Cycle to work scheme

Got all my stuff, no questions asked.

Hello
Any experts on this.
Looks like company I work for wants to do this , and I am being asked to look into . Some independent advice would be good , be nice to have a scheme that favours smaller bike shops rather than the big boys . Any thoughts or contact names would be great . Been googling , bit figured worth an ask here also. Cheers Jerome

any bike at any price. no end of scheme fees - https://greencommuteinitiative.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjwqpP2BRBTEiwAfpiD-75ZqJIHB5E42N6hLwKQCEhuMGG8TQFUbaCll25wKI-jvtBr23P-NBoCbocQAvD_BwE

Thanks it does all look straightforward . But things to think about such as people leaving before they pay back monies . I would be keen to find a partner that supports small bike shops where possible . I assume the scheme providers get paid by the bike supplier , could be quite a lucrative scheme to operate if so . Picking a not for profit scheme would be good..

I got my bike from Ribble (R872) via the GCI. My organisation previously used Cyclescheme but since GCI was so easy, they were happy to sign off on my bike.

use the GCI then encourage employees to utilise vouchers at smaller bike shops?

Thanks guys . Sounds like a good start. Will follow up with the GCI.

My work scheme just raised its limit to £2500 which in my mind meant Ultegra deffo and maybe hints of Dura-Ace but fuck me have bikes got spendy since my last C2W in 2009.
Evans have 90 or so road bikes listed on their website and half of them are over £3k. That’s madness.

That is true, but I'd say what was once an entry level bike is now a seriously good bike. E.g. 105 is insanely good now and I'd challenge you to find any difference between it and Ultegra outside of weight. But yeah, hydro and Di2 has pushed the price up.

Price wise R8000 is the same as 2010 6700 so where is all the extra cost coming from?

That was not the point I was making. My point is, the performance of a bike that once cost 2500GBP is now available in a much cheaper bike. Not denying that bikes are more expensive. Hence why I said 'That is true'.

But ... but ... we're all older now, so we need much better bikes, right? :)

The pound is shit, too, compared to ten years ago.

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/canyon-partners-cyclescheme-39-savings-282489

Good news for extra savings. No idea what timing on stock is like though

I work for a 'remote first' employee. We have one small office space in London where people can work from if they want, but generally people work from home all over the country.

Thinking of trying to get the ball rolling with them supporting a cycle 2 work scheme. They're a great employer and I think they'd be keen. But according to the govt guidance 50% of journeys must be 'qualifying', i.e. to or from the place of work.

Have i read the guidance correctly? And if so, this is a bit of a non-starter isn't it? I find it weird that cyclescheme promote the ability to buy cargo bikes though, which generally wouldn't be used for commutes?

I think the guidance can be taken with a fairly large pinch of salt - there doesn't seem to be any form of checking what journeys are made at all, so as long as your employer is happy it should be fine. And as you say, cargo bikes, mountain bikes, anything can be bought through the scheme so it's just aiming to increase overall levels of cycling I think!

I can guarantee that most of the 6k Road bikes we frequently sell on the scheme have never seen a commute...

the guidance can be taken with a fairly large pinch of salt

100% this. my manager just bought an etap group and i bought some pro vibe bars and some other bits last year. it is completely down to your employer/finance dept. ours is super sound and will sign off on anything and everything. however, i think green commute initiative stipulate it must be a complete bike... will challenge this next year when i go in on it again (just bought a fairlight strael through GCI)

I tried to stay within the 50% rule when I bought a £2.5k bike on the cycle2work scheme. I think I got close within the year, possibly 45% commute - 55% other.

But, in reality, no-one really cares/notices. Just use it for the odd commute and take some photographic evidence just in case.

Thanks all - appreciate what happens on the ground is pretty difference to the guidance; but I could see the guidance being a sticking point - especially as 90% of the employees don't commute anywhere. We will see. A decent cargo bike becomes a lot more enticing via c2w.

Isn’t going out for a 20-30minute ‘commute’ ride something that’s commonly recommended to those working from home as a way to punctuate the day?

C2W regs should surely be changed to recognise the move to wfh and the mental and physical health benefits of these ‘commute’ rides. Even if they haven’t/won’t, this might be a way to sell it to your company

Yep - it's nonsense that only those who are employed and have a half decent employer can take advantage and that the benefits are regressive

There was talk about the e-bike subsidy, so that might fill the gap there, but all seems to have gone quiet (I thought it was supposed to be released in the spring?!)

I got my canyon last year during lockdown 1 on GCI. No questions about usage for commuting asked.

I have a gocycle on order through GCI - will be a bit annoyed if there is an extra subsidy coming - though demand on ebikes is already insane. Will have paid 2 months before getting it.
I will use it once or twice, but it's for my wife mostly.

Is it just me or is the cyclescheme.co.uk calculator fucked?

Any time I put a 4 year option in, the monthly repayments end up totalling way more than the full price of the bike.

https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/calculator