Halfords

[Biker man]

Halfords have changed their management since I worked there and have done a lot of changes . Not so many staff and hardly any products on the shelves and that was before Covid.
They have put in a waiting room area. I don't know if that is for customers to be served !

Haven't been myself for a some time a lot of people are poo pooing them but they are selling a lot of bikes you have to pay through the nose to what folk here call proper bike shops .I bought my mine from a proper bike shop and they are very expensive.

 

[Alex321]

Halfords have changed their management since I worked there and have done a lot of changes . Not so many staff and hardly any products on the shelves and that was before Covid.
They have put in a waiting room area. I don't know if that is for customers to be served !

I would imagine that is only in the branches which have a service centre in eth same building. I haven't seen such a think in any of the branches I have been into recently, but none of them do have a service centre included.

 

[Alex321]

Evans probably do. PS there is still a shortage of bikes.

If it is one of the Halfords own brands (Apollo, Carrera, sort of Boardman, and seem to be sole UK distributor for VooDoo), then Evans won't have it, Tredz (owned by Halfords) are the only other store to carry any of those, and even they only carry Boardman.

 

[Alex321]

Haven't been myself for a some time a lot of people are poo pooing them but they are selling a lot of bikes you have to pay through the nose to what folk here call proper bike shops .I bought my mine from a proper bike shop and they are very expensive.

There is little difference in price between Halfords and most local Bike shops for similar quality bikes.

It is just that Halfords aim more at the mass-market, and so tend to carry mainly cheaper end bikes.

At the moment they hardly have any stock of anything that isn't one of their own brands (or sole distributor) either.

 

[Illaveago]

I would imagine that is only in the branches which have a service centre in eth same building. I haven't seen such a think in any of the branches I have been into recently, but none of them do have a service centre included.

No service centre , that went years ago .

 

[roadrash]

First sensible I have heard of you🤠

still waiting for one from you , may i suggest a new avatar....

 

[Chris S]

After her bike was stolen with no chance of getting it back ,my friend ordered a new one from Halfords,she phoned them to see when the bike would be ready she was put through to a call center in South Africa crazy .

It could have been worse - she might have been put forward to a call centre in India

 

[Cycleops]

Haven't been myself for a some time a lot of people are poo pooing them but they are selling a lot of bikes you have to pay through the nose to what folk here call proper bike shops .I bought my mine from a proper bike shop and they are very expensive.

The biggest shifter of bikes in the U.K. but is that good for you? Low pricesYou makes your choice and pays yer money. Do you want proper mechanics, not ham fisted ones, no out of country call centres and real after sales service?
it’s your choice.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The thing with Halfords seems to be that 'it depends'

I have come across some people who have been to Halfords to get a bike fixed and are delighted with the service
other - not so much - lots of horror stories
The thing it seems to depend on is the actual bike staff at that store - if they are good then the service and repairs will be good

I took my ebike to them a few years ago - it didn't need much doing but I asked for it to be 'serviced' at the same time
When I got it back it looked great - very clean - but the electrics didn't work - the throttle (legal - pre 2016 rules) was OK but pedal assists didn;t work at all
Turns out there was only 1 mechanic at the shop that "did ebikes" and he was on holiday
WHen he came back he took the electrics apart and put it back together but it still didn;t work
I had to get them to contact Powacycle (who made the ebike) and they got them sorted
AT the end the 'bloke who does ebikes' commented that he had learned a lot over the past few weeks!!!

I suspect he is pretty good at them by now

so - it all depends on the staff - they don;t have a good central 'levelling up' system

 

[Biker man]

I had a go

The biggest shifter of bikes in the U.K. but is that good for you? Low pricesYou makes your choice and pays yer money. Do you want proper mechanics, not ham fisted ones, no out of country call centres and real after sales service?
it’s your choice.

I had a gold service for my bike in a proper bike shop fancy name for daylight robbery.

 

[fossyant]

I had a go
I had a gold service for my bike in a proper bike shop fancy name for daylight robbery.

You are never happy are you. Winge winge winge.

Bloody retired folk, you sound like the mother in law. Too much time.👅

 

[classic33]

No service centre , that went years ago .

They've made changes recently, including bringing back the service centres.

 

[classic33]

I had a go
I had a gold service for my bike in a proper bike shop fancy name for daylight robbery.

If you don't like somewhere, don't use them. Use the money saved to service your own bike.

 

[fossyant]

I've usually bought my bike in boxes from retailers, including Halfords as my putting them together is better than the shop does.

The OPs friend could have insisted on a cheque from the insurance. You just have to stick to your guns.

 

[classic33]

still waiting for one from you , may i suggest a new avatar....
View attachment 632190

Isn't that taken?