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

Beasty

Firstly this thread is not about which bike should you get under the BTW scheme – there are too many variables to try and cover this in a single thread. It is to provide a summary of the scheme, some do’s and don’ts and act as a single thread for all technical aspects of the scheme.

Any new threads created covering the rules and application of the scheme will either be locked or transferred to this thread. Please ensure you review the whole thread before posting a new query

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homer911

Far too complicated!

Cyclesheme.ie operate on a "certificate" basis so you cant use it online
biketowork.ie operate in conjunction with Hubex.ie but either way they issue you with a glorified one-4-all single-use debit card which can only be used in bike shops. Most online purchases have to be paid for with a single payment so you cant top up the payment online and you cant use any credit left on the card afterwards

peneau

I have, from Canyon, last August. Through my place of work relatively hassle free process. My company was invoiced and I ponied up my part of the deal.

Fighting Tao

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056382170#

Kaisr Sose

I love Sean nos wrote: »

No, it's never happened.

LionelNashe

dylbert wrote: »

Has anyone bought a bike online using the cycle to work scheme?

I bought a bike through the scheme, but I wouldn't have done it online, unless I could see the bike somewhere first and get some advice. My work contributed €300 towards the cost, and I got the tax back through the scheme. I now have a €900 bike that cost me about €150, that has been sitting unused in my hallway for the last 10 years. I'm thinking about making use of it, any day now.

Edit: I actually am *thinking* about making use of it. I ordered a stretchy cover from Amazon last week so I can carry the bike in and out of the apartment without risking marking the paint in the hallways.

kerplun k

dylbert wrote: »

Has anyone bought a bike online using the cycle to work scheme?

I did.
I bought my bike on line via the B2W scheme, but went to to have a look before I went through with the purchase. It was a relativity painless process, less than I can say for the actual cycle itself.

rtmie

homer911 wrote: »

Far too complicated!

Cyclesheme.ie operate on a "certificate" basis so you cant use it online
biketowork.ie operate in conjunction with Hubex.ie but either way they issue you with a glorified one-4-all single-use debit card which can only be used in bike shops. Most online purchases have to be paid for with a single payment so you cant top up the payment online and you cant use any credit left on the card afterwards

Cyclescheme.ie is not the only way to do bike to work and is in fact probably the worst way. They charge a big lump of commission to the seller so both you and the bike seller lose out. Online sellers will not interact with it and even LBS don't like it ( they'll usually be a lot less flexible on price & extras).
It is just that some employers put their convenience first with voucher schemes.
If your employer is accomodating then all you need is an invoice for the bike from the seller (online or lbs) made out to the company and they can issue cheque/SEPA transfer to seller.
If online seller is in EU then that is fine. I recently purchased bike from Rose in Germany online via btw in this way.

Beasty

Fighting Tao wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056382170#

Merged

magicbastarder

do you mean if you're earning €500 over the threshold, and are spending €1000, say?

CramCycle

rtmie wrote: »

Cyclescheme.ie is not the only way to do bike to work and is in fact probably the worst way. They charge a big lump of commission to the seller so both you and the bike seller lose out. Online sellers will not interact with it and even LBS don't like it ( they'll usually be a lot less flexible on price & extras).
It is just that some employers put their convenience first with voucher schemes.
If your employer is accomodating then all you need is an invoice for the bike from the seller (online or lbs) made out to the company and they can issue cheque/SEPA transfer to seller.
If online seller is in EU then that is fine. I recently purchased bike from Rose in Germany online via btw in this way.

The interesting point being that if any of them opened their eyes, it is, in my experience, far easier to implement the scheme directly rather than through a third party. There may be exceptions due to scale but in the majority of places, it is a not sensible practice.

iwillhtfu

CramCycle wrote: »

The interesting point being that if any of them opened their eyes, it is, in my experience, far easier to implement the scheme directly rather than through a third party. There may be exceptions due to scale but in the majority of places, it is a not sensible practice.

It's by far easier for the employer to complete the transaction directly. The employee does all the running around dealing with invoices etc and presents this to the account dept and it is dealt with like any other invoice. The voucher schemes are a pain and always trying to tie companies into the scheme by getting several employees on board at once.

magicbastarder

couldn't have been simpler with my employer (albeit a large multinational); i filled out the forms, got the invoice, and the team assistant just picked up the phone to the bike shop and paid the bill over the phone with the company credit card.

Seve OB

and then you are guaranteed 10% discount that the voucher companies normally scalp for themselves!!!

loudymacloud

magicbastarder wrote: »

couldn't have been simpler with my employer (albeit a large multinational); i filled out the forms, got the invoice, and the team assistant just picked up the phone to the bike shop and paid the bill over the phone with the company credit card.

same with me, in the Public Service. Fill out the forms, get the invoice, Invoice was paid within 2/3 days, collected the bike. No messing around. was great.

Im elligible for it again this year

DDC1990

Just to say I ordered from Canyon. Filled out a form attatched the invoice. No problems. Lovely bike. 100e off nearly all of their bikes for the duration of the TDF as well.

rtmie

Absolutely agree. Set payment based on invoice , fill out forms, provide copy of invoice, seller IBAN/BIC, and transaction ref. They make xfer. Took them a matter of minutes.

Kubota

Looking for Help! Canyon Bikes & Local Authority Worker.

Has anybody on here who works for a Local Authority purchased a bike from Canyon on the BTW Scheme. I have purchased a bike on the prepayment system and received an invoice for the full amount which is in excess of the €1,000, my employer a Local Authority is saying that they will have a mismatch in the payment system as the Invoice exceeds the max amount they are paying.

Also they saying that they will be only able to pay by Cheque and not through an Electronic Fund Transfer.
Canyon are saying that they won't accept Cheque only EFT and they cannot split the Invoice into two seperate invoices making up the full amount.

Anybody working in a LA who has purchased from Canyon using the BTW Scheme, I would be grateful for your assitance on how you overcame these problems.

Thanks Kubota.

Kubota

Sorry to jump on your thread but am also buying/trying to buy the Canyon Endurace CF 8.0 on sale at €1500. Cracking bike and great value. Only problem is I am purchasing on the BTW Scheme and work for a Local Authority.

I have purchased the bike on the prepayment system and received an invoice for the full amount which is in excess of the €1,000, my employer a Local Authority is saying that they will have a mismatch in the payment system as the Invoice exceeds the max amount they are paying.

Also they saying that they will be only able to pay by Cheque and not through an Electronic Fund Transfer.
Canyon are saying that they won't accept Cheque, only EFT and they cannot split the Invoice into two separate invoices making up the full amount.

Anybody working in a LA who has purchased from Canyon using the BTW Scheme, I would be grateful for your assistance on how you overcame these problems.

Thanks Kubota.

Kaisr Sose

Kubota wrote: »

Sorry to jump on your thread but am also buying/trying to buy the Canyon Endurace CF 8.0 on sale at €1500. Cracking bike and great value. Only problem is I am purchasing on the BTW Scheme and work for a Local Authority.

I have purchased the bike on the prepayment system and received an invoice for the full amount which is in excess of the €1,000, my employer a Local Authority is saying that they will have a mismatch in the payment system as the Invoice exceeds the max amount they are paying.

Also they saying that they will be only able to pay by Cheque and not through an Electronic Fund Transfer.
Canyon are saying that they won't accept Cheque, only EFT and they cannot split the Invoice into two separate invoices making up the full amount.

Anybody working in a LA who has purchased from Canyon using the BTW Scheme, I would be grateful for your assistance on how you overcame these problems.

Thanks Kubota.

You have already asked that in the B2W thread. It's not good practice to post the same question in multiple and non-relevant threads.

I am in Public Service and I can't but from Canyon unless it's €1000 or less. It seems to be the same for you - as in your employer has already said the invoice can't be more than the €1000. If they won't do EFT it's also a non runner. They are unlikely to change their process for this purchase.

Statler

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

If they won't do EFT it's also a non runner. They are unlikely to change their process for this purchase.

Just to second this, they will not change their procedures under any circumstances, had dealings with them a couple of years ago about getting a bike on the BTW scheme and they're absolutely rigid with their procedures.

Kubota

Sorry for the double posting. Thanks for the replies unfortunately not the answers I was hoping to hear.

Statler. Are you talking about Canyon or your employer?

It's looking like it's going to fall through at this stage don't think there is an equivalent spec'd bike out there for the same money.

Statler

Kubota wrote: »

Statler. Are you talking about Canyon or your employer?

Talking about Canyon, great to deal with once you're happy with their terms...

loudymacloud

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

You have already asked that in the B2W thread. It's not good practice to post the same question in multiple and non-relevant threads.

I am in Public Service and I can't but from Canyon unless it's €1000 or less. It seems to be the same for you - as in your employer has already said the invoice can't be more than the €1000. If they won't do EFT it's also a non runner. They are unlikely to change their process for this purchase.

i work in the public service and for a few years was in charge of the BTW scheme for our Department, we managed to buy a bike via canyon that was over the €1000 limit.

invoice came in for about €2300 i think, the employee paid the €1300 directly to canyon and we paid the €1000 to canyon too via EFT.

Our records were ok as we just added a note to the invoice to state that we only paid €1000.

seemed to work ok that time, that is a few years ago now, so it may have changed since.

Kubota

Thanks loudymacloud. When you say Public Service do you mean for a LA? I was onto Canyon and they said that customers from other Local Authorities have purchased bikes on the BTW Scheme so hears hoping.

loudymacloud

Kubota wrote: »

Thanks loudymacloud. When you say Public Service do you mean for a LA? I was onto Canyon and they said that customers from other Local Authorities have purchased bikes on the BTW Scheme so hears hoping.

Was not an LA, was Dept of Education at the time.

Kaisr Sose

loudymacloud wrote: »

i work in the public service and for a few years was in charge of the BTW scheme for our Department, we managed to buy a bike via canyon that was over the €1000 limit.

invoice came in for about €2300 i think, the employee paid the €1300 directly to canyon and we paid the €1000 to canyon too via EFT.

Our records were ok as we just added a note to the invoice to state that we only paid €1000.

seemed to work ok that time, that is a few years ago now, so it may have changed since.

Canyon will not allow seperate payments now. Maybe they did before. I tried as well. Full payment only.

srsly78

Just have the company pay in full, then mark the excess (>e1000) as a bonus payment to employee. This is how I accounted for it. Employee will have to pay tax as normal on the bonus payment.

iwillhtfu

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Canyon will not allow seperate payments now. Maybe they did before. I tried as well. Full payment only.

I think someone posted here recently that they were on to Canyon and they could pay a deposit up front and the balance on completion but it will all be as one invoice.

Kubota

Canyon have no problem in taking separate payments on one Invoice only. They will not give you two Invoices for the one bike, one for 1k for the BTW and balance for the customer.

My employer has a problem with an Invoice for the full amount above 1k.
They are looking into it to see if can be resolved. I have suggested that they pay the full amount and I pay them the balance, surely in this day and age something could be sorted to keep the auditors and taxman happy.

iwillhtfu

Kubota wrote: »

Canyon have no problem in taking separate payments on one Invoice only. They will not give you two Invoices for the one bike, one for 1k for the BTW and balance for the customer.

My employer has a problem with an Invoice for the full amount above 1k.
They are looking into it to see if can be resolved. I have suggested that they pay the full amount and I pay them the balance, surely in this day and age something could be sorted to keep the auditors and taxman happy.

That's what I did when I bought from Canyon I paid them and they paid the total invoice. Although in saying that I work for the kind of company that probably would have allow me pay back the entire amount over 12 months so to say they're easy going would be an understatement.