Shops doing IR scheme in Bath and Winchester

Quoted message said:

I
know a good Manchester bike shop that operates the scheme. Suggestions for
suitable shops in Bath and Winchester would be much appreciated, so that I
can present an alternative for all our UK locations.

You are in luck. There is an independent bike shop in Bath who is even
administering this scheme nationally across stores. Check out
http://cyclescheme.co.uk/

Tom

tom' of urlhttp://groups.google.com/url said:

Quoted message said:

I
know a good Manchester bike shop that operates the scheme. Suggestions for
suitable shops in Bath and Winchester would be much appreciated, so that I
can present an alternative for all our UK locations.

You are in luck. There is an independent bike shop in Bath who is even
administering this scheme nationally across stores. Check out
http://cyclescheme.co.uk/

Looks good, thanks for the suggestion. Anyone got any experience of this
outfit?
--
Steph Peters
Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group
Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester
http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm

Steph Peters said:

tom' of urlhttp://groups.google.com/url said:

Quoted message said:

I
know a good Manchester bike shop that operates the scheme. Suggestions for
suitable shops in Bath and Winchester would be much appreciated, so that I
can present an alternative for all our UK locations.

You are in luck. There is an independent bike shop in Bath who is even
administering this scheme nationally across stores. Check out
http://cyclescheme.co.uk/

Looks good, thanks for the suggestion. Anyone got any experience of this
outfit?
--
Steph Peters
Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group
Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester
http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm

I (or rather my employer) purchased a bike through these people in
January. I used AVC in Bath (as it was a folder). I found both the
shop and cyclescheme to be very helpful.

Hope this helps,

Gordon

Steph Peters wrote on 19/06/2006 23:22 +0100:

Quoted message said:

My employer has decided to investigate the Inland Revenue bike scheme as
part of their environmental policy. The person in charge of environmental
policy is bound to see one national retailer who can deal with all UK
employees as the easiest solution, so I want to get in now with the
suggestion to use local shops instead. If I can present a full solution for
all locations then there's a chance of getting them not to use Halfords. I
know a good Manchester bike shop that operates the scheme. Suggestions for
suitable shops in Bath and Winchester would be much appreciated, so that I
can present an alternative for all our UK locations.

My other argument is going to be that from my employer's point of view the
ideal bike to get on the scheme is a Brompton, for combined train/bike
travel to clients' offices. I know someone here was struggling to get a
Brompton out of Halfords. Please can I have the full story?
--
Steph Peters
Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group
Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester
http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm

Go for Cyclescheme administered by Avon Valley Cyclery, an excellent
shop with one of the best and widest range of folders in the country.
But you can get your bike from any LBS in the scheme.

Mine used Halfords and I think played a big role in getting Halfords to
sort out a deal with Brompton (which essentially means Halfords handle
the money but hand it all over to the Brompton dealer). I would avoid
them. Two of us went through the scheme. Halfords never notified me my
bike was ready for collection - I found out by calling in the LBS - and
then a whole load of undone paperwork had to be done by them. My
colleague had a catalogue of Halfords inspired disasters in the process
and her Brompton took eight weeks longer than mine despite being ordered
two weeks earlier. On top of which there is the legendary Halfords
aftersales service (saved by the Brompton dealer providing it for
Bromptons). We have persuaded our employer to look seriously at
Cyclescheme for next year and drop Halfords.
http://cyclescheme.co.uk/

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

In the referenced article said:

Steph Peters said:

tom' of urlhttp://groups.google.com/url said:

> I
>know a good Manchester bike shop that operates the scheme.
>Suggestions for suitable shops in Bath and Winchester would be
>much appreciated, so that I can present an alternative for all
>our UK locations.

You are in luck. There is an independent bike shop in Bath who is
even administering this scheme nationally across stores. Check
out http://cyclescheme.co.uk/

Looks good, thanks for the suggestion. Anyone got any experience
of this outfit?

I (or rather my employer) purchased a bike through these people in
January. I used AVC in Bath (as it was a folder). I found both
the shop and cyclescheme to be very helpful.

The University of Bath runs their tax-efficient bicycle purchase
scheme through Cyclescheme. I got a Marin Novato through this
scheme last summer. A colleague has just got a six-speed Brompton.
We both got the bikes from Avon Valley Cycles who were great to
deal with. I've seen a variety of other bikes here that have been
purchased through this scheme.

If you're interested in folding bikes, Avon Valley are specialists
in this field.
--
Dennis Davis, BUCS, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
[email hidden]

Steph Peters said:

My other argument is going to be that from my employer's point of view the
ideal bike to get on the scheme is a Brompton,

Bath is well endowed with steep hills of nontrivial length, on which a
brompton is not a very practical option IMO. You'll want the muchly-
geared folders instead.

And yes, I do use my folder for biznis travel, and it does save ugly
faffing with taxis.

--
not me guv

Steph Peters said:

My other argument is going to be that from my employer's point of view the
ideal bike to get on the scheme is a Brompton, for combined train/bike
travel to clients' offices. I know someone here was struggling to get a
Brompton out of Halfords. Please can I have the full story?

'Twas I.
Halfrauds took the order back in November. Much arsing about ensued
while they blamed Brompton's suppliers & quality control for delaying
delivery.

I spoke to Brompton to get the real story - Halfrauds had no contract
with Brompton and were sourcing through another dealer, who was working
against the rules of his contract. His contract was stopped. Halfords'
source of bikes stopped.

Halfrauds eventually agreed to pay my lbs to supply the Brompton to me.
I think I eventually got it at the end of March. (Reminder to self -
ought to go back for the service sometime).

Summary:
Halfords shops are mostly [censored].
Halfords Business Services are liars, enter into contracts falsely, and
slander suppliers.

Nick Kew <[email hidden]> of Customer of PlusNet plc

(urlhttp://www.plus.net/url) said:

Steph Peters said:

My other argument is going to be that from my employer's point of view the
ideal bike to get on the scheme is a Brompton,

Bath is well endowed with steep hills of nontrivial length, on which a
brompton is not a very practical option IMO. You'll want the muchly-
geared folders instead.

The inhabitants of the Bath office can choose whatever they want for regular
cycling to the office, quite probably not a folder at all. I'm in
Manchester which boasts absolutely no hills of any length or steepness.

Quoted message said:

And yes, I do use my folder for biznis travel, and it does save ugly
faffing with taxis.

That's precisely what I want a Brompton for. Working at customer premises
staying away during the week and going home at weekends happens a lot, so
it's important. Paying me 20p per mile for a 5 mile bike ride instead of a
£10 taxi fare twice a day is good sense for the company. And if I can still
get my daily bike ride I'm more willing to go and work in the back end of
beyond, especially as it's likely to widen my choice of eating
establishments.
--
Steph Peters
Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group
Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester
http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm

gjt70 <[email hidden]> of Medical Engineering, University of Bath,

UK said:

I (or rather my employer) purchased a bike through these people in
January. I used AVC in Bath (as it was a folder). I found both the
shop and cyclescheme to be very helpful.

Hope this helps,

Yes it does thank you. Two responses both saying it went well is quite a
contrast to the Halfords experiences. It gives me more confidence in
putting this forward as a solution that I believe will work.

Thanks to everyone who related their experiences.
--
Steph Peters
Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group
Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester
http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm