Frequently asked questions

Ciao Rider is a free app for cyclists. If you have bike trouble you can send a request, and volunteer helpers nearby can respond. No subscription, no service van. Just cyclists helping cyclists.

Yes, completely free for all users. Asking for help and helping are both free.

For every cyclist aged 18 and over. Recreational cyclists, road cyclists, commuters and bikepackers are all welcome.

Ciao Rider is an initiative by Madam Vélo, a cycling community for women in Belgium. The app is built on the belief that cyclists look out for each other.

Open the app, tap "I need help", share your location and briefly describe what's going on. Cyclists nearby get a notification. Takes less than a minute.

Flat tire, chain, mechanical issue, fall, first aid, transport (taking your bike along), company, or anything else. You can always add a short description so helpers know what to expect.

If there's no response after 20 minutes, the app shows contact details for VAB (for mechanical breakdowns) and 112 (for injuries or unsafe situations). You're never completely alone.

No. Helpers only see that someone nearby needs help. Your exact location is only shared in the private chat with the helper who responds.

Yes. You can mark an active request as resolved or cancel it at any time.

At sign-up, choose the role "Helper" or "Both". Fill in what you can help with and which region you're active in. From then on you get a notification when someone nearby needs help.

That's entirely up to you. You indicate on your profile what you can do: fix a flat, put a chain back on, give first aid, transport someone with their bike, or just keep them company until someone else arrives. Every form of help counts.

No. You decide whether and when you respond. You get a notification, but you always have the option to ignore it.

That's up to you in your profile. The minimum radius is 5 km. You can change it at any time.

No. There's no map or member list — nobody can look up who lives nearby, not even people asking for help. When someone needs help, they simply post a request, and helpers in the area receive it privately. Everyone's location stays hidden.

Every profile has a photo and a name. After each help interaction, both parties can leave a review. Those reviews are visible on the profile.

You always decide who you help and who you communicate with. You can report a user via their profile. Reported users are reviewed by our team.

Yes. There's a report button on every profile. Add a short description. We review every report and can deactivate accounts.

Your location is only used to find helpers nearby. We don't store your exact location history. Location access is only active when you send a request.

Yes. You can delete your account from your profile settings. Your account is deactivated immediately and all data is permanently erased after 30 days. You can cancel during those 30 days by logging in.

No. We don't sell data and we don't work with advertisers. Ciao Rider is a community tool, not an advertising platform.

No. Ciao Rider works through the browser on your smartphone — no download needed. Open Ciao Rider and you're off. A native app for iPhone and Android is in the works.

Yes, on both. Open Ciao Rider in your browser and add the page to your home screen.

Check that your email address is correct in your profile. Notifications come via email for now. Also check your spam folder.