Cycle to Work - Which Shops?

tenbar · June 2007

I am nearly there with convincing my employer to join the Cycle to Work scheme but need some info.

Q. Does the company have to join with a specific bike supplier?

Q. If the company went with, say Halfords, how would the employee go about getting a bike that wasn't in the local Halfords shop or on their website. I am personally after a fast tourer (with mudguards and rack)for commuting but I can see no bike like that on the Halfords site.

Q. If I really wanted to get the bike from a LBS, what's the best way to do it as far as the scheme is concerned?

thanks
tenbar

richteacp · June 2007

http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/employee,p ... finder.htm

--
esta elefante del beb‚ me molesta

rothbook · June 2007

My bike could only be sourced from Harrods but they did a good job, they can source just about anything and the price was lower than list so I got a free lock, water bottle, computer and toe clips.

515mm · June 2007

Don't know where you live but I used www.fatbirds.co.uk in Hunstanton Cambs via mail order. Very nice folks to deal with and I adore my new(one week old!) Van Nicholas Yukon - which has mounts for 'guards and a rack but is within a gnat's whisker of race bike fast. Just make sure your payroll dept deduct the monthly payment from your salary BEFORE tax and NI. Mine b4ggered it up this month.

Si homini ignem das, unem diem ardebit; si hominem incendis, reliquem vitam ardebit.

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

I'd be lucky to get an inner tube from my work.

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AcademicX · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tenbar

Q. If the company went with, say Halfords, how would the employee go about getting a bike that wasn't in the local Halfords shop or on their website. I am personally after a fast tourer (with mudguards and rack)for commuting but I can see no bike like that on the Halfords site.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've just ordered a PlanetX Uncle John cross-bike via Halfords. They seem to be able to source bikes from most of the major UK suppliers. A couple of colleagues are interested in the Kona Snake and have been advised that getting hold of one shouldn't be a problem.

Halfords Cycle2Work team can be contacted on 08700 660511, give them a call and ask them the question if you have a specific bike in mind.

RufusA · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tenbar

I am nearly there with convincing my employer to join the Cycle to Work scheme but need some info.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The employer doesn't have to join any "scheme". The Finance Act 1999 simply allows them to buy a bike and safety equipment, take usual capital allowances against the cost, and allow employees to use the bike (so long as 50% or more of the journies are for travelling to work or for business), without a benefit in kind taxable charge.

IMHO most of the "cycle to work" schemes are private enterprises that restrict what the employer / employee can and can't do. They prevent you shopping around fully, remove the ability to negotiate a discount etc. Personally I think if it's a small employer you would be *much* better off allowing employees to buy their own bikes, and reclaim them on expenses. The "salary sacrafice" bit the employer would have to do themselves anyway, with or without a scheme.

IMHO the only benefit of these organised schemes is to make managing the paperwork for a large enterprise much easier, and to give them free publicity materials. All of which gets paid to some extent by the LBS and is why bikes on "cycle to work" schemes are sold at full RRP!

My employer bought a bike from a LBS, negotiated about œ100 off the list price with accessories, and I'm happily using it. There was not a "scheme" in sight, but it helps if you are the director ;-)

YMMV - Rufus.

tenbar · June 2007

Thanks for the replies folks. I like the cut of your jib Rufus, I'd much rather negotiate with a LBS to get a good bike/deal and then let my company know what it's going to cost. I'll try to push them down this route.

Cycle to Work - Which Shops?

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