Cycle Scheme - which road bike is the best to go for?

Dangerousbryan
Dangerousbryan Posts: 338
edited May 2011 in Road buying advice
I'm not new to cycling but looking for a decent bike to get through the cycle scheme.

Ideally I'd like a road bike but also considering cyclo-cross bike.

Ribble charge an admin fee of £65 on bikes obtained through the cycle scheme which I think is a bit greedy - although I am still tempted by one of their bikes!

Anyone care to give me their opinions?

Cheers

Comments

  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    cycle scheme charge Ribble an admin fee so they pass it onto you, son its cycle scheme that are greegy not ribble.
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  • FoldingJoe
    FoldingJoe Posts: 1,327
    I went for a Ribble Sportive Bianco through the Cycle Scheme.

    Only had it for a week now but it is a great bike, and superb value for money, even with the £65 admin fee.

    t4omo is right, the Cycle Scheme charge all suppliers 10% I think, so if you by a £1000 bike Ribble are eating some of the cost, whereas Planet X pass on the full 10%.

    My experience with Ribble is that they have been a pleasure to deal with, and were very quick at turning around the bike.
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  • Dangerousbryan
    Dangerousbryan Posts: 338
    Hi guys

    Thanks for that - I honestly didnt realise that cycle scheme charged the bike shops a fee! I'm going to go with Ribble then!

    Thanks again!
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    As to the type of bike - get a cross bike. If its got slick tyres on - it'll be almost as good as a full on road bike on the road.
    A road bike wont fare as well as a cross bike the other way round though.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    edited May 2011
    Mehh double post.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    edited May 2011
    Triple post ? FFS !
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Cyclescheme:
    Let’s start with some numbers. Impressive numbers. In the first year of trading, turnover at a three-man Cyclescheme was £253,000. Now with 27 staff, turnover is £22.7 million a year. The business grew 1,400 per cent in the first 18 months; it’s now settled down to 350 per cent annual growth.
    http://www.bikebiz.com/features/read/profile-cyclescheme
    Cyclescheme were Britain's fastest growing business in 2008. Now they are "persuading" participant employers to GIVE them (i.e. Cyclescheme) the employees bikes, I would expect them to go on to even greater success.
  • Dangerousbryan
    Dangerousbryan Posts: 338
    Fair point Cougie

    I have a hybrid that I am using to commute to work on. I had planned to build up a new TT bike for next year so may go for a Ribble Carbon and use that instead with some aero bars on!

    In the long run it'll save me a small fortune!

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