Halfords

mirwillbeback

Hi all,

Via the Bike to Work Scheme I have 1,300 to spend in Halfords ( I know, I know :rolleyes: ) and have heard bad things almost everywhere.

Does anyone know what decent bike I can get from there for about 1,100, and I'll use the balance for accessories.

No idea of biking whatsoever.

Thanks

seamus

boardman are a respected brand sold by Halfords. Carrera are also respected but are more on the mountain bike side of things.

Just get someone to give the bike a once-over when you get it, don't trust the Halfords staff to have assembled it correctly.

rp

seamus wrote: »

don't trust the Halfords staff to have assembled it correctly.

Unless its the girl upstairs in Liffey Valley.

billyhead

If you can stretch your budget a bit go for the Boardman team carbon. I got one of these last summer. Its a fantastic bike for the money

Consey

Or wait til the Pinarellos arrive!

Brad768

If you are looking for a mountain bike I'd highly recommend the Boardman Team.

macnab

If you have an Axa or an Aon insurance policy you can save 15% on the cost of the bike and gear, which brings your spend up to €1500.

Crow92

Can't get an axa discount on top of the btw scheme....unless your employer will give you a company credit card, you pay it straight off (not as a btw from halfords side, i.e. not with a btw qoutation). Some of the Halfords are grand for getting people to build them, they wouldn't let the 16 year old part-time build a 1300 bike.

snubbleste

Is there not a €1000 limit on the cycle to work scheme? and any spend above that renders you liable for benefit in kind? http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/income_tax_credits_and_reliefs/cycle_to_work_scheme.html

seamus

The first 1k is covered but you can add your own money on top of it

AltAccount

Sorry if this is OT, but does anyone know why Halfords won't honour a discount arrangement, like that with Axa, relating to a BTW purchase?

Do they refuse to do any discount on a BTW purchase?

billyhead

AltAccount wrote: »

Sorry if this is OT, but does anyone know why Halfords won't honour a discount arrangement, like that with Axa, relating to a BTW purchase?

Do they refuse to do any discount on a BTW purchase?

Yes but it could depend on the actual sales person or subsequently manager i.e they may not know of the rule

AltAccount

The rule not to give discount?

billyhead

AltAccount wrote: »

The rule not to give discount?

Yep,

Its a strange one. I know someone who tried to get the 15% off with the btw scheme before and it was disallowed

Nedkelly24

Carrera virtuosa or vanquish...brilliant bike for the money...me luvvy mine..

Beasty

Actually I can't see any basis for Halfords denying any discount because it's a BTW purchase. They have absolutely nothing to do with the fact it's a BTW purchase, unless they have a special deal with the employer. They could, I would guess, say that the discount is only available to purchases by individuals and not be companies/traders, which would have the effect of denying it on BTW purchases as it's the employer rather than employee that buys it from them

dquirke1

AFAIK, its because the Bikes4Work voucher scheme takes a cut of all C2W purchases.
The margins are slim enough on road bikes as it is, and it wouldn't pay to give the AXA 15% discount and paying the Bikes4Work fee.
There should be no problems getting the AXA discount if you pay by company cheque or credit card though.

Lemlin

dquirke1 wrote: »

AFAIK, its because the Bikes4Work voucher scheme takes a cut of all C2W purchases.
The margins are slim enough on road bikes as it is, and it wouldn't pay to give the AXA 15% discount and paying the Bikes4Work fee.
There should be no problems getting the AXA discount if you pay by company cheque or credit card though.

You're correct here. When I bought my BTW through my LBS, the owner told me straight up he couldn't give me as much discount as a customer with 1k cashto spend as One4All, who distributed my voucher, took about 12% commission.