£50 bike repair voucher from tonight

[jimriley]

From the .gov website. I'd rather spend it on parts and do the work myself, maybe a spare chain and rear block, slime tubes, tyres etc. The scheme says the LBS should do the work though. Hopefully they will be snowed under and will be happy to do just parts....

GuidanceFix your Bike Voucher Scheme: apply for a voucher
If you are a keen cyclist and have an old bike gathering dust at home, you can apply for a £50 voucher to get it repaired.
Published 28 July 2020
From:Department for Transport

Applies to:England (see guidance for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland)
Contents

1. Eligibility
2. How to apply
3. How the scheme works
4. Background

The Fix your Bike Voucher Scheme allows members of the public to receive a voucher worth up to £50 towards the cost of repairing a bicycle.
Registrations for members of the public who want to apply for a voucher open at 11:45pm on 28 July 2020 on the Energy Saving Trust website.
If you’re a bike repairer and want to take part in the scheme, read our guidance for bike repair businesses.
Eligibility
The scheme is open to anyone in England who has an unused cycle in need of a repair.
However, as there are a limited number of vouchers available, please consider the needs of others before applying for a voucher and do not delay making planned repairs outside of the scheme should your circumstances allow it.
Vouchers can only be used with bike repairers or mechanics that are registered for the scheme in England, and up to two vouchers can be claimed per household.
A full list of terms and conditions and eligibility criteria is provided when you register.
How to apply
If you are a cyclist, from 11:45pm on 28 July 2020, you can apply for a voucher on the Energy Saving Trust website.
How the scheme works

1. From 11:45pm on 28 July 2020, find a Fix your Bike Voucher Scheme-registered bike mechanic to repair your bike using Energy Saving Trust’s map of participating bike shops and mechanics.
2. Apply for a £50 voucher on the Energy Saving Trust website.
3. Bring your bike in to your chosen repairer to be fixed, using the voucher to cover up to £50 of the total cost of the repairs needed.
4. Enjoy cycling again.

Background
The Fix your Bike Voucher Scheme has been set up to encourage more people to embrace cycling, boost the number of commuting and leisure trips, and promote an alternative to public transport, while social distancing measures are in place.
It also aims to help reduce the number of short journeys made by private cars.

 

[jimriley]

Here's a thought @Woosh will/can you take the voucher towards my mid drive that's on order? that would be great.

 

[Gavin]

Here's a thought @Woosh will/can you take the voucher towards my mid drive that's on order? that would be great.

This is pasted from the retailer download on the EST website:

1.3. “Eligible Repairs”
1.3.1. “Eligible Repairs” means repairs that are:
1.3.1.1. necessary to make cycles roadworthy and fit for purpose; and
1.3.1.2. carried out on premises in England.
1.3.2. Eligible Repairs may include:
1.3.2.1. repairing or replacing tyres, tubes, wheels and related components;
1.3.2.2. adjusting, repairing or replacing braking system components;
1.3.2.3. adjusting, repairing or replacing transmission system components;
1.3.2.4. repairing or replacing other essential components which prevent safe use of
the cycle e.g. deteriorated grips or saddle;
1.3.2.5. repairing or replacement of components for permanently fitted lighting
systems.

1.3.3. The following repairs are not Eligible Repairs:
1.3.3.1. a sale of replacement parts without any repair work.
1.3.3.2. replacement or upgrade of existing safe and roadworthy components;
1.3.3.3. replacement or repair of removeable lighting accessories.
1.3.3.4. “Legal Requirements” means The Pedal Cycles (Construction and Use)
Regulations 1983 (SI 1983/1176) as amended from time to time; The
Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 (SI 1983/1168) as
amended from time to time; and The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations
1989 (SI 1989/1796) as amended from time to time and all law relating to
cycle roadworthiness.

 

[jimriley]

Thought there'd be a catch. No harm in asking. Now, what did I do with that pair of old tyres ... The ones with two drawing pins in? A coincidence, Nah, I rode over a towpath trap set by a boater to slow down speeding lycra louts...

 

[Nealh]

£50 isn't really going to get much work done on a bike tbh, by the time an LBS factors in there time I think peeps will be lucky to get a flat tyre repair/replaced, brakes working and a chain.
LBS will use up the whole voucher and won't surprise me if then ask the owner for more as they find other stuff to replace to make more profit.
Any bike unused for many years will seriously need a proper service inc all bearings and re-greasing from head set, BB to hub bearings.

It will be interesting to see or hear of repairs that folks across the various forums that are carried out and to what extent, one can't see much though for £50.

 

[jimriley]

A cynic might say it's the usual Boris' bike bluff and bluster, all show no real substance. Phwoar, who's for whiff whaff?
Bit like the dedicated separate cycle routes, how many roads are wide enough to accommodate such a cycle lane. They are saying paint on the road won't do. Certainly won't work on the roads I might use to get to town.

 

[cyclebuddy]

In Bedfordshire and other local counties for the last couple of years, mobile bike mechanics were paid by the councils to set up shop at local railway stations to offer free repair services, doing one day a week each at larger stations in their counties.

My local guy (Midland Mainline) was there every Thursday with his van, awning, bike-stands and always a cluster of bikes to repair - basic servicing, tyre replacements, punctures fixed, wheel alignments, spoke tensioning, gear adjustments, chain replacements etc. The Council paid for his time, but he'd charge you for parts... although he said he'd often throw in a new tube or cable for free. He always seemed busy. Not sure if that free service will continue to be offered given the huge shortfall of Council funding now.

I guess the voucher idea is to "help build the economy" by providing extra work to the local bike-shops as much as encouraging "the COVID susceptible overweight" to drag their old bikes out of the shed and "go green" instead of using cars/public transport. It helps answer a number of the governments current objectives.

 

[Martin3520]

I live in Wales, near the border. I will apply as I have a bike that needs spokes and brakes doing but not holding my breath.

 

[Amoto65]

I live in Wales, near the border. I will apply as I have a bike that needs spokes and brakes doing but not holding my breath

England only as far a I can see.

 

[WheezyRider]

£50 is pathetic. How much is it going to cost to administer such a system? It'll probably cost £50 just to process each application.

 

[soundwave]

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[soundwave]

does this cover any parts or is it just for the labour?

 

[jimriley]

does this cover any parts or is it just for the labour?

Covers both and not much of either.

 

[soundwave]

Covers both and not much of either.

so if i give them 20 quid can i have a £70 chain fitted ?

 

[Nealh]

so if i give them 20 quid can i have a £70 chain fitted ?

No.

 

[soundwave]

No.

why not?

 

[jimriley]

Probably so. I wonder what proof is needed that the bike is worthy of subsidy. What records they have to keep etc. Obviously the LBS makes more from labour but if demand is high it might be better to take the profit on spares. They are supposed to do the repair / replacement, the rules say they can't just sell you the parts. I've heard there's an LBS in Barnard Castle though...

 

[soundwave]

1.3.2.3. adjusting, repairing or replacing transmission system components;

so if i snap my chain ie remove it and take it to a lbs it is covered then, but they also need a photo of my bike.

1.2.3. Any electric bike which does not meet the requirements for EAPCs set out at https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules shall not be eligible for this repair scheme.

 

[Nealh]

The voucher has to be applied for online and then used at a participating LBS, these can be viewed on a map currently 374 repairers.
The £50 is parts and labour so you won't get much for your money.

 

[soundwave]

but parts are covered as above you need a chain for the bike to work i do have a 12spd xx1 rear mech and that is also the correct chain but its 70 quid lol.

it says nothing about how much a bike costs does it?