How about coming home from work by bike… on duty?
The idea that might have seemed baroque a few months ago is gaining ground.
More and more Parisians, tired of traffic jams or fleeing public transport during this pandemic period, are adopting it.
In the capital, 5% of journeys are made by bicycle (compared to 17% in Grenoble and Montpellier), according to an Insee survey published in January 2021. Start-ups and SMEs such as Cleany (a cleaning company) or Popchef (specializing in company catering) but also large groups such as Havas, la Française des jeux, Kaufman & Broad, Véolia and Natixis have equipped their employees to facilitate their business trips and their commute to work.
With the bicycle boom, start-ups are rushing into this niche, like Azfalte, the pioneer Zenride, installed in the 9th district since 2018 and which has 70 customers, or even Tandem (Tandemcompany.fr ), an actor who arrived more recently in the sector.
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“When I was sales manager, I had a company car.
I only used it to get around outside Paris and my vehicle was parked in my parking lot three quarters of the time.
I gradually returned to cycling to make my intra-muros business trips and that's when the idea was born to democratize its use in companies, ”says Arthur de Jerphanion, co-founder of Tandem, a young company specializing in the long-term rental of electric bicycles for companies, installed rue de Bucarest in the 8th district.
With his partner, Nicolas Delcourt, in his thirties like him, he shares ecological values.
He was sales director at Prêt à Pousser, the Parisian start-up that markets “indoor vegetable gardens” when he wanted to stand on his own feet.
Between 2200 and 2500 euros for the purchase, for the leasing count around 25 euros per month
The two partners at the head of the start-up created in May 2020 have selected models (EOVOLT brand for folding, O2feel, Gitane or 1886 for urbanites) comfortable, robust and design available in a wide range of colors to allow employees to choose a bicycle suited to their needs and tastes.
All these bikes are assembled in France.
Parisians who live on the 5th floor without a lift or who take part of the way by RER or train will prefer a folding electric bicycle.
Those who want to take their children to school before leaving for work will be tempted by a cargo bike.
The others will set their sights on the urban model, the most popular, and those most addicted to new technologies on the connected model.
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Leased bicycles retained by employees are shipped to the site of client companies, express training is provided to users, in particular to novices who are not used to cycling in town.
The turnkey offer includes a helmet, annual maintenance at the workplace, an anti-theft device and breakage and theft insurance that works even if the two-wheeler is parked in the street at night.
At Zenride, the offer is slightly different.
Employees are invited to choose a top-of-the-range bicycle adapted to their needs in one of the 70 independent partner stores, at Decathlon or Alltricks, the largest e-merchant in the sector.
"The average budget is between 2200 and 2500 euros but some employers do not hesitate to go up to 4000 euros", explains Thomas Baurain, one of the founders of Zenride.
At the end of the rental period - generally thirty-six months - the employee can buy back his bike if he wishes.
Tax deductions of up to 25% for employers
The development of this green mode of travel is supported by favorable tax measures for companies.
Since January 1, 2019, the rental of a fleet of bicycles gives employers the right to a 25% tax deduction if they pay 70% of the monthly rent.
This change is also accompanied by a significant saving since the cost of a company bike represents only 700 euros per year on average against 6,000 euros for a company car.
Not to mention the environmental and social issues.
Comfortable or sturdy, foldable or high-end, function bikes can differ depending on the use.
David Cabannes / Zenride
For employees, “this mode of transport is a source of well-being.
The bicycle allows you to move faster than by car, to escape the stress caused by traffic jams and to have daily physical activity, ”explains the co-founder of Tandem.
The 30-something reports that playing sports in the morning improves productivity by 6 to 9%, according to a Medef survey.
The leased bicycle can be used on weekends and during holidays and loaned to another member of the household.
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It is also a source of savings because companies can make it available to them free of charge or by usually paying between 30 and 50% of the rent (at Tandem, the employee's contribution varies between 18 and 30 euros per months and Chez Zenride, between 23 and 28 euros).
"A breath of fresh air in these gloomy times"
The company Pas-à-Pas, specialized in IT consulting, called on Zenride.
“It was before the Covid.
Our leader, of Dutch origin, is very focused on ecology and the practice of cycling.
He wanted to facilitate the movements of employees who came by bicycle by allowing them to equip themselves with more high-end models.
This project accelerated with the Covid crisis because the bicycle was an alternative to bring back to the office during the first deconfinement people who were afraid of being exposed to the virus in public transport.
Since then, around fifteen employees have adopted the bicycle to come to work and our bicycle plan has been followed, ”explains Manon Bouhard, from the communications department.
Louise, a 35-year-old communicator, became a fan of “vélotaf” (going to work by bicycle) during the first deconfinement.
Every morning, she rides 8 km on an electric bicycle to her office.
“I no longer have a hassle of breakdowns in the metro and I'm no longer late for work.
I took some fresh air and arrived relaxed.
With the electric assistance, I can't swim.
In the evening, I decompress during the trip before meeting my family.
The only problem is the rain.
When the weather is bad, I take the metro. ”
Tandem already has around fifteen Parisian start-ups and SMEs.
"After the first confinement, we had a lot of contact with companies who wanted to equip themselves with a fleet of company bikes but the contracts were not concluded because of the second confinement", regrets the entrepreneur.
He is preparing for a boom when the horizon will have cleared up because, according to him, "the bicycle is a solution to bring back the employees serenely to the office and to give a breath of fresh air in this particularly gloomy context".
