Ride 2 work vs cycle scheme

[nickwadd]

Hi Folks,

Looking for some advice please.

After about two years campaigning I've finally got the HR team at my work to agree to do the Govt cycle to work scheme thingy. Now it seems there are two options:

1)cyclesheme.co.uk where you can get vouchers to use in a wide variety of shops

or

2) the ride to work scheme that you do via a chain such as Halfords or Evans.

Obviously the cyclesheme.co.uk version looks better as there's more choice. However my HR advisor has told me that at her previous company they had to wait ages (6-7 weeks sometimes) for the vouchers to come through. Thus if anyone has any experience of the cyclesheme vouchers and would be willing to share I'd greatly appreciate it. And any other set up advice would be welcome also.

Apologies if this has been covered in previous posts.

Thanks

 

[Norm]

Don't use either. They are commercial schemes in it to make their own money and they do it by taking the tax savings that you would otherwise be making.

Administration is a piece of cake and using either of them will tie you to their lists, their Ts & Cs, will give them (in the case of Cyclescam at least) ownership of your bikes to do as they will at the end of the rental period, they will reduce / remove your ability to negotiate prices with the bike shop and, as you've been told, the voucher system is a pile of cock tying you to a specific amount sometimes 2 months before you go and make your purchase.

Run the scheme yourself, keep the money for the users or for the company.

 

[scotty110788]

my company just started the scheme and i waited 2 months, only store i could use was halfords though. what they fail to notice or put more clearly though is you do have to buy the bike after the year period which imo i dont mind, i save few 100 joining the scheme but then that prob goes onto buying bike so technically its just an interest free loan lol anyways if you can choose who to go through, just do alot of research on them and good luck

 

[cloggsy]

When I went to the Cycle Show at the NEC, there was another company there offering their take on the Cycle to Work scheme. This scheme allowed employers to sign up & employees to have a pre-paid debit card with the amount requested on it to buy what they wanted from a selection of shops (whether it be an LBS or whatever...)

Have a look here: http://www.workriders.co.uk/

 

[lejogger]

Don't use either. They are commercial schemes in it to make their own money and they do it by taking the tax savings that you would otherwise be making.

Administration is a piece of cake and using either of them will tie you to their lists, their Ts & Cs, will give them (in the case of Cyclescam at least) ownership of your bikes to do as they will at the end of the rental period, they will reduce / remove your ability to negotiate prices with the bike shop and, as you've been told, the voucher system is a pile of cock tying you to a specific amount sometimes 2 months before you go and make your purchase.

Run the scheme yourself, keep the money for the users or for the company.

+1

We implemented the the Halfords C2W scheme which in truth has been fine as we don't have to pay them anything like you would have to with the two companies quoted by the OP, but we are restricted to Halfords stores, or their special order line, which although capable of getting most cycles, doesn't allow you to get them through a LBS.

I know that personally I've done all the work with regards to collecting the contracts, instructing payroll who to take the salary sacrifice from, managing the control accounts reconciling the repayments, instructing the P11d values etc. It's a pain as it's not my day job, but it's not a nightmare. The only thing Halfords have done is produce a sign-up website and a couple of posters.

There's no reason we couldn't have managed all that in-house and given our staff a greater freedom of where to purchase from.

 

[killiekosmos]

My employer went out to tender on C2W and the LBS won!

They do the little paperwork involved, as well as offering advoce on purchases, deliveries, check-ups etc.

 

[nickwadd]

Thanks folks,

Plenty of food for thought here. I wasn't aware you could just set this up yourself so am off to research that now.

 

[wiggydiggy]

...............restricted to Halfords stores, or their special order line, which although capable of getting most cycles, doesn't allow you to get them through a LBS. ...........

My company also only does the Halfords scheme, and for the special line question is do they call Wiggle (for example) and get it at that price perhaps discounted, or goto the manufacturer for full RRP?

 

[lejogger]

My company also only does the Halfords scheme, and for the special line question is do they call Wiggle (for example) and get it at that price perhaps discounted, or goto the manufacturer for full RRP?

To be honest I'm not 100% sure. I got Boardmans in the last two years' schemes and I'm not aware of anyone in the organisation who used the special order line...

All I do know is that they 'source' the bikes, but I'm not sure how long this takes or how certain they are of successfully doing this for every request. I'd be surprised if they came in less than RRP, as like the Boardmans etc they are sold at full RRP and you make the savings on the income tax and National Insurance reductions. I guess all you can do is make contact with head office and ask the question.

Private C2W companies make their money primarily by top-slicing the profit to the employee through the final value payment. Halfords have no ownership claim on the equipment after the initial purchase, so their profit is made on the mark-up of the bikes they sell in store. There's nothing tangible to be gained by sourcing these non-halfords linked bikes so apart from enhancing their reputation and building brand loyalty I can't see that there's a huge amount for them to gain. Therefore I don't know how efficient a service this is, and with no experience myself I can only speculate that it's not a priority.

Having said this, as a brand, as a company, and especially as a local store, I've had no problems with either of the two bikes Ive personally purchased, and from initial order through to after sales service they've been spot on. I realise it's a lottery if you listen to some of the views on this forum but the mechanics who I've let work on my bikes are particularly competant and I had no hesitation signing up to their care plan for £20 a year for a full service and as many brake, gear or other tinkering jobs that you need. Bargain.

Anyway. Waffled off topic for long enough.

 

[vickster]

My company also only does the Halfords scheme, and for the special line question is do they call Wiggle (for example) and get it at that price perhaps discounted, or goto the manufacturer for full RRP?

There are a number of companies that take Halfords vouchers too. Last year I used mine at Pearsons in Sutton. On Your Bike also take them I believe and Condor. May be other LBS's too

 

[thnurg]

I'm in the middle of a cycle scheme at the moment and so far it has been a positive experience. It only took two weeks to get my voucher and I got to choose from a good selection of local bike shops.

I have yet to see how I get treated at the end, but a colleague of mine did it a couple of years ago and only had to pay £50 at the end to make the bike and equipment his.

Time will tell, but I have no complaints against cycle scheme. I'd still be on a clunky mountain bike with less incentive to cycle every day without it.

 

[brokenflipflop]

I'm on cyclescheme (well my wife is and she got the bike for me). I didn't really research it thoroughly but at worst it just seems like an interest free loan. It did seem to take an age to get the voucher (probably about 5 weeks) but now I've had the bike about 3 months all seems well.

I don't even know what the monthly payments are as it goes out of my wife's salary and she doesn't really check her financial affairs so I look like I've got myself a free bike

 

[brokenflipflop]

I'm on cyclescheme (well my wife is and she got the bike for me). I didn't really research it thoroughly but at worst it just seems like an interest free loan. It did seem to take an age to get the voucher (probably about 5 weeks) but now I've had the bike about 3 months all seems well.

I don't even know what the monthly payments are as it goes out of my wife's salary and she doesn't really check her financial affairs so I look like I've got myself a free bike