Ride2Work

[Prasad]

I'm buying a new road bike for commute using Ride2work scheme of Evans.
During negotiation for price, I annoyed by the repeated mention by salesman that "you are already getting @ 40% discount".

I was not amused by it. Because,

1 . I reckon, Evans gets full price cheque from my employer, and then employer claims back VAT, and remaining amount from salary. So it's HMRC who bears cost.

2. I would not have buy that bike without this scheme. So shop is benefiting from sale.

3. Finally that benefit will be lost, if I made redundant or loose job. 12 months are too big in this scenario.

I feel it's just one of negotiating skill for them to avoid cut in their profit.

 

[goo_mason]

If my work C2W scheme is anything to go by, you're right.

My last bike was £545, and I got a cheque from work to cover that - so the bike shop gets the full amount, not a discounted amount from you. I don't think the Evans salesman quite grasps the C2W concept!

 

[Prasad]

I don't think the Evans salesman quite grasps the C2W concept!

Yes. Or trying to fool me showing me glitters of benefit of scheme. Without this scheme, I think shops and bikes in higher range will suffer most.

 

[brokenbetty]

Personally, I think we'll see shops like Evans that have locked in schemes end up charging much higher prices for the same bikes, so your 40% discount is really only 20% cheaper than buying somewhere else. Enough for you to still go to Evans, but not as much of a saving as it's designed to be. LBSs, bike buyers and taxpayers all lose out and Evans pocket the cash. I don't think the government should offer cycle-to-work benefits to schemes that tie you to a single shop.

 

[Prasad]

Personally, I think we'll see shops like Evans that have locked in schemes end up charging much higher prices for the same bikes, so your 40% discount is really only 20% cheaper than buying somewhere else. Enough for you to still go to Evans, but not as much of a saving as it's designed to be. LBSs, bike buyers and taxpayers all lose out and Evans pocket the cash. I don't think the government should offer cycle-to-work benefits to schemes that tie you to a single shop.

Unfortunately, I already processed my application for vouchers. I find their web site user friendly. That was the reason to go for it.

 

[2Loose]

There are extra administration costs that your lbs must cover, although this is normally covered by their standard profit margin. Reduced profit margin ie. discounted bikes often attract an extra percentage to cover this.

When I got my bike on the cyclescheme, it had just been reduced anyway I believe to help them get rid of last years stock or whatever. When I stated that it would be bought through the cyclescheme, they told me that they would need to charge another 30quid to cover their costs, but on a non-discounted bike this would have been absorbed.

I know a lot of the low margin manufacturers such as Planet X, Ribble etc. also add on an extra 'admin fee' if you purchase through a C2w scheme, so perhaps there is some merit to what your Evans salesperson told you after all...although I would say that the 40% is not discount, it is tax relief and nothing to do with Evans or any shop!

 

[Prasad]

so perhaps there is some merit to what your Evans salesperson told you after all...although I would say that the 40% is not discount, it is tax relief and nothing to do with Evans or any shop!

That's what I was telling him. It's not discount from Evans, but from Government(relief).

Important thing is, most of these sales will not happen without such scheme. In my opnion, any shop shold happy to accept a little cut in their profit for these stimulated sales. Profit will increase with no of sales.

 

[mcshroom]

From what I understand from a local LBS, the Cyclesheme scheme charges the bike shop 15% of the bike cost for administration of the fee (oh and a registration fee). I know the local shop that is on the cyclesheme charges above RRP for bikes to cover this cost.

I'm not sure how Evans work, but the cyclescheme system seems to be easy money for the scheme rather than the shop of cyclist.

I'm not sure about the

 

[Prasad]

From what I understand from a local LBS, the Cyclesheme scheme charges the bike shop 15% of the bike cost for administration of the fee (oh and a registration fee).

Oh ! that's a lot.

I'm not sure how Evans work, but the cyclescheme system seems to be easy money for the scheme rather than the shop of cyclist.

Evans runs their own scheme. Probably to save cost.

15 % sounds a lot to me. I was thinking somewhere betn 3%-5%.

 

[beancounter]

Crikey that's a bit of a rip off.

My C2W bike came from Evans but fortunately I administer our company's scheme myself, rather than through a third party like Evans.

So my £1200 Cannondale was reduced by Evans to £999 which then cost me £510 through the scheme.

9 of my colleagues have achieved similar savings on bikes which they procured from their own choice of bike shop.

bc

 

[brokenbetty]

Our scheme is tied to Evans

 

[Norm]

My C2W bike came from Evans but fortunately I administer our company's scheme myself, rather than through a third party like Evans.

+1

The price I was given dropped by £75 (over 10%) as soon as I said I wasn't using one of the big schemes.

By running it ourselves, discounts benefit the riders rather than benefiting another middle-man corporate entity, who are charging immense amounts to make our lives more difficult and increase the administrative burdens.

IMO

 

[fossyant]

I'll stick my 2 pence in here....

Go to your local LBS, not a chain if you can....

I went into my LBS, a guy I've known a long time, but not actually spent money with him....I had three bikes, service them myself, had them a long time...

This was my first new bike in 15 years. Phoned him about Dolans etc for a fixed, he said, oh I can sort you out with something.... said I'd bob in.......

Turned up, the bike I wanted was one he did....said I'd like it like that but with XYZ.... eg. upped components, his handbuilt wheels etc. No problem... Neither of us knew the final price.....in the end the bike I had built was £120 more than the basic price.... I feel a mates rate came in there...... no £50 charge that the LBS gets for a bike on the scheme.

Even a colleague went in on my recommendation for a Pashley....not something he does, but got it for her (she has a full on tourer as well)...

In the end though, the LBS got another £200 spent on bits, then a set of wheels for a re-build, and the kids stung me for new helmets......

Things like when speccing wheels....."oh just get Formula hubs on the fixed, the cartridge bearings cost just £5 to replace on each hub, and dead easy" - he was right...... just done the rears with a better spec bearing...

Job done........

I don't like these big shop retailers....except EBC...they employ folk that know the products.