The episode in detail
The speed gap, the real issue behind urban coexistence
Erwan Segalen has worked at Decathlon Belgium for around fifteen years. Having worked in the Anderlecht and Evere stores, Evere being the Belgian headquarters near Zaventem airport, he spent seven years as mobility market manager before setting up a B2B project around bike leasing, in partnership with companies such as O2O Cycles. His interest in urban mobility goes beyond bikes: what interests him is understanding why people do not consider alternatives to the car for 30 km trips that take an hour and a half in traffic.
From sport to transport: the shift of 2020
Erwan identifies two distinct waves after Covid. The first, sport-driven: people in lockdown bought a bike to get some fresh air, not to commute. The second, utilitarian: on discovering that distances were shorter than they had imagined, some people started to see the bike as a credible alternative to the car.
In Brussels, the phenomenon was amplified by temporary cycle tracks: overnight, cycle tracks were created and one-way streets opened to bikes, taking advantage of the drop in car traffic. Together, these two factors made cycling a lasting fixture in Brussels.
“We saw the shift when the cycling world moved from ‘a bike is just something for sport’ to ‘actually, this could potentially be seen as an alternative means of transport’.”
Decathlon played a part in this democratisation, notably with an affordable longtail bike priced around 2,500 to 3,000 euros, which opened the market to families unwilling to spend 6,000 or 7,000 euros on a cargo bike.
Speed, the invisible key to coexistence
During training at the Urban Cycling Institute in Amsterdam, Erwan came across images from the early 20th century showing pedestrians, horse-drawn carriages, horses and early bikes coexisting without tension. The explanation: all these modes of transport moved at the same speed.
Today, in the same urban space, you find 30 km/h zones, bikes limited to 25, speed pedelecs at 45, scooters sometimes derestricted to more than 90, and cars capable of 200. This speed gap creates tension between road users, who perceive their surroundings differently depending on their mode of transport.
“What allowed coexistence back then is a notion of speed that’s striking. All these modes of transport, whatever they are, move at the same speed.”
Erwan refuses to single out any one mode of transport. For him, the problem is not car versus bike but a mismatch in pace and perception within public space. Amsterdam recently reduced the speed limit in its centre to 15 km/h to narrow the gap between pedestrians and cyclists. At the Bois de la Cambre in Brussels, stone blocks have been installed to slow bikes down, a decision that remains debated.
Public space, rather than speed alone
The real anomaly in cities, according to Erwan, is not so much speed as the use of space. A vehicle measuring 4 metres by 2, weighing 2 tonnes, to carry a single person: the ratio is hard to justify against more compact modes of transport. Local authorities find it easier to regulate which vehicles enter a zone than to rebuild the road itself.
“Today, when you have a 2-tonne vehicle to carry one person, yes, that raises a question about the space it takes up in public areas.”
Theft, the number one barrier to cycling
One figure stands out: when someone has their bike stolen, in a third of cases, they never cycle again. That is a considerable barrier when it already takes so long to convince someone to give it a try.
Erwan co-founded Owlee, a mobile app listing secure parking spots, a kind of TripAdvisor for bike parking. The venture ended: even by showing people where to park their bike, there was no way to guarantee it wouldn’t be stolen. “A good idea isn’t necessarily a good business.”
His conviction: the next major breakthrough will come from whoever can offer absolute certainty that your bike will still be there when you get back. He cites Amsterdam, where train stations have huge secure bike parks with a guard at the entrance, and where illegally parked bikes are removed by the city.
The cycling experience, more than a cycle track
What Erwan takes from Amsterdam is its culture around the cycling experience as a whole. Not just cycle tracks, but pleasant routes, fewer red lights, secure parking on arrival. Together, this creates a travel experience that makes people want to keep cycling.
“I don’t think we’ll get more people cycling by telling them to buy two bikes, a 100-euro junker and a nice bike for getting your baguette on a Sunday.”
Decathlon beyond selling bikes
Erwan stresses Decathlon’s company culture: hiring on values rather than CVs, a value-for-money approach rather than being the cheapest, and a mission to make sport accessible to everyone. In Belgium, the finding is alarming: nearly 80% of children aged 11 to 17 no longer play sport.
The Van Ryssel brand illustrates Decathlon’s move upmarket, with a presence in the World Tour, while keeping products accessible. The retailer is also exploring rental and circularity: use rather than ownership.
His advice for starting to cycle commute: do not start with the equipment. Contact a non-profit or organisation such as Pro Velo or Espace Mobilité, which offer personalised coaching to get you in the saddle. They work out the safest and most pleasant route from your home, ride alongside you, and explain how to position yourself on the road. “The best cycling route isn’t necessarily the shortest one.”
