How do I rent a student bike?
Discover our bicycles for students here.
You can rent a student bicycle with De Fietsambassade as a student at Ghent University, HOGENT, Artevelde university of applied sciences, Odisee, KU Leuven or Luca School of Arts.
- Go to our webshop and create a new account. Use a valid e-mail address from your university or college, not your private e-mail address.
- Choose whether you want a bicycle with or without gears and whether or not you want theft insurance.
- If you're renting a bicycle starting in September, also select a pick-up time and place.
- As soon as you've reserved your bicycle on the webshop, you will receive a confirmation e-mail to move on to the payment.
- After you've paid, you will get a reservation confirmation through e-mail.
How do I pick up my bike?
Did you make a reservation between October and May?
Pick up your bicycle at Bike point Kattenberg. Show us the reservation confirmation you received via e-mail. You don't need to print this out. You will receive your bicycle and sign a rental agreement on a tablet. You'll also be send this via e-mail, make sure to save it.
Did you make a reservation in July, August or September?
Pick up your bicycle at the place (Bike point Kattenberg or Campus Schoonmeersen from HOGent) that you chose when making the reservation. You can find this in the reservation confirmation e-mail you received. Show us this e-mail when picking up your bike. You don't need to print it out. You will receive your bicycle and sign a rental agreement on a tablet. You'll also be send this via e-mail, make sure to save it.
If you notice any defects within the first 7 days, go back to Bike point Kattenberg immediately within opening hours. You don't need to make an appointment for this. We will repair your bicycle for free, unless the damage is self inflicted, consciously or unconsciously (ex. a flat tire because you drove through glass)
Where can I go for repair and maintenance of my bike?
Repair and maintenance of your rented bicycle from De Fietsambassade
Je can have your bicycle repaired at all our Bike points (except Bike point Stadshal) during opening hours without an appointment. Check all locations and opening hours here. By showing your student card you can get 10 % discount. In Bike point Kattenberg you will be helped the quickest because this Bike point is only for students. Your bicycle will be repaired immediately and you can wait there in the meantime. In other Bike points you will have to leave your bicycle there and get a text message when the repair is finished. You can rent a replacement bike for € 10.
For your semi-annualy maintenance you can only go to Bike point Kattenberg. Maintenance for normal wear and tear is included for free in your rental agreement.
Repair and maintenance of your own bike
You can have your bicycle repaired at Bike point Gent Sint-Pieters, Gent Dampoort or Onder De Krook during opening hours without an appointment. Check all locations and opening hours here. By showing your student card you can get 10 % discount.
💡 Take good care of your bicycle! It's nice to 'cruise' through the city with a well maintained bicycle for you and the student who rents the bike after you. Moreover you can avoid extra costs.
How do I return my bike at the end of my rental period?
You can return your bicycle at Bike point Kattenberg during the opening hours (no appointment needed).
Our employees will examin your bike after returning. You may expect your warranty on your bank account within 2 weeks. Please note that dammage repairs & fines for late returns will be deducted from your warranty.
Non-EU or Turkey student? We will refund your warranty in cash (bank transfer would add extra costs)
💡 Make sure to extend your rental agreement or return your bicycle in time. This way you avoid fines. Starting a few weeks before the end of your contract, we will send you e-mails and a text message to remind you of this.
What if I return my bicycle too late?
For every starting week that your bicycle is late, you pay a fine of € 20. If you're more than 4 weeks late, we create a file with the bailiff and an additional € 80 will be charged on top of the € 80 fine.
How do I extend my rental period?
From 1 month before the end until the end of the rental contract you can extend your contract.This is how:
- Go to our webshop and log in to the account your created when you reserved the bicycle using the e-mail address from your university or college.
- Click "my contracts" on the top right.
- Click "Extend" next to your contract and choose the period.
Has your rental ended? Then you can no longer extend your contract online. You have to return your bicycle at Bike point Kattenberg and you can start a new contract then.
What if I've lost my bicycle?
Bicycle lost? Don't panic. We'll look into what might have happened together.
Was your bicycle parked in a temporary bicycle parking that was removed for construction or an event? Or was it parked in an obstructive way? It's possible that we've removed your bike.
Was your bicycle parked underneath or around Train station Gent-Sint-Pieters? It's possible that APCOA has removed your bicycle.
If it hasn't been removed by us or APCOA, it might be stolen.
💡 Always make sure to park your bicycle safely to prevent theft. Your rented bike from De Fietsambassade comes with a good quality lock so use it well.
What if my bike has been removed?
Was it parked at train station Gent-Sint-Pieters? Call APCOA: +32 (0)473 33 89 11.
Was it parked somewhere else? De Fietsambassade removes bikes that are parked in an obstructive way, were left begind or were parked in a temporary bicycle parking. Read more about this here.
If your rented bicycle from De Fietsambassade is removed, our employees will bring it to Bike point Kattenberg where you can pick it up. You will automatically receive an e-mail and text message to tell your that your bike has been removed and you can come to pick it up. If you didn't receive a message your bike hasn't been removed by us.
What if my bike is stolen?
Make a report to the Local Police within 48 hours. This can be done at an office near you or online (if you have an ID reader).
Afterwards you have 5 work days time to go to Bike point Kattenberg during opening hours. Take your decleration certificate (that you got from the police after making the report) and the keys from your bicycle with you.
Depending on the situation (if you have theft insurance, if you've made a report to the police, ...) you might have to pay a fine or not. Read more about it on this page.
Couldn't find the answer you were looking for here?
