Help me spend €1000-€1300

fletch

Already have a Giant FCR1 for commuting. Want to avail of the cycle to work scheme and am going to spend in the region of €1000-€1300. What bikes would you suggest?

Want a road bike, will only be used on nice dry days. Would love a carbon frame. A few I like so far are
Boardman Road Bike Team Carbon Medium 09
Lapierre R-Lite 400 Bike '09
Giant Defy 1 Bike '09

TheInquisitor

Take a trip to McDonalds and buy 1000-1300 euro meals

fletch

Okaaay....thanks for that advice

E@gle.

fletch wrote: »

Want a road bike, will only be used on nice dry days. [/URL]

jays with the weather in this country you will only get to use it about twice

Caroline_ie

There are loads of advice theads open on boards already.
Now if you want to give me 1000 quid I know what I will buy

sy

Boardman, if you can get one. As Caroline said there are lots of old threads on this so go back and search. Wheels are probably the only weak(ish) component on the Boardman all the rest are excellent for the bucks

fletch

I've still yet to make a purchase....Halfords have released a new Carrera carbon bike and it looks pretty sweet. What are people's opinion on it?
Carrera Virago Carbon TT 55cm Road Bike 09

Kind of confused though because in the specification it says "Frame Material: Aluminium " however looking at the picture it definitely looks carbon.

RobFowl

fletch wrote: »

I've still yet to make a purchase....Halfords have released a new Carrera carbon bike and it looks pretty sweet. What are people's opinion on it?
Carrera Virago Carbon TT 55cm Road Bike 09

Kind of confused though because in the specification it says "Frame Material: Aluminium " however looking at the picture it definitely looks carbon.

1) its a tt bike so no good for commuting
2) Carrera have a reputation akin to Lada's

fletch

RobFowl wrote: »

1) its a tt bike so no good for commuting
2) Carrera have a reputation akin to Lada's

Would never be used to commuting, only for weekend spins....wasn't aware of their reputation.

Chips Lovell

Unless your planning on just doing TTs and triathlons, a TT bike would not be a good buy.

t0mm

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus_Cayo_105_2009/5360037591/


That is all.

Beasty

fletch wrote: »

Would never be used to commuting, only for weekend spins....wasn't aware of their reputation.

In which case it would not qualify for the cycle to work scheme. Any bike/equipment purchased under the scheme should (as the name suggests) be used mainly for cycling to work!

fletch

Great thanks guys....think I'll just go for the Boardman so....with the AXA discount and cycle to work scheme, it's working out at €591.65 for a carbon bike retailing at €1,249....not bad!

thebouldwhacker

Fletch, I'm in the same frame of mind, for components you could get the lidi bike, ultragear all the way. I have met 3 ppl on them all praise, or buy something like this with your change and slap the components onto it...... My eyes always drift to these though

blorg

Get the Boardman. That Carrera is a time trial bike, definitely not what you want.

fletch

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Fletch, I'm in the same frame of mind, for components you could get the lidi bike, ultragear all the way. I have met 3 ppl on them all praise, or buy something like this with your change and slap the components onto it...... My eyes always drift to these though

The Lidl bike....I know the components are great and all but I just don't like the look of it one bit...shallow I know.

blorg

Beasty wrote: »

In which case it would not qualify for the cycle to work scheme. Any bike/equipment purchased under the scheme should (as the name suggests) be used mainly for cycling to work!

Er... yes, of course! Of course it will be!

petethedrummer

Beasty wrote: »

In which case it would not qualify for the cycle to work scheme. Any bike/equipment purchased under the scheme should (as the name suggests) be used mainly for cycling to work!

The requirement on this is very loose. You could time trial it to work one day a year and qualify. I could do with a TT bike for my commute, given my usual lateness.

Anyway, who is gonna check? The employer won't care either way cos he has just saved himself on PRSI.

fletch

What was I saying...of course I'm going to use this new bike for commuting

DirkVoodoo

Having seen dub_skav's boardman twice now, they are a really nice looking bike. Chris Boardman knows a few things about bike technology, as everyone who has seen the success of team GB can see. Going with SRAM was a good move, a lot of bikes in that range come with Tiagra or 105 if you are lucky.

Like sy says, the wheels are the only weak point, but they are easily upgradeable and there is a solid platform there for many happy hours of riding.

Beasty

petethedrummer wrote: »

The requirement on this is very loose. You could time trial it to work one day a year and qualify. I could do with a TT bike for my commute, given my usual lateness.

Anyway, who is gonna check? The employer won't care either way cos he has just saved himself on PRSI.

From Revenue website (Q&As):
"While an employer will not be required to monitor the use of the bicycle/safety equipment, the employer will be required to obtain a signed statement from the employee or director that the bicycle is for his or her own use and will be used mainly for qualifying journeys."

Hence it is ultimately up to the employee, but they will be required to sign a declaration that they are complying with the requirements. The chances of any Revenue investigation are generally very low (particularly given the scale of the benefit in question), but one phone call from a disgruntled colleague could initiate an enquiry, particularly if there are any other irregularities in the employee's tax affairs. The fact an employee has signed a declaration would probably increase the risk of penalties or a wider investigation into the employee's tax affairs

McTigs

He fletch, i bought my first road bike a few months back

one of these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Felt_F75_2009/5360038948/#more

Delighted with it, a joy to cycle although given it's my first road bike i don't really have anything to compare it to.

You'll have money leftover in your budget for kit too

fletch

Yeh a guy in work has the Boardman carbon and it really is a good looking bike. The SRAM is the only part that worries me as I know he's brought it into a few places to get the gears looked at and most places wouldn't touch it.

Lumen

fletch wrote: »

The SRAM is the only part that worries me as I know he's brought it into a few places to get the gears looked at and most places wouldn't touch it.

That won't be because of the SRAM.

thebouldwhacker

Beasty wrote: »

From Revenue website (Q&As):
"While an employer will not be required to monitor the use of the bicycle/safety equipment, the employer will be required to obtain a signed statement from the employee or director that the bicycle is for his or her own use and will be used mainly for qualifying journeys."

Hence it is ultimately up to the employee, but they will be required to sign a declaration that they are complying with the requirements. The chances of any Revenue investigation are generally very low (particularly given the scale of the benefit in question), but one phone call from a disgruntled colleague could initiate an enquiry, particularly if there are any other irregularities in the employee's tax affairs. The fact an employee has signed a declaration would probably increase the risk of penalties or a wider investigation into the employee's tax affairs

Are you my boss?????

Beasty

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Are you my boss?????

I hope not, as I am at home following my recent accident, and hence I have an excuse for surfing the net at this time in the afternoon, whereas all my employees should be grafting away in the office!!!

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

That won't be because of the SRAM.

Indeed, might be prudent to get going working out how to sort the gears yourself, it was a similar experience that led me to work it out... Having said that there are bike shops that are happy to work on bikes from Halfords/internet and take your money for providing a service. Probably not the one that is protective of its pumps though.

petethedrummer

Beasty wrote: »

The fact an employee has signed a declaration would probably increase the risk of penalties or a wider investigation into the employee's tax affairs

I'd still take my chances. I don't have to worry though, I work for myself and I told myself that I will definitely use my next bike for commuting and I believe me.

Beasty

petethedrummer wrote: »

I'd still take my chances. I don't have to worry though, I work for myself and I told myself that I will definitely use my next bike for commuting and I believe me.

When you say you work for yourself, are you self-employed, or are you employed by a company you own? If self-employed, I am not sure the bike to work scheme is available (as the benefit-in-kind legislation applies to employees, not the self-employed, where there are different rules applied to tax such benefits).

Lumen

Beasty wrote: »

If self-employed, I am not sure the bike to work scheme is available (as the benefit-in-kind legislation applies to employees, not the self-employed, where there are different rules applied to tax such benefits).

It isn't, but AFAIK the company can buy it if the bike is used exclusively for work purposes. However, feck with the Revenue at your peril.

ED E

Hey fletch, that site must really have taken off if you have 1K spare

I'd advise reading this thread and then go from there I learned a lot from it.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055071074

petethedrummer

Beasty wrote: »

employed by a company you own

This one. I just made myself Junior Vice President this morning.

dexty

done a lot of research and Q's on here in the last few days with exactky the same tpoic and the boardman carbon team has come up trumps, if i can find one! Where did that guy get his for £912?

dexty

Bye the way, I work for the HSE and above all employers......they wont (as far as i know) participate in the bike to work scheme! what a 2 fingers to the greens from the rest of the government!....yeah unbelieveable!

Anyway,

any ways around this? or anyone in the know, think the HSe may change this policy anytime soon?

fletch

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

Hey fletch, that site must really have taken off if you have 1K spare

Which site???

thebouldwhacker

petethedrummer wrote: »

This one. I just made myself Junior Vice President this morning.

I'd like to put myself forward for a place on your board of directors... a boardsie board member.... I'm not buying a boardman though, a boardsie board member cycling a boardman, thats just not on!







(boardman bikes make me think of Halfords... which makes the bike snob in me come out:()

ED E

fletch wrote: »

Which site???

The Airsoft photography one

READYBREK

Beasty wrote: »

In which case it would not qualify for the cycle to work scheme. Any bike/equipment purchased under the scheme should (as the name suggests) be used mainly for cycling to work!

Ha!

Beasty@revenuecommissioners.ie