Your questions matched with our answers

An overview of the main benefits: 

• For the employer: 
• • The bike is exempt from employer's social security contributions. This benefit is passed on to the employee. 
  • The bike is 100% deductible from corporate tax. 
  • Other costs such as changing rooms, shower facilities, and bike racks are also 100% deductible. Subsidies are regularly set up for these projects. 
• For the employee: 
• • You do not pay social security contributions on your bike lease. 
  • You do not pay any benefit in kind (VAA). 
  • You can also receive a tax-exempt bike allowance from your employer. 

The main condition is that you use the bike regularly for commuting. This is documented in a declaration of honor in the bike policy. 

For employees who lease the bike through their employer, VAT is not deductible and is always calculated including VAT. For freelancers, VAT is only deductible as far as the bike is used for professional purposes. For example, leasing a cargo bike at work for delivering goods.  

There is no benefit in kind and thus no taxation if the bike is regularly used for commuting. Your employer will request a declaration of honor, which you agree to use the bike regularly for commuting. 

Your gross salary is the basis on which social rights and benefits are calculated, such as the legal pension, year-end bonus, holiday pay, group insurance, and others. With bike leasing through salary sacrifice, you literally exchange a part of your gross salary for the bike lease: 

• With bike leasing through monthly gross salary, this will impact the calculation of your social rights such as year-end bonus and holiday pay.  
• With bike leasing through year-end bonus or a bonus, there is no impact on social rights such as severance pay or holiday pay.  

Want a clearer picture of your situation with salary sacrifice? Then consult your HR department or the social secretariat of your company.  

Extra info: Joule's calculator takes into account the impact on the year-end bonus and holiday pay during salary sacrifice. 

You can do this via our calculator! Our calculator gives an idea of the gross monthly rental price of your bike. Based on several parameters, we can also give an indication of the net impact on your salary. Note, this is an indication! Your social secretariat or payroll tool can give you a complete picture of the net impact.    

To avoid discussions, we recommend biking to work for at least 20% of the commuting trips on an annual basis. What is the bike allowance? The bike allowance is another measure to encourage commuting by bike. It is a net expense allowance awarded by the employer to the employee. More information about the bike allowance can be found in this blog. 

That is possible provided that you regularly take the bike to work. 

The possibility of salary sacrifice is limited in several ways. On the one hand, the remaining gross salary must never fall below the sectoral benchmark salary. On the other hand, many collective agreements exclude swapping certain components of gross salary for another benefit (such as a bike). For more information, it is best to consult your social secretariat. The leasing cost can always be deducted from your net salary by mutual agreement, but there are no (parafiscal) benefits associated with this. Your employer may also choose to offer the bike lease for free. 

The advantage of bike leasing depends on several factors, including the tax rate. This depends, among other things, on your marital status, the number of dependents, etc. For an accurate calculation of the net cost of bike leasing, it is best to consult your HR department. For an estimate, you can always consult our calculator.   

Yes, that is possible, unless excluded in a sectoral collective agreement. The calculation is similar to the calculation via salary sacrifice.   

The lease includes the bike, a service voucher for maintenance and repairs, comprehensive damage and theft insurance, and a support subscription. 

The damage and theft insurance covers you in case of damage due to vandalism, falls, collisions, and attempts at or actual theft. Upon approval of the insurance file, a deductible of €25 is usually charged. 

A bike lease can be arranged through your local dealer. You choose your bike and accessories at your local dealer, have a quote prepared, and after approval by your HR department, you can pick up the bike from the bike shop. Maintenance and repairs also take place at the local bike shop.   

Through Joule Mobile, you can select from a number of bikes with mobile servicing. Our technicians come to your workplace or home for delivery, maintenance, or repairs. While the maintenance is happening, you can continue with your work calmly. Our technicians ensure your bike runs better than ever. 

You have a choice of more than 1,500 bikes. Be sure to check out our complete range on the online portal. You will find brands including Gazelle, Stromer, Koga, Oxford, Batavus, Larry vs. Harry (Bullit), Urban Arrow Cargo, Tern, Achielle, Canyon, Cowboy, Sparta, Advanced, Takashi, Dahon, Velo de Ville, Venturelli, Carla cargo, etc. 

For urgent repairs, we try to come within two working days. If the repair is not urgent (the bike is still rideable), we come within two weeks or during the next annual maintenance. 

Typically, you have a 5-year warranty on the frame and a 2-year warranty on the electrical components such as the battery and the motor of the bike. With Joule, you can extend the warranty of your electrical components by one year as an option in your bike leasing contract. 

Yes, as long as your employer allows it! The fiscal benefit also applies as long as the motor is not fully autonomous. Your lease automatically includes the application and registration of your license plate at the DIV.  

For a speed pedelec: 

• You must be at least 16 years old. 
• You must have a driving license AM (moped 45 km/h), license A1, A2 or A (motorcycle) or license B (car). 
• You are required to wear a bicycle or moped helmet that complies with EN1078, ensuring protection for the temples and back of the head. 
• You may not transport children younger than 3 years old. To transport children between 3 and 8 years old, you must install a suitable safety system. A civil liability insurance is not legally required for a speed pedelec with a non-autonomous motor, but it can be mandated by the employer. 

A service voucher is a budget that can be used for maintenance and repairs. You can choose which service voucher you want with your bike. The service voucher is included in your leasing price and thus enjoys the same fiscal and parafiscal benefits as the rest of your bike lease. 

A service voucher is not refundable after the end of the lease. However, you can use the remaining balance for additional maintenance and repairs or for purchasing bike accessories. 

• If you have not used up your service budget by the end of the first (or subsequent) year of your lease contract, this remaining budget will be added to the service budget for the following year. 
• If the lease is terminated early, any excess of the already accumulated budget will be charged separately. 

Choose your service voucher based on two parameters: 

• Your bike category: for an electric bike, we recommend a Standard service voucher, while a speed-pedelec that is used daily will require a Premium or Advanced voucher. 
• Your usage; if you use the bike only once a week, a Basic service voucher will be more suitable than a Premium service voucher.   

Need help choosing the service voucher? No problem. Our staff will gladly guide you through it. You can contact them here.  

This information can be found in the customer area. Log in to your profile and go to My Bikes.    

If your balance is used up, the costs for maintenance and repairs will be directly charged to you personally.  

Annual maintenance of a bike will lead to fewer problems, and thus fewer repairs are needed. Annual maintenance within your bike lease is necessary for every bike! During maintenance, services are performed to prevent wear and tear and repairs: 

• Checking and repairing lighting; 
• Lubricating the chain; 
• Checking tire pressure; 
• Tightening all bolts; 
• Adjusting gears; 
• Checking headset play; 
• Software update; 
• Adjusting brakes and replacing brake pads; 

You can reach Joule's call center at +3250892689. The line is available every weekday from 09:00-18:00. Breakdown assistance is available 24/7. The call center will connect you via these shortcuts: 

• General questions about bike leasing and bike purchases. 
• Joule Operations: for information on repairs and maintenance. 
• The breakdown assistance (keep your policy number handy). 
• Other questions or comments.  

Send an email to operations@joule.be and we will order a new bike key for you. The cost of the extra key will be deducted from your service voucher. You always need two keys as proof for the insurance in case of a possible theft.  

You pay for your maintenance or repair via your service voucher. The amount deducted from your service voucher is determined by the partner: 

• Joule Local: the cost of maintenance and repair is according to the rates of your bike dealer. 
• Joule Mobile: the call-out fee, the cost of maintenance and repair. This cost can be found in the customer area. 

If you want to start a bike lease, you first need a bike package with an accompanying quote. You can simulate a quote through our client area! Go to the Joule client area and choose your preferred service: 

• Joule Local: Go to your local bike shop and request a quote for your dream bike (and optional accessories). Upload your quote to the client area. Within two working days, you will receive a bike leasing quote that you can forward to your HR department. 
• Joule Mobile: Choose a bike and optional accessories from Joule's mobile range. Simulate the quote and review your bike package. If you are satisfied with the quote, you can send it for approval to your HR department. 

In principle, you can order all types of bikes (unless the offer is limited by your employer). The main condition is that the bike cannot operate autonomously. In other words, you must always pedal to move the bike forward. For example, an electric scooter is not possible. 

Mandatory accessories for insurance, if you do not already have them: 

A lock with ART2 certification that allows the bike to be secured to a fixed anchor point. 

For example: 

A horseshoe lock with ART2 certification is not sufficient. A compatible insert lock must be provided. 

Other permitted accessories: 

• Helmet 
• Others: Bike bags, pedals, lighting – essentially anything that can be fixed to the bike. 
• Not permitted: 
• Textiles 
• Water bottles 
• GPS 

That's not a problem. Our employees are happy to guide you to your perfect bike. You can ask for help here. 

You can find an overview of all your quotes in the 'My Quotes' section in the client area. From that submenu, you can also forward your quote to your HR department. There are two ways to forward your quote: 

• If your employer uses a payroll application, you can complete your order in the payroll application. You will get a link under the overview of 'My Quotes'. 
• If your employer does not use a payroll application, you can send the quote from the client area to your HR department

Very quickly! The delivery time depends a bit on where you chose your bike: 

• Through Joule Local, the delivery time will depend on the information you get from your local dealer. 
• Through Joule Mobile, the bike will be delivered between 4-6 weeks if it is in stock.  
  

With the damage and theft insurance, you are covered in case of damage due to vandalism, a fall, a collision, and also attempted or actual theft. Upon approval of the insurance file, a deductible of €25 is usually charged in most cases. 

The key conditions are: 

• The bike must be secured with an ART2 certified lock. Such a lock is standardly provided in the lease package through Joule Mobile. 
• The bike must be secured to a fixed anchor point in a public space (a shared bike storage in an apartment building is also considered a public space). 

Notify Joule within 24 hours. You can file a report through your customer zone (customer zone link) or you can send an email to operations@joule.be with the following information: 

• The location where your bike was stolen. 
• The police report. 
• Photos of your two bike keys as proof that the bike was properly locked.

If the urgent repair of your bike takes longer than 48 hours, it is possible to temporarily use a replacement bike through Joule Mobile, and through Joule Local if the bike dealer has a replacement bike available. 

When reporting a theft, it is important to have a police report made by the local police. Always include the following information in such a report: 

• The Joule ID (which can be found in the customer zone). 
• Brand and type of the bike. 
• The location where your bike was stolen. 
• How your bike was locked. 
• Any information about camera footage or other evidence.  
  

After a theft, you can lease a new bike.   

The assistance company is typically on-site within 30 minutes.   

Having trouble on the road? No problem! You can call roadside assistance, and they will come to help you on-site. Roadside assistance can be called twice a year throughout Europe. The main condition is that your location must be more than 1 kilometer from your residence. Joule works with IMA for this service.  

At the end of the lease period, you have two options: 

• Option 1: Joule will pick up the bike: through one of our partners (Decathlon, E-Bis, Upway, or Lucien) we give the bike a second life and make a new user happy with it. 
• Option 2: You take over the bike at its market value. In both scenarios, you can enter into a new bike lease after the current one. 

It is expected that during your bike lease you adhere to the 'good householder' principle (or 'careful and reasonable person' according to the Civil Code). This means that your bike is in good condition and everything works: 

General: 

• The frame is not cracked or broken. 
• The frame is not rusted. 
• For a horseshoe lock: both keys of the lock are present. 
• For electric bikes: 
• • The charger is included (and works). 
  • The battery(ies) is/are included. 
• For speed pedelecs: 
• • The registration certificate is included (part 1 and part 2). 
  • The certificate of conformity is included. 
  • The license plate is still on the bike. 
• What is acceptable: 
• • Wear and tear: scratches on the frame's paint. 
  • Rusty screws. 

Need service after purchasing your bike lease? No problem: 

• For bikes through the Joule Local package, you can simply visit your bike dealer. 
• For bikes through the Joule Mobile package, you can contact us: 
• • Email: operations@joule.be 
  • Phone: 050/89.26.89 

​Your employer determines what the possibilities are through the bike policy, but usually there are three options: 

• You buy the bike at the current market value. 
• You return the bike and pay an administrative fee. 

You pass the bike internally to a colleague. Joule can transfer your contract to your new employer free of charge if: 

• Your new employer agrees, and 
• Your new employer is eligible for bike leasing. 

If you have a remaining balance on your service voucher at the end of your lease: 

• You can use it to fix your bike and/or buy spare parts related to maintenance or repairs of your bike. 
• You can request additional maintenance or repair. Do you have a negative balance at the end of your contract? Then you pay the outstanding balance directly to Joule or through your employer. 

If you have a balance on your service voucher at the end of your lease: 

• You can use it to fix your bike and/or buy spare parts related to maintenance or repairs of your bike. 
• You can request additional maintenance or repair. Do you have a negative balance at the end of your contract? Then you pay the outstanding balance directly to Joule or through your employer. 

We offer the leasing, you provide the service! 

1. The employee selects a bike and optional accessories in the store. The bike dealer prepares a quote in the name of Joule NV. 
2. If the customer wants an idea of the potential leasing price, a simulation can be made using the calculator. 
3. Joule receives the quote and converts it into a bike leasing quote for the employer and HR department. 
4. Upon approval of the bike leasing quote by the employee and HR department, the dealer receives an order form and can prepare the bike for delivery. 
5. Upon delivery of the bike, the bike dealer sends the signed delivery document to dealer@joule.be. 
6. For maintenance or repairs, the bike dealer sends the invoice to Joule. The cost of the maintenance or repair is deducted from the customer's service voucher.

Use this checklist: 

Bike and accessory details 

• Ensure that the brand, model, color, and frame size are on the quote. 
• State the catalog price for the bike and per accessory, including VAT. 
• Prepare a quote excluding any discounts. 
• Mandatory accessories: 
• • A lock with ART2 certification that allows the bike to be anchored to a fixed point. 
  • For example: 
  • A horseshoe lock with ART2 certification is not sufficient. A compatible insert lock must be provided. 
• Other permitted accessories: 
• • Helmet 
  • Other: Bike bags, pedals, lighting - essentially anything that can be fixed to the bike. 
• Not permitted: 
• • Textiles 
  • Water bottles 
  • GPS 
• Delivery time for bike and accessories 
• Bike dealer details: 
• • Contact person 
  • Address 
  • Website 
  • Contact details

​ Joule NV – BE0689.591.113, Rooigemlaan 455, 9000 Ghent All quotes can be sent to dealer@joule.be. Is there a dealer portal? From September 2024, there will be a dealer portal for all partners of Joule. 

Would you like to collaborate? We'd love that! Send an email to dealer@joule.be and we will get in touch with you! 

• The capacity of the bike battery: 400Wh, 500Wh, 630Wh, or 1000Wh. 
• The usage of the bike battery: Are you riding in eco or turbo mode? 
• Weather conditions: In colder weather, the battery lasts less time. Remember to always bring the battery indoors during freezing temperatures! 

A belt drive is a drivetrain where the chain is replaced by a synthetic belt. The belt runs over two gears and is made of strong, stretch-free carbon fiber.   

There are several important tips to keep your bike's battery in top condition. We list them for you in this blog article.   

A cargo bike is designed for transporting children (think of the traditional kids bike) or goods. 

Absolutely! Your bike is covered for all damage and theft, regardless of who rides the bike, so you can in principle let anyone ride your bike. Your breakdown assistance is personal and registered in your name.