind or Frieda.

How to save money

Tax deductions
Bicycles, bicycle maintenance and bike theft insurance are all tax-deductible.² Save your receipts for your next tax declaration.
Help from your employer
Some employers pay for your bicycle, or for a bicycle rental service. You can get a free bicycle, or a big rebate on your bicycle purchase.
Therapy bike
If you need a special bicycle for your therapy, your health insurer must pay for it.³
Buy a used bike
Old bicycles are reliable and easy to maintain. You don’t need a new bicycle, even if you know nothing about bicycle repair. Used bicycles are much cheaper than new ones.

Bicycle repairs and maintenance

Bicycle repair shops

There are bike repair shops (Fahrradwerkstatt) in every neighbourhood. There are good ones and bad ones. Check online reviews before you choose one.

Self-service workshops

There are self-service repair stations (Selbsthilfewerkstatt) where you can repair your bike yourself. You can borrow tools, and get help from people who work there.

ADFC bicycle workshop (Kreuzberg)
Berliner Fahrradmarkt (Moabit, Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg) – bicycle market with repair station
FUrad – bike workshop by FU Berlin
Hubschrauber (Mitte) – bike workshop by Humbolt University
Regenbogenfabrik (Kreuzberg)
unirad (Charlottenburg) – bike workshop by TU Berlin
Velo-fit (Kreuzberg)- bike workshop by Berliner Stadtmission
Workshop in Amtshaus Buchholz (Buchholz)

If you just need air in your tires, use the map of public bicycle pumps, or buy a bicycle pump for less than 10€. Petrol stations also have free air pumps, but they don’t work with some bicycle tire valves.

Bicycle theft

Bike theft is very common in Berlin. Over 30,000 bicycles are stolen every year.⁴ Always lock your bike with a strong bicycle lock (Fahrradschloß). Do not leave your bike locked on the street or at a train station overnight. If possible, lock your bike in a private area like a courtyard or a cellar. Always lock the bike to something else, so that thieves don’t carry it away.

Bicycle registration

The Berlin police can label your bike, and register it in their database. If your bike is stolen, it will be harder to resell. If the police finds your bike, they can return it to you. This is is a free service. You can find bicycle registration events here.

You should also write down your bicycle’s frame number (Rahmennummer). If your bicycle is stolen, you can use this number to report the theft. This page shows you how to find your Rahmennummer.

Bike theft insurance

If you have an expensive bike, you can get household insurance Hausratversicherung that covers bike theft, or just bicycle insurance (Fahrradversicherung. If your bike is stolen, your insurance will pay to replace it. Bicycle insurance only covers recent bicycles. Older bicycles are not covered.

If you don’t speak German, Feather and Getsafe sell bicycle insurance, and they speak English.

If your bike gets stolen

Report the theft to the Berlin police. You can do it online. If your bicycle is found again, they will let you know. You can also look at this list of recovered bicycles.

If your bike gets stolen in Berlin – ebureaucracy.com

Bicycle requirements in Berlin

Your bicycle must have lights, reflectors, a bell and working brakes. The Berlin Police sometimes controls bicycles.

Lights (Scheinwerfer)
Your bicycle must have a white light in the front, and a red light in the back.⁵ Your light must be StVZO-compliant. This means that it’s designed to avoid blinding others. Blinking lights are not allowed.⁶ If your bicycle has no lights, you can get a 20 to 35€ fine.⁷ You can get a fine even during the day.
- Headlight
  One white front light, powered by a battery or dynamo. StVZO-compliant. Must not blind other people.
- Rear light
  One red rear light, powered by a battery or dynamo. Must not blink.
Reflectors (Rückstrahler)
Your bicycle must have all the required reflectors.⁸ If you don’t have the correct reflectors, you can get a 20€ fine.
- Front reflector
  One white reflector. You must also have a bicycle light. Many bicycle lights have a reflector inside them.
- Rear reflector
  One red reflector. You must also have a red rear light. Many bicycle lights have a reflector inside them.
- Wheel reflectors
  Two yellow reflectors per wheel. You can also use white spoke reflectors. Spoke reflectors are much more visible.
- Pedal reflectors
  Two yellow reflectors on each pedal: one facing forward, and one facing rearward.
Bell (Fahrradglocke)
Your bicycle must have a bell.⁹ It must be attached to the handlebars and easy to reach.¹⁰ You can buy a bicycle bell for less than 5€. If you don’t have a bell, you can get a 15€ fine.
Brakes (Bremse)
Your bicycle must have working brakes.¹¹ The front and rear breaks must both work.¹² If your brakes don’t work, you can get a 10€ fine.¹³

Some equipment is not required, and some equipment is forbidden:

Helmet
You can ride without a helmet in Germany.
Lock
In Berlin, you should get a strong lock for your bike. Bike theft is very common.
Panniers and bags
Panniers and bags are allowed. They are very useful in Berlin.
Turn signals
Turn signals are only allowed for multiple track (3 or 4-wheeled) bicycles.¹⁴
Action cameras and dashcams
You can use an action camera on your bicycle.¹⁴ You must still follow German photography laws.

Road rules for cyclists in Germany

These are some of the most important road rules for cyclists. Those rules apply for all of Germany, not just Berlin. If you break the law on a bicycle, you can lose points on your driving licence.¹⁵

You can’t ride on the sidewalk.¹⁶
You must ride your bicycle on the street, not on the sidewalk. If you ride on the sidewalk, you can get a 55€ fine.¹⁷ Children up to 8 years old must ride on the sidewalk. Children up to 10 years old can ride on the sidewalk. Parents who accompany their children can also ride on the sidewalk. Pedestrians still have priority on the sidewalk.
You must use bicycle paths with blue signs.¹⁸
If you see these blue signs, you must use the bicycle path. You can’t ride on the street. If you ignore those signs, you can get a 20€ fine.¹⁹ If you don’t see any blue signs, you can also ride on the street. If you see this sign, you can ride there, but you don’t have priority. If you ride in the wrong direction, you can still get a 20€ fine.²⁰
You must use hand signals before you turn.²¹
Before you turn left or right, you must announce it with hand signals. If you don’t use hand signals, you can get a 10 to 35€ fine.²⁰ Point left with your left hand, and point right with your right hand.²²
You can ride next to your friend if you don’t block traffic.²³
You can ride two abreast if it does not block traffic. Otherwise, you must ride one behind the other. If you ride two abreast and block traffic, you can get a 20€ fine.¹⁹
You must give bus and tram passengers the priority.²⁴
If you ride past a stopped bus or tram, you must slow down. You do not have priority. The passengers who enter and exit the bus have priority. In this photo, the bicycle must wait for people to enter/leave the bus.
You can’t ride in the bus lane²⁵
You can’t use the bus lanes, unless there is a “Fahrrad frei” sign. If you ride on a bus lane, you can get a 15€ fine.²⁶
You must stop at red lights.
Cyclists can’t cross the street on a red light, just like in a car. If you cross on a red light, you can get a 90€ fine, and lose one Flensburg point.²⁷ You can’t turn right when the light is red, unless you see this sign.²⁸
You can’t use your phone while riding.
If you use your phone while riding, you can get a 55€ fine.¹⁹
You can use headphones while riding.
You can listen to music on your bicycle, but it must not be too loud.²⁹ You must be able to hear sirens and horns.³⁰ You can also make hands-free phone calls.³¹ If you get in an accident, and you wear headphones, you might not get money from the insurance company.³² They can say that you are partly responsible for the accident, even if you were the victim.
You must hold the handlebars.
If you ride without hands, you can get a 5€ fine.²⁰
You can’t ride your bicycle in some parks.
Look at the signs near park entrances. Sometimes, bicycles are forbidden. If you ride your bicycle in these parks, you can get a 15€ fine.

Right of way

If you ride a bicycle in Germany, you must understand who has the right of way. This website explains it really well.

Bringing bicycles on public transit

How to bring bicycles on public transit

Sources and footnotes