There was a time when Troc Vélo was a must-visit. People would spend hours there, rummaging through ads, comparing frames, and unearthing a legendary pair of wheels or a forgotten handlebar.
It was a bit of a cottage industry, a bit of a catch-all, but incredibly lively corner of the web—a haven for enthusiasts, with the forum atmosphere of the early days of the Internet. Today, when you go back, you feel like you're entering an attic where everything has changed places. The charm has disappeared, as has the logic. And above all... the cyclists are leaving.
Text: Jeff Tatard – Photos: 3bikes.fr, troc-velo.com
Since the takeover, the slope has been steep
Since its acquisition by Alltricks, which became a subsidiary of Decathlon, Troc Vélo has been in a state of disarray. Officially, the idea was a great one: to promote the circular bicycle economy. In practice, many feel they have lost a free and community space, swallowed up by the machine of organized commerce.
Fred, a long-time user, sums up this discomfort well: “Before, I could find everything easily. Now, I spend more time searching than buying. The organization is unreadable, the filters are useless, and you come across duplicates by the bucketload.”
It's hard to argue with him. The user experience has become confusing. Between professional ads, bikes, and more, reconWith the many options, paid "boosts" and categories galore, it's easy to get lost. And when you finally find an interesting bike, it's often on the other side of France, published three months ago.
Thierry rails against a two-tier system
Thierry, for his part, doesn't mince his words. “Those who pay to have their ad highlighted are clearly favored. The others no longer exist. Troc Vélo has become a showcase for those who can afford to pay for their visibility.”
This feeling of injustice often comes up. By dint of wanting to professionalize the platform, The site has lost its community spirit. It now features more professional shops and sellers than real individuals. The balance has been broken: Troc Vélo looks more liketage to a giant catalog than to a space for exchanges between enthusiasts.
Seb, for his part, has turned the page
Seb regularly sells and buys equipment. “Before, I used to post my ads on Troc Vélo and Leboncoin to increase my chances. Now, I only post on Leboncoin. I sell faster, without any bugs, and I have ten times more contacts.”
It's hard to compete with the Leboncoin steamroller, which has become the benchmark for second-hand goods – even for experienced cyclists. A clear interface, efficient messaging, secure payment, and national visibility: the perfect combination. And, paradoxically, it's on Leboncoin that the real second-hand community has re-formed, with its codes, its bargains, and its finds.
A specialized site that has become commonplace
Troc Vélo had one incomparable advantage: its specialization. Precise sections, detailed technical sheets, hyper-targeted advertisements.
It was the haunt of the “gear geeks”, those who know reconborn a hub Chris King in the ear or who debate the filetagand an Italian bottom bracket.
But today, the site feels like it has lost its DNA. Between the promotion of “premium” ads and the pro bikes reconditioned and the interface dated, the soul has been diluted. Even the design seems stuck between two eras: neither winetage, not modern, just tired.
The Decathlon Effect: A Missed Opportunity?
Decathlon's acquisition could have given Troc Vélo wings: more resources, more visibility, more security. But the effect was the opposite. Many users felt like an industrial takeover of a passionate space. Behind the words “second life” and “circular economy”, some see above all a commercial strategy aimed at directing users towards Alltricks or offers reconDecathlon editions.
“We get the impression that Troc Vélo serves primarily as a showcase for their products, not a neutral place for exchange,” confides a cycling professional. It may not be intentional, but perception matters. And in a world where trust is paramount, the slightest ambiguity is enough to scare people away.
A possible return to the source?
All is not lost. Bike Swap remains a goldmine for anyone looking for a rare part or a specific bike. The community still exists, scattered but loyal. But for reconTo win over its audience, the platform will have to rediscover the clarity, neutrality and user-friendliness that made it successful.
A real technical facelift, transparency on sponsored ads, and above all a return to the original spirit: that of a barter between cyclists, not an online supermarket. Fred, again, aptly concludes: “If Troc Vélo wants to exist, it must become what it has always been: a site for enthusiasts. Not a disguised advertising page.”
The final word for 3bikes.fr
Bike Swap is a bit of a symbol of a time when the internet still resembled a workshop among friends. Today, the used bike market has become industrialized, and passion has sometimes given way to performance—even in the ads.
But who knows? Maybe one day, we'll rediscover the pleasure of browsing Troc Vélo the way we once did at a bike exchange. With a coffee in hand, without worrying about algorithms, just for the pleasure of stumbling upon a good deal.
