C2W questions

secretsam
secretsam Posts: 5,098
edited July 2016 in Commuting chat
I've got a London bike which is 10 years old and frankly showing its age, will need some expensive TLC soon :cry:

The Aylesbury stable includes my ancient 531, currently decked out with Tiagra and other bits, plus road bike plus mountain bike (rarely used)

My thoughts were to convert the ancient steelie to a S/S and use that in London, and use the Tiagra bits to build up a winter bike - but I'd need a suitable frame.

SO: the key question is, can I get just a frame on C2W, or does it have to be the whole bike? IIRC, our work C2W is through Cyclescheme

Thanks in advance

It's just a hill. Get over it.

Comments

  • timothyw
    timothyw Posts: 2,482
    I think the answer is Maybe. I did read somewhere (perhaps evans?) that you can now get parts on Cycle to work scheme, but the cyclescheme page doesn't mention it.

    To be honest though, unless you have very different expectations from a winter bike to me, I don't see why one of the cheap blue ribble frames or Planet-X rt 58 frames isn't perfectly adequate for this job, and sufficiently cheap that you can just buy it outright - then you've got cyclescheme available to you if you need to buy a whole bike for some reason (crash write off, theft, N+1, whatever) over the next year.

    I recently bought a £90 ribble winter trainer frame (I already had a decent fork to use with it) and have been very pleasantly surprised with how good it is - the margin between it and a high end carbon frame really isn't the gulf that you might expect.
  • ic.
    ic. Posts: 769
    Also interested in the answer to this. A scheme is opening up at work but I don't need a bike. A nice set of wheels wouldn't go amiss though....
    2020 Reilly Spectre - raw titanium
    2020 Merida Reacto Disc Ltd - black on black
    2015 CAAD8 105 - very green - stripped to turbo bike
    2018 Planet X Exocet 2 - grey

    The departed:

    2017 Cervelo R3 DI2 - sold
    Boardman CX Team - sold
    Cannondale Synapse - broken
    Cube Streamer - stolen
    Boardman Road Comp - stolen
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,098
    TimothyW wrote:
    To be honest though, unless you have very different expectations from a winter bike to me, I don't see why one of the cheap blue ribble frames or Planet-X rt 58 frames isn't perfectly adequate for this job

    It's a fair point about the RT58 - but can it take (say) 25mm tyres plus 'guards? The Ribble certainly can't (otherwise I'd have bought one)

    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • azzurri78
    azzurri78 Posts: 104
    Think you "might" be able to buy a frame at Evans cycles on cyclescheme. I've just bought a bike with them through cyclescheme and pretty sure there's a bit in the checkout to pay with a certificate irrespective of what's in your basket.

    Whether it goes through or not is a different matter though. Best giving them a bell and asking.
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,866
    only complete bikes or safety equipment
  • whatleytom
    whatleytom Posts: 547
    I think it depends, I've heard of people buying power meters on cycle to work schemes. Probably a bit shady though I'm guessing.
    Blog on first season road racing http://www.twhatley.com/
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,252
    I know someone that bought a Kinesis Pro6 frame and some parts through Cyclescheme a while back.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    According to the C2W tax rules it is complete bikes or safety equipment (which has quite a generous interpretation) only, components are not permitted. Of course we don't know what the shop put on its invoice!
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... idance.pdf section 2
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • shmooster
    shmooster Posts: 335
    Mate bought a nice pair of Shimano Dura Ace C50s on C2W so it is possible.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    If Illegal......
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • bendertherobot
    bendertherobot Posts: 11,684
    The Rookie wrote:
    If Illegal......

    Probably. The list is "may include" and isn't exhaustive. And bikes without wheels are unsafe. :D
    My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
    https://twitter.com/roubaixcc
    Facebook? No. Just say no.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,252
    The Rookie wrote:
    If Illegal......

    Probably. The list is "may include" and isn't exhaustive. And bikes without wheels are unsafe. :D
    On a bike with rim brakes it would be dangerous to ride with a worn out rim. Would that make new wheels a safety item?
  • bendertherobot
    bendertherobot Posts: 11,684
    Veronese68 wrote:
    The Rookie wrote:
    If Illegal......

    Probably. The list is "may include" and isn't exhaustive. And bikes without wheels are unsafe. :D
    On a bike with rim brakes it would be dangerous to ride with a worn out rim. Would that make new wheels a safety item?

    It would be creative. Of course, much of this is moot and depends on what goes on under the surface and/or is challenged.

    Wheels would need to be shown on an invoice though it might show £1k of safety equipment. Of course that's unlikely to be ever challenged as, if I recall correctly, safety equipment becomes zero worth at the end of the agreement whereas the bike has that ascribed value.
    My blog: http://www.roubaixcycling.cc (kit reviews and other musings)
    https://twitter.com/roubaixcc
    Facebook? No. Just say no.
  • shmooster
    shmooster Posts: 335
    if I recall correctly, safety equipment becomes zero worth at the end of the agreement whereas the bike has that ascribed value.

    Next time I'm buying a safety bicycle :-)