Vigo Ottobock Care and Bike Republic make care bikes more accessible than ever

April 21, 2026

Bicycle specialist Bike Republic and expert in orthopaedic and mobility aids Vigo Ottobock Care (“Vigo”) are joining forces. Customers can now test and purchase care bikes in their trusted bike shop, while benefiting from professional support from Vigo. The initiative covers five Bike Republic retail locations / care bike points: Diest, Ghent (Sint-Denijs-Westrem), Merksem, Retie and Veurne. The partnership responds to the growing demand for care bikes, such as tricycles and bikes with hand or adapted drive systems. Every partner contributes its strengths: Vigo provides specialised expertise and support, while Bike Republic offers accessibility, maintenance and repair services. This marks the first collaboration of this scale, at a time when more and more people are choosing adapted bikes – and the freedom they bring.

Care bikes closer to the customer

More and more people want to remain active and therefore opt for an adapted bike. Demand for care bikes such as tricycles and hand-powered bikes is growing, as are expectations regarding fast and accessible service. Bike Republic and Vigo are therefore joining forces to make these solutions even more accessible.

The partnership has a clear objective: to offer the customer a complete experience close to home: in a non-clinical environment, with the right professional support. Until recently, people looking for a care bike could only visit the Bike Republic store in Diest or the largest Vigo locations. This service is now being extended to four additional Bike Republic stores offering care bikes, where Vigo experts provide tailored advice: Merksem, Retie, Ghent (Sint-Denijs-Westrem) and Veurne.

“At Bike Republic, we want to help everyone to get on a bike – including those for whom cycling is not self-evident. Care bike points are stores with a strong affinity for customers with specific mobility needs. In Diest and Sint-Denijs-Westrem, for example, customers can test adapted bikes on an indoor track. Thanks to this collaboration, we can organise everything faster and even closer to the customer, with ongoing professional support from Vigo,” says Miek Vercouteren, Business Unit Manager at Bike Republic. “We have specialised in adapted mobility solutions for many years. Through this partnership, we are extending our services to Bike Republic’s bike shops, where customers can discover their adapted bike in a familiar cycling environment, alongside other bicycles. For many people, this feels more natural and significantly lowers the threshold,” adds Michiel Meerbergen, CEO of Vigo Ottobock Care.

Clear division of roles and strong, extended service

During an initial consultation, the customer’s needs are assessed and it is determined whether they are eligible for reimbursement through the "VSB (Vlaamse Sociale Bescherming)" or the "VAPH (Vlaams Agentschap voor Personen met een Handicap)".

Miek Vercouteren explains: "Customers whose reimbursement application is initiated are then guided by a Vigo care provider, who takes care of advice, administration and follow-up. Vigo care providers always use Bike Republic showrooms for this purpose. Bike Republic, in turn, is responsible for assembling the bikes". For customers without reimbursement, Bike Republic handles the entire process. Vigo remains available at all times to advise and support Bike Republic staff. "For multifunctional centres and institutions that are already clients of Vigo, nothing changes: their service continues to be provided entirely by Vigo", adds Michael Meerbergen.

Bike Republic’s workshops will also be involved in training and support. In the short term, Bike Republic will take care of maintenance, repairs and technical support for adapted bikes sold via Vigo. This will result in faster service, a stronger after-sales offering and shorter waiting times, with access to 40 service points nationwide by 2027.

Growing need for adapted mobility

Based on Statbel figures, it is estimated that at least one in ten Belgians may currently need an adapted mobility solution. When also taking into account people who are searching preventively because they feel less confident or more vulnerable, that number increases further.

Jurgen Leduc, Portfolio Manager Mobility at Vigo, explains: “When people think of adapted bikes, they often immediately think of users with a pronounced physical disability. In reality, it goes far beyond that. Many people no longer feel comfortable or safe in traffic on a traditional bike, for example due to reduced balance, loss of muscle strength or slower reactions. As people age, starting, pedalling and maintaining control can also become less straightforward. Together with Bike Republic, we want to better reach these people and advise them on the right solutions, so they can cycle with confidence again and remain active and independent.”

Today, there are far more possibilities than in the past. "The threshold is much lower today than it used to be,” says Miek Vercouteren.“Technology has evolved significantly, making bike models more powerful and more user-friendly. At the same time, reimbursement schemes make them financially accessible to a broader group of people. And perhaps even more importantly: care bikes are increasingly visible in the streets. That makes a real difference. What you see regularly starts to feel normal. We are pleased to be able to contribute even more to that from now on and to help even more people to get back on a bike.”

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