Bike Shop / Bike Recommendation.

Gautama

I've done a few searchs on this site. Most people are looking for good cheap bikes, a contradiction in terms.

I'm in the market for a new bike.
I had a cheap hybrid (Planet Newport, €300) that was stolen a couple of months ago. Now that I can get a cut-price "cycle-to-work"
bike, I'm looking for bike shop and bike recommendations.

Bike shop:
Dublin area, (I'm Southside). Someplace that is genuinely helpful. I'm considering Joe Daly and CycleSuperStore.

Bike:
Mens Hybrid,
I cycle to-and-from work every day, and pleasure cycle on Summer weekends.
So I'm thinking the region of €600-800 would be right for me.
(I want to keep it below 1,000 to maximise the tax saving, but will probably get a few accessories as well).

According to their website, the CycleSuperStore have these hybrids:

Giant
Lapierre
Pinarello
Raleigh

I won't buy a Releigh, any opinions on the other three makes?


There are a few other bits I insist on, but I assume the bike can be customised to ensure I get these:

Full mudguards front and rear (I don't fancy a dirty-Sanchez on my back)
Carrier
Schwinn tyres
Tubes with the chunky values that can be pumped in a petrol station
Spoke protector
Metal pedals

Thanks.

Muller_1

Better buying online much better deals at the moment

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk

Gautama

Muller_1 wrote: »

Better buying online much better deals at the moment

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk

I don't know enough about bikes not to try them for size. I've bought books and saw-horses online, but these are pretty much one size fits all.

Alas, with this bicycle I'll be using it at least twice a day, at least five days a week...

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Funkyzeit

Gautama wrote: »

I don't know enough about bikes not to try them for size. I've bought books and saw-horses online, but these are pretty much one size fits all.

Alas, with this bicycle I'll be using it at least twice a day, at least five days a week...

Thanks for the suggestion though.

I'd agree with above - you can always try a bike in a shop for size and then order online via Chainreactions/Wiggle.

kona

dont you have to go to a shop in ireland to get the cycle to work scheme?

because its a BIK, it is tax deductable, so, you have to get the 21% as opposed to the uk with 15% tax rate?

I may be wrong though, also Doesnt your employer want a written quote first?

Lumen

kona wrote: »

dont you have to go to a shop in ireland to get the cycle to work scheme?

That's not a requirement of the scheme.

It's really simple. The employer buys it like anything else they buy, and give it to you. As long as it's under €1000, there's no tax, no paperwork, nothing.

TinyExplosions

If you want to buy in a bricks 'n mortar store, it's your prerogative -though I'd suggest against it, simply because there's better value online to be had.

For your budget/description of the sort of cycling you are planning to do, I'd suggest going to Cycle Superstore and getting a LaPierre RCR 500. It ticks all your boxes, and is certainly more than capable of longer distances -am pretty sure on of the boardsies did the W200 on one

Now to the downsides.... it doesn't have the braze ons for rack/mudguards etc, though you can definitely fit them to the bike, just use p-clips and you'll be good to go.

Having said all that, the perfect bike for your needs is the Focus Merluza -just under 600 quid, and it comes with mudguards and rack. As for sizing, wiggle are spot on really (plenty of guys on here -myself included -have brought for them). Use their sizing chart to find your size, or post your height and inside leg measurements here and we can help. It really does seem to fit the bill perfectly for what you are wanting to use the bike for.

kona

Lumen wrote: »

That's not a requirement of the scheme.

It's really simple. The employer buys it like anything else they buy, and give it to you. As long as it's under €1000, there's no tax, no paperwork, nothing.

so if you get a bike, you essentially get one 21% cheaper, and its up to the employer to either give it to you or for you to pay for it out of your wages?

But isnt it treated as a BIK if your given it for free and so it should be subjected to the higher rate of tax????

so the only way of not paying BIK tax is to get it deducted from your wages and tax credits?

Afaik all BIK are subject to tax?

TinyExplosions

kona wrote: »

so if you get a bike, you essentially get one 21% cheaper, and its up to the employer to either give it to you or for you to pay for it out of your wages?

But isnt it treated as a BIK if your given it for free and so it should be subjected to the higher rate of tax????

so the only way of not paying BIK tax is to get it deducted from your wages and tax credits?

Afaik all BIK are subject to tax?

No.

If you buy the bike, you get it 20, or 40% cheaper depending on what tax band you are on. You receive the bike out of your pre-tax earnings and this is where the saving is mad. It has nothing to do with VAT. See this thread and the sites linked in it to get more details

kona

TinyExplosions wrote: »

No.

If you buy the bike, you get it 20, or 40% cheaper depending on what tax band you are on. You receive the bike out of your pre-tax earnings and this is where the saving is mad. It has nothing to do with VAT. See this thread and the sites linked in it to get more details

ah i get ya:), so the employer doesnt just buy it and hand it to ya and thats it ya get it for free.

thanks.

blorg

I'd have to suggest Joe Daly's although I have bought a few bits from CSS and they seemed decent also.

Gautama wrote: »

Full mudguards front and rear (I don't fancy a dirty-Sanchez on my back)
Carrier
Schwinn tyres
Tubes with the chunky values that can be pumped in a petrol station
Spoke protector
Metal pedals

Mudguards and carrier/rack I understand, can be added if the bike doesn't come with them but sometimes you will get a better all-in deal. You can get a rack and mudguards on with P-Clips but if this is one of your main requirements I would suggest making sure you get a frame with braze-ons to start with, it will work better.

Hybrids generally will NOT come with Schrader valves but you can get an adapter for a couple of euros that converts a presta and allows them to be pumped up at petrol stations- better off getting a track pump though as there is a risk to petrol station pumping and it is impossible to get pressure bang on.

Schwinn tyres- do you mean a certain type of tyre here as you are unlikely to get these, Schwinn is a bike manufacturer and while they do make tyres they are not particularly notable. Not sure what you mean here (not Schwalbe tyres by any chance?) Again though you are probably better off defining the tyre characteristics you want than demanding a particular brand.

Spoke protector- you don't need one of these if your derailleur is properly adjusted but almost all new bikes and rear wheels come with them anyway.

Metal pedals- less slippy than the plastic ones all right, cheap so should not be a dealbreaker.

EDIT: BTW I can understand why someone who isn't particularly knowledgeable about bikes looking for a relatively entry level hybrid might want to buy in a local shop rather than online.

OP- What are you looking for in the bike- do you want something lighter than your previous bike at all or is this not a concern.

TinyExplosions

kona wrote: »

ah i get ya:), so the employer doesnt just buy it and hand it to ya and thats it ya get it for free.

thanks.

They can do, and if they do it's exempt from BIK taxation. It's an incentive to get people to cycle, so is a special case

Ryaner

Lumen wrote: »

That's not a requirement of the scheme.

It's really simple. The employer buys it like anything else they buy, and give it to you. As long as it's under €1000, there's no tax, no paperwork, nothing.

You are meant to sign something saying you will use the bike for cycling to work and something else relating to your contract saying you are accepting the BIK. The revenue have the right to audit and look for these two forms.

Lumen

Ryaner wrote: »

You are meant to sign something saying you will use the bike for cycling to work and something else relating to your contract saying you are accepting the BIK. The revenue have the right to audit and look for these two forms.

Ah, OK. I'm the sort of employer that prints off these forms whilst the revenue are waiting in reception.

Gautama

Sorry to be a pain, but could we stay on topic here?

The cycle to work scheme can be discussed elsewhere.

Lumen

Gautama wrote: »

Sorry to be a pain, but could we stay on topic here?

Sorry. Those brands are all fine.

I can tell you that if you put a pie plate on a Pinarello you're likely to get taken out by elite Euro-police snipers.

FYI, the valves you're referring to are Schrader valves. I believe they're generally not used on high pressure road bike tyres (Presta valves instead) but you can carry a small screw-on adaptor if you really need to retain petrol station compatibility.

Dub13

blorg wrote: »

EDIT: BTW I can understand why someone who isn't particularly knowledgeable about bikes looking for a relatively entry level hybrid might want to buy in a local shop rather than online.

OP- What are you looking for in the bike- do you want something lighter than your previous bike at all or is this not a concern.

I will be in the market for a new bike coming into the summer,it will be my first proper bike.I am not sure weather to buy online or in a shop here,I have been checking out the prices and there seems to be big savings on buying online.My major concern about buying online is how much assembling is required..?I have no experience putting bikes together.

Ryder

Would be worth considering Think bike on the rathmines road. Bailed me out recently and found them great...even better than the gold standard, JD. Much better deals online but probably only if you know what youre looking for. Good luck

BostonB

TinyExplosions wrote: »

...For your budget/description of the sort of cycling you are planning to do, I'd suggest going to Cycle Superstore and getting a LaPierre RCR 500. It ticks all your boxes, and is certainly more than capable of longer distances -am pretty sure on of the boardsies did the W200 on one

Now to the downsides.... it doesn't have the braze ons for rack/mudguards etc, though you can definitely fit them to the bike, just use p-clips and you'll be good to go.....

Why does it have no braze ons but then say

"extra clearance to accomodate mudguards"

I like the idea of something you can take the mudguards on and off easily for the good days in the summer. But I guess the reality you'll just leave everything on the bike permanently and just get a different bike for really fine days.

TinyExplosions

BostonB wrote: »

Why does it have no braze ons but then say

"extra clearance to accomodate mudguards"

I like the idea of something you can take the mudguards on and off easily for the good days in the summer. But I guess the reality you'll just leave everything on the bike permanently and just get a different bike for really fine days.

I guess it's to reassure people that you can fit mudguards (such as the sks race blades).

I still think the Focus is your best bet, and I wouldn't worry about buying online -wiggle are great to deal with (boardsies spend thousands there each year!)

dalkener

Dub13 wrote: »

I will be in the market for a new bike coming into the summer,it will be my first proper bike.I am not sure weather to buy online or in a shop here,I have been checking out the prices and there seems to be big savings on buying online.My major concern about buying online is how much assembling is required..?I have no experience putting bikes together.

Why don't you try out some of the shops up north, I got a great deal in McConveys in belfast over christmas, was able to buy a bike I'd never have been able to purchase down here, I bought when sterling was at 97pence to the euro. Think sterling has got a bit stronger since then though:(

Dub13

dalkener wrote: »

Why don't you try out some of the shops up north, I got a great deal in McConveys in belfast over christmas, was able to buy a bike I'd never have been able to purchase down here, I bought when sterling was at 97pence to the euro. Think sterling has got a bit stronger since then though:(

I will have to look into that thanks.