More than 52,000 new leased bicycles were added in Belgium last year. That’s according to a market analysis by mobility federation Traxio. It makes 2024 an absolute record year.
There are currently 166,796 leased bikes on the road in Belgium. Almost two-thirds of bikes are electric.
Especially Flanders scores well
Almost 40% of all bikes sold in Belgium today are leased, and this trend is particularly notable in Flanders, where the popularity of bicycle leasing is on the rise.
In Brussels and Wallonia, Traxio still sees room for growth, among other things, by giving employees easier access to leasing formulas through employers or the government.
Of the leased bikes, 15% are racing or gravel bikes. The speed pedelec remains stable around 13% (12.68%). Longtail bikes and cargo bikes account for 5.32% of leased bikes, electric mountain bikes for 3.41%
Wallonia and Brussels lag behind
According to the latest mobility study by FPS Mobility and Transport, 40% of those surveyed in Flanders used an e-bike at least a few days a year last year, and 52% used bikes without electric assistance. In Wallonia, the figures were 22% and 11% respectively, in Brussels, 26% and 15%.
In Flanders, only 29% of people also never use a bicycle, compared to 72% in Wallonia and 68% in Brussels. Walloons mainly use bicycles for leisure and exercise (72%), which is a significantly higher percentage than in Flanders (21%), where they are also used for shopping, commuting to work, and visiting friends and family.
Almost all bicycle allowances in Flanders
The fact that Flanders is a leader in the number of useful trips by bicycle is also reflected in the bicycle mileage allowances. Just 92.4% of the total amount of allowances went to Flanders in 2023, compared to barely 4.4% in Wallonia and 3.2% in Brussels.
The bicycle allowance is exempt up to a maximum of 0.36 euros per kilometer traveled and up to a maximum of €3,610 per year. For example, if you live 10 km from work and commute daily by bike, you earn €36 net every week. When you factor that extra into your bicycle leasing, you find that such a leased bike sometimes barely costs you anything at all.
Still a niche phenomenon
According to Traxio, bicycle leasing is not only fiscally attractive, but it also relieves the employee thanks to included services such as insurance, maintenance, and breakdown assistance.
The federation requests that policymakers structurally include bicycle leasing in the mobility budget, alongside company cars, public transportation, and shared mobility.
Despite the surge in bicycle leasing, it remains a niche phenomenon in Belgium. Only 1.91% of the working population uses a leased bicycle, compared to 14.7% who still have a company car.
According to Traxio spokesperson Filip Rylant, however, “we are only at the beginning of what bike leasing can mean for Belgian mobility.”
