The shortlist has narrowed

portland_bill

Ok, so I think (provided my boss agrees to go with cycle to work scheme) my options are between the Cube Attempt for £999 and the Trek 2.1 supposedly reduced from £1100 to £900.

I'm actually struggling to find any sensible reviews of the Trek, so can you knowing folk advise me either way?

I would have preferred a white colour bike since my MTB is white as is all my cycling gear but this obviously isn't hugely important. I think I've confirmed that the Trek actually has a full 105 set as opposed to the Cube which only has 105 gearing and as the lad in a LBS that I visited this afternoon said "Cube's use cheap chainrings and cassettes because they're easily hidden amongst the rest of the flashy componentry".

:?

What do you's reckon?

sloppyschleckonds

Ask the lad in the LBS if a shortlist can consist of only 2 items?

shane r

If it's White you're after, Ribble Gran Fondo

shane r

Stanley222 wrote:

Shops wont let you buy bikes at reduced prices on the Cyclescheme so you will have to pay the full £1100 for the Trek

I think some shops will let you do anything, based on the threads I've read about the scheme.

The shop I bought from charged me a £65 admin fee for using the scheme-which they're apparently not allowed to but this one (Ribble) do for all scheme customers.

I bought a bike worth considerably more than £1k, by topping up with my own cash-they are also not supposed to do that but many do (there is of course questions about who owns the bike if you spend over the grand your employer is covering).

I read a thread on here recently where shops were allowing people to buy frames only, even just a set of expensive wheels-which is definitely against scheme rules as it must be a 'complete bike'.

portland_bill

Well I suspected that when I was talking to him and he even confirmed with the manager that they would sell the bike at the sale price even if through a cycle to work scheme. She actually asked why I thought they might not honour their sale price as if it was a ridiculous suggestion. :oops:

portland_bill

Jezzaz christ! What's with the Ribble Gran Fondo? That can't be right? £919 for a full carbon with nice bits?

arlowood

For your budget you could consider a Canyon Roadlite 6.0. Mix of Ultegra and 105 drivetrain and you can also specify your requirement for a white frame.

http://www.canyon.com/_uk/roadbikes/bike.html?b=2105

Just not sure that the C2W scheme can cope with an online German supplier but a nice bike for well within your budget.

portland_bill

I'm kind of hoping he's just going to let us sort the scheme out ourselves instead of using an operator so I can hopefully buy the bike from wherever I like.

shane r

Portland Bill wrote:

I'm kind of hoping he's just going to let us sort the scheme out ourselves instead of using an operator so I can hopefully buy the bike from wherever I like.

if it's the actual 'Cyclescheme' that's how it works. Your employer pays the dosh to Cyclescheme and Cyclescheme issues you a voucher to spend at any of its 'partner' shops-of which there are hundreds.

There are plenty of full carbon bike options from Ribble for £1k.

portland_bill

So how come nobody else can afford to sell carbon bikes for £1k? Just makes you wonder what else they're cutting back on but it doesn't seem like they're cutting back on anything.

That's the point, I'm trying to avoid using any of the scheme operators and just do it ourselves directly with a dealer, but he might say that he wants to use an operator yet so I don't know.

portland_bill

Then again, I see Ribble work with Cyclescheme and Bike2work, so it's looking positive.

shane r

Portland Bill wrote:

Then again, I see Ribble work with Cyclescheme and Bike2work, so it's looking positive.

I bought a full carbon bike (racing sportive) from them on Cyclescheme in the last couple of months.

They are cheaper beacuse they use an 'own branded' frame which is a frame you can buy elsewhere 'branded' for much more dosh. I love mine.

portland_bill

I'm not surprised bonnie lad! Very nice bike!

DavidJB

My company paid the bike shop on the company CC, I even got the VAT off the payment price so I could have up to £1200's worth...I paid an extra £400 something on my CC and got my Cube Agree GTC Race (I got 10% off the bike at the LBS as well).

None of this voucher business.

Glad my company seems to do it in a much better way than most!

portland_bill

Well yeah, that's kind of what I was hoping for, but not sure how you managed the £1200 spend without the VAT business or does your co have a credit license?

portland_bill

Fair do's! Not sure that's how everyone else works it like, but good effort if you can!