Best cycle to work provider?

woodford2barbican

Am I right in thinking this is cycle scheme since they offer the wider range of bike shops?

I am asking from the point of view of the punter, not the employer!

woodford2barbican

UTFS

woodford2barbican

RTFF

woodford2barbican

RTFF

woodford2barbican

RTFF

biondino

Wiggle were great to deal with.

woodford2barbican

yeah - but not all people are confident to buy online. work want me to reccomend suppliers - I will say Evans and Cycle scheme.......

DonDaddyD

Cyclescheme, they give you the access to almost every local (privately owned) bike shop in the UK. This means that every bike (as long as its costs more than £200) in the shop is available on the scheme.

Buying a bike from a LBS as oppose to a chain is nice because you get that hands on treatment, more often than not passionate service and recommendations, great aftercare and possible encouragement to join in on a club ride.

You can also top-up on Cyclescheme. I was going to buy my Kuota on Cyclescheme, before that I was going to build either a Cervelo, Wilier or Giant TCR on Cyclescheme. I'm trying to get my girlfriend to buy her hybrid on Cyclescheme. One bike shop even said that I can buy the bike on credit card, so I could take away the bike and he'll refund the money once I hand over the voucher... (though this may not be entirely legal).

Cyclescheme is awesome.

UndercoverElephant

DonDaddyD wrote:

Buying a bike from a LBS as oppose to a chain is nice because you get that hands on treatment, more often than not passionate service and recommendations, great aftercare and possible encouragement to join in on a club ride.

Assuming that you have local bike shops which know what they're doing. Plenty don't.

The best scheme is one that the company administers themselves. That way you don't get middle-men leeching away your savings, and the bike shop's profits for doing what is in reality not a lot at all. Then you get the full choice of where and what to buy, and the pricing advantages of internet shopping should you so wish.

hivizyellow

I agree with

The best scheme is one that the company administers themselves.

have a read of
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/c ... ge=1#a1005

section 5 sets the tone:

Setting up a Cycle to Work Scheme

To take advantage of the tax and Class 1A NICs exemption, an employer can simply buy a cycle and cyclists' safety equipment, reclaim the VAT, make use of the capital allowances and loan it to an employee for qualifying journeys to work. This arrangement means that the employee's normal salary arrangements are not affected. It may be, however, that the employer wants to recover the cost of providing the cycle and safety equipment loaned to the employee. Usually this would be done through a salary sacrifice arrangement.

The whole point is that it is easy and widespread.
Buy bike
Get VAT back
take off salary from employee before tax.
done.

thats what I am doing although I will be employee and in charge of the scheme as employer....

Hi viz Yellow

soy_sauce

my work have both scheme from Halfords and EdinburghCycle.

i got mine via Halfords, which the service was oright. depending which scheme you are applying from them, you maybe able to get any bikes you want at the RRP price. alot of shop which is handy.


EdinburghCycle is pretty good according to my workmates who got their via them and get the bike within a week.

oscarbudgie

Of the main schemes I'd say Cyclescheme as the choice of bike will be greater and also its a better long term bet as you'll have a relationship with an LBS. The down side is that you'll be unlikely to get the very best prices that you'd get from using Evans or Wiggle. The up side is that Evans are in many ways no better than Halfords and Wiggle give your credit card details to anyone who asks (allegedly )
Winstanleys do mail order bikes through Cyclescheme but never have what you want. Condor add 10%, even on their own bikes.