I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike!

debs3693

Hi there, am looking to buy my first bike (well since I was a kiddie) and just don't know where to start - is for recreational use only but would prefer a more mountain bike type rather than one with a basket but other than that I have no idea where to shop for one, how much I should expect to pay and what features I should get.

Can anyone help get me started? Thanks, Debs

The_Machine

Firstly, check if your employer operates the Cycle to Work scheme. You could save 40% plus on the price of a brand new bike!

Then take a look at this website to find a local dealer who is part of the scheme:
http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/

If you don't currently work for an employer who operates this scheme, the website will still provide you with a list of local reputable bike shops who will be able to advise you on the type of bike best suited to your needs. They really will be the people best placed to help you.

Hope this helps.

milesoneill

Hi,

I recently bought a bike for the exact same reasons! In the end I went for a hybrid bike, it's a cross between a mountain bike and a road bike. Basically it means you can get the robustness of a mountain bike without having to pedal against wide friction-producing tyres.

I spent £150, and I usually buy from eBay, one seller in particular: Parkers of Bolton. I think they have a website too, as well as their eBay shop.

Hope this helps,
Miles.

BabyKat

why not have a look at sterlinghouse they do cheap bikes and they are usually pretty good too

Blacksheep1979

Yup would recomend a hybrid from what you're saying. Also you don't need to buy from an 'approved' cycle to work shop, your company effectively buys it and this can be from anywhere. You then lease the bike for a given period of time and finally pay a fair market rate.

harkin_c

I am doing this scheme with work and the figures have just come back for me to sign off on.

The company buy the bike and hire it to you. They cannot sell it to orpromise that they will sell it to you later down the lign becasue this would then become a hire purchase agreement. So you have to trust that your company will do the right thing at the end of the arrnaged period and let you buy the bike for a fair market value (FMV)

Heres the tricky thing....

What si the fair market value? This is important becasue you have to pay VAT on the purchase when you buy it back so in my case where my employer is saying that after 12 months my bike will have only depreciated by 40% I am having to pay 60% of the VAT which was saved by doing the scheme back. Personally I don't think I could sell a second hand bike for 60% of its original sale price.

Anyone else had this or any other problems with the scheme?

harkin_c

I did do this scheme and I got a beautiful bike worth about £600 but then I moved jobs and house within a few months and had to pay off the entire balance and have had the bike sitting in my garage ever since because I've moved to an area which isn't suitable for cycling.

So my advice to anyone considering the scheme would be to think long and hard about how long you will be with your company because you might be left with a big bill.

Also does anyone have any tips on how to sell a bike?