Good for both your wallet and your health: Wesley's cycling motivation

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Cycling to work? Until recently, that didn't appeal to Wesley one bit. But that all changed when he was able to lease a bicycle inexpensively from his employer through o2o. He tested out the Ellio speed pedelec at the kick-off event... and it was love at first sight! You could now call Wesley the most ardent cycling commuter in Westhoek, effortlessly covering the 80 km commute between De Panne and Yper. What was the main motivation behind his mobility switch, and why is he so inseparable from his nimble bicycle? Find out his story below.

Facts

• Name: Wesley Butstraen
• Organisation: City of Yper
• Lease Bicycle: Speed pedelec (Ellio Elite)
• Commuting distance: 80 km

From cycling novice to fanatic

Until recently, Wesley wasn't exactly a fan of cycling. But that all changed when he discovered the Ellio Elite. In the past few months, he's biked almost 10 times more than in the last 15 years. Since his employer introduced bicycle leasing, he's seen the bicycle as a mobility solution from a different perspective, with the financial benefit in particular being the major trigger for him:

The bicycle lease offer made me start seeing things differently. The 40% financial benefit and the great net bicycle allowance, appearing on my wage slip every month are the best motivation for choosing the bicycle. And just think about how much I'm saving on petrol costs...

What's more, the expensive speed pedelec pays for itself in no time, thanks to the bicycle allowance and the long distance you cover while commuting.

Alongside the financial aspect, Wesley has also discovered other advantages of the lease bicycle: "All that cycling means I've really noticed a clear improvement in my fitness. I feel way healthier, both physically and mentally. That's also worth the money." On average, he covers the single 40 km distance in one hour. That means two hours' cycling a day, making a real difference when it comes to daily movement! Although he's 10 minutes faster by car, the time gained is negligible compared to the advantages of cycling.

According to Wesley, an added benefit with the lease package is that o2o fully takes care of the administration when it comes to services and covers:

Ordering the bicycle and communicating with o2o was really easy. Isn't it just great that they sort out the admin work for you, even the services?

Love at first sight

Thanks to the useful bicycle guide in the o2o tool, it was soon clear to Wesley that a speed pedelec was the best choice for his route. After lots of research, he actually had his eye on a different bicycle, until a colleague advised him to test out the Ellio Elite. "I was instantly sold! The riding experience with this bicycle was so fantastic that I ordered it right away." The compact Ellio is 100% Belgian-made, and is unique within the speed pedelec range. This top-range bicycle reaches a speed of 45 km/h, with the speed controller in particular being a major added value if, like Wesley, your route is largely free of cars.

As a proud speed pedelec cyclist, Wesley also encourages colleagues to opt for the bicycle. For many employees who live closer by, cycling really is the fastest option. Time after time, he's also surprised he's not on the road for much longer on that 40 km distance by bicycle than going by car: "Lots of colleagues at the City of Yper are already opting for cycling. While I think I cover the longest distance, I like daring my colleagues to beat me. It would be a great challenge, wouldn't it?"

On a smart move with o2o

As a functional cyclist, for Wesley a 'Smart move' primarily means riding on the road safely. For his daily commute, he doesn't choose the shortest way because this has the most traffic. He much prefers the safest – and also most beautiful – route along the water, with barely any traffic lights. Here he can keep up a high speed and make the most of his bicycle's speed controller. And the icing on the cake are the amazing photos he takes along the way, his 'little pleasure' of the day.

I'm really grateful to my employer that I'm able to lease this bicycle. I could never have imagined it, but I'm really satisfied with my mobility switch. This speed pedelec simply provides me with advantages.

Wesley is now even thinking about venturing into recreational cycling, too. And so you see it's possible: bicycle leasing means anyone can transform from a cycling novice into a fanatic!  

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