
Leasing an adapted bike for your commute? Here are your options
Are you looking for an adapted bike? There’s plenty of choice: from adapted electric bikes to adapted tricycles for adults. But how do you pay for one? You have two options: a grant for a mobility aid through the government, or leasing through your employer for your commute. We compare them side by side.
Option 1: an adapted bike through the VAPH
If you have a recognised disability, in Flanders you can apply to the VAPH (Flemish Agency for People with Disabilities) for a grant towards a mobility aid. An adapted bicycle may sometimes qualify for this, provided ‘the bicycle is medically justified and it improves your mobility’.
What does that mean in practice?
- You apply for recognition via your doctor or multidisciplinary team.
- The VAPH assesses whether the bicycle is eligible.
- You’ll receive a subsidy towards the purchase price and you’ll own the bike yourself.
Sounds good. And it is, if you meet the conditions. But the process isn’t always quick and straightforward, and it isn’t available to everyone.
- You’ll receive a fixed amount towards the purchase price. You’ll have to pay the difference yourself for a more expensive model, and electric assistance on a tricycle isn’t (yet) covered.
- The health insurance fund provides a fixed allowance for maintenance and repairs carried out by an approved provider. You are responsible for paying any costs in excess of this amount.
- Only after a fixed period (usually 8 years) can you apply for a new allowance for a new bike. If your care needs change within those 8 years, you can apply for a different adapted bicycle.
Option 2: leasing an adapted bicycle through your employer
If you can lease a bicycle through your employer, an adapted bicycle or healthcare bicycle is also an option. The only condition is that you use the adapted lease bicycle for your commute.
What does bike leasing actually mean for you?
- You pay the lease price via your gross salary, which offers tax benefits.
- As a result, you pay up to 40% less than you would for a standard purchase.
- The bicycle is all-inclusive: maintenance and cover for damage and theft are included.
- After three or four years, the choice is yours: buy the bike outright or return it.
No big upfront purchase. No surprises along the way. And if your bike needs replacement after three or four years, you simply start again. And hey, did you know that getting a bicycle through VAPH or via bike leasing doesn’t have to be an ‘either/or’ situation? Ask your health insurance fund or a social adviser what options can be combined in your situation.
What types of adapted bicycles can you lease?
Almost anything, as long as it’s a bike. Tricycles, recumbent bikes, bicycles with special steering, adapted electric (cargo) bikes, tandems with assistance… If the bicycle is available from an authorised bike dealer, in most cases you can lease it through o2o Bicycle Leasing.
But not every bike dealer has the expertise to advise you properly on an adapted bike. For that, you need a specialist.
Were can you buy or lease an adapted bike?
Two names to remember: Bike Republic and Move All the Way. Both work in partnership with o2o Bicycle Leasing. You can contact them for advice and to lease a specific adapted bicycle.
Bike Republic
Bike Republic has a branch in every province and explicitly positions itself as a specialist in healthcare bikes. From adapted city bikes to handbikes: they know the range, they understand the needs and they take the time to find the right bike. They also have a partnership with Vigo, the expert in orthopaedic and mobility aids.
The Vigo care providers always use the Bike Republic showrooms for this purpose. Bike Republic, in turn, is responsible for assembling the bicycles. For clients not receiving financial assistance, Bike Republic handles the entire process itself. Vigo remains available at all times to provide advice and support to Bike Republic staff.
Move All The Way
Move All The Way is another partner specialising in adapted bicycles for people with a disability or specific mobility needs. They combine knowledge of the product range with expertise in financing options.
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