"Can I lease it?" In our shops, that's often the second question we hear, right after frame size. The catch is that this one word covers three very different deals: a bike paid out of your gross salary through your employer, a subscription you sign in your own name, or a purchase whose payment you simply spread out.
On the invoice they look alike (an amount every month), but not where it matters: who pays, who owns the bike, and what happens when the contract ends. This article untangles them, with figures, starting from what we offer at KAMEO and from what other Belgian players do.
Prices and terms collected on 2 October 2026 from our catalogue and from the public websites of the companies mentioned. Amounts include VAT unless stated otherwise. Have your tax situation confirmed by your employer or accountant.
3
deals we all lump together as "leasing"
€0
of taxable benefit on a lease bike you ride to work
16%
the usual buy-back price of a lease bike after 36 months
Three questions to tell them apart
Forget the brand names for a moment. Each option comes down to three answers.
WHO PAYS?your employer (who takes the amount from your gross salary), your self-employed business, or you, out of your net income
WHO OWNS THE BIKE?the leasing company during the contract, or you from day one
AND AT THE END?you buy it back, you hand it back, or it's already yours
Leasing
For whom — employees, through their employer, and the self-employed
Who pays — the employer, from gross salary, or the self-employed person's business
The bike — belongs to the leasing company during the contract
At the end — buy-back at around 15 to 16% of the new price, or return
The upside — the tax treatment: the cheapest option for the rider
Renting
For whom — anyone: employees, self-employed, retirees, students
Who pays — you, out of your net income
The bike — stays with the provider, it's a subscription
At the end — you hand it back, or start again on a new bike
The upside — insurance, assistance and maintenance in one monthly fee, no down payment
Financing
For whom — anyone
Who pays — you, in instalments, sometimes with interest
The bike — is yours from the start
At the end — nothing to return or buy back
The upside — freedom: resell it, modify it, keep it ten years
Leasing: through your employer or your business
Bike leasing, as it's understood in Belgium, always goes through a business. An individual doesn't sign a lease in their own name: their employer does, or their own self-employed business.
For employees: the "bike plan"
→ your employer leases the bike and makes it available to you, for commuting and private use
→ in return, you give up part of your gross salary, your year-end bonus or another benefit (the well-known cafeteria plan)
→ a bike you ride to work creates no benefit in kind: you pay no tax on it, e-bikes and speed pedelecs included
→ you keep your cycling allowance (€0.37/km tax-free in 2026) on top of the bike
→ the employer deducts 100% of the cost: the plan costs them nothing
For the self-employed
→ the lease is a business expense, deductible up to 100% depending on your situation: your accountant confirms it based on your latest tax assessment
→ with us, 24 to 48 months, with theft and damage insurance, assistance and maintenance in the monthly fee (leasing for the self-employed)
When the contract ends
→ you buy the bike back at a price set from the start, around 15 to 16% of its new value after 36 months (16% with us)
→ or you hand it back and start again on a new bike
What it changes on a payslip
The example from our employee page: an employee earning €2,500 gross a month picks a €3,200 bike and rides 5 km to work, three times a week.
€133.86
the monthly lease, taken from gross salary
€62.81
what actually disappears from their net pay
€32.81
their final monthly cost, once the €30 cycling allowance is paid
That's €1,181.60 over 36 months for a €3,200 bike, insurance and maintenance included. The result depends on salary, distance and status: our calculator works it out for your case.
Financial lease, operating lease… and why the words vary
In the jargon, a financial lease (aimed at ownership, the buy-back option is symbolic) is distinguished from an operating lease (aimed at use, the asset stays with the lessor). Belgian company bike plans have settled on a buy-back of around 15 to 16% after three years. No law sets that rate: it's market practice, found at most providers.
Some call this same company contract "renting". Others keep that word for the consumer subscription. That's why the three questions above are more useful than the labels. For the accounting side for companies, see our article renting, operating lease and financial lease (in French).
Renting: a subscription in your name
No employer in the loop, no cafeteria plan to negotiate: renting is a new bike and every service that goes with it, for a fixed monthly fee you pay yourself. There's no tax advantage, but it's open to anyone.
TERM24, 36 or 48 months, no deposit or down payment
INSURANCEcomprehensive cover against theft, attempted theft and vandalism, valid worldwide
ASSISTANCEroadside help in Belgium and up to 30 km beyond the border
MAINTENANCEyou set your maintenance budget when signing, based on how you'll ride
DOWNTIMEreplacement bike if yours is off the road for a long time
FILEinsurance file approved within 24 to 48 hours by our partner Atradius
AT THE ENDyou hand the bike back, or order a new one. No purchase option: it's a subscription
An example: the same bike, two options
BIKECube Editor Hybrid Pro 400X, €2,549 to buy
RENTING 24 MONTHS€94.31/month
RENTING 36 MONTHS€86.62/month
RENTING 48 MONTHS€82.49/month
LEASING 36 MONTHS€116.35/month, taken from gross salary, then optional buy-back at €407.84
The lease looks more expensive, but it's paid before tax and includes a larger maintenance budget: on the payslip it costs clearly less (see the example above). Prices from our catalogue on 2 October 2026.
Financing: buy it, and spread the payment
The third and most traditional route: you buy the bike, it's yours straight away, and you spread the cost. No rental contract, nothing to return, nothing to buy back. In exchange, insurance, maintenance and repairs are on you.
It's the most flexible option (resell whenever you like, modify the bike however you like) but also the only one where you pay the full price of the bike, all at once or in instalments.
Pay in 2 or 3 instalments
→ with us, at no extra cost, through our partner Alma, depending on the amount
→ for the Cube Editor above: 3 × €849.67, and the bike is yours from the start
Consumer credit
→ an instalment loan from a bank or licensed lender: fixed amount, term and monthly payments, with an APR
→ or an instalment sale, tied to buying that specific bike, offered by the seller
Remember: borrowing money also costs money.
The Belgian market at a glance
Providers don't all do the same thing. Some only work with employers, others only with individuals. Here's what each one states on its website.
O2O
Leasing through the employer3- or 4-year contracts. 24/7 assistance across the Benelux, replacement bike after 3 days off the road, maintenance budget of your choice. At the end: return or buy-back; its simulations use a 16% buy-back.
B2Bike
Leasing for employers and the self-employed36 months. Comprehensive insurance with no excess, 24/7 assistance and four maintenance plans, from €100/year to unlimited. Funded through a cafeteria plan (year-end bonus, 13th month, holiday pay).
Lease a Bike
Leasing for employees and the self-employed36 months, platform free for the employer. Comprehensive insurance and 24/7 assistance. At the end: buy-back at around 15% of the purchase price, or free return.
Cyclis
Leasing, offer for the self-employed36 months, insurance, assistance, €500 maintenance budget and replacement bike. Its examples start at €30/month for a €1,999 bike.
Decathlon Rent
Rental for individualsDecathlon remains the owner, with no purchase option. Maintenance included, theft and damage insurance through Laka. From €39/month. Early exit: one month's rent plus 10% of the remaining instalments.
Swapfiets
No-commitment subscriptionOne month's notice, repairs included, bike swapped if a repair takes too long. Theft covered with an excess. Electric from €64.90/month.
Collected on 2 October 2026 from each provider's public website. Terms change: check them at the source before signing.
What KAMEO does differently
Most leasing companies are platforms: they finance the bike, then send you to a partner shop. With us, the shop and the lessor are one and the same. The same bike can be bought, rented or leased, in the same place.
ONE CATALOGUEall our brands, from city bikes to speed pedelecs, are available in all three options
TWO SHOPSLiège and Brussels: you test, you choose, you collect your bike, and servicing happens in the same place
MOBILE WORKSHOPfor companies, a mechanic comes on site in a workshop van to service staff bikes
COMPANIESbike plan, mobility budget and shared bikes, with an information session and test rides in your car park
The questions we hear most
I'm a private individual: can I lease a bike?
Not in your own name: leasing goes through an employer or a self-employed business. If your employer doesn't offer a bike plan, you can suggest one (it costs them nothing), or choose renting, which is open to anyone.
Is a lease bike a taxable benefit?
No, as long as it's genuinely used for commuting. The exemption also covers private use, e-bikes and speed pedelecs. That's what makes leasing so attractive compared with buying out of net income.
Can I combine leasing and the cycling allowance?
Yes. The per-kilometre cycling allowance (€0.37/km tax-free in 2026, within an annual cap) comes on top of the lease bike. In the example above, it's what brings the cost down from €62.81 to €32.81 a month.
Can I buy a rented bike?
No. Renting is a subscription: at the end, you hand the bike back or order a new one. If you want to own it eventually, look at leasing (through your employer or business) or buying instead.
What if I leave my employer mid-contract?
Your employer's bike plan rules decide, usually through an early buy-back of the bike or its return. Ask before signing: it's the point that most sets two bike plans apart.
Leasing, renting or buying: let's compare together
Our renting page puts the three options side by side. And in our Liège and Brussels shops, we'll work it out for your situation.