Work has signed up to a scheme to encourage people to cycle to work, and in so doing promote health and fitness within our workplace.  Many employers have this sort of thing as an ongoing scheme, however at our place if we want a new bike we have to sign up by 17th July.

Anyway the key thing about the scheme is that it saves us, the employee/cyclist, money.  How it works is, I go out and have a look round the list of

cycle shops that we're given (in this case local traders - a group that I'm trying to do my bit for these day).  We go back to the office with the price of the new bike - as well as associated cycle kit that we want as well.  Work then buys the bike (claiming back the VAT), and is then rented back to us for 12 months. 

There is an extra incentive, as the money we pay to the office is not subject to Income Tax & National Insurance,  so at the end of the 12 months we've got our bikes for a little over half price.

There has to be a downside, and as far as I can see from the small print is that I have to cycle to work at least 50% of the time while the contract is in effect.  That's no great hassle for me as the only time I haven't cycle to work over the last year is when the snow was too deep for it to be safe.  The other thing is that your bike belongs to the office for the duration of the hire agreement,when at the end we get the opportunity to buy our machines outright for a 'nominal sum'.  The people administrating the scheme tell me that this will work out to be about £25 for me.

Of course I've leaped on this opportunity, Ive been round the bike shops already and ordered this baby...

...She's the Giant Terrago Disc, a hard-tail with Suntour 1000mm travel forks, which also has hydraulic lock-out for the uphill stretches and smoother tracks, and hydraulic disc brakes for the run down the hill on the other side.  In addition 27 gears, with Shimano shifters and dérailleurs, all this lot is mounted on a lightweight alloy frame.  With a new helmet and a few bits and piece like mudguards the list price is about £500, but of course the actual cost works out to be a lot less!!!

The real downside is that I don't take devilvery until the end of July - I can hardly wait!!!