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A CYCLING-FRIENDLY WORLD, ONE SCHEME BIKE AT A TIME

We are a scheme bike service company whose heart beats for emission-free mobility, employee happiness, and the health of our planet.
Contact us Our story

One epic ride

We’re on a journey that reshapes mobility for individual people, organisations, and the society.

Around 1800

The best invention of humankind to date – the bicycle – saw daylight.

2018

Just 200 years later, a company called Vapaus was born to spread the joy of cycling and shared fleets in Finland.

2020

Bumps in the road as COVID hits, but the pandemic and confirmed taxation legislation make scheme bikes all the hype.

2021

Developing the most wanted scheme bike service together with customers. Fast growth, big funding.

2023

European Startup Prize for Mobility awarded to Vapaus and service launched in Sweden.

2025

Vapaus Group was born through an acquisition when Vapaus acquired the French corporate cycling pioneer Azfalte.

Now

Northride born and launched in New Zealand

Read our story

Future

Over the next decade, our mission is to help create one million new cyclists.

IRD ruling

Our team

Technologists, service experts, innovators, cycling enthusiasts, and more. In our team, everyone gets to chase their own ambitions and impact the future of mobility.

Connor-wanden
Connor Wanden

Senior Venture Architect

Emma-Harries
Emma Harries

Sales Director

Ilya-Skaler
Ilya Skaler

Partnership Manager

Jari-Malmivaara
Jari Malmivaara

Co-Founder, GTM strategist

Johannes-Jacobs
Johannes (JJ) Jacobs

Country Director New Zealand

lotta-vanska
Lotta Vänskä

Growth Lead

mari-johansson
Mari Johansson

Chief People & Culture Officer

Mikko-Ampuja
Mikko Ampuja

Vapaus Group CEO, Founder

Tatu-Mäkilä
Tatu Mäkilä

Co-Founder, Chief Partnership Officer

Vapaus_team_2023 (1)

From Finland to Aotearoa

Forget nice brand stories. We’re about building a bike scheme that works in real life. We’re here to solve a global mobility challenge that hits close to home for everyone.

Our story

This is Northride

Hop on the saddle with us? We’re just getting started.

1 Million kg

less CO2-emissions thanks to decreased driving in 2023

32 000+

scheme bikes delivered since 2021

50+

employees creating a cycling-friendly world

Vapaus_Team_002

Work at Northride

Join our team in solving a global mobility problem that touches all of us, and let the good vibes spill while doing it. There’s always room for great people in our crew (and you don’t have to be a cycling-addict to fit right in). Click below to visit Vapaus Group's recruitment page.
See open positions

Learn more how impactful cycling is

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Looking for proof of the good impact of the bike benefit? Start with these blogs and pick up our best advice on the employee bike scheme, tips for green mobility and employee wellbeing, and golden nuggets of cycling inspiration.

Commuter Bikes & E-Bikes NZ: How to Choose (And Save Up to 40%)

Picture this. You're stuck behind the same three cars on the same stretch of road you've been stuck on for the past two years. The radio's playing something you don't like. You're already five minutes late. Meanwhile, someone cruises past you in the bus lane on an e-bike, looking annoyingly relaxed.

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Bike Benefit Scheme vs 0% Finance: Which Is Better for Kiwi Employees?

You've finally decided it's time to get that bike. Maybe it's a gravel bike for weekend adventures, a cargo bike for the school run, or the e-bike that's going to make the morning commute something you genuinely look forward to. You're not made of money, so you start looking at how to pay for it without taking a hit. That's usually when two options show up: 0% interest finance, or something called a bike benefit scheme.

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How Bicycle-Friendly Are New Zealand Cities? Insights from the Copenhagenize Index

The Copenhagenize Index 2025 – EIT Urban Mobility Edition places Christchurch (38th) and Wellington (47th) among the world’s top 50 bicycle-friendly cities. In the Asia & Oceania region, they rank in the top five, making New Zealand the strongest cycling performer in Oceania.

Read more
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