Want to lease a bike? Melissa and Darshan already have!

Biking to work

Melissa, have you always been an avid cyclist?

Melissa: “Definitely not! I used to come to work by public transport, but during the pandemic I jumped on my bike. Nowadays, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I live about eight kilometres from the office and actually get there a lot faster by bike than by public transport. And what’s more, the route to Delft is really beautiful. I cycle past meadows with lots of greenery and I often see lambs frolicking in the fields. It makes me feel really happy!”

What do you think the advantages of cycling to work are?

Melissa: “The biggest advantage is that it wakes me up in the morning and blows the working day out of my head in the evening. I reflect on the day’s work-related issues and then just focus on the scenery or think about what I’m going to eat that evening. When I get home, I’m completely relaxed. Another big advantage, of course, is that I get my share of exercise every day, even when I don’t get around to working out. That eight-kilometre trip there and back is already a great workout!”

So you don’t ride an e-bike?

Melissa: “Not for now. When I cycle, I like to feel that my body really benefits from it. Of course, on rainy days with headwinds, I’m less enthusiastic. So I’ve ordered an e-bike through TOPdesk’s bike leasing scheme. I plan to cycle without assistance as often as possible. And with my rain gear, I can handle all kinds of weather! Anyway, a good, well-maintained bike already makes cycling extra enjoyable.”

TOPdesk’s bike leasing scheme: Lease a Bike

And Darshan Jagmohan can tell us all about that leasing scheme. How did bike leasing come to be?

Darshan: “As a facility manager, I’m responsible for arranging lease cars for my colleagues. Eighteen months ago, when our leasing company mentioned that leasing bikes was something for TOPdesk, I immediately jumped on the idea. The need was there, and at that time we only had a discount scheme for TOPdesk employees who wanted to buy a bike. But leasing actually suits us much better.”

Why is that? What exactly does it involve?

Darshan: “Lease a Bike offers an all-in-one package that makes things easy for customers. So just like TOPdesk software! In this case, the customers are our colleagues. Thanks to the scheme, you can have a nice bike without going broke in the process. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing, repairs and roadside assistance. TOPdesk contributes ten euros a month to each lease bike.”

And that’s not the only financial benefit.

Darshan: “You’re right. Since recently, TOPdeskers who use a lease bike to get to the office can claim a kilometre allowance of 0.33 euros per kilometre. So for Melissa, this means 5.28 euros for each day she cycles to work. Previously, travel by lease bike was excluded from this allowance, but given our CSR objectives, we think it’s just great that we let people earn a return on their bike while leaving their car at home. What’s more, it also benefits our colleagues’ fitness!”

From city bikes to e-bikes

How many colleagues are already racing to work on a TOPdesk lease bike?

Darshan: “The counter now stands at about 30: from city bikes to e-bikes – and even cargo bikes. That’s because you can use your bike in your spare time too, of course! And did you know that I can give good advice on which bike suits you best? Before joining TOPdesk, I worked in a bike shop for ten years.

Still happy with your lease bike after three years? Then you can buy it for 20 percent of its original purchase price. That way, you save hundreds of euros in total compared to a private purchase. You can calculate what your costs would be on the Lease a Bike website.”

Keen to lease a bike via TOPdesk? You can! Apply for one of our vacancies and start your epic journey!