Right. The boss at work has kind of given in to my badgering and is giving me a tentative nod to some sort of bike to work scheme.
He doesn't want to go through somebody like 'bike2work scheme' as he says they take a percentage for doing the paperwork. He reckons that if we approach a 'big' company (evans, Leisure Lakes etc)they will sort it all out for nowt to get the sale. Is that right/likely? He managed to get Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative to do this but I can't see them having the range of bikes that the lads on the shopfloor might want - ie 'proper' mtb's or, in my case, a decent cx.
Any ideas/suggestions?
Right - I used evans.
My boss said yes.
I downloaded their forms and instructions.
Registered with Evans with the forms and then boss sent cheque for £1000.
They sent me a voucher.
I phoned up and spent it.
Boss took 12 installments out of my gross salary.
Boss's buisness accountant sorted it with the books re: purchase was bike to work 🙂
EBC have a surprisingly good range of bikes. Have a look at their website
EBC also do their own scheme specifically because, as a business, they can't stand the thought of Cyclescheme skimming 10%. As such they have (alledgedly) become quite a big provider to some major public sector organisations of Cycle 2 Work bikes (Health Trust etc).
Sounds like EBC and your boss think alike 😉
Give them a call and ask, their rang is pretty good although I only go in one northern shop (Specialised Tricross in carbon, Genesis Crois de Fer) and plenty of MTBs as well. I imagine the shop might not be packed out with stock but they can get hold of an awful lot more.
EBC also will sell you a sale bike at sale price on their CTW scheme!
Our ride to work scheme is via Evans. My experience has been that they are slow, unhelpful, disinterested and profoundly unprofessional.
I will never buy a bike from them again and, as for their shoulder-shrugging there's-nothing-I-can-do mechanic, he will not get near any of my bicycles ever again.
He doesn't want to go through somebody like 'bike2work scheme' as he says they take a percentage for doing the paperwork. He reckons that if we approach a 'big' company (evans, Leisure Lakes etc)they will sort it all out for nowt to get the sale. Is that right/likely?
Think is none of the scheme providers charge your company... they make their money from shops on their scheme.
Well All I did was order from Evans right at the beginning of the scheme - No probs here but that was 4 years ago - I have never used Evans mechanis (no need) so can't comment on that but have no issues with them apart from being expensive 🙂
MrsTJ got a cycle to work bike from EBC. They have a contract with the council so she was not able to use any other shop which we would have prefered
Everything done smoothly and the staff were helpful despite a big rush on that day.
I have no link with EBC other than having had good service from them and I believe their own brand basic bikes are good value for money
You might find even a smaller lbs is able to help with the paperwork. (e.g. [url= http://www.redplanetbikes.co.uk/cycletowork.html ]Red Planet[/url] in Swindon) I get the impression its not all that difficult.
Managed schemes will skim at least 10% from the bike shop.
I worked in Edinburgh for a while. I always found EBC to be an excellent bike shop, knowledgeable helpful staff too.
As above, the big schemes take their cut from the shop not the employer.
Heaven forbid that they should actually try and make a profit 😉
Heaven forbid that they should actually try and make a profit
Heaven forbid a parasite should starve.
if your company is based say in one town - just do a deal with a local lbs.
give your employee say a month to get quotes - agree it all, get the shop to supply an invoice for the whole lot - your company pays it then employees get the stuff..
then your company just has to sort out sacrifice from PAYE