Shop recommendation: Getting a deal on Cycle to work package

golfman

Was just wondering if anyone can recommend a bike shop that is open to doing deals on a Cycle to Work scheme purchase?

I visited a shop last week and the total came to €1100. I asked the shop owner if they would do me a deal for €1k to keep the deal easy and the response was "You're already getting 52% off - what more do you want?" . This is true, however I reckon the bike shops are having a field day with this Bike to Work scheme and are therefore holding out for retail prices everywhere, when prior to it, there would have been deals to be had.

City centre or northside a preference but open to all Dublin.

nak

golfman wrote: »

This is true, however I reckon the bike shops are having a field day with this Bike to Work scheme and are therefore holding out for retail prices everywhere, when prior to it, there would have been deals to be had.

City centre or northside a preference but open to all Dublin.

They are running a business, not a charity. Most bike shops aren't doing as well financially as you think. The voucher schemes charge commission and the shops can actually lose out in some cases.

CramCycle

Is your company doing a direct transaction with the shop or is it through a voucher company?

If the latter, there isn't much hope, some shops even have signs that they cannot offer sale bikes through that scheme as the cut is too large.

If the former, ie your company is paying a grand straight into their hand, there is often a bit of wiggle room, not much as margins are tighter than years ago but a few quid off or some little extras are negotiable.

golfman

Look, I'm not expecting anyone to make a loss. I'm just comparing this purchase to when I bought a full set of golf clubs in McGuirks a few years back. They threw in a bag and a pack of balls and gave me a discount on some waterproofs as I ended up spending just over a grand in there.

On the flipside, this seller didn't even offer to throw in a bottle cage! I just thought there might be other sellers more open to goodwill/freebies.

golfman

CramCycle wrote: »

Is your company doing a direct transaction with the shop or is it through a voucher company?

If the latter, there isn't much hope, some shops even have signs that they cannot offer sale bikes through that scheme as the cut is too large.

If the former, ie your company is paying a grand straight into their hand, there is often a bit of wiggle room, not much as margins are tighter than years ago but a few quid off or some little extras are negotiable.

I have to do it through a website called cyclescheme.ie so they probably take a cut. That then makes a bit more sense.

nak

I'm guessing McGuirks golf probably generates more money than an independent bike shop. It may not have been the owner you spoke to.

I just spent the best part of €4000 on a bike and didn't expect any freebies from the shop.

CramCycle

golfman wrote: »

I have to do it through a website called cyclescheme.ie so they probably take a cut. That then makes a bit more sense.

They charge 10% IIRC, others charge 8% but either way, a fair chunk of a bike shops profit is gone as soon as you hand over that voucher.

It would be worth contacting your companies contact point for the scheme and pointing out that the scheme is easier to implement without cyclescheme and they would be better off doing it themselves.

It would save them paperwork, and you would have slightly more bargaining power.

I always would have assumed that 10% was the bargaining range for a 1000euro spend, maybe slightly less nowadays but those vouchers have taken that away from you, it's a disgrace that they are allowed operate at all, my view is that they are breaching the spirit of ther scheme as the employer is not buying a bike, they are buying a voucher and the middleman is getting a slice for doing SFA.

CramCycle

All this said, the guy in the shop should have phrased it that way rather than just flipping you off.

If he had said, nothing do, middle man is screwing me, fair enough. My own bike shop told me to ask my company would they consider stop using such schemes, they would even get someone to come in and show them how to administer the scheme easier and quicker, to the benefit of any bike shop, not just their own.

Sometimes people don't want to learn, the schemes convince employers that there way is easier and they are making it easier for them at no cost which is simply untrue.

Domane

OP, perhaps I'm taking you up wrong but you do know that you can spend in excess of €1000 on the bike (as much as you want tbh) but the bike to work scheme only gives you a max of €520 off or 52% off the first thousand. I spent two and a half thousand on my bike but got just the 52% off the first grand. It's still a great deal and I'm only sorry I have to wait until 2019 to avail of it again, presuming it's still around.

I think that bike shop guy was having a bad day as I found that the shops I went to were willing to throw in a few freebies like bottle cages, water bottles, spare tubes etc or others were doing package deals of cycling clothing, shoes etc at half the marked retail price if you bought the bike off them. Try Wheelworx in Fonthill or Bikeworx in Celbridge. They offered me the best deals when I bought my bike with Wheelworx edging it on the freebies (bottle cages and bottles x 2 and saddlebag with tubes and mini tool. Then got a track pump at half price and another discount off my cycling shoes. They also service the bike free for as long as you own Ito and they give a lifetime guarantee on parts.

Star hurl

Staggs in lucan included100€ worth of accessories and will trade in any bike that you might have .

tomfoolery60

If you join the Dublin cycling campaign you'll get discounts in some shops. If they offer a voucher though as previously said they'll not give a discount as they are in effect already doing so. Think bike in Rathmines offer two years service with new bikes and Cycle Surgery in Dundrum have better prices I've noticed.

BKWDR

golfman wrote: »

Was just wondering if anyone can recommend a bike shop that is open to doing deals on a Cycle to Work scheme purchase?

I visited a shop last week and the total came to €1100. I asked the shop owner if they would do me a deal for €1k to keep the deal easy and the response was "You're already getting 52% off - what more do you want?" . This is true, however I reckon the bike shops are having a field day with this Bike to Work scheme and are therefore holding out for retail prices everywhere, when prior to it, there would have been deals to be had.

City centre or northside a preference but open to all Dublin.

Wheelworx gave me an 80e voucher on top of the 1k BTW to use on anything i wanted.

golfman

I popped into CycleBike yesterday and without needing to ask he threw in a couple of token freebies (pedals & bottle cage). He also said he would "look after me" on anything else I needed.

A much more pleasant shopping experience.

buffon

Star hurl wrote: »

Staggs in lucan included100€ worth of accessories and will trade in any bike that you might have .

Myself and 3 others got bikes in Staggs in Lucan and I'll just leave it at 3 of us wouldn't go near that place again..Endless bad experiences..

ted1

tomfoolery60 wrote: »

If you join the Dublin cycling campaign you'll get discounts in some shops. If they offer a voucher though as previously said they'll not give a discount as they are in effect already doing so. Think bike in Rathmines offer two years service with new bikes and Cycle Surgery in Dundrum have better prices I've noticed.

I had bad experiences with cycle surgery and wouldn't recommend them,
Took several months to get a wheel fixed under warranty , I left a bike in for a service and they tried to give it back to me without having touched it. They don't take cheques made out to cycle surgery, they have kids with no experience working in the bikes, and several other f@@k ups

ec18

When I got my B2W a few weeks ago the shop told me that the free/throw ins part of the deal was being taken by the voucher guys as their cut.