Need some advice in regards to the cycle to work scheme that's started with my employer and we have to choose a bike from the Halfords range. I'm looking for a bike online and can't decide which one to go for. I've been looking at mountain bikes which I could strap on the back of the bus whilst away, but also cycle the three miles to work. More likely to be country lanes and off-road I'd imagine so hence why I've chosen to look at mountain range. I'm probably going to need an 18" frame in or around the £500 mark. Any help would be appreciated.
This might appear on the face of it unhelpful - but ebay is littered with awesome bikes that people bought from the cycle to work scheme and never used - many at extremely good prices.
It is useful but I'm looking to buy something and use the easy pay option from my wages to spread the cost of buying a bike and a cycle carrier. I will have a look, it's more which bike and carrier to go for.
£500 don't go for a full suspension as they tend to be heavy at that price and components won't be as good as £ 500 hardtail. I would shop round I think you can get ride to work bikes on net these days too. we recently got our daughter bike from Rutland Cycles, they were very good but I did have to build it up myself good luck with it.
Boardman are meant to be really good bikes for the price. I was recommended one of these when looking at a road bike. Which I still haven't got.
Cycle To Work Scheme = More cyclists for me to either sit behind in a massive queue of sub 15mph traffic or veer around when they swerve out in front of me for no apparent reason on my morning commute lol
I'm not the greatest fan of those who use the road either creating queues and the like but I'm just thinking three miles to work and I get a decent bike to take on the back of the bus when I'm away....eventually lol
Actually, just don't bother getting one at all. You'll become rude, arrogant, you'll think the road belongs to only you and you'll have a penchant for lycra and actually think that you look good in it.
Get a brompton (second hand of course) they hold their value and are pretty tuff, I've had mine for 10yrs and still going strong. Best of all they fold up real small and fit on roof racks as well as bike racks weigh about 12kg tho... Oh and orange is the best colour
The highway code will automatically cease to apply to you also, and things like red lights and giving way to the right will become a distant memory........and you'll start waxing your legs lol
Next time you pass a spandex clad idiot have a look at his super smooth legs......that will be you before you know it!
As a relatively sensible answer to your question, I would recomend you sit down and work out exactly what it will cost you on the CTW scheme. Unfortunately the government cottoned on to what was once a good scheme for the purchaser and have now shut the loop holes. In reality after working out your payments and the final fair value payment your are not really saving anything. My advise to you would be to do your homework, talk to some other bike shops about finance (Evans, Tredz, Rutland etc) and you'll probably find you will get A. Better Finance, B. a better choice of bike to suit your shape and C. Better advice when choosing. The fitting and set up of your bike can do more for you than a thousand pounds worth of parts, I've spent 3 yrs gently tweaking my bike and I think mine is just about spot on for me now!
Thanks @Omias, it's an eighteen month interest free payment through work coming out of my wages on an amount upto £1000 so I think it should be ok, I hope
Read the small print about the final payment before signing anything, after 18 months they'll want around 30% back as a final instalment.
