New pub/commuter bike, dragged out of garage and reassembled with new forks.

I didn’t. It wasn’t meant for people like us.

It wasn’t meant for people like us.

Eh?

The scheme is open to anyone in England who has an unused cycle in need of a repair.

I didn’t bother attempting to register. And I suspect that it wasn’t intended for me.

Given the number of people on here happy to use the cycle to work scheme to buy bikes that are never cycled to work I find this quite funny!!

Nah mate, it was meant for people who can’t afford it, can’t do it, to repair their broken bikes. Not for middle class people who felt they should have free money.

Just because it’s there doesn’t mean we all should accept it.

Didn’t even know this was a thing. Surely if it’s open to anyone with a bike in need of repair then it’s as worded. Does it mention that it’s not for certain people in the terns or something? Some sort of mechanical knowledge or income related section in the application?

Just because it’s there doesn’t mean we all should accept it.

Ok, fair enough I assume you go out of your way to maximise the tax you pay and ISA’s are not for you?? 😃😃😃😃

Ok, fair enough I assume you go out of your way to maximise the tax you pay and ISA’s are not for you

Think of it more as using food banks. It’s there for people who need it, you don’t walk in to grab a snack because you’re peckish.

I thought these vouchers were issued in limited numbers? Didn’t look into it myself, but that seems different to ISAs or Cycle to Work, which aren’t first come first serve.

Was the scheme there to boost business to bike shops, or to target people onto bikes?

I guess the policy driver behind the scheme was to incentivise people to get previously neglected bikes back into roadworthiness for reasons such as to provide an alternative to taking the transmission risk of using public transport.

Which is (in part at least) what the OP has done so fair play.

I agree Weeksy that morally we shouldn’t all be going out of our way to get the taxpayer funding the servicing of our expensive weekend toys, but it’s hardly the same as stealing food from people’s mouths

Yep, I have a shed full of tools, toys, some free time and wouldn’t consider myself a deserving case.

These vouchers were intended for those with a broken bike (and not a spare pub bike), affected by the CV19 (job losses and furlough) without the resources to fix it. I don’t know if you fall in that category OP, but using the scheme to fix up a 2nd bike (if that’s what you did) is a bit shoddy even if the rules allow for it…

You could always redeem yourself by loaning it to someone in need perhaps?

Was the scheme there to boost business to bike shops, or to target people onto bikes?

The latter I believe.

Nah mate, it was meant for people who can’t afford it, can’t do it, to repair their broken bikes. Not for middle class people who felt they should have free money.

Just because it’s there doesn’t mean we all should accept it.

This. ^^^^

Yep, I have a shed full of tools, toys, some free time and wouldn’t consider myself a deserving case.

And this. ^^^^^^

can we define middle class? Is it based on income or lineage?

define it how you like, but taking unnecessary advantage of that voucher scheme breaks rule 1.
misuse of BtW does also.

I agree Weeksy that morally we shouldn’t all be going out of our way to get the taxpayer funding the servicing of our expensive weekend toys, but it’s hardly the same as stealing food from people’s mouths

At the risk of invoking baby Robbins etc, that voucher might have gotten a laid off single parent out for a ride with their kids or able to do their shopping by bicycle, rather than renewing a pub bike for someone who (presumably) already owned a working bike…

So no, not quite on par with robbing a food bank, but certainly taking resources intended for those in more genuine need.

It’s easy to compare it to other schemes and benefits but this particular voucher was introduced specifically for those without the resources to get more mobile as part of the CV19 response…

I’ll accept that (like many of their policy choices) the government’s own blurb and promotion of the scheme was somewhat muddled and open to interpretation, but a lot of us middle-class bicycle nerds did figure out that it wasn’t really meant to help us get to the boozer…

The scheme is open to anyone in England who has an unused cycle in need of a repair.

Doesn’t seem too muddled to me, and having used my own internet, computer and setting up a home office in order to do my government job during covid I don’t feel at all guilty, I think the hand wringing from those on here hilarious tbh.

can we define middle class? Is it based on income or lineage?

Ownership of a superfluous camper van?

You’ve really zeroed in on the class thing haven’t you. OK then I’m sure you’re a salt of the earth working class, honest as the day is long type fella… How many bikes do you own, including your now rehabilitated Lava dome?

As for C2W, that was also originally intended to help people without as much disposable income get cycling to work, funnily enough it also became a handy salary sacrifice/taxable income reduction dodge for middle-upper income types.

ISAs and investment funds are of course an option for all, but perhaps more of an opportunity for those able to bypass other outgoings, like (for example) paying out fifty quid to fix a neglected bike…

Doesn’t seem too muddled to me, and having used my own internet, computer and setting up a home office in order to do my government job during covid I don’t feel at all guilty

I think the hand wringing from those on here hilarious tbh.

Nobody has been wringing their hands, they were too busy fixing their own bikes and placing a laptop on the dining room table…

Doesn’t seem too muddled to me

I agree, pretty clear.

<h2 id=”eligibility”>Eligibility</h2>
The scheme is open to anyone in England who has an unused cycle in need of a repair.

However, as there are a limited number of vouchers available, please consider the needs of others before applying for a voucher and do not delay making planned repairs outside of the scheme should your circumstances allow it.

define it how you like,

Ok I define it as any 40% tax rate payer, I’ therefore not middle class..

However, as there are a limited number of vouchers available, please consider the needs of others before applying for a voucher and do not delay making planned repairs outside of the scheme should your

I used it straight away.

Ownership of a superfluous camper van?

I don’t have a camper van, its a caravan, paid £500 for it about 6 years ago, use it for family holudays

I used it straight away

I suspect your comprehension of the paragraph is better than that

sweet, nor am im then.

rule 1 applies to everyone tho.

Ok I define it as any 40% tax rate payer, I’ therefore not middle class..

You mean the bracket HMRC call “Higher rate” ?

How is life down t’ mine?

ISAs and investment funds are of course an option for all, but perhaps more of an opportunity for those able to bypass other outgoings, like (for example) paying out fifty quid to fix a neglected bike…

That’s some hardcore mental gymnastics. So if I had more money in an ISA or an investment fund I could save more and not use a fix my bike voucher. Brilliant, shame I haven’t enough money to do one but do have too much to use the other.

What’s the current going rate for an ISA I have about 5k in one, it was 0.5% but I got a letter yesterday saying it had gone down to 0.3%. how much would I need to have in it to save £50 in tax. Even at the higher rate I’d need what twice as much just to make £50 interest!

How is life down t’ mine?

Good thanks, got my commuter/pub bike fixed up..

I don’t see that the OP has done anything wrong. I’ve read a lot of government grant guidance over the past 12 months and if they wanted to narrow down the fix your bike voucher to more specific criteria they definitely could have done so. I’d say it was left very open intentionally. It has been targeted to the entire population partly to help bike shops and partly to get more second hand bikes into the market seeing as there is a shortage of new ones. The OP has helped the bike shop. Somebody else might get an old bike repaired and sell to somebody who needs a cheap bike or can’t buy a new one due to lack of stock. It may also be used by people struggling financially, due to COVID or not, to repair and use their old bike. All positive.

I think I could spend all day baiting you over your notions about social class and interpretation of who certain benefits and schemes are intended for.

But I’ve got various middle-class things to go and do like riding one of my various bicycles or counting my vast accrued wealth, all while laughing maniacally to myself…

It is a lovely old Kona by the way, enjoy…

I got my mrs’ mountain bike fixed after she ditched it on Ilkley moor and bent the cassette. She doesn’t have the time or the knowledge to fix it, and it meant she couldn’t go out for a ride with her friend after work.

She and I are definetly not ‘working class’ – and I can spanner comfortably – but I live 250 miles from her and she’s a doctor doing shift work. It encouraged her to get it fixed. She now rides. Before the voucher, she just saw it as a pit of stress and worry.

I wouldn’t have taken a voucher for myself.

I think I could spend all day baiting you over your notions about social class and interpretation of who certain benefits and schemes are intended for

Feel free, I find it all very funny!!

can we define middle class? Is it based on income or lineage?

It’s if you order a fish supper at the chipper or not….. it seems.

singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sick-squid-for-a-fish/

Is the use of the word ‘Supper’ for a meal in the evening very much a middle class thing? To me ‘supper’ is a slice of toast or a bowl of cereal before bed

Just for balance:
Im looking forward to using mine. I see it as a good way of helping my LBS.
Sod morals and being too middle class 🙂

Think of it more as using food banks. It’s there for people who need it, you don’t walk in to grab a snack because you’re peckish.

This is my train of thought on it as well.

If it’s to fix your ‘pub’ bike you don’t need it. Could you afford to or have fixed it yourself? It’s not for you.

If it’s to fix your ‘pub’ bike you don’t need it. Could you afford to or have fixed it yourself? It’s not for you.

It will be a commute bike on a daily basis. My new work doesn’t have covered parking so don’t like using my Diverge. I used the voucher to get the new headset fitted. Don’t have a headset press and don’t like bodging it. Other than that I paid for new cables, had some brake blocks and tyres and took the chain, cassette and chainset off my main mtb which has a shiny new 1×10 that looks quite funny on another old 26er.

@anagallis_arvensis I saw somebody riding a bike identical to that this morning near Westcott in Surrey. Was that you?

No I’m near Newbury, taking it out shortly with my son
!

Lovely Kona 👍

At the start of lock down 1 I had taken a 30% pay cut and was borrowing money off family to get by. Things are fine now thankfully, but it didn’t occur to me to use the voucher as I fix my own bikes and buy bits 2nd hand or in sales to keep my bikes going. I never considered using it, but if I had to take my bike to the LBS for everything I might have.
We don’t know peoples individual circumstances, and I bet some of the really wealthy ones on here have accountants that will use legal tax avoidance that makes £50 seem like a laughable amount.