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How does leasing a bicycle through your employer work?
With bicycle leasing, you can cycle to work stress-free and save up to 40% compared to buying a bike yourself. But how exactly does leasing a bicycle through your employer work? What are the benefits? And what should you look out for? You’ll find out on this page.
Click and discover:
Bicycle leasing is an employement benefit whereby you use a bicycle provided by your employer for a period of three or four years. During this lease period, you, as an employee, pay a fixed monthly or annual lease fee.
These payments are deducted from your gross salary each time. At the end of the lease, you can either buy the bicycle at a very favourable residual value or return it to the leasing company free of charge.
There are many ways to pay for your lease bike. This is determined by your employer (as set out in the bicycle plan) and also depends on the sector you work in. The best-known way is the monthly gross salary deduction, but there are other options too:
- Bonuses
- End-of-year bonus (13th month’s salary)
- Cafeteria plan
- Mobility budget
- Via a net salary swap (but then you no longer benefit from the tax advantage)
- Holiday leave (but then you no longer benefit from the tax advantage)
Bicycle leasing is up to 40% cheaper than buying your own bike. That’s because you pay for your lease bike out of your gross salary. And because your gross salary is lower, your employer also pays less tax, social security contributions and employer’s contributions on it. The amount your employer saves as a result of this, is factored into your lease price. So that’s a sum of money you no longer have to pay yourself.
All of this means that leasing a bicycle (including an extended warranty, maintenance, protection against theft and damage, third-party liability and breakdown assistance in the Benelux) is up to 40% cheaper than buying a bike. We also refer to this as the ‘tax benefit’.
Calculation example: your salary exchange and benefit for a lease bike costing 3,750 euros
Total cost via leasing: 2,563 euros
That figure of 2,563 euros takes into account the scenario where you buy the lease bicycle at a residual value of 16 per cent at the end of your contract. In this case, that amounts to 410 euros. If you return the lease bicycle, you pay a total of just 2,563 euros.
So that’s already a lot less than the bike’s original price. And for that money, you get much more than just a bicycle. You get a complete package*, in fact.
In this example, we’ll assume a package includes the following:
- 24/7 breakdown assistance
- Annual maintenance budget of 175 euros
- Cover against theft and unexpected damage
- Extended manufacturer’s warranty for speed pedelecs and e-bikes
- Civil liability when you lease a speed pedelec
That comprehensive lease package is up to 40% cheaper (as you pay for it out of your gross salary and your employer also contributes a portion).
Total cost if you pay for everything yourself: 4,657 euros**
If you buy the bicycle and all the services included in the package yourself (without leasing), and ride it for 3 years, you’ll pay 4,657 euros.
*The standard /basic package includes an annual maintenance budget of 175 euros and protection against theft and unexpected damage.
** This depends on your individual situation. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll assume an average gross salary and average payroll tax/social security contributions here. The calculation is based on a term of 36 months and a residual value of 16 per cent.
A frequently asked question about bicycle leasing is: if my gross salary goes down, won’t my pension go down as well?
Yes, in some cases, bicycle leasing can affect your pension. This is because bicycle leasing often involves a gross salary swap. As a result, your gross salary is slightly lower, and your pension is calculated based on that figure.
On average, this amounts to a difference of barely 1 euro per month for an annual lease cost of 1,000 euros. In most cases, leasing a bike has less impact on your pension than working part-time for half a year. The exact impact depends on your personal situation: employment status, salary and family situation.
In summary
- Your pension is calculated based on your gross salary.
- If you lease a bicycle via a gross salary exchange, your gross salary will decrease slightly.
- This reduction is usually small and is outweighed by the benefit that leasing a bicycle is up to 40 per cent cheaper than buying one.
The exact impact depends on your personal situation. In the blog ‘Will bicycle leasing affect your pension in 2026?’, you can read everything you need to know about how bicycle leasing affects your pension.
For four very good reasons:
- Your bicycle and the whole package are up to 40% cheaper.
- You’ll lose less money if it’s stolen.
- You don’t have to pay a large sum of money all at once.
- At the end of the lease, you can buy the bicycle at a favourable price or lease a new one.
We’ll explain it in a bit more detail here.
1. Your lease bicycle and the whole package are up to 40% cheaper
Your lease bicycle, your maintenance, your accessories, the extra cover… Everything you need to cycle worry-free is up to 40% cheaper.
2. You’ll lose less money if it’s stolen
If you buy a bike yourself and it gets stolen, you’ll lose your entire investment (unless you have your own insurance).
With leasing, the bicycle is always covered in the event of theft. If your lease bicycle is stolen, you’ll only have to pay the rent for the period that has elapsed.
Did you lock your lease bicycle properly, but was it stolen anyway? If so, o2o will give you a voucher for a new lease bike.
3. You don’t have to pay a large sum of money all at once
As your lease contract runs over several years, you pay in instalments: you pay a set amount monthly or annually for 3 to 4 years.
4. After three years, you can buy your lease bicycle at a favourable price or lease a new one
At the end of the lease term, you can buy your lease bike at its residual value. This is usually 16% or 20% of the retail price, depending on your employer. A great deal, isn’t it?
Would you like to lease a new bike? Then you simply choose a new one at the end of the lease period. Yep, it’s that simple.
At o2o Bicycle Leasing, you put together your own lease package. Some items are included as standard in your lease package, whilst others are optional.
Coverage against damage or theft (standard)
Has your lease bicycle suffered unexpected damage following a fall or an accident? Or has your lease bicycle been vandalised? With the damage cover, your lease bicycle is covered for any costs you incur as a result.
With the Bicycle Care Theft cover, your lease bicycle is protected if it is stolen. This means you won’t have to ncur any costs yourself if someone takes off with your lease bicycle. Of course, you must meet a number of conditions if you want the Bicycle Care Theft cover to apply. One of these is that your bike must always be properly locked.
Maintenance budget (standard, but you can choose the amount yourself)
With our maintenance budget, you’ll enjoy the same tax benefits for your bike maintenance and repairs as you do for your lease bicycle. What’s more, you’re completely free to choose how much you set aside for this, unless your employer specifies the amount. What’s more, you can also use your maintenance budget to pay for replacement parts, such as spare tyres or a mudguard. Handy, isn’t it?
A replacement bicycle (standard)
If you’re unable to use your lease bicycle for three days or more due to damage or theft, o2o Bicycle Leasing will provide you with a replacement bicycle from Decathlon or your local bike shop.
Breakdown assistance (optional)
A flat tyre, a broken chain or any other bike problem: if you break down on the road, you’ll want a solution as quickly as possible. If you include breakdown assistance in your lease package, both you and your bike will receive 24/7 breakdown assistance should disaster strike, whether in the Benelux or across Europe. That way, you won’t have to walk if you can no longer pedal.
Accessories (optional)
From a stylish helmet or a handy pannier to a good lock or a mobile phone holder: you can also get bicycle accessories at up to 40% off through your lease contract. That way, you’ll hit the road well equipped and safely on your brand-new bike, complete with the accessories you’ve chosen yourself.
Which accessories can you include in your lease with tax benefits?
Important to know: an accessory for a lease bike is permitted if it is necessary for cycling smoothly to and from work. A lock is always compulsory. Here are a few examples of accessories that are often chosen:
- GPS
- Bell
- Helmet
- Bicycle bag
- Pedals
- Extra charger
- Bicycle alarm
- High-visibility vests
- Lights
- Rainwear
- Extra battery
So what isn’t allowed?
- A second set of wheels: this isn’t permitted by law, as the legislator regards it as a hidden ‘benefit in kind’. Upgrades are, however, permitted: for example, you can lease a different set of wheels, such as a carbon set, to replace the original set.
- Headphones
- Sports watch
- …
Extended warranty (optional)
Extend the standard manufacturer’s warranty (usually 2 years) for your speed pedelec or electric bike. This means you can count on a comprehensive cover against repair costs for spare parts and labour in the event of a warranty claim throughout the duration of your lease contract.
Additional third-party liability insurance for speed pedelecs (optional)
Third-party liability insurance applies in the event of an accident involving a third party. This insurance does not cover any damage to your own lease bicycle or injuries to the rider of your lease bicycle. For your own lease bicycle, there is the Bicycle Care Damage.
The lease term has expired
With o2o Bicycle Leasing, you have two options:
- You purchase the leased bike at its residual value. This amounts to 16% or 20% of the price stated on the quotation, including accessories.
- You return the leased bike free of charge. We’ll arrange for it to be collected.
You are leaving your employer before the end of the lease term
You usually lease a bike for 3 or 4 years. If you leave your job (whether voluntarily or involuntarily), your lease contract ends. You then have 3 options:
- You return your bike. In some cases, you will then have to pay a termination fee for the remaining term of your lease contract.
- You take over the bike at its residual value at that time. After that, the bike is yours.
- You can transfer your lease contract to your new employer. This is only possible if your new employer is a customer (or becomes a customer during the transfer) of o2o and you apply to transfer your lease contract in good time (at least 4 weeks in advance).
Are you eligible for a mobility budget? If so, as an employee, you can also lease a bicycle on favourable tax terms on top of that, but only if you had already been leasing a bicycle through flexible remuneration for at least three months before joining the mobility budget scheme.
In other words: as an employee, you can combine tax-efficient bike leasing via flexible remuneration with the mobility budget if you have been leasing a bike for at least three months before signing up for the mobility budget.
What if you’ve been leasing for less than three months? Or if you hadn’t leased a bike at all before joining the federal mobility budget scheme? In that case, you can still lease a bike, but you’ll no longer be entitled to the tax benefit.
At o2o Bicycle Leasing, you can choose from a wide range of brands and models.
A Gazelle cargo bike, a bright blue Canyon road bike, a rugged Trek mountain bike… We’ve got it all for you.
Zie je sterretjes door alle opties? Geen zorgen:
- Gewoon op zoek naar welke fietstypes er bestaan? Check dan zeker onze fietstypepagina.
- Wil je een speedpedelec? Wij zochten uit welke merken het populairst waren in 2025.
- Ontdek de top 9 populairste fietsenmerken bij o2o Bicycle Leasing
At o2o Bicycle Leasing, there are three ways to find and/or order a bicycle.
Through your bike shop
- Directly from your local bike shop
- Service and advice from your bike shop
Via the o2o online shop (once you’ve logged in)
- Directly online
- Delivery to your home or office
- Repairs at your home or office
Second-hand or directly from the brand
- Second-hand bikes via Upway, E-bis or Decathlon
- Directly from Canyon and Decathlon
Does your employer use a cafeteria plan? See below.
Step 1: Check whether your employer is a customer
Ask your HR manager whether your employer offers bicycle leasing through o2o.
Step 2: Request a company login code
Is your employer a customer? Ask for the company login code – you’ll need it to create an account.
Step 3: Create an o2o account
Create an account and enter the company login code.
Step 4: Choose your lease bicycle and calculate your lease price
The lease price always depends on what your employer specifies in the bicycle plan. And in our calculator, you can estimate the lease price based on your personal salary details.
Step 5: Order your lease bicycle.
See you on the road!
Fietsfanaat én leaser Wesley vertelt
Wesley was tot voor kort niet bepaald een fietsliefhebber. Maar alles veranderde toen hij de Ellio Elite ontdekte. De voorbije maanden fietste hij bijna 10 keer zoveel als in de afgelopen 15 jaar.
Mijn werkgever biedt fietsleasing aan via het cafetariaplan, hoe start ik dan?
Stap 1: Meld je aan in de cafetariaplantool.
Stap 2: Klik vanuit de tool door naar o2o Bicycle Leasing.
Stap 3: Wij zetten al je gegevens automatisch over.
Stap 4: Bestel je leasefiets. Zoeffff!
