Why commuters are happier on their bikes

Bike leasing E-bike & Co Info for employers Pros and cons

January 9, 2023

2 min

At Lease a Bike, we've known it for a long time, but now science agrees - cyclists are happier.

The reasons were investigated in a study by the University of Auckland. The researchers have observed in previous studies that people who switch from cars or public transport to bicycles are measurably happier. However, the reasons for this were previously unexplored. Therefore, the researchers conducted a qualitative interview study with 24 cyclists who use their e-bikes for both commuting and personal use. The results showed that four different factors have a significant influence on satisfaction.

The most important information at a glance

Full control and predictability: Cyclists are independent of traffic jams or public transport delays. Since the commuting time remains almost identical every day, stress caused by time pressure and unpredictability is significantly reduced.
Mental relaxation: While driving often leads to sensory overload and taking the train is often perceived as boring, cycling has a relaxing effect. Moving in the fresh air clears the mind and helps to switch off more effectively after work.
Enhanced well-being: Due to the moderate exercise (especially with e-bikes), commuters arrive at the office feeling energized and alert without being completely sweaty. This boosts the overall sense of physical fitness.
Social interaction: Cycling promotes connection. Whether through riding together with colleagues or brief interactions with other road users – these social contacts have a positive impact on mental health.
Time gain through quality: The commute is no longer perceived as "lost time," but rather as valuable time for oneself and one's own health.

1. You are in control

A major advantage of cycling as a means of transportation is control over departure and arrival. People can operate independently of buses and trains and don't have to worry about delays or rush hour traffic jams. Instead, the journey by bike always takes about the same amount of time and riders can decide for themselves when to leave. Thanks to the bicycle, there is no need to worry about traffic conditions or stress in the morning. Commuters appreciate this flexibility, reliability and ability to plan.

2. No stress, no boredom!

According to studies, people who drive to work experience a high level of stress. This is because rush hour and traffic jams are a form of sensory overload for people. With public transportation, on the other hand, there is often boredom, which is perceived as stressful. Routes completed by bicycle, however, are perceived as "relaxing" and "pleasant." This is because brooding is not possible when riding a bicycle.

Instead, the participants report a "clear head". In addition, the exercise in the fresh air provides a feeling of happiness. This has the added advantage that the journey often feels shorter than it actually is. The time spent on the bike is seen as valuable. Overall, participants feel more relaxed and satisfied by the light exercise in nature and are better able to switch off after work. These aspects have a positive impact on a person's mental health.

Woman standing behind ebike in the front and man jumping on ebike in the back

3. The feel-good effect & social interaction

Thanks to the moderately intensive exercise with the e-bike, employees do not arrive at work sweaty and still feel full of energy. All participants in the study feel more physically alert and fit. While e-biking is not as strenuous as regular cycling, e-bike riders often cover longer distances. The fitness effect is ultimately independent of the type of bike, as the length of rides is also critical.

Some participants make appointments with colleagues to ride their bikes together and talk along the way. Other participants highlight that they interact more often with other bicyclists or walkers. Increased social contact contributes to commuters' mental health.

4. Health benefits

Overall, people who commute to work by bicycle are significantly happier than employees who use cars or public transportation. The main focus is on the health benefits of cycling. The study observed positive effects on the mental health and physical well-being of commuters. While commuting to work is often seen as wasted time, cyclists are much more satisfied and even enjoy the exercise in the fresh air before and after work.

Thus, the company bike is a great companion in your work life, but also in your private life. Take advantage of the benefits of a company bike and become part of the happy commuters! Find out more.

Conclusion

Commuters are happier on their bikes.

Commuting by bike is far more than just a mode of transport – it is an active boost for your quality of life. While those who drive or take the train often suffer from stress, a lack of control, or boredom, cyclists reclaim valuable time for their well-being through a combination of reliability, physical activity, and mental freedom.

By choosing the bike, you transform your daily commute from a tedious chore into a health-promoting routine that relaxes you, keeps you fit, and demonstrably increases overall life satisfaction. Find out now why bike leasing is worth it for you, too.

Lease a bike & calculate CO2 savings!

FAQ

: In the case of salary conversion, the employee receives a portion of the contractually agreed salary not in cash, but as a payment in kind for the period during which the company bike is made available. This means that a change is made by means of a supplementary agreement to the employment contract, in which the employee's future salary is reduced by a fixed amount (conversion rate) for the duration of the transfer of use. This then results in the tax and contribution benefit for the employee. In most cases, the imputed income is also subject to taxation. This is added to the monthly gross salary.

What does this mean exactly?
Gross monthly salary
+ taxation of imputed income
- Conversion rate
- All-round protection costs
= new gross monthly salary
- Taxes
- Taxation of imputed income
= net monthly salary

If you now compare the net monthly salary without the company bike with the net monthly salary with the company bike, you get the monthly costs for the company bike leasing.

Below are some explanations of terms.
Conversion Rate:
The conversion rate is the sum of the leasing rate and the cost of the selected all-round protection package, less any cost coverage by the employer The gross monthly salary is reduced by this conversion rate.
Taxation of the imputed income:
Depending on the form of the transfer by the employer, the use of the company bike is subject to taxation of the non-cash benefit. If a company bike is also provided for unrestricted private use as part of a salary conversion, the non-cash benefit must be taxed. The non-cash benefit from company bike leasing is calculated at a flat rate of 1% of a quarter of the gross list price (RRP) rounded down to a full €100, added to the taxable income and also taxed. This is also referred to colloquially as 0.25% taxation. The amount for the imputed income can be found in the calculation overview in the bike leasing calculator.
: With salary conversion, you as an employee do not receive part of your contractually agreed salary in cash, but as a non-cash benefit for the period in which the company bike is provided.

This means that an amendment is made to the employment contract in which your future salary is reduced by a fixed amount (conversion rate) by mutual agreement for the duration of the transfer of use. This then results in a tax and contribution advantage for you as an employee. You can easily calculate your savings in our calculator.

You can also find out whether bike leasing is worthwhile in our article “Buying or leasing a bike: which is cheaper?”.
: Company wheel leasing via salary conversion reduces your monthly gross income and therefore also the social security contributions for your pension. This is often seen as a disadvantage of employee leasing. However, the resulting losses are minimal. With a bike price of 3,000 euros, for example, the future pension entitlement is reduced by around 2 euros per month if the bike is leased with salary conversion over 36 months. Extrapolated, this would be a total of 468 euros less pension for the entire pension entitlement period. This amount is less than the average savings from a company bike. There is also the positive health aspect: according to current studies, regular cyclists are not only fitter and healthier, they also live longer.

If you receive your company bike as a salary supplement, the employer bears the entire cost on top of your salary. As there is no salary conversion in this case, social security contributions are not reduced. The pension is therefore also not affected.
: If your continued salary payments are discontinued, our payment default protection comes into effect. This happens, for example, if you are ill for longer than 42 days and receive sick pay or go on parental leave. Lease a Bike will cover the leasing installments for a maximum period of 12 months if the leasing contract has already been running for 6 months. In any case, we will always work together to find the best solution for all parties, unless one of the following options is possible or applies.

These can be:

Change of user. Your employer offers the company bicycle to another employee for the remaining term of the contract. The company takes all necessary internal measures for this (e.g. supplementary agreements to the employment contract, handover of the company bike).
Premature termination of the existing leasing contract by mutual agreement for important economic reasons with possible takeover of the used company bike by you as an employee. You also have the option of financing the purchase price via our FINANCE A BIKE product.
If you change companies, it is possible to transfer the existing leasing contract to a new company. After a credit check, the contract will be continued by the new company with all rights and obligations and the company bike will continue to be provided to you for the remaining term.
Return. If all of the above points do not apply in your case, the bike must be returned to your employer. We will then discuss the details of the individual process with your employer.
: If your continued salary payments are discontinued, our payment default protection comes into effect. This happens, for example, if you are ill for longer than 42 days and receive sick pay or go on parental leave. Lease a Bike will cover the leasing installments for a maximum period of 12 months if the leasing contract has already been running for 6 months. In any case, we will always work together to find the best solution for all parties, unless one of the following options is possible or applies.
These can be:
Change of user. Your employer offers the company bicycle to another employee for the remaining term of the contract. The company takes all necessary internal measures for this (e.g. supplementary agreements to the employment contract, handover of the company bike).
Premature termination of the existing leasing contract by mutual agreement for important economic reasons with possible takeover of the used company bike by you as an employee. You also have the option of financing the purchase price via our FINANCE A BIKE product.
If you change companies, it is possible to transfer the existing leasing contract to a new company. After a credit check, the contract will be continued by the new company with all rights and obligations and the company bike will continue to be provided to you for the remaining term.
Return. If all of the above points do not apply in your case, the bike must be returned to your employer. We will then discuss the details of the individual process with your employer.
: The user selects one option each for theft & damage protection (incl. free Europe-wide mobility guarantee), inspection and wear and tear and thus configures the all-round protection package according to their individual requirements. Accordingly, each all-round protection package includes theft and damage protection as well as a budget for inspection and wear and tear.

Read the article “Bike leasing and repairs” to find out who pays for repairs, what services are covered, and how to respond correctly.
: Please report the theft to the police immediately. The file number is required for the report. Have both original keys ready and provide the frame number when reporting the theft (you can find this in the Lease a Bike portal). After you have reported the theft to the police, you can report it quickly and easily directly in the Lease a Bike portal.
To do this, please log in to the portal as usual.
Under “Contracts,” select the relevant contract and click on “Report damage/theft.”
You will be redirected to the secure Allianz partner portal to upload all the details of the incident and the police report.
You did not lease a lock? Then we need proof of how the company bike was secured (e.g., receipt for the lock).
Important: Please wait for the final approval by email from Lease a Bike. Only then can you go to your specialist dealer (as part of the all-inclusive protection) to choose a new bike of the same type and quality. We will take care of invoicing and payment for the new bike.
Note on replacement of the item in the event of theft within the existing contract with a bicycle of the same type and quality. The new bicycle must only correspond to the purchase value of the stolen bicycle, including accessories.
However, the company bike will only be replaced if the all-inclusive option for theft and damage protection has been selected. If the user only has the premium version, the current value insurance applies and the leasing contract is terminated in the event of theft and the bike is not replaced.