Irelands Electric Bike Specialists

NEWS17/7/10
Goeco to feature on RTE 21/7/10 for NationWide

NEWS5/6/10
The New Wispers have arrived

NEWS15/5/10
first FREE ev charging station in Ireland at the woodlands hotel limerick

NEWS12/3/10
The brand new concept of a hybrid mountain bike is here, it even folds. We have taken the famous Swiss folding bike & used our 36v lithium kit to produce a product that could take the electric bike world by storm. (Special thanks to www.croagh.ie for the photoraphy)

NEWS17/2/10
Goeco have made the final 5 for the ALL IRELAND GREEN AWARDS to be awarded 11/2/10 (Fingers crossed)

NEWS15/2/10
New Small size Yakkay helemts now available

News3/1/10
Electric bike testing weekends have been published for 2010 so why not give it a go & get the price of the holiday back when you buy a Goeco bike.

News23/11/09
The VECTRIX has arived at our workshop. The only electric vehicle capable of traveling at the speed limit is available for a test ride. Call to book an appointment.

News28/9/09
This years national championships where the best year ever for Goeco with sales on site beating every other year at the show, orders for the next three Months are on the books now & it seems the word is now well & truly out that Goeco are the only people to speak with when it comes to electric bikes.

News08/9/09
Two new websites launched for Goeco, www.foldingbikes.ie & www.highnelly.ie both to expand on the work done by Goeco over the years & to bring once again a specialist touch to the bicycle industry in Ireland

See Goeco at the National Ploughing championships 22nd - 24th September all our products will be on display.

NEWS17/6/09
We have just finnished filming for the popular TV series NO FRONTIERS. The top of our range Rothar Glas 2 was used & received great reviews by the presenter & crew. To be Aired Feb 2010
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NEWS20/5/09
SwissBike & Montague Parratrooper bikes are only available in Ireland through Goeco. This supurb product is the only full size folding bike available on the market. If its good enough for the paratroopers to be dropped into battle with, I'm sure it will do Ballhoura proud in Limerick. SEE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE

Goeco have convinced the around the world electric bike tour to call to Ireland. Originally the tour would leave the USA & end in London but we made it clear to the team that Goeco have & are always striving forwards with the electric bike concept. Ireland is now on the itinerary.
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NEWS3/5/09
Goeco have sponsered Bill Mannering at 77 years of age to represent Ireland at the worlds premier electric bike race in Wales on the 9th & 10th of May 2009. We will be providing Bill with all the bikes & support he needs & hope he will bring something back to Ireland. The Tour-de-Presteigne is in its 4th year & growing at an incredable rate.
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NEWS18/4/09
3 New electric tricycles added to goeco,s range to help the Irish disability market.
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NEWS8/3/09
Goeco take Marathons Rolls Royce bike onboard

Danish e-bike manufacturer Marathon have after Months of negotiation awarded Goeco with the sole distribution of their Rolls Royce models. These bikes are the very top of the tree with hand built one off designed bikes with performance to beat anything in Europe.

2 models will be onboard from 13/3/09 which will be priced at €1300 to €1750



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NEWS10/3/09
ELECTRIC BICYCLE TOURING HOLIDAYS

The first Electric Bike Holiday in the World has taken place here in Ireland 13th – 15th March 2009.

The very first electric bicycle holiday in the World has taken place in Co Limerick, supported by Limerick Enterprise board & the woodlands house hotel Adare.

Goeco, Irelands only electric bicycle specialists came up with the concept to give people from all over the world the chance to see just what an electric bicycle has to offer as well as have a great week end away in Ireland.

Seven different models of electric bicycle were used to give a cross section of what’s on offer with basic bikes that cost around €600 to hand built Danish custom models which have never been seen in Ireland before which cost up to €1800.
Twenty Nine people took part with ages from 14 to 78, men & women, fit & unfit with Nine nationalities at the event in the Woodlands House hotel Adare which commenced with an opening dinner & ceremony conducted by MEP Brian Crowley & John Gallahue LCC Cathaoirleach.

“I applaud Marty & Paul from Goeco for their initiative, & to see so many people from all over Europe coming to Ireland for such an event is amazing in these trying times & its families like the Mannerings that we need to encourage to pull us through the problems we are facing” he added “we will come out of this recession the stronger for it with young lads like Paul here behind international initiatives like this when others are losing heart”

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NEWS
Goeco are the only Irish distributors for
Bicycle helmet which wins international design award

The recently established Danish bicycle helmet manufacturer YAKKAY has received the international IF Design Award.

The award, which is given once every year in Germany and is judged by an international jury of 28 persons, is regarded as one of the most prestigious in the world.

"We're very proud of this award", says Michael Eide, CEO of the company, which produces fashionable bicycle helmets with covering that makes them look like caps or sunhats.

YAKKAY's helmets, which are created by a group of Denmark’s most acknowledged industrial designers, first caught international attention earlier this year when the rumour of their new trendy helmet spread like wildfire over the internet. "Within 24 hours we had 15.000 hits on our web site www.YAKKAY.com and an overwhelming amount of offers for international distribution", says Michael Eide.

Today, the company exports to a number of European countries and the demand is increasing rapidly.
"We have undoubtedly hit the right spot", he says. With the new design award in the can,

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NEWS
4 December 2008

Electric bicycles added to cycle to work scheme

-Greens welcome addition and say change will increase take-up

The Green Party has welcomed an amendment to the Finance Bill permitting electric bicycles to avail of the new Cycle to Work scheme. Under the scheme commuters can claim tax relief on bicycles worth up to €1,000 every five years. Following representations to Green Party Leader John Gormley and the Minister for Finance, electric bicycles, which use battery power to help cyclists pedal uphill or against wind, will be added to the scheme.

Green Party Transport spokesperson Ciaran Cuffe TD said: “This is a sensible change that will allow electric bicycles that do not require road tax or insurance to be eligible for the scheme. I am confident that this will allow more commuters to utilise the scheme.

“Electric Bicycles have a role to play in reducing traffic congestion and lowering emissions. Older cyclists in particular find that these types of bicycles can make the difference between giving up cycling and staying on the bike for longer. I am pleased with the changes proposed by the Minister for Finance this week and hope that as many commuters as possible can look into switching from the car to the bike, because of this scheme.”
[ENDS]

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NEWS

Details of what was announced in the budget about tax free cycling for employees

check the Link on our home page to the European schemes then look below at what we are getting!!!!!!!

Goeco have been trying to arrange cycle to work schemes for years, we have held cycle days in various companies & local authorities in the absence of a scheme, we have given government ministers proposals several times with never a response. Then they come out with this excuse of a scheme over night for the budget. The details are not available other than what I have put here & how they arrived at this stage seems impossible to ascertain.

* what is the government proposing ?
* why are we getting sold short again?
* why can't we just have the same as the rest of Europe?

Details we have received so far

Details of the cycle to work scheme will be included in the Finance Bill. However, information insofar as it can be provided at this stage is set out below.

1. How will the bicycles be provided?

The bicycle can be funded by either the employer or through salary sacrifice of the employee but it must be purchased by the employer. Where funded by salary sacrifice there will be savings on tax, PRSI and levies.

2. If the bike is being bought by an employer or through an employer, does this mean that it is liable for VAT?

A. Yes. A VAT input credit is only allowable for goods and services that are used by a taxable person "for the purposes of his taxable supplies" (Section 12 (1) (a) VAT Act, 1972 (Amended)). As the bicycles will not be used for the purposes of taxable supplies no input credit is allowable. To clarify, the employer will not be able to reclaim the VAT on bicycles purchased on behalf of employees.

3. Will employers be obliged to facilitate the scheme or is participation voluntary, even if the employee wants to fund the bike themselves?

A. Participation will be voluntary for employers.

4. Can a bike be bought anywhere, e.g. online from abroad, or will it have to be bought in Ireland or indeed from a pre-approved selection of shops?

A. There will be no limits as to where the bike should be purchased.

5. Will there be any measure in place to ensure that people buying bikes under the scheme are actually using them to cycle into work? If so, will there be any minimum threshold on the amount of days a bike should be used?

A. Employers will not be permitted to purchase bikes for their employees where they do not believe that they will be used for cycling to and from work. At this stage, it is not envisaged that there will be a threshold on the amount of days a bike should be used; however, this is a matter for consideration in the context of the Finance Bill.

6. Are there any measures in place to prevent abuse of the scheme, such as someone using it to buy their child a bike for Christmas or buying a bike on behalf of a friend?

A. Employers will not be permitted to purchase bikes for their employees where they do not believe that they will be used for cycling to and from work by the employees in question. Employers will be subject to audit in relation to this as with other requirements of the tax code (see answer to Q. 10 below).

8. Is there a list of what “associated safety equipment” comes under the auspices of the scheme?

A. Please see attached document, which is the list of items likely to be approved by Revenue under the scheme.

9. Can the scheme be used to buy bike parts rather than a whole bike? In other words, if someone already has a bike, but needs new wheels or some other component, can they fund their purchase under the scheme?

A. No.

10. How will the scheme operate? Does an employer have to notify Revenue that they are participating. What kind of documentation is required?

A. It is not envisaged that there will be a notification process involved but the purchase of bicycles and associated safety equipment by employers for employees will be subject to the normal Revenue audit procedure with the normal obligations on employers to maintain records (e.g. invoices, salary sacrifice agreements between employer and employee, such agreements to include statement from the employee that the bicycle/bicycle safety equipment is for own use and will be used for travelling to and from work).



Qualifying safety equipment

· Cycle helmets which conform to European standard EN 1078

· Bells and bulb horns

· Lights, including dynamo packs

· Mirrors and mudguards to ensure riders visibility is not impaired

· Cycle clips and dress guards

· Panniers, luggage carriers and straps to allow luggage to be safely carried

· Locks and chains to ensure cycle can be safely secured

· Pumps, puncture repair kits, cycle tool kits and tyre sealant to allow for minor repairs

· Reflective clothing along with white front reflectors and spoke reflectors

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