I know I know, check my privilege etc
I'm trying to get myself a bike and lights which will actually be used for commuting, and I can get a C2W voucher (Halfords scheme fwiw) through work. Fantastic says I, I can get the stuff I need for less monies.
Here's where the problem kicks in: if I order the voucher today, I won't receive it until January. I need to define the voucher value today, but I can't spend it until January. No shops that I've spoken to are willing to let me reserve bikes and kit without proof of a voucher, and I'm not comfortable with the idea of committing to a salary sacrifice voucher that I may not be able to spend on the things I'd like based on stock/pricing in January, which all has to be spent at a single retailer.
Tredz said "yep we can reserve the bike, but not the accessories - you'd have to just hope they're still in stock at the same price in a month's time". Halfords were even less helpful on the phone, and don't stock the lights I'm after anyway.
All of this is slowly nudging me towards not getting a voucher at all.
Has anyone found a retailer that's a bit more flexible with this sort of stuff, or is this frustration par for the course for C2W?
From what I understand you can claim up to maximum value for the voucher IE 5k, and if you only spend £200, you'll only be paying toward that £200 under the C2W scheme once all the paperworks processed, it's not like if you claim 5k, only spend 2k for c2w, you'll start having your salary deducted for payments towards the 5k when you've only spent 2k.
why does it take so long? I get my voucher in around 24hours (Same Halfords/Tredz scheme).
It can be done, I've reserved a bike today at current sale + black Friday discount price and I won't get my voucher until mid Jan. That's from a shop that sells kit for the Alps.
On the second post. Our scheme (cyclescheme) you have to pay the full value of the original voucher, so no chance to reduce value in the future.
why does it take so long? I get my voucher in around 24hours (Same Halfords/Tredz scheme).
Our scheme, any requests aren't processed internally until the start of the next month and then the request is sent to the scheme supplier. Ordering now for Jan just keeps personal financial admin easier as having the payments for the full calendar year
Can't help but I would suggest that you'll more luck getting better service using another scheme rather than halfords as they charge the retailer a lot so basically make it not really worth their while.
If the kit is on sale price the halfords scheme will probably see them selling at a loss so can't see them wanting to hold things for you on to anything for that.
You may also want to offer to pay a deposit to the shop to secure once they have given you a quote.
Has anyone found a retailer that's a bit more flexible with this sort of stuff, or is this frustration par for the course for C2W?
I ordered my bike direct from a retailer (one of the Specialized Concept Stores) so I just had to upload a quote from them to the C2W system.
HR took a while to process it all (fair enough cos they wanted to run payroll first, then process any other stuff like expenses, C2W, car lease etc that staff were putting through).
The shop were very helpful although it did help massively that I've bought there before. While not exactly a regular customer, they could at least see on their system that I was a legit buyer. Eventually they asked me to put a 10% deposit on the bike as it was the only one in that size/colour in the country and Specialized HQ weren't keen on sending it to a shop without some form of guarantee.
However they did refund the deposit immediately once the voucher came through. The shop were brilliant, really accommodating.
I'd just order the voucher based upon what you want now, at RRP. Then see what happens come January. Our scheme doesn't open until Feb, so come then I'll probably go to the bike shop and spec up what I want, then do it on-line and send to cycle solutions, get the voucher and go back to the shop. I doubt what I want will all be in stock, but I'll take the chance and place the order there and then. I want to see some of the components I'll be picking !
Push comes to shove and prices have changed, I'll buy the bike without some 'bits' then pay for them myself.
No shops that I've spoken to are willing to let me reserve bikes and kit without proof of a voucher
You need to reserve a bike. I assume you've offered to pay a holding deposit? They can then refund you that when the voucher comes though. If they're not prepared to reserve a bike for you (with a deposit)... move on to someone that will.
EDIT: just re-read... they will reserve the bike. Just do that and pay for accessories yourself when the time comes... you'll probably be able to shop around and get January deals on those bits.
You may also want to offer to pay a deposit to the shop to secure once they have given you a quote.
I did give this a try, but to no avail.
If the kit is on sale price the halfords scheme will probably see them selling at a loss so can't see them wanting to hold things for you on to anything for that.
Yeah pretty much this - I think Halfords charges about 15% of the voucher value as a "management fee", so I don't blame the shops for not wanting to commit to anything for that.
If Tredz will let you reserve the bike, unless you're buying a set of Exposure lights or similar value I'd just take a risk they, or something equal, will still be available.
Big brownie points from me if anyone happens to know of a retailer who'd accept a deposit-based reservation til Jan and sells:
- size XL cross country hardtails around the £1-1.5k mark (e.g. Trek Procaliber 8/9)
- Exposure lights (2 lights, bar and helmet)
Buy it now, return unused in a month, rebuy on the C2W scheme?
I've faced this dilemma, seen a reduced bike but c2w voucher through my company can take 4 weeks.
I agreed with the retailer that I'd just buy it out right using cash, and when I rocked up a month later with the voucher they'd refund me
Done that once with an lbs, and twice with halfords. None had an issue with it.
So I'd explore that option, even if it means sticking it on a credit card for a month
Edit..similar to post above, but I don't return the bike, they just refund me based on my receipt so I can use the bike in meantime
I think its the stores you're dealing with, I have to use the cycle solution scheme but instead of ordering from their website, I went into a LBS and sat on the bike and they were happy to reserve it for me and gave me a paper quote there and then to use.
Do you have any actual LBS stores nearby?
Canyon were great. Add bike and accessories to basket then at the checkout select CTW. The order goes through and gets packed up then once your voucher arrives you just upload it and then they send it out.
From what I understand you can claim up to maximum value for the voucher IE 5k, and if you only spend £200, you'll only be paying toward that £200 under the C2W scheme once all the paperworks processed, it's not like if you claim 5k, only spend 2k for c2w, you'll start having your salary deducted for payments towards the 5k when you've only spent 2k.
I'm not saying this isn't possible but the schemes I've used won't issue the letter of collection (voucher) until all the paperwork is completed.
You won't get refunds from any leftover value on an LoC.
If the voucher has say £100 left unused can you then use that £100 another time? Or just get spares that you will use eventually, like chains and cassettes. You're still saving a lot of money even if they sit on a shelf a while
Big brownie points from me if anyone happens to know of a retailer who'd accept a deposit-based reservation til Jan and sells:
- size XL cross country hardtails around the £1-1.5k mark (e.g. Trek Procaliber 8/9)
- Exposure lights (2 lights, bar and helmet)
Give bike treks a try. They don't do Trek, but have plenty of specialized. https://www.bike-treks.co.uk/
the do sell Exposure lights too - in fact they had them on their 3 for 2 offer last time I looked.
From what I understand you can claim up to maximum value for the voucher IE 5k, and if you only spend £200, you'll only be paying toward that £200 under the C2W scheme once all the paperworks processed, it's not like if you claim 5k, only spend 2k for c2w, you'll start having your salary deducted for payments towards the 5k when you've only spent 2k.
I don't think this is correct. Cyclescheme certainly doesn't allow it and neither doHalfords
Cyclescheme
You do not have to spend the full value of your eCertificate but this is not advised as your overall package price and monthly Hire Agreement costs will not be reduced if you underspend.
Halfords
Yes, you must spend the whole Letter of Collection as you can only use it once, and the amount you have applied for will be the amount that you pay for even if you spend less.
Do I have to spend the whole eCertificate amount? - Cyclescheme Knowledge Base
cycle2work.info/employees/faqs
If the voucher has say £100 left unused can you then use that £100 another time? Or just get spares that you will use eventually, like chains and cassettes. You're still saving a lot of money even if they sit on a shelf a while
It's use it or lose it.
If you're actually commuting on it then I'd go with chain, chain checker (assuming you don't have one) and other consumables such as brake pads, tubes etc.
Also back up lights are a must for commuting imo.
You should be able to spend £100 on extras without trying too hard 😎
why does it take so long? I get my voucher in around 24hours (Same Halfords/Tredz scheme).
As others have mentioned it depends on how it is being managed.
If it is as part of an employee benefits package managed by a third party where you have an annual enrolment period to select C2W plus other options then likelihood is as best you will have a couple of weeks enrolment period with the benefit taking effect at the beginning of the next month. Some companies might have a longer enrolment period or one which spans a couple of months and then needs to wait till the end of the second month to be effective.
Once that enrolment period ends you then have a faff period (noooooo I missed the window and want x or I enrolled at the beginning and then something changed) which pushes you a week or two into that "next month". Then the C2W selections are run, checked, and finally sent to the provider.
24 hours later you might get the voucher although if you are an employee of a large company with lots of people choosing it then maybe a day or two longer?
Obviously a lot faster in a company where it is managed by sending an email to the HR/Payroll person saying "please can I have a voucher for x"
As others have said, it's use it or lose it on the voucher value. Do not underspend on it.
I spent my Halfords voucher with Alpkit, they were happy to bundle in anything that could sensibly be used on a bike, so I could spend the remainder on a down jacket for example but not a sleeping bag. It meant there were plenty of small things to top it up with. They were also happy to reserve the bike at the current price (you just go through the process as normal, select cycle to work, and it generates the order as an invoice. You can then apply for the voucher and send it to them via e-mail once it's arrived.
They were super helpful too, I made loads of changes when I finally paid, both to the bike spec and the other items I wanted.
A Dial XT would fit your description with the 10% black Friday discount (or a broken Road Ti for a bit more)? They do the Hadron 2000 lumen all-in-one light, it's not exposure, but it is a lot cheaper!
It doesn't really matter... If you are really watching the pennies just undervalue the voucher to match the best possible price you might expect the bike plus Exposure lights to be in January, and then top up any shortfall in cash.
If you are not pushing yourself financially, overvalue the voucher, there is so much you can use it. Costs bags helmets bells panniers mudguards, heck you could even buy parts for a different bike!
Additionally, twice we have gone to look at bikes in advance and the shop have suggested we just buy the whole lot (last time was a gravel bike, two sets of the Exposure road lights, mudguards and a fair few other bits) and then pop back a few weeks later with the voucher for a full refund and process the voucher. The only caveat in this case is to ensure you tell them the correct type of voucher, as Halfords is the least desirable so outside of Halfords you need to check if it's accepted and if they will honour prices below RRP. (Ie Cycle to Work is the generic name for all schemes but Cycle2work is Halfords)