Cycle Scheme - anyone used it?

ashfanman

Hi.

I posted a message on here a few weeks ago saying that I was looking for a relatively light, strong and versatile hardtail for around £500 (not asking too much, then).

However, having looked round a few bike shops, one guy suggested I buy my bike through the government's cycle scheme (http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/) as it would save me between 30-50% on not only the bike but all accessories too!

I've had a look at the site and it seems great, but has anyone actually bought a bike through it? My one concern is if the company has to front the money for the bike themselves - if so, I really can't see mine going for it (given the economic climate).

However, if they do, I'll have a bit more money to spend!

My original shortlist for around £500 is:

Cube Analog Disc - £470
Genesis Core 10 - £500
GT Avalanche 1.0 - £510

If I can use the scheme I'd be able to spend a bit more.

There are three all for about £100 more:

BeOne Spirit - £600
Lapierre Tecnic 400 - £600
Cube Acid - £600

And then another three (or four, counting the two Cube LTDs) for another couple hundred:

Cube LTD Comp Disc / Pro - £680 / 750 (is the Pro worth the extra £70?)
Genesis Core 30 - £750
Canondale F4Z Disc - £790
Charge Duster Mid - £790

I really don't want to go above £800, even with the Cycle Scheme discount.

How noticeable would the difference be between each of the three price points?

If anyone owns or has ridden any of the bikes listed - or any other suggestions - then I'd be keen to hear your thoughts.

Thanks!

FSR_XC

All the info you'll need is here: http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk

lovelybones

I havent used the actual 'cycle to work' scheme as such ie through that website etc but I have used one that is pretty much the same as I work for the NHS. The NHS have already agreed to honor it so all I needed to do was find a bike I liked and then get an invoice from the bike shop and take it to the finance department. They then gave me a cheque so that I could buy the bike. I actually got quite a bit of discount on my bike and clothing because the shop were getting the full amount straight away rather than me buying it on finance from them. Plus if you know the shop or you have a chat to them you can manage to get 'other' things added on and they just put it on the invoice as just a bike e.g I got lots of MTB clothing etc but obvously Im ment to be 'cycling my bike to work' !! If only they knew Id never manage to cycle to work on my new bike lol my full sus bike would kill me riding it up all those hills to work on the road

Daz555

I am a huge fan of the C2W scheme. My company provides the scheme via Halfords but you can get just about bike available through their suppliers. Taking into account tax, ni, and included money to spend on accessories I ended up getting £1170 worth of kit for less that £600.

Not bad at all. Having said all that you really need to check with your employer first to see if they are offering a C2W scheme or not.

To OP - of the bikes in your list I have to say I'm quite a fan of the Cores, but there are so many good hardtails at that price point.

ashfanman

Lovelybones - yeah, I'm not going to be using the bike to ride into work either! I live up in Bounds Green and work in Kensington, so it'd be a nightmarish, traffic-heavy commute. Maybe I could pass off some runs to Epping Forest as, erm, research?

Daz555 - the good news is that my company is part of the C2W scheme! I really like the look of the Genesis bikes too, so I'm going to test a Core 30 on Sunday. Can't wait. But how did you manage to spend that much? I thought there was a £1000 limit on the scheme?

I'm also hoping to try a Cube LTD Pro (lightweight frame and airsprung fork) when the Cycles UK Greenwich store opens in April.

I'll keep you all posted and get some photos up when I finally get the bike!

passout

I used the scheme to buy my racer. It's Ribble Nero Corsa Ultegra; it was cheap at £999 but I got it for about £500. Bargain. Other companies you can buy through include Planet-X / Inbred. Some shops don't include sale bikes in the scheme but others do. If your puchase was at a good price before the scheme is employed then it really is great idea. There have been other threads on this topic but I'm a fan.

Daz555

ashfanman wrote:

But how did you manage to spend that much? I thought there was a £1000 limit on the scheme?

Bike was a grand but then my company allow us to spend 17% of the purchase price in Halfords - they basically give you the VAT back. It was enough to get me all the basics I needed to get me going - gloves, shock pump, track pump, camelbak, shorts etc.

llamafarmer

Daz555 wrote:

I am a huge fan of the C2W scheme.

You would be mate, you were able to rinse it for all it's worth

I think it's a great idea in principle, but perhaps not that well implemented. My employer doesn't offer, so despite the fact I could actually ride to work in the summer (I'm planning to give it a go, although I have one brutal hill negotiate and a dual carriageway to try and find a way to avoid) I don't have access to the scheme. Doesn't seem all that fair to me.

ashfanman

No, that doesn't seem fair at all.

Have you tried convincing them that it's a good idea? It doesn't cost them anything in the long run - in fact they actually benefit financially too! It seems to me like an easy (and, more importantly, free) way to cheer up staff in what is an otherwise depressing market...