cycle to work scheme stitch up! help required

[jonnyboy666]

the cycle to work scheme has just been launched where i work, bonus! i hear you say! that's what i thought . . .

basically it all has to be done through halfrauds :evil: :x

as a former bike shop employee for 12years this grossly upsets and annoys me to say the least. it's not the company dictating this but the scheme itself.

just been to the presentation about it and after asking and sensibly arguing my points as to why i'd prefer to go to a local dealer i was told to shut up basically. thing was most of the other guys in the group wanted specific bikes aswel. not halfrauds own brands or whatever.

we have been told that halfrauds can get anything we want subject to availabilty, giant, specialized, trek, basically anything. they glossed over the fact that i didn't want to give that arse of a company any of my hard earned money, and that i didn't trust their mechanical skill, how many halfrauds do you know are cytec trained? or even if they are can be bothered to set up bikes correctly?

bottom line is i don't want to give these idiots my money. but i still want to get a bike on the scheme so . . .


WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS HAS ANYONE FOUND A WAY ROUND IT?

meaning can you get halfrauds to pay for the bike to a local dealer? i have heard it can be done but not sure how.


HELP!!!!!!!

 

[cannondale king]

i had three customers come to us at work that where told to use halfords only (suffolk police use the were cocks and going to halfruads scheme) but the just kp agueing and kicking up a big stink and threatened to go to the papers and such like to the point halfords purchased the bikes from us and sold them to the police scheme and we took ver the warrenty part as well good old stuban english attitude thats what you need

 

[Ziggy]

I'm in the same boat - it's pretty much the only reason I didn't leap on our scheme. :roll:

 

[jonnyboy666]

see as a former bike shop employee i have had the same experience, a customer came in for a bike and halfrauds sent a cheque for it but what i need to know was how the customer managed it!

is it, get the voucher off cyclescheme, go to halfrauds, moan like victor meldrew and go find a bike from a dealer you like and get them to issue a cheque?

 

[hamster]

Try the CTC forum, I remember a long discussion there.

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/

 

[OrangeRetro]

This all sounds a bit fishy.. loads of shops participate in the scheme. My local Leisure Lakes definetly do... maybe its different in different areas of the country?

Either way, swallow your pride.. I believe Halfords.. sorry Halfrauds can get any make, including Orange.. (I looked into this when I thought I had to get an insurance replacement from there, although you'd better check).. just order the bike and tell them to leave it alone and set it up yourself.

Are you really gonna pass up the chance of a half price bike? :shock:

By the way, I don't work for them before you ask, but I do have a couple of mates that do and they are competent bike mechanics.. I suppose it depends on your local store.

 

[jonnyboy666]

it's not the fact that they can or can't get the bike i want it's that i don't want them to have the money! maybe that's out of order but i would rather give my hard earned to someone of my choice.

as far as i'm concerned it's against my consumer rights to be told where to shop.

 

[OrangeRetro]

I have to agree that Halfords is the last place that I would want to buy a bike from, but if its the only option, which surely it can't be? Who gave the presentation at work? Was it somebody from the scheme?

Give leisure lakes a call and ask them what they need in from you to place an order through the scheme. I bet they know all the loop holes. Once they let the cat out of the bag you can get your new ride from anywhere you like.

 

[jonnyboy666]

also, the guy giving the presentation said that halfords get used so that the company gets 1 invoice for all the bikes for employees in one go when everyone has their bike rather than however many from different bikeshops and 20 invoices or whatever.

 

[cherrybomb]

I'm not sure how the system works but unless Halfords are funding the scheme themselves surely it's against free trade laws for one company to get funding to aid sales at the expense of others? :?

Certainly doesn't sit well with my morals (and they can be questionable at the best of times!).