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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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Flaccus

It might have been answered already. But for those of us still wfh due to covid, does anyone know if Revenue have relaxed the rules on qualifying journeys for the cycle to work scheme ?

MJohnston

Flaccus wrote: »

It might have been answered already. But for those of us still wfh due to covid, does anyone know if Revenue have relaxed the rules on qualifying journeys for the cycle to work scheme ?

I...wouldn't worry about that rule.

CramCycle

A friend of mine works from home and done so long before Covid. I know a poster here who was the same. They both told me they commuted to work by going out for a walk or a spin at the same time every morning before they sat down at their desk. A qualifying journey is open to interpretation and not one revenue have ever inquired about as far as I know.

Flaccus

Great, I'll get onto my company so to find out when they are offering it next.

magicbastarder

Flaccus wrote: »

It might have been answered already. But for those of us still wfh due to covid

given the standard term of the BTW scheme significantly outlasts the temporary measures in place for covid lockdown, i don't think anyone will argue the scheme should be curtailed because of temporary measures which keep you at home.

dahat

Flaccus wrote: »

It might have been answered already. But for those of us still wfh due to covid, does anyone know if Revenue have relaxed the rules on qualifying journeys for the cycle to work scheme ?

I’m on bike #4 through this scheme & over never been asked by Revenue about my journey. The honesty of the claimant is assumed here I’d say.

MojoMaker

To be honest, since inception it's always been more a Bike-Through-Work scheme than a Bike-To-Work scheme, and nothing wrong with that.

Jesper

Can anyone recommend an electric bike for someone turning 70. I expect to be able to use the bike to work scheme (self employed). Knee's aren't great so I think a step through or low cross bar would be best. Won't be large mileage - mainly out with grandchild etc.
Based in the South East.

iwillhtfu

Jesper wrote: »

Can anyone recommend an electric bike for someone turning 70. I expect to be able to use the bike to work scheme (self employed). Knee's aren't great so I think a step through or low cross bar would be best. Won't be large mileage - mainly out with grandchild etc.
Based in the South East.

A few I can think of that do step through style ebikes. An idea of budget my help the cheaper ones are usually quite heavy but the Orbea ones look decent

https://www.greenaer.ie/shop/

https://dutchbikeshop.ie/product-category/electric-bikes

https://www.giant-dublin.ie/ie/e-bikes

lapua20grain

Jesper wrote: »

Can anyone recommend an electric bike for someone turning 70. I expect to be able to use the bike to work scheme (self employed). Knee's aren't great so I think a step through or low cross bar would be best. Won't be large mileage - mainly out with grandchild etc.
Based in the South East.

I picked one up from these lads https://www.kumabikes.com nice bike the r1 is down to 1400 notes

MJohnston

Jesper wrote: »

Can anyone recommend an electric bike for someone turning 70. I expect to be able to use the bike to work scheme (self employed). Knee's aren't great so I think a step through or low cross bar would be best. Won't be large mileage - mainly out with grandchild etc.
Based in the South East.

If you're self-employed, then that means you can use the Cycle To Work scheme directly (Bike To Work is a specific middleman company that processes Cycle To Work applications for companies that don't want to do it themselves). And that's great because you can order online or from wherever you want.

With that in mind, here would be my pick of the bunch for your needs:

1. Budget option — Decathlon Elops 920E
2. Well priced utility bike — Rad Power RadRunner
3. Mid-budget — Carrera Crossfire E (I've linked the Women's version here because gender-specific city bike frames make no sense and it has a nice mid-step bar) VanMoof X3 (I have this and love it, but it's a heavily integrated bike which makes it harder to repair in any old bike shop)
4. Extremely high-end — Canyon Precede:ON CF 8 ST or Riese and Muller Swing 3
5. Folding — Brompton Electric

What I'll say is, the standard advice for picking a bike is "try them out" and it's good advice — reviews will only tell you so much, sometimes you just have to go on 'feel'.
That's extra true for e-bikes, because you should give the different drive types a try, and see which you prefer — hub motors vs mid-drive, front vs rear hubs, torque vs cadence sensors, etc.

Jesper

Jesper wrote: »

Can anyone recommend an electric bike for someone turning 70. I expect to be able to use the bike to work scheme (self employed). Knee's aren't great so I think a step through or low cross bar would be best. Won't be large mileage - mainly out with grandchild etc.
Based in the South East.

Budget €1,200 to €2,000. Of course the €1,500 is a massive bonus!

[Deleted User]

MJohnston wrote: »

What I'll say is, the standard advice for picking a bike is "try them out" and it's good advice — reviews will only tell you so much, sometimes you just have to go on 'feel'.
That's extra true for e-bikes, because you should give the different drive types a try, and see which you prefer — hub motors vs mid-drive, front vs rear hubs, torque vs cadence sensors, etc.

Try it out AND find a good local bike shop to give you good advice, ideally within walking distance of home or work, for when you need servicing.

FinnC

Jesper wrote: »

Can anyone recommend an electric bike for someone turning 70. I expect to be able to use the bike to work scheme (self employed). Knee's aren't great so I think a step through or low cross bar would be best. Won't be large mileage - mainly out with grandchild etc.
Based in the South East.

I was always under the impression that us self employed people couldn’t avail of the bike to work scheme?

Calahonda52

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Try it out AND find a good local bike shop to give you good advice, ideally within walking distance of home or work, for when you need servicing.

That is the best advice, especially for e-bikes.
eg I bought one in May last year and the rear cassette got loose after about 100 km, fixed in 30 seconds in the local shop where i bought it

iwillhtfu

FinnC wrote: »

I was always under the impression that us self employed people couldn’t avail of the bike to work scheme?

That changed at the last budget.

FinnC

iwillhtfu wrote: »

That changed at the last budget.

Really? Never knew that. Cool thanks.

iwillhtfu

FinnC wrote: »

Really? Never knew that. Cool thanks.

"An employee or director can only avail of the exemption once in any 4-year
period (previously 5 years), commencing with the date the employee is first
provided with a bicycle or bicycle safety equipment."

Section 4.1

https://www.revenue.ie/en/tax-professionals/tdm/income-tax-capital-gains-tax-corporation-tax/part-05/05-04-08.pdf

FinnC

iwillhtfu wrote: »

"An employee or director can only avail of the exemption once in any 4-year
period (previously 5 years), commencing with the date the employee is first
provided with a bicycle or bicycle safety equipment."

Section 4.1

https://www.revenue.ie/en/tax-professionals/tdm/income-tax-capital-gains-tax-corporation-tax/part-05/05-04-08.pdf

Ah so not for sole traders then?

iwillhtfu

FinnC wrote: »

Ah so not for sole traders then?

I'm not entirely sure. I know they were pushing to make it accessible to self employed also.

FinnC

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I'm not entirely sure. I know they were pushing to make it accessible to self employed also.

Not to worry, I’m pretty sure I could claim the VAT back anyway which would also be a nice saving.
Thanks.

CramCycle

FinnC wrote: »

Not to worry, I’m pretty sure I could claim the VAT back anyway which would also be a nice saving.
Thanks.

I think its a case of whether you get paid a salary or not. If you pay yourself a salary, then you can claim the bike to work scheme as its just knocked off your gross pay. If you aren't, but it is for cycling to work, you can as you say claim the VAT back as a business expense. That is my understanding anyway.

Jesper

CramCycle wrote: »

I think its a case of whether you get paid a salary or not. If you pay yourself a salary, then you can claim the bike to work scheme as its just knocked off your gross pay. If you aren't, but it is for cycling to work, you can as you say claim the VAT back as a business expense. That is my understanding anyway.

They guy in the shop told me if your self employed it's the easiest solution. Effectively just purchase it through the company and claim it back with your standard bi-monthly VAT returns. Seemed a bit to good to be true so I emailed revenue and asked.

"I refer to your email above. It appears that directors and employees are treated the same for the bike to work scheme. See details from the Revenue website below:

Provision of bicycles for directors and employees

The Cycle to Work Scheme allows you to purchase new bicycles and safety equipment for your employees. Items purchased under the scheme are not a taxable benefit-in-kind (BIK).

Items purchased under the scheme must:
be made available to all employees and directors
be used for qualifying journeys
cost no more than €1,500 per employee for an electric bike or €1,250 for other bicycles (any excess is a BIK)
be purchased by you (the exemption does not apply where an employee or director is reimbursed).

Regards
Susan
Service to Support Compliance 2
Business Division"

I did ask if it can be purchased directly through the company account and that wasn't answered in the above. But it is the only way for the company to purchase it so I'm taking it as ok.

I would like to buy local. I found https://www.ebikesireland.ie/showroom/ is actually a Kilkenny store. I don't know the brands but I'll pay them a visit? Anyone familiar with them?

MJohnston

Never heard of any of the brands (although I've heard of the motor manufacturers — Bosch and Bafang), but that's not saying much - the thing with the dawn of e-bikes is there has been a whole heap of new manufacturers popping up, and it's hard to know which are bad because there are so many!

If you're looking to buy local, you should take a look at the Kuma M1 Step-through — not only is it sold locally, it's built by an Irish company!

GrumpyMe

Jesper wrote: »

They guy in the shop told me if your self employed it's the easiest solution. Effectively just purchase it through the company and claim it back with your standard bi-monthly VAT returns. Seemed a bit to good to be true so I emailed revenue and asked.

"I refer to your email above. It appears that directors and employees are treated the same for the bike to work scheme. See details from the Revenue website below:

Provision of bicycles for directors and employees

The Cycle to Work Scheme allows you to purchase new bicycles and safety equipment for your employees. Items purchased under the scheme are not a taxable benefit-in-kind (BIK).

Items purchased under the scheme must:
be made available to all employees and directors
be used for qualifying journeys
cost no more than €1,500 per employee for an electric bike or €1,250 for other bicycles (any excess is a BIK)
be purchased by you (the exemption does not apply where an employee or director is reimbursed).

Regards
Susan
Service to Support Compliance 2
Business Division"

I did ask if it can be purchased directly through the company account and that wasn't answered in the above. But it is the only way for the company to purchase it so I'm taking it as ok.

I would like to buy local. I found https://www.ebikesireland.ie/showroom/ is actually a Kilkenny store. I don't know the brands but I'll pay them a visit? Anyone familiar with them?

I may be wrong but I got this off https://www.revenue.ie/en/employing-people/what-constitutes-pay/items-not-treated-as-pay/provision-of-bicycles-for-directors-and-employees.aspx

Value-Added Tax (VAT) on bicycles or safety equipment purchased

You must pay VAT on bicycles or safety equipment purchased for your employees. You cannot claim VAT back as the equipment is not used for the purposes of taxable supplies.

CramCycle

GrumpyMe wrote: »

I may be wrong but I got this off https://www.revenue.ie/en/employing-people/what-constitutes-pay/items-not-treated-as-pay/provision-of-bicycles-for-directors-and-employees.aspx

Value-Added Tax (VAT) on bicycles or safety equipment purchased

You must pay VAT on bicycles or safety equipment purchased for your employees. You cannot claim VAT back as the equipment is not used for the purposes of taxable supplies.

I presume the thinking on self employed version of the bike to work scheme is that you can either pay the VAT on it and put in a note to revenue that you availed of the scheme when you submit your annual pay for the likes of PRSI and USC.

If you claim it as a business expense, then it is effectively a company vehicle, so long as you can stand over that with Revenue, then it shouldn't be an issue. You certianly wouldn't be tied down to once every 4 years or upgrading parts etc. but revenue would have to agree it is a legitimate business expense.

*I am not an accountant

Red1963

Does anyone know if this is right. Went into halfords today to enquire about getting a bike through the cycle to work scheme and was told that they are no longer doing it. Just think it's very strange with the amount of bikes being bought on it.

magicbastarder

halfords are no longer doing it? no reason given?

Red1963

magicbastarder wrote: »

halfords are no longer doing it? no reason given?

Said they are going to be doing their own one in few weeks. Doesn't sound right. That was in Naas

magicbastarder

maybe they're not accepting the vouchers from the middlemen who 'operate' the scheme on behalf of some companies, but it's not as if a shop can opt out of it in general.