What’s the best “I got away with this” bike to work scheme story?

Follows on from the ace idea of ordering a bike with stabilisers fit for a 2 yr old. Just wondering has anyone got away with anything unusual through the scheme?

I got a lovely road bike on our scheme. I’ve never commuted on it though – I already had a bike for that!!

HA HA! ANARCHY!

🙄

A small villa in spain

In the shop I used to work in I know one guy managed to put a rathen nice pair of oaklys through the scheme as protective gear.

Heard of folk trying to convince staff to put car bike racks through the scheme. Kinda defeats the point of ‘bike’ to work though (ok except for the rare occation that someone lives miles out, drives most of the way then cycles the rest).

Worst than than the bloomin MP’s you lot are.

Getting Oakleys as accessories is perfectly fine under the Cycle2Work scheme

i work in lbs, you can put anything down as long as its in the “bike” shop.

kids bikes
tag alongs
clothes
glasses
car racks
top end garmins
we have never had any problems either

there was a rumor on here re: snowboards!! 8)

Anyone got a bike on their wives/Partners scheme? If you did do you need to come clean with the LBS or just keep it to yourself?

anyone managed to get a wheelset and forks? (to go on a C2W scheme bike from the year before I might add)

Also are frames OK to get on them?

You have to be very careful with what you get. A lot of people don’t realise what the implications are if you get found out. A bike shop should always invoice correctly for what was sold (ok i agree this doesn’t always happen) If there are items on there that shouldn’t be then the employer is always told. Again many folk try it on and claim a bike for themselves under their partners scheme – The employer is informed and action is taken from there. Companies do not like their employees breaking the rules in relation to there scheme as it can cause serious implications with the taxman.

technically it has to be a full bike, but have a chat with the friendly lot at your lbs 😉

You must get a ‘complete bike’

Also if say the bike is 1750 and the scheme is 1000 do you just pay the 750 cash on colection or something like that. I was thinking of getting “the wife” to get herself a 18.5″ trek fuel ex8 – thats not too unreasonable for her ride to work.

When we bought a bunch of bikes, mine was a pretty sensible hardtail and I do cycle to work on it on average once or twice a week… however a couple of other people were rather ‘overbiked’ for a short commute to work (full sus and one downhill bike), plus of course “cycle equipment” (full face helmets, off road lights, Garmins, etc.)

Then again on the old even more abused computer scheme one guy got a GPS unit that he uses for paragliding…

I know someone who got a Rohloff hub built up into a wheel he bought a cheap bike to go with it which he then gave away.

Again under the rules set out by the HMRC you cannot do that. It would mean you have part ownership of the bike – The bike must be solely owned by your employer until the end of the scheme

Houns can you give me link on the scheme as I am trying to get HR at my work to do it this year and they are willing to have a look
EDIT: Should just Google it shouldnt I sorry!!

If only we where all in politics!

Got a set of Hope 4 LED lights from scheme. Works out, i’m paying about £170 for a £300 pound light. Not bad in my book. Yes, i sometimes use them to work aswell. Missus knows i’m on the way home three miles away. 😯

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I almost got away with it, but got caught on the stabilisers!

I loved your story mate!

I got a 62 year old guy in work to get a orange in his name, in my wifes size for a pint.

linky

i am aware of someone who got a bike for themselves via their other halves scheme… similar height and build so not much of a blag at the bike shop….

bought a frame and loads of parts for it, over double the worth of the voucher. the deal was id pay the rest back to my employer at full cost rather than at the pre tax rate. they forgot so i only paid for the voucher itself; £600ish for over £2k worth of stuff. bargain!

Hmph. Be nice if my (massive) company, based on one of the busiest A roads in the South, considered offering the scheme. Tosssers.

I am self employed, any chance of registering my own business and buying myself a new bike? 😀

There are ways of getting one if you are self employed, we normally pass folk on to their accountants

erm…. a canoe. Not me btw.

Also, Houns knows his stuff, so listen to him.

I think you’re probably sounds if you get a complete bike.

I got a FS bike which I’ve never commuted on. In fact I’ve done very little commuting because of project pressures which mean I don’t have time to do 3 hours commuting (plus showertime) a day. Pity – it’s quite a nice thing to do in nice weather like right now.

CANOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is brilliant. They didn’t work for Howies perchance?

Hmm not sure people should be boasting about what amounts to minor tax fraud.

I wonder how people would react if it was a thread about ‘your best benefit fraud story’. Oh but that’s what scummy people do, it’s ok when its IT managers.

😐

snowslave – Member
CANOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is brilliant. They didn’t work for Howies perchance?

I don’t know the person who got the boat, but I know where they got it, and that’s all I’m saying on the matter.

I just got my company to buy a bike. They own it and I ride it to work everyday. They can claim back the VAT and can write it off against tax quite quickly. It’s technically available for any of my colleagues to use but as it doesn’t fit any of them or would kill them at the first hill that is not a problem. Employer is responsible for bike safety so I gave that role to myself.

A friend owns the LBS and usually gives me 20% off
but looses 10% to CycleScheme so still gave me 10% off

So I ordered a Charge Plug to commute on but maxed the scheme out to £1000
and ordered Magura Durin forks then kept the rest on credit in the LBS for a few odds and ends over the next few months 8)

My company does have Cycle to Work – but I’m registered as a full-time home-worker….What chance someone notices? 🙂

i could have spent a fortune on the bike to work scheme, as there was no limit on what i could spend. i went for a £700 winter road bike that i could use as a commuting bike as well, but what i really wanted was the £2.5k Trek. I was in sensible mode at the time *kicks herself.