Need Opinion - Which bike

wesdev
wesdev Posts: 104
edited May 2008 in MTB buying advice
Guys,

After a snowboarding trip to Breckenridge it was obvious my the IT lifestyle has caught up with me and i've put on a bit of timber so i've been looking for an active way to get the same thrill as boarding.

I've bought a few mags and read the recent wicked review of the Spec SX Trail 1. Even though im not technical at all yet i've decided to commit to it just like i did with boarding 3 years ago (which now i can more than hold my own)

I've been offered a 2006 SX trail for 900 quid for those in the know is it worth it?

DMR V12 PEDALS
MARZOCCHI 66RC FRONT FORK 160MM TRAVEL
5TH ELEMENT REAR SHOCK 160MM TRAVEL
MAVIC 721 WHEELSET FRONT & REAR WITH DT SWISS SPOKES
HOPE HUBS FRONT & REAR
HOPE M4's FRONT & REAR
BLACKSPIRE CHAIN DEVICE
XT CRANKS
XT SHIFTERS
XT REAR MECH
THOMPSON ELITE SEAT POST
DMR JUMP SEAT (NEW)
31.8MM DIAMETER FSA HIGHRISER HANDLE BARS
24/7 LOCK ON GRIPS 135MM
HUSSLEFELT STEM 60MM
MARZOCCHI FRONT MUDGUARD
SPECIALISED REAR MUDGUARD

The bike is in really good nick.

Or as im the director of a Ltd company reg for Cyclescheme and get a new one (paying the diff to take it to 1k allowance) and getting 10% of extras?

Or get a Stumpy as i know you can lock off the rear sus for climbing etc??

I intend to do all sorts of riding but i dont think i'll be throwing myself of any cliffs just yet.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Wes
08 Trek Fuel EX 8

Comments

  • neil_uk
    neil_uk Posts: 289
    Make sure the shock and forks are in good working order as these are the most expensive bits! and make sure they have been serviced regularly. Also check all the pivot points.

    i'm sure the kit is worth it but - take it for a good test ride, see how it feels and then take out a couple of other bikes for a demo and then you have something to compare it to.

    I know loads of people will probably disagree with me here but - you might find you don't need anywhere near that sort of travel. You might find it a little too much "big hit" to be a bike you'd use everyday. I've just bought a new bike with 120mm rear and 130mm front travel, and that is more than enough to pound down rough descents and the small jumps I'm ever likely to encounter.

    Plus - demo riding bikes is fun!

    I'm a self employed IT bod to.... and it does make you a bit lardy!
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Wes - I'd definitely want to take advantage of the cyclescheme rather than buy a secondhand bike, if I were in your situation.

    If fitness is a priority, you might not want to buy too heavy a bike - so that riding uphill isn't too much of a pain.

    There are lots of 5in travel bikes around at the moment that might fit your needs well: Trek Fuel EX, Commencal Meta 5, Orange 5, Giant Trance X...

    I'd probably go for one of those, or something similar, if I were buying one bike to do everything.
  • Just because u r a director of a Limited Company how does that make u able to register? Will u be riding it to work?
  • hoathy
    hoathy Posts: 776
    averageguy wrote:
    Just because u r a director of a Limited Company how does that make u able to register? Will u be riding it to work?

    you don't actually have to ride it to work... no ones checking....
    - Kona Hot '96 - Marin Rift Zone '09 - Cannondale Synapse Carbon '06 - Kona Caldera '98 - Kona AA '94 - Dawes Kickback II - Cannondale BadBoy '11 - Genesis iOiD SS -
  • Father Faff
    Father Faff Posts: 1,176
    If you own your own limited company get the company to buy it and own it. The company (if VAT registered) can reclaim the VAT and will get 100% capital allowances so a £1000 bike will effectively cost £672 by my calculations - a 33% saving.

    The Cycletowork scheme only really works if you are an employee for someone else and can effectively knock getting on for 50% off the cost of a bike if you are a higher rate taxpayer or around 40% if you are a basic rate taxpayer using a salary sacrifice arrangement.
    Commencal Meta 5.5.1
    Scott CR1
  • wesdev
    wesdev Posts: 104
    Chaka Ping wrote:
    Wes - I'd definitely want to take advantage of the cyclescheme rather than buy a secondhand bike, if I were in your situation.

    If fitness is a priority, you might not want to buy too heavy a bike - so that riding uphill isn't too much of a pain.

    There are lots of 5in travel bikes around at the moment that might fit your needs well: Trek Fuel EX, Commencal Meta 5, Orange 5, Giant Trance X...

    I'd probably go for one of those, or something similar, if I were buying one bike to do everything.

    I've got a feeling for specialized BUT i do like the look of the TREK FUEL EX8 in green...
    08 Trek Fuel EX 8
  • wesdev
    wesdev Posts: 104
    If you own your own limited company get the company to buy it and own it. The company (if VAT registered) can reclaim the VAT and will get 100% capital allowances so a £1000 bike will effectively cost £672 by my calculations - a 33% saving.

    The Cycletowork scheme only really works if you are an employee for someone else and can effectively knock getting on for 50% off the cost of a bike if you are a higher rate taxpayer or around 40% if you are a basic rate taxpayer using a salary sacrifice arrangement.

    My company which im the director of is Ltd and VAT registered im also a PAYE employee - although my PAYE pay is meagre my dividend makes up for the rest which would put me in the higher rate tax? Does that mean i can do both?
    08 Trek Fuel EX 8
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    An accountant told me that company directors can take part in the cyclescheme, because they are employees (as you said).

    The company owns the bike and leases it to the employee - so perhaps the company can also reclaim the VAT and claim capital allowances on it? I don't see why not.

    You'd need to ask your accountant - and please come back and let us know!
  • averageguy
    averageguy Posts: 41
    Hmm..yes i do own my ltd company...i do estate and garden maintenance and trade through it...not too sure what the tax man would think of a bike turning up in the fixed asset section alongside my van

    Hmmmm
  • wesdev
    wesdev Posts: 104
    if you're reg with the cyclescheme and you use it there is nothing he can say....
    08 Trek Fuel EX 8
  • wesdev
    wesdev Posts: 104
    Chaka Ping wrote:
    An accountant told me that company directors can take part in the cyclescheme, because they are employees (as you said).

    The company owns the bike and leases it to the employee - so perhaps the company can also reclaim the VAT and claim capital allowances on it? I don't see why not.

    You'd need to ask your accountant - and please come back and let us know!

    I've sent an email to my accountants with the login to the cyclescheme website - and they are going to sus it out for me. I will post their reply. I've also put the same question on an IT contractors website to get an opinion from the other side of things.
    08 Trek Fuel EX 8
  • neil_uk
    neil_uk Posts: 289
    wesdev wrote:
    I've got a feeling for specialized BUT i do like the look of the TREK FUEL EX8 in green...

    Test ride the Trek! You will love it! I test rode a stumpy, scott, marin, and an orange. The Trek was a clear winner for me as the best all-rounder.

    I bought the EX9 - but I must admit the green EX8 looks the biz!
  • Spatulala
    Spatulala Posts: 291
    As i understand it..

    As long as you are an employee of a registered company, it doesn't matter whether you are a director or not. If you are a self-employed sole trader, that's different.

    Just because your combined pay and dividend 'would' put you in the higher tax bracket, that does not make you a higher rate tax payer. If you pay no tax at 40% then you are a basic rate taxpayer.

    I'm not an accountant btw, so don't take my assertive tone as any indication that I know what I'm talking about!

    :roll:
  • wesdev
    wesdev Posts: 104
    neil_uk wrote:
    wesdev wrote:
    I've got a feeling for specialized BUT i do like the look of the TREK FUEL EX8 in green...

    Test ride the Trek! You will love it! I test rode a stumpy, scott, marin, and an orange. The Trek was a clear winner for me as the best all-rounder.

    I bought the EX9 - but I must admit the green EX8 looks the biz!

    Booked a test EX8.. probably will love it...probably will buy it!! :o)
    08 Trek Fuel EX 8