Bike to Work scheme - the Megathread - Read post #1 before posting

not1but4

CramCycle wrote: »

I'd go for the cross bike over the hybrid as it will be comfy but if you ever change your mind about longer spins.

It will be more comfy on the road than a racer but none of the limitations if you start doing longer distances.

If you can arrange it quickly and your company pays direct rather than a voucher operated scheme, then there are some bargains to be picked up around the place at this time of year. My LBS has a few just dropped below the 1000 line.

Any type of brand or make?

Can only get the voucher however I heard of other guys in my company paying for the bike themselves and then getting a refund once they give the company the voucher.

thewiseowl12

Quick query that I'd be grateful for any help with.

Thinking of purchasing a brompton bike with the UK listed price as £1145 (approx €1300), the equivalent bike bought here is over €1500.

My company are signed up to the bike to work scheme which has no UK listed shops (insofar as I can see). I rang a few shops but they've said they have to pay Brompton in euro, and thus I'd have to pay the full whack.

Anyone have any experience of getting around this?

Many thanks

cython

thewiseowl12 wrote: »

Quick query that I'd be grateful for any help with.

Thinking of purchasing a brompton bike with the UK listed price as £1145 (approx €1300), the equivalent bike bought here is over €1500.

My company are signed up to the bike to work scheme which has no UK listed shops (insofar as I can see). I rang a few shops but they've said they have to pay Brompton in euro, and thus I'd have to pay the full whack.

Anyone have any experience of getting around this?

Many thanks

The bolded suggests to me that your employer are operating through a voucher scheme intermediary, as there is no sign up to to the scheme, per se, they just either offer it to employees and directors, or they do not. Similarly, shops do not "offer" the scheme as such (though they do opt in to certain voucher schemes), and as long as the bike has Irish VAT paid it is eligible through the schema. Certain retailers abroad will already charge Irish VAT (if they sell enough into Ireland they are obliged to) making it pretty straightforward, and for others it is necessary to buy the bike ex-VAT, and to pay the VAT directly to revenue. In this last scenario, most employers can't be arsed, and understandably so. However if the voucher scheme is the only means of purchase in your employment, I fear you're probably out of luck.

Seve OB

thewiseowl12 wrote: »

Quick query that I'd be grateful for any help with.

Thinking of purchasing a brompton bike with the UK listed price as £1145 (approx €1300), the equivalent bike bought here is over €1500.

My company are signed up to the bike to work scheme which has no UK listed shops (insofar as I can see). I rang a few shops but they've said they have to pay Brompton in euro, and thus I'd have to pay the full whack.

Anyone have any experience of getting around this?

Many thanks

Just ask your employer will they pay the shop direct for the Bike rather than go through the voucher scheme. It should make no difference to them really

thewiseowl12

I'm a public servant so I think I'm restricted to "Travelhub" shops, https://www.travelhub.ie/faq/employee-faqs/ unfortunately. I don't think any of the partner shops sell bromptons either. Typical!

CramCycle

not1but4 wrote: »

Any type of brand or make?

Can only get the voucher however I heard of other guys in my company paying for the bike themselves and then getting a refund once they give the company the voucher.

I thought I had replied, Stevens or Cube in my LBS for around the 999mark.

Fian

thewiseowl12 wrote: »

I'm a public servant so I think I'm restricted to "Travelhub" shops, https://www.travelhub.ie/faq/employee-faqs/ unfortunately. I don't think any of the partner shops sell bromptons either. Typical!

Civil servant or public servant?

https://procurement.ie/sites/default/files/migr/news/20_10_2016_bicycle_suppliers.pdf

These are the suppliers for the civil service. Includes wiggle, cyclesuperstore, chainreaction, canyon, as well as loads of bricks and mortar shops all around the country. Some must have bromptons.

suppliers for other public sector employers may vary.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/s?q=brompton&cat=direct

Chuchote

Fian wrote: »

Civil servant or public servant?

https://procurement.ie/sites/default/files/migr/news/20_10_2016_bicycle_suppliers.pdf

These are the suppliers for the civil service. Includes wiggle, cyclesuperstore, chainreaction, canyon, as well as loads of bricks and mortar shops all around the country. Some must have bromptons.

suppliers for other public sector employers may vary.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/s?q=brompton&cat=direct

All the procurement sites for Irish civil servants buying bikes are foreign? Oh, wait, except CycleSuperstore? Edit: and Wheelworx.

Brompton's own site lists only Hollingsworth as a stockist.

I've met a load of civil servants on Bromptons; it must be that their 'approved supplier' sources the bike for them despite not stocking it?

CramCycle

And certain public service institutions find that finance have done a favour for one person eg a specific shop, not on the list. If you have an example of this, I would press a bit to point out the terms of the scheme. That is the "available to all employees" bit.

loopymum

Hi, my employer is buying me a bike through the cycle to work scheme and fortunately they are allowing it to be bought from UK, I was reading through revenue literature about it and if the bike is over 1000 euro then I need to give my employer the money over 1000 also the VAT which they will pay but it says it needs to be via bank draft, does it have to be or can I just give my employer cash?

Chuchote

loopymum wrote: »

Hi, my employer is buying me a bike through the cycle to work scheme and fortunately they are allowing it to be bought from UK, I was reading through revenue literature about it and if the bike is over 1000 euro then I need to give my employer the money over 1000 also the VAT which they will pay but it says it needs to be via bank draft, does it have to be or can I just give my employer cash?

If your employer is offering the deal, I think your employer is the one who sets the terms. It's not hard to get a bank draft and shouldn't cost you a fortune: http://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057561732

pakb1ue

I managed to forget to put in a quote for the bike to work scheme and now I've missed the deadline in my work. My current bike needs about 60e worth of work to it even though I'd only get 100 for it with or without this.

Would I be right in saying that these are my only option to get a bike next year?

1. Try and find a friend willing to give me their bike to work.
2. Get a new job and hopefully they'll allow me to do a bike to work mid year.
3. Buy a bike myself outright and do the bike to work in 2018 and sell either bike but run the risk of making a loss.

Or is there any other way I can get it?

dogsears

pakb1ue wrote: »

I managed to forget to put in a quote for the bike to work scheme and now I've missed the deadline in my work. My current bike needs about 60e worth of work to it even though I'd only get 100 for it with or without this.

Would I be right in saying that these are my only option to get a bike next year?

1. Try and find a friend willing to give me their bike to work.
2. Get a new job and hopefully they'll allow me to do a bike to work mid year.
3. Buy a bike myself outright and do the bike to work in 2018 and sell either bike but run the risk of making a loss.

Or is there any other way I can get it?

1. I know this happens a lot but I don't think you'll get any support for it here as it means basically misrepresenting the true situation (and getting someone else involved) and is dishonest
2. Seems very drastic
3. You could do this and use the BTW in 2017?

Why don't you fix your current bike and use the BTW in 2017? NB You wouldn't have to sell any bike. You can have the BTW bike and another bike at the same time.

CramCycle

pakb1ue wrote: »

Try and find a friend willing to give me their bike to work.

MOD VOICE: Is tax fraud, promoting or advising it is not only against the site rules, it is against the law. Leave it there.

Get a new job and hopefully they'll allow me to do a bike to work mid year.

Unless your horrendously poorly paid and hate your current job, this sounds crazy for the sake of a bike. A short term loan to buy the bike you wante make more sense if it is the paying in installments that is the attraction. Even better, approach your current job, and just ask is there any hope for it this year as you missed the deadline, because, lets say, you only seen the bike you wanted now. No harm in asking.

Buy a bike myself outright and do the bike to work in 2018 and sell either bike but run the risk of making a loss.

At least fixing your current bike means you know the loss you can expect (most likely the cost of the repair). Fix your bike if a viable option and do the B2W the next time it comes up. Or buy second hand, plenty of good deals out there, probably better value than buying new through the B2W in some cases.

Seve OB

pakb1ue wrote: »

I managed to forget to put in a quote for the bike to work scheme and now I've missed the deadline in my work.

1. Get a new job and hopefully they'll allow me to do a bike to work mid year.

Or is there any other way I can get it?

There is no deadline as such. This may just be imposed by your employer, but they set their own rules.
I would have though most employers would be flexible and would let you get a bike more or less whenever you want. They don't have to stick to the whole Bike to Work voucher scheme. They can pay for the bike directly.

CramCycle wrote: »

Even better, approach your current job, and just ask is there any hope for it this year as you missed the deadline, because, lets say, you only seen the bike you wanted now. No harm in asking.

+1 on this, it would be my first port of call

sm3ar

Is there a handy way of finding out if i'm eligible for the bike to work scheme? I know i did it before roughly around 5 year ago and that there is a five year rule before you can re-apply but i'm not sure if i am past it

jimmycrackcorm

It's a self declaration scheme without any official revenue recording. I.e. It's akin to how they deal with expenses, so you declare that you're outside the five year rule and unless you're personally audited then you're good to go.

Chuchote

Or you could look for the receipt, or check your tax records, or ask the company payroll person to check for you.

CramCycle

Ask payroll when you used it last, or check your emails with a search, or simply apply for it and see what payroll come back to you with.

not1but4

I missed out on Cycle to work this year as I couldn't decided on a bike before the closing date in my company. But I just noticed the bike I was looking at is only €580 now rather then €900 that was quoted in the shops.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/318621/products/giant-rapid-2-hydraulic-disc-2016-flat-bar-road-bike-black.aspx

Would I be mad to buy a bike outside of the bike to work?

godtabh

not1but4 wrote: »

I missed out on Cycle to work this year as I couldn't decided on a bike before the closing date in my company. But I just noticed the bike I was looking at is only €580 now rather then €900 that was quoted in the shops.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/318621/products/giant-rapid-2-hydraulic-disc-2016-flat-bar-road-bike-black.aspx

Would I be mad to buy a bike outside of the bike to work?

Depends on what rate you are on. Also could buy another next year. Bike to work isn't everything

68 lost souls

not1but4 wrote: »

I missed out on Cycle to work this year as I couldn't decided on a bike before the closing date in my company. But I just noticed the bike I was looking at is only €580 now rather then €900 that was quoted in the shops.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/318621/products/giant-rapid-2-hydraulic-disc-2016-flat-bar-road-bike-black.aspx

Would I be mad to buy a bike outside of the bike to work?

As mentioned if you are on the lower rate of tax you would be saving just about 120 euro on going with the bike to work scheme. When you want to buy another bike within the next 5 years and upgrade then you would utilize your full 1000 allowance and save a lot more.

Just remember the bike you get shipped to you will need to be built up.

not1but4

godtabh wrote: »

Depends on what rate you are on. Also could buy another next year. Bike to work isn't everything

68 lost souls wrote: »

As mentioned if you are on the lower rate of tax you would be saving just about 120 euro on going with the bike to work scheme. When you want to buy another bike within the next 5 years and upgrade then you would utilize your full 1000 allowance and save a lot more.

Just remember the bike you get shipped to you will need to be built up.

I'm in the upper band of tax and I was looking at spending the full 1000e.

There was two other sites selling the same bike for the same price one of which would ship to NI for free (collect from deliverme.ie) and it said the bike was assembled but I would need to was to put on the handle bars and peddles.

If I was to buy it I could sell it next year and get the bike to work for 2018.

I cannot decide as even though my current bike is very heavy and 5 years old it still does the job for me (~75km a week). Though it would be nice to have a newer/lighter/faster bike.

Buzwaldo

Buy the bike!!



Can't believe five hours have elapsed and nobody has told you to yet ðŸ˜

Chuchote

Buy it and have a year's happy cycling on your nice light bike; sure, you mightn't even have a job next year, the way things are going!

Bubbling

I am applying to buy a bike through the bike to work scheme, to the value of €1,000. It turns out my employer uses Travel Hub to arrange the bike purchase.

When I discussed this process with the bike shop, the bike said that Travel Hub as a 'middle man' will need to be paid (a commission) by the bike shop, meaning the value of the bike purchase will be affected accordingly (by up to €100 or more).

Has anyone else come across this?

And have they or their employer managed to pay the bike shop directly to avoid the commission?

Beasty

Bubbling wrote: »

I am applying to buy a bike through the bike to work scheme, to the value of €1,000. It turns out my employer uses Travel Hub to arrange the bike purchase.

When I discussed this process with the bike shop, the bike said that Travel Hub as a 'middle man' will need to be paid (a commission) by the bike shop, meaning the value of the bike purchase will be affected accordingly (by up to €100 or more).

Has anyone else come across this?

And have they or their employer managed to pay the bike shop directly to avoid the commission?

Moved to megathread

Yes, a number of middlemen take commission out of the scheme. They claim to take some of the admin away from the employer, but in practice they are skimming quite a bit off with their standard 10% commission

There is no requirement for any employer to use such middlemen, and most don't. However the employer sets the rules and you need to speak to them about going down a different route

Invincible

Bubbling wrote: »

I am applying to buy a bike through the bike to work scheme, to the value of €1,000. It turns out my employer uses Travel Hub to arrange the bike purchase.

When I discussed this process with the bike shop, the bike said that Travel Hub as a 'middle man' will need to be paid (a commission) by the bike shop, meaning the value of the bike purchase will be affected accordingly (by up to €100 or more).

Has anyone else come across this?

And have they or their employer managed to pay the bike shop directly to avoid the commission?

My employer has a bike to work scheme, when I availed of it, the retailer's I could deal with all told me that I wouldn't get a discount, as the intermediary were claiming it for doing the paperwork. I went with Cyclebike.ie who were participating in the scheme, but not dealing through a middleman.

iwillhtfu

Invincible wrote: »

My employer has a bike to work scheme, when I availed of it, the retailer's I could deal with all told me that I wouldn't get a discount, as the intermediary were claiming it for doing the paperwork. I went with Cyclebike.ie who were participating in the scheme, but not dealing through a middleman.

It's not the store that deals with voucher companies it's your employer. I assume they do this as it is less hassle to have one standard bike to work scheme instead of having to deal with individual bike shops for each employee.

Beasty

And the voucher company does not "do" the BTW scheme. All they do is introduce a buyer (the employer) to a seller (the shop) and typically take 10% for doing so. They may do a little admin but it's all very straightforward - in my view it's money for old rope for the voucher companies