(More sensibly you should go to an Evans and at least ride them all around the carpark)
Two thoughts...1) Are you actually going to be using it to cycle to work? If so I wouldn't get a mountain bike but a hybrid.2) You're employers may be stubborn, but you're not restricted to a particular bike shop, the Cycle 2 Work scheme as run by the government does not place any such restrictions. As long as the shop you're buying from is happy to participate it doesn't make any difference (but may do to your HR department who are the ones imposing the restriction).
I'm lucky in that I have several ways of getting to work - road, towpath, or singletrack! I have an old road bike for the tarmac so I'm looking for an MTB to ride along the canal or off-road and of course have a little fun on the weekends.Can't see the point in a hybrid as they do neither road or off-road too well.Will proably stump up the extra 99 quid and plump for the genesis
Steel framed genesis gets my vote. Steel hardtails just feel so much nicer to ride, they've got souls, dont ya know.
......... and you 'buy' it back of them for a nominal fee AFAIK.. might be worth checking..
Will proably stump up the extra 99 quid and plump for the genesis
Quote from: tomtom on May 16, 2011, 09:11:28 pm......... and you 'buy' it back of them for a nominal fee AFAIK.. might be worth checking..I believe it is no longer a nominal fee, the HMRC have published a table of acceptable amounts (linked here http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/files/hmrc/endofhire_faqs.pdf) which has the "nominal fee" at 25% for the bikes looked at above after 12 months.
That looks to be specific to Cyclescheme.co.uk as per the answer to question 7, other schemes may operate differently, but will be using the same HMRC guidance,.
That must be relatively new as 3 years ago when I got a bike under Cycle 2 work via NHS the final payment was an additional ~5% of the original value or some nominal amount.
if everyone did that employers would be stuffed as they'd have tons of unwanted bikes that they'd have to find something to do with. Doubt it would be economical to store or resell them.