Launched in 2018, the Bicycl'Eau brand now wants to develop a network of freelancers.
The pioneer of bicycle plumbers in Bordeaux, Jean-François Morlon, works for his part in the intra-ring road area for small repairs.
Even if they cannot carry all the tools of a traditional plumber in their cases, they manage to carry out most of the interventions while avoiding the constraint of traffic jams on the road.
There are now three of them, and "we could be a lot more without getting in each other's way", assures bicycle-plumber Jean-François Morlon, the first to embark on this adventure in Bordeaux, in 2016. The demand is such that Pierre- Armand Douillard, who created Bicycl'Eau in 2018 and has already traveled 12,000 km, is in the process of creating a network of independents at the start of the year.
A second plumber has already joined the network in September 2021, “and we want to continue to develop in and around Bordeaux, he explains.
My colleague works on part of Bordeaux and Mérignac, and I work on Caudéran and Le Bouscat, knowing that we also share the city center of Bordeaux.
The ultimate goal is to have five to six plumbers under the Bicycl'Eau brand, each dedicated to a sector, to integrate all the towns within the ring road on the left bank.
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A partnership with L'Atelier Remueménage for cumulus repairs
Jean-François Morlon intervenes “in the entire intra-boulevard area. With his electric cargo bike, he does “what I call apartment plumbing,” he explains. The typical intervention lasts an hour, there is a lot of work for this kind of thing in Bordeaux and fewer and fewer craftsmen to do it, because the traditional craftsmen have difficulty getting around, between the traffic jams on the ring road, changes in traffic direction and bus lanes on the boulevards, not to mention parking difficulties. All of this is a bit daunting for van plumbers. »
Pierre-Armand Douillard also essentially does “troubleshooting and minor intervention. » Bicycl'Eau and Le Vélo-Plombier have also entered into a partnership with L'Atelier Remueménage [an association that offers removals to people in difficulty, especially by bike] to carry out repairs to toilets and cumulus clouds. “The Atelier Remueménage is responsible for supplying the cumulus and removing construction waste,” explains Jean-François Morlon. This allows me to offer 100% bicycle logistics, from A to Z. If I am on a bicycle, but I use a van for my deliveries, my approach loses its meaning. »
On the price side, Pierre-Armand Douillard displays “48 euros per hour” and invoices the trip “24 euros.
Jean-François Morlon is himself at “95 euros including tax, travel included, the first hour, then 60 euros per additional hour.
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"A reflection to be carried out to create repositories"
In their boxes located at the front of the bike, these plumbers obviously cannot carry all their equipment. "Depending on my tour, I take what I need, but in 80% of situations I have what it takes", however assures Jean-François Morlon. "I chose a small enough box, to sneak around, and in 90% of cases I have everything I need", adds Pierre-Armand Douillard, even if he recognizes that “sometimes the loading is a bit tight” and that “you have to go back and forth to get tools. “There will undoubtedly be a reflection to be carried out to create depots that can be suitable for everyone and thus limit these trips. »
Even if "the job is not easy", for nothing in the world they would swap their bike for a van.
"The bike takes away all the stress that there may be in travel, which is enormous when you're in a van," says Jean-François Morlon.
It's a simple solution.
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Paris
Plumber, cabinet maker, bookseller… Is bicycle crafts about to change gear in Paris?
Society
Nouvelle-Aquitaine: A sector is organized around the cargo bike for professionals
Arts and crafts
Mobility
Job
Bike
Business
Aquitaine
Bordeaux
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