Thinking about switching to the bike? Honest answers to the 10 worries we hear most
· Bike Your City
Every week, someone stands in our shop in Laeken and says: “I'd love to ride more, but…”. The hills. The rain. The traffic. The price. The kids. These are real worries, and we won't pretend the bike is perfect for every trip. But for most everyday journeys in Brussels, it is simply the fastest, cheapest and most pleasant way to get around. Here are honest answers to the ten worries we hear most.
Why the bike so often wins in Brussels
- It's faster than you think. In 2025, TomTom measured an average car speed of about 14 km/h during rush hour in Brussels, and more than 30 minutes for a 10 km drive. An e-bike assists you up to 25 km/h, door to door, with no parking to find at the end.
- Most trips are short. According to Brussels Mobility, the average trip of Brussels residents is just 3.3 km, and 45% of trips are 2 km or less. For home–work trips, more than half of people live within 5 km of their workplace and over 80% within 10 km. That's 10 to 30 minutes by bike.
- It costs a fraction of a car. Test-Achats estimates that a private car costs on average at least €400 per month. A good e-bike, insured and serviced, costs much less, and your employer can even pay you to ride it (see below).
- It's good for your health. A large UK study published in the BMJ (264,337 people) found that people who cycled to work had a 41% lower risk of premature death and a lower risk of heart disease and cancer than people who drove or took public transport. It shows an association, not a guarantee, but the message is clear: daily movement counts.
- You're not alone. Pro Velo counted 15.3% more cyclists in the Brussels morning rush hour in 2025 than in 2024, and almost half of the bikes they saw were electric.
The 10 worries we hear most, and our honest answers
1. “Brussels is too hilly.”
It was, before e-bikes. Today an electric motor flattens the climbs to Uccle, Koekelberg or the Sonian Forest. You still pedal, but you arrive without a fight. That's why so many Brussels cyclists now ride electric. See our e-bikes, from light city bikes to powerful Bosch and Shimano models.
2. “It's not safe in traffic.”
This is the worry we take most seriously. The Brussels network has grown a lot (more than 1,000 km of cycling facilities), and many quiet routes, parks and canal paths let you avoid the busiest roads. Our advice: plan a calm route with the cycling junctions, ride visible with good lights, and start with trips you know. A stable bike helps too: a low step-through like the Tern NBD, or for families the tilting Chike, which stands on its own at every red light.
3. “It rains all the time.”
It rains less often during your 20-minute ride than it seems from the window. With mudguards, a good rain jacket and waterproof bags, a shower is no drama. For kids, a rain cover on the cargo box keeps them dry and warm. Read our guide to riding with kids in winter.
4. “A good bike is too expensive.”
Compare it with what you spend on the car, the parking or the tram pass. And there are many ways to make it affordable:
- Bike allowance: in 2026, your employer can pay you up to €0.37 per km tax-free, up to €3,700 per year, for riding to work.
- Leasing through your employer: we work with all leasing companies in Belgium, and you get a 3% online leasing bonus. How it works →
- Buying online: 5% off bikes from €2,000.
- Municipal premiums for e-bikes and cargo bikes in many Brussels municipalities.
5. “My bike will get stolen.”
It's a real risk in a big city, so protect it properly: two good locks, one attaching the frame to a fixed point, and insurance. With SafeBike, which we offer in the shop, your bike is covered at 100% of its value for 5 years, up to €15,000. See our locks.
6. “I'll arrive at work sweaty.”
On an e-bike, you choose how much effort you put in. Ride in a low assistance mode at a relaxed pace and you arrive as fresh as you left. Panniers keep your bag off your back.
7. “I have kids.”
That's exactly when a bike changes your life: no more traffic jams on the school run, no parking at the gate, and kids who arrive awake and happy. A child seat works for one small child; a cargo bike carries one to four. Compare short tails, mid tails, long tails and front loaders, including Le Petit Porteur, exclusive in Brussels, and the Chike, our favourite for kids for 9 years. Read our family cargo bike guide.
8. “My trip is too long.”
An e-bike makes 10 to 15 km easy, and a speed pedelec goes further. For longer distances, combine the train with a folding bike like the Brussels-made Ahooga: it travels with you and rides like a full-size bike at both ends.
9. “I have nowhere to park it.”
Small flat, no garage? Some bikes are made for that: folding bikes fit under a desk, compact cargo bikes like the Tern HSD or Yuba FastRack stand upright, and the Chike is only 73 cm wide. Brussels also has more and more secure bike boxes in the street; ask your municipality.
10. “I'm not sporty / I haven't ridden in years.”
You don't need to be. Start with one trip a week: the bakery, the park, a friend's house. An e-bike and a comfortable, upright position do the rest. Come for a test ride: we adjust the bike to you and take the time to get you confident before you leave.
More than a way to get around
Switching to the bike changes more than your commute. You see the city differently, you meet people, you discover parks and green routes you never noticed from the car. Your kids grow up moving and breathing outside. And every trip by bike instead of by car means less noise, less pollution and calmer streets for everyone. Need inspiration? Try park-hopping in green Brussels, the Promenade Verte or a ride out, train back trip.
Start this week in 3 steps
- Pick one trip you make every week that is under 10 km.
- Book a free test ride in Laeken and try two or three bikes that fit that trip.
- Ask us about the bike allowance, leasing and insurance: we help you find the cheapest way to start.
Bike Your City – Rue Dieudonné Lefèvre 4, 1020 Brussels (Laeken). Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–18:00 · 02 343 59 23 · WhatsApp
Sources: TomTom Traffic Index Brussels 2025; Brussels Mobility, BRUMO mobility survey summary and 2025 mobility report; Pro Velo, Brussels bicycle observatory 2025; Test-Achats on the cost of a private car; Celis-Morales et al., BMJ 2017 (University of Glasgow); FPS Finance, bike allowance 2026.
