Cycle2Work - what bike?!

Ok, so I ride around on a converted 1980's Specialized SS (considering a fixed/free wheel - oooh scary) - and I love it!!

However, even though I like the oldschool style - I've just found out that cycle2work is coming into play soon at work and i'm kinda feeling like a kid in a sweetie shop.

Think I could get £300 from current bike as a down payment............

So, my thoughts are that Condor are feckin sweet - great design, great components, professional bike fitting, and look wicked......

but what would everyone else get? I want to make an objective decision!!

Get your employer to sign up to Cyclescheme, it supports independent bike shops and you can go for something a bit spesh.

Cheers CG - I thats the one!!

What falls under the 'spesh' umbrella in your view?

Dunno, I guess there's a bit more choice when you're not tied down to one shop. Something made of magic and spiderwebs.

recumbent or a unicycle... that's what i'm getting when my work start the cycle2work...

sigh I love this forum

Could you get a Roberts frame built for you under ride2work or does it have to be a complete off the peg?

As long as they support it - its all good!!

Roberts frame's nice then? stupid question with an obvious answer?

With the amount of fairy nectar in london, you would be an idiot to go with anything containing spider web. Caterpillar silk is what you want.

Caterpillar is stronger but far more expensive to procure than spider web.

havent you guys heard the caterpillar silk, sudden failure, horror stories.

the government cycle to work scheme enables you to spend up to one thousand pounds. obviously depends how much you want to end up paying back of course..but that would open a few more doors for you.

the government cycle to work scheme enables you to spend up to one thousand pounds. obviously depends how much you want to end up paying back of course..but that would open a few more Dawes for you.

.

I had a look at this & the bike has to be complete/OTP and anything over £1k requires the employer to hold a credit licence agreement, costing £700 to set up

Top Tip; go to a friendly LBS, they'll do anything for you. They can just say 'complete build' but only actually sort you out with a frame and sundries, if that's all you need.

Naturally they'll want their cut.

I had a look at this & the bike has to be complete/OTP and anything over £1k requires the employer to hold a credit licence agreement, costing £700 to set up

It requires the shop to send an invoice of no more than £1000 to the scheme arranger whether your employer or one of the external schemes.

If you were to, say, buy a bottle cage from that shop for lets say £300 or so as a separate transaction they might give you a free set of wheels.

taps nose

Caterpillar is stronger but far more expensive to procure than spider web.

Is that British or Italian thread?

Sounds like a plan.
Now I have to find out if my new employer does it.
my old one did but only via Evans.

Nice! I like!

Its the Condors that are making my eyes sparkle though and I can sort one out within the grand budget.......

... might do some separate saving to include some caterpillar silk compnents though - am I cool and funny now?? :)

It requires the shop to send an invoice of no more than £1000 to the scheme arranger whether your employer or one of the external schemes.

If you were to, say, buy a bottle cage from that shop for lets say £300 or so as a separate transaction they might give you a free set of wheels.

taps nose

Personally I'd try to spend the full £1000
(spending money on bikes saves the planet, fact. I read about it in C+)

If I wanted a fixed gear, I might be tempted by the condor classico pista (£1050 i think, so might need to come to some sort of arrangement).

TBH though for that money I'd be more inclined to get a geared road bike (admittedly because I dont have one). There are shite loads of £999 road bikes out there at the moment, partly because of the C2W scheme.

eg. Ribble Sportive. £999

• Carbon 12K monocoque frame and forks
  
• Campagnolo Centaur 10 speed Double groupset with 2009 Ultra Shift ergopowers
  
• Campagnolo Khamsin Black wheelset
  
• Ribble headset 1 1/8" Hidden (ITS) 45x45
  
• CSN Carbon SE seat pillar
  
• Selle Italia XO Transam saddle
  
• Deda Big Piega Oversize Bars and Quattro Stem
  
• Vittoria Rubino Rigid Tyres
  

Genesis Flyer.

sorted, excellent bike for the money, that if you're simply after a bicycle to commute around, but otherwise Condor Pista and their ever evolving paintjob that get worse every year.

Genesis Flyer.

sorted, excellent bike for the money, that if you're simply after a bicycle to commute around, but otherwise Condor Pista and their ever evolving paintjob that get worse every year.

The pista is a lovely set of wheels but DAAAAYAM the paint schemes are shit this year. The only decent on in memory was the old team white and purple...still pissed at whoever lifted mine.

'09 Wilier Pista? Sell the wheels?

go to cavendish get them to build you up something nice. you could put a bob jackson (if that floats your boat) together and get change...

Great advice!! Cheers boys!

you can get a bike for more than a grand, you just have to pay the difference yourself... no biggy

I did it buying my brompton from condor, I paid the extra 200 myself. I went for that as folders were more expensive... luckily I got a tax rebate a week later and bought a pista :)