Cycle to Work, what should i get?

louispeace23

Hi everyone,

I am a bit torn as to which bike to get using the cycle to work scheme, the options are Cube Attempt (after reading all of the reviews probably the soundest option), Planet X sl pro carbon sram rival(carbon frame and a decent groupset for a grand), specialized allez comp (slightly more than the other 2 at about 1200 quid).

Obviously all have their own pro's and cons and slightly better fininshing kits/wheelsets etc.

Any advice anyone has would be much appreciated, or any other options recommendations.

Louis

Bar Shaker

My money would go on the Planet X.

ianlash

Ribble Sportive Bianco, with SRAM Apex for <£1k. Groupset not quite as good as the Planet-X but gets brilliant reviews. You could upgrade to SRAM Rival for +£67.

rowman

Just a word of warning HMRC are clamping down on fair market value at the end of your hire agreement. For example after 12 months they expect a final payment of 25% of the value of the bike. Add this to the 10% that PX change for scheme administration, Then the scheme starts to look less attractive. Its worth checking this out with your employer before committing to the hire agreement.

FoldingJoe

ianlash wrote:

Ribble Sportive Bianco, with SRAM Apex for <£1k. Groupset not quite as good as the Planet-X but gets brilliant reviews. You could upgrade to SRAM Rival for +£67.

Or you could go for Campag Veloce.

louispeace23

@rowman thanks for that, my employer has stated that the hire period is 36 months and the £1k paid off over 12 months via salary sacrifice minus tax etc. Ribble only charge a flat £65 admin fee so that is looking like the better option rather than the 10% PX charge!

Avezius

rowman wrote:

Just a word of warning HMRC are clamping down on fair market value at the end of your hire agreement. For example after 12 months they expect a final payment of 25% of the value of the bike. Add this to the 10% that PX change for scheme administration, Then the scheme starts to look less attractive. Its worth checking this out with your employer before committing to the hire agreement.

I'm with Cyclescheme.

They get around the 25% fair market value by setting up a 36month hire contract at the end of your 12month salary sacrifice contract.

The 36month contract is 7% of the bike's value as a deposit & 36monthly payments of £0 (zero) pounds per month. At the end of the 3 year hire agreement, you have the option of paying fair market value (which just so happens to be 7% of the original purchase value) or returning the bike for your deposit back.

Essentially, if you are with cyclescheme, it's exactly the same as it was before but the bike isnt technically yours for 4 years.

sounded good enough for me - if they ever asked for bikes back &/or increased the value payable then that would be the immediate end of the company.

Dan

Avezius

note - those percentages are for £500 - £1000 voucher range...under £500 vouchers have lower percentages.

Dan

louispeace23

Thanks for the advice folks, swaying towards a ribble at the moment either a sportive bianco or a gran fondo, both with sram rival.

Does anyone have either of these? How does sram rival compare to say 105 or a campag centaur?

louispeace23

Which groupset would people recommend out of Campag Centaur/Shimano 105/Sram Rival? I am swaying towards Sram at the moment.

I have decided on the Ribble Sportive Bianco just need to decide whih groupset!

cyberknight

I have a similar conundrum

I have a choice in what i want to spend of....
Boardman race
trek 1.2
specialized allez 18

Bar Shaker

Once you have tried SRAM Rival, you will never go back to the alternatives. It really is excellent.

Bar Shaker

Once you have tried SRAM Rival, you will never go back to the alternatives. It really is excellent.

Avezius

I have been researching for many months now.

For lots of reasons (not least "bang-for-buck", looks & geometry), I have ended up with:

SRAM Ribble Gran Fondo special edition, upgraded with rival, white deda finishing kit & ITM2.4 wheels.

Hoping for delivery next week!

louispeace23

@Avezius think thats what i have settled on, let me know how you get on with delivery etc, i am getting mine through the cycle to work scheme and wont recieve the voucher until end of may and could do with the bike ready for the london to brighton i am doing on the 19th June!

bails1310

Any feedback / pictures on the Ribble purchases chaps?

jonbristol

rowman wrote:

Just a word of warning HMRC are clamping down on fair market value at the end of your hire agreement. For example after 12 months they expect a final payment of 25% of the value of the bike. Add this to the 10% that PX change for scheme administration, Then the scheme starts to look less attractive. Its worth checking this out with your employer before committing to the hire agreement.

+1 AND the £1000 limit is being strictly enforced.

circa £700 you could get a 10speed tiagra equipped felt?

rolf_f

jonbristol wrote:

rowman wrote:

Just a word of warning HMRC are clamping down on fair market value at the end of your hire agreement. For example after 12 months they expect a final payment of 25% of the value of the bike. Add this to the 10% that PX change for scheme administration, Then the scheme starts to look less attractive. Its worth checking this out with your employer before committing to the hire agreement.

+1 AND the £1000 limit is being strictly enforced.

circa £700 you could get a 10speed tiagra equipped felt?

If you are going to quote one previous post, you might as well read the ones that follow! See Avezius post which explains the situation rather more comprehensively.

And, from what people say on here, the £1000 limit is being enforced as randomly as before.

The equivalent Felt to the Ribbles looks like being about £1500.

surreyxc

sounds like you a looking at a road bike, but worth considering a CX, I have the Boardman CX. It will never be as quick or as light as the pure road equivalent but if you want something for year round commuting that gives you the freedom of shorts cuts and can handle the rough then they are serious contenders. With slicks on they are pretty damn quick too.