London Fixed-gear and Single-speed SJS Cycles

After looking around for a cheap bike to buy and convert to single speed I had a chat with my boss about evans cycles ride2work scheme where I can pay the bike up before tax+ni minus vat. Hopefully we'll be able to get this sorted out and a bike bought in the next few weeks. I think it'd have to be a bike that evans can get because they seem to be the only people who are offering it right now. It looks like either the Specialized Langster, Charge Plug, Bianchi Pista or maybe the Ridgeback Genesis Flyer.

The Langster I don't think I want because it's made of aluminium (£400)
I like the look of the Charge Plug but I know no one will have first hand experience of it yet because it's not been released (£400)
The Bianchi will need a front brake bringing the cost further to around £475-£500 ish (can it take a front brake?)
The Ridgeback looks pretty awesome from the specs and I'd say out of them all it's probably the one I'd most like but it's the most expensive at £500

The bike would have to be a production bike available through evans because that's the only way I'll be able to spend £400-£500 on it. Anybody able to help out with some opinions on the bikes. Also what accessories would you say are a good idea to lump in. To be eligible they have to be commuting related such as locks, lights and helmets. Possibly tools aswell but I might just have to buy them myself.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/ also do bike to work through Halfords.
http://www.evanscycles.com/ride2work.jsp for FAQs.
HOw is the Flyer the most expensive.. you've said £500 for each bike??
I'd get as many accessories as possible if they're half-price.. so long as they were necessary.

You can get away with getting most things on the scheme, the shop don't care and as Hippy says, when it's half price you might as well get what you can. Check out cyclescheme.co.uk, they set the scheme up for your work and it means you don't have to go to Evans, they have loads of partner shops. I've got all three of my bikes through it and it rules!! The calculator on the Evans site is handy as though.

Also the Charge Plug was reviewed in the new C+, got 8/10 overall, 9 for handling.

Brixton cycles are part of that scheme and they'll build you a custom. I tried to do that myself my rubbish company don't want to give me any money.

If you use Halfords you get your VAT back as accessories. i.e 17.5% of £500 or £87.50. They can pretty much order you anything. It does take longer if the brand isn't a 'preferred supplier' - they have to send the company/distributor a cheque. This was the case when I ordered my Pomp. Took about 3 weeks from placing the order to receiving it. Not long but I'm impatient ;-)

Sorry, I've changed the prices now. I just got used to writing £500. I'll try halfords and cyclescheme also.

edit ; oh, you've changed h prices now

Don't discount the Fuji track as well - its a decent little number (about 300 quid too). Its almost as good as the Pista but without the blinging chrome. (BTW the Bianchi Pista is drilled for a front brake).

I would say try and find shops with all of them, give them all a ride and see see which one you like the feel of the best, it won't do any harm and may through up a few questions in your mind or may settle some, either way it won't do any harm.

I'm liking the look of the Bianchi and it's blinging chrome. Is the Fuji Track drilled for a brake also ?

yes it is.. never having ridden another fixed (but did ride a singlespeed a while ago) I can say I really like the fuji track. Some cheap looking (and feeling) components, but that's to be expected on a complete bike, right?

Also I'd say most shops do the cycle 2 work scheme, whatever they call it.. Awesome for you on having a nice boss! My many-multi-million dollar profit bosses feel they shouldn't tie up money on bikes! GRRR.

And just to throw one more bike into the pile - the Kona paddy wagon may be worth looking at too.

As TheBrick says, the only way to really know what you want esp as this is your first fixie, is to go and ride a few (even if they're just set-up as single-speed). You'll quickly know what kind of geometry you like as well as what other details seem important to you.

Ive had a Bianchi Pista as my first fixed wheel bike. Love it and never had any problems with it. Just upgraded stuff slowly as ive had time and money.

My flatmate's got a Lemond Fillmore, he's never off it, loves it! £450 at the very righteous Brixton Cycles... Surlys in there too... Gotta big up my LBS! :-)

Forgot to mention, Cavendish Cycles'll build you an IRO Mark V up from scratch for £620, £660 with Deep-V bling... Might be outside your budget but nice rides...

seconded

there's also the Pearson Touche... isn't that £500

Thirded!

I have loved mine ever since I bought it about a year ago. It's frame is also a bit more classic than the langster/flyer ones, much prettier in my opinion.

Have you looked at CycleScheme, which is the same as the Evans scheme. Means you can go to Cycle Surgery and lots of independent bike shops, like BrickLane Bikes. Might open up your choices a little!

or this, i think it comes in at 350 notes

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/lifestyle/

that bowery's gross. i think i just puked a little bit.

I quite like it!

But I am a newbie!

im in two minds

it's practically a sit-up-and-beg. in fact i think old nasty auntie em rode one at the beginning of the wizard of oz through the tornado that sweeps dorothy and toto out of kansas.

looks better than a langster in my opinion, but I don't quite like compact frames.. They look a bit too much like a mountain bike!

It's nicer looking than most similar-priced bikes. I'd ride one (if someone else bought it).

yeah, it's not bad. sensible lack of decals will sell it well.

consider myself outvoted on this one. i reserve judgement, i think it looks plain wrong.

One things on the whole cycle2work thing - avoid Halfords.

I work for a small firm (<75 UK employees) and I'm trying to guide our HR bod through signing us up with someone half decent. With Halfords it seems that the bike you buy is limited by scheme size with only those with more than 100 people signing up getting anything outside Halfords stock range. I think this a relatively recent change.

We looked at Velorution (sp?) and a couple of others 'open-source' schemes but it looks like we're signing up with Evans on the promise that we can get whatever we want - I'm after a folding commuter so it looks like a Bike Friday or Airnimal are going to be the best bets (there's a fixed Airnimal that I quite fancy copying)...

i think it looks o.k, certainly better than a langster

Where I work (local authority) we just had to find the bike we wanted at any dealer that was taking part in the scheme. There's no necessity to 'sign-up' with any one dealer for everyone. You can find a national list of participating shops on the bike2work site.

my work is through halfords. a few of us have tried to get multiple bikes from outside there range and they say "sorry we are unable to purchase that product". f@""@n wankers, can get stuffed. And this is from a big workplace. it may be ok if you want a £100 shitter though, but if you are a cyclist forget about it.

But like I say, you don't have to go to Halfords....

I like those on ones.
But the fuji track is a nice bike. Some guy in my building has one, and it is lovely to look at.

why isn't there a scheme like this for students?
Or is there?

totally should be

ps. just remembered. How can you take a salary sacrifice from someone who doesn't get paid?

exactly what i keep saying to our finance people, but they have some exclusive deal with halfords. i persisted for a while, but gave up in disgust.

exactly what i keep saying to our finance people, but they have some exclusive deal with halfords. i persisted for a while, but gave up in disgust.[/quote]

Bummer - non-cyclists trying to foist crap bikes of which they know nothing on to aficionados...

I think the Halfords/Evans type place offer to do all of the paperwork, which is why companies use them exclusively.

Has anyone actually pitched the idea to a boss or their company? How did you go about it?

please don't sack me but ......

might be a good way to start !!

I tried. It didn't work well. We've just been bought and so they pretty much said "sounds like a great idea but we'll have to have a look at next year". Also about half of the employees live over 50 miles away so there wouldn't be a huge number of people signing up here but maybe at the other sites there would be.

Sell it to them on environmental, cost saving (they don't pay the matched NI that you don't either) and image (loadsa cyclists, green office, happy workforce, incentive etc etc). It worked for us and the company brag about it all the time. Also the guy who will be saying yes or no is not the one who has to do the admin usually so as long as they say yeah you're ok.

It seems that nearly all of the cyclists are at work on time, where as the rest of the Tubers (?!?) are always the late comers. We are a pretty laid back office, I must say, and no-one really gives a crap if you're late but I think the ol' "problems on the tube" has become an excuse to stay in bed for half an hour more.

That is the line I will be taking (as well as the "environmental, cost saving (they don't pay the matched NI that you don't either) and image (loadsa cyclists, green office, happy workforce, incentive etc etc")

One thing is though - Don't all of the people that want to cycle have bikes? I think work needs to be done on the people that might take it up, if they get a cheap bike.

And I'm not that sure that I'm the man for the job, as I use the fact that it takes me less time than everyone else to get in (45mins) to get my extra half hours sleep.

The people who already have bikes thing, well, that didn’t ever stop me. I’ve used the scheme 3 times now and I will use it again, for ever if I can. I’ve given up my tube pass for pre pay, saving me about £60 a month so I spend that, plus whatever extra I feel like when I sign up each year, on a bike each month. I guess you could arrange a quick straw pole, outlining the details of the scheme and find out who would be up for it. We are a nation who loves to get a bargain and this really is one, no doubt.

As for the getting an extra half hour in bed from being late on the tube, people who take the tube would surely (if they only knew I guess) prefer to be out in the air, slowed down only by their own laziness rather than at the whim of some industrial action, suicidal loon, signal failure. Maybe sell it to those people like that? You don’t have to use the bike everyday to get to work and let’s face it, how on earth would the government check anyway? Plus yeah, it’s quicker, gets you fit and takes an almost set amount of time each day. The only downside with that last point is that it makes it hard for you to be late but then again punctures can happen any time! :)

I'm looking at getting an off the shelf SS. Am currently torn between Fillmore from LeMond and the Genesis Flyer. Definitely want a steel frame, think as far as looks go the LeMond is just ahead, but a £50 more... plus the Flyer has Reynolds tubing, which I can't say I know much about but it's always mentioned in the reviews!

Am going to call into Cycle Surgery and Evan's in Holburn tomorrow to see if I can arrange a test ride both. Looks like the Genesis is easier to get hold of. Anyone got any tips when looking at these two bikes? Or suggestions to which way I should go? All advise and help welcome!

The BB's too low.

but if anyone's SW london based, Moose cycles in Colliers Wood have the charge plug and the giant bowery if you want to check them out in the flesh

Can get hold of the lemond at brixton cycles, and to me it looks like a better bike...

i'd go for the lemond as well. there are chainline issues with the flyer.

lemond as well. was going to buy one a few months back, but they were all sold out around the country :(

top tube slopes the wrong way...