I'm sure it's history repeating for you guys ;)

What cycle to work scheme does your company use, no single scheme* covers Halford's and Decathlon so you need to know where the scheme will allow you to buy before thinking of specific bikes.

Most frames are made in Taiwan, including many of the very best, all bar one of my 4 frames was made in Taiwan, the worst one was made in the USA. Suntour make some very good forks, and also some shockers, but so does Rockshox.

Of the ones listed the Vulcan or RR 520, the lower spec bikes just don't cut it and the small extra spend is well worth it.

*Many public sector employees run multiple schemes giving you wider choice.

Frames being 'made in taiwan' means your getting probably good quality from the world's most experienced frame building country. taiwan is a good thing in bike land.

PleaseRelax wrote:

I was merely making a point that as soon as people talk about budget bikes people with bigger budgets slam the buyer for buying a crap bike and being an idiot.

Not seeing how Decathlon being 100 miles away is losing a whole weekend - my local Decathlon is 60 miles away and involves a ferry trip - even that is doable in 5-6 hours round trip.

Anyway - back to the plot - yes your budget is tough - and yes you'll get a lot of people on forums willing to spend much more of your money than you have to allocate to this hobby/pastime (like I've seen happen on astronomy forums ("that 'scope is crap, you need one *these*" at 10x the price), photography forums ("that lens/body/printer is ..., you need one of *these*" at 10x the price, ... - there's a pattern of people doing that everywhere).

You've done your research (as I did mine) - came up with some possibilities - the answer now is to look deeper at those - if there's one that grabs you, you're more likely to use it - but here's the hard part - then stop looking any further and wondering if the other one would be better.

In my world I went for the best frame & forks (in my judgement) with the poorest attachments (since everything attached to the frame is basically a consumable) and ended up buying an ex-hire bike (refurbished - but £silly cheap - so better frame/fork/headset than I'd have got otherwise) which has seen me through the last 10000km (in under 12 months) and - as I expected to do - I've replaced the chain (4 times), cassette (3 times), tyres (3 rear, 1 front), both wheels (being a lardy lump, I knacked the bearings in both) & chainring (only the largest one)

Cyclescheme is one scheme supplier and nothing to do with the government at all (.co.uk not .gov.uk) - The official name of the scheme is ride to work as that is what you are meant to do with the bike. You can't use Cyclescheme at Halfords.

Without meaning to sound rude, it appears you don't know much about the schemes and how they work, please make sure you do as the final payment(s) often catch out the unwary, for example you aren't actually buying a bike, but renting it for a year.

LMGTFY
http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/retailer/g ... manchester

PleaseRelax wrote:

Oh and this wouldn't help the economy much either!

Ah, but it helps my personal economy - plus I get (at the end) exactly what I want at a price I'm willing to pay. Sure XYZ wheels might not be as fast as ABC Wizzowheels - but they still go round and you can save up for the ABC Wizzowheels if that's what you ultimately want whilst wearing out the XYZs... so I bought two pairs of wheels - must be good for the economy

Also makes it easier to get past your CFO if you buy "a bike" and subtly upgrade it part-by-part as the existing ones wear out or limit you in some way. Said CFO is far less likely to spot XYZ wheels being switched for ABC Wizzowheels later down the line (especially if you keep to the same colour scheme lol)