Another cycle to work thread......
hammerite
Posts: 3,408
Apologies for another Cycle to work thread (I did a search with the keywords but it came back with loads of unrelated results!!).
I've been asked at work to investigate cycle to work. I've got the info pack from DfT, so now I'm looking at providers.
Am I right in thinking as a company you join a scheme that ties you in with a specific retailer? If that is the case which retailer can people recommend as providing a good service/range of bikes?
Our company is in MK (but we also have people who are London based), we have Evans, Halfrauds and a couple of independents locally. Or should I be looking at online retailers (although I have a problem with this as people won't be able to try their bike out)?
I've been asked at work to investigate cycle to work. I've got the info pack from DfT, so now I'm looking at providers.
Am I right in thinking as a company you join a scheme that ties you in with a specific retailer? If that is the case which retailer can people recommend as providing a good service/range of bikes?
Our company is in MK (but we also have people who are London based), we have Evans, Halfrauds and a couple of independents locally. Or should I be looking at online retailers (although I have a problem with this as people won't be able to try their bike out)?
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It has been mentioned that you can buy any bike through the Halfords scheme (Planet X included). However Halfords service can be rather hit and miss. If it is a particular Halfords store you would be using I would ask around on the forum to see how other forumites have been treated there. I would also get in writing that you can indeed buy any bike through the Halfords scheme. I'm not sure about other sellers (Evans etc.).
Carl.
Depending on your part of country and I think how close your are to a Halfords they also have some agreements with certain independent bike shops - London is an area where this is set up.
If you need any more info let me know. As I have just got my work to set up after alot of ummiing and arrhhhing.
Get it thru CYCLESCHEME then your staff can CHOOSE their retailer. Evans and Halfords tie you in to their bikes ONLY despite what they say.
Cycleschem is thru any local store not just the big guys.
More info www.,cyclescheme.co.uk
...up to you and say, you didn't want to buy one of them!!!
Do you have any idea how it would affect your pension scheme? Get your union on the case to chase them up and find out what the problem is............if there is one.
If you want I could send you a pdf file of our staff leaflet which shows a small selection of bikes available and the cost, a Specialized Allez is on this leaflet and would cost just over £4 per week if you are a lower rate tax payer. PM me with an email address and I will send you the info.
To the OP, our company used wheelies direct for their scheme, they can supply any bike, not just ones on their website.
One thing to note is that for organisations that cannot reclaim the VAT, the savings on Cyclescheme are a bit less (I think the NHS falls into this category), or of course you could work for a rogue employer that decides to pocket the VAT themselves! :twisted:
Obviously for us that are interested/enjoy cycling it's a good way of getting a subsidised new bike! But have you found others within your companies have taken up the chance to get a new bike, then actually used the bike to get to work on?
Also what sort of value bikes have those not currently interested in cycling opted for? I'm aware that the lbs on cyclescheme tends to stock bikes for the enthusiast/top end rather than entry level. I would imagine that a lot of people here would worry about spending more than £250 on a bike (not because they can't afford it but because they probably can't understand justifying a bike that is any better/more expensive!).
We are just waiting for our Halfords vouchers to arrive - but none of us are ordering Halfords bikes - Specialize, Bianchi, Trek and a LeMond all Special Purchases and Halfords don't have a problem with this as we have checked and double checked with them.
They have all gone for £1000 voucher, Initially the non-cyclists thought this was too much but by the time they worked out the saving and what spec of bike they could get - £1000 was the only option.
My blog and pod...
Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
My Trust has over 100 staff who have participated in the scheme, saving both themselves and the Trust quite a bit of cash.
Cyclescheme arranged all the paperwork and allow a wide choice of shops.
Very much looking forward to tomorrow !!!!
Really easy to do. If you can read then it's a sinch. I got a cracking bike which I'm paying just over a third of its original value!!
Halfords say they can get any bike. Which, maybe they can?
I found Edinburgh Cycles to be the best service but had limited choice. Alas, Evans got the nod.
Look at what I got.......... http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=70566 tis a thing of beauty