Halfords part 2

[LosingFocus]

[QUOTE 1383321"]
Carrera and Apollo are entirely different brands. I would never advise anyone to buy an Apollo bike, and would seriously suggest to the OP that he returns this one and gets something fit for more than 2 rides around the park per year.

Carrera bikes are fine. We have 2.
[/quote]

Yes, but the service should be the same no matter what you are buying.

 

[ian turner]

You're probably right, but I no longer have that bike now...

You'd probably still be better off than having the phaze for that matter

 

[martynjc1977]

It's not the service but brand quality, Apollo are a poor brand and use crap components, carrera are far better and not that much more expensive. You pays ya money and get what you pay for. My local halfords ain't that bad, and never had an issue with them or the service.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

If people can bend or break a rear cassette within a couple of days then surely the Apollo brand is not fit for purpose. (ie being a bicycle). You are not buying sold as seen and can reasonably expect the bike to last for a reasonable length of time.

It's not the service but brand quality, Apollo are a poor brand and use crap components, carrera are far better and not that much more expensive. You pays ya money and get what you pay for. My local halfords ain't that bad, and never had an issue with them or the service.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

If people can bend or break a rear cassette within a couple of days then surely the Apollo brand is not fit for purpose. (ie being a bicycle). You are not buying sold as seen and can reasonably expect the bike to last for a reasonable length of time.

+1, especially given Halfords build over 95% of the bikes they sell inhouse.

 

[abo]

carrera are far better and not that much more expensive.

But still beyond my current budget unfortunately, otherwise there'd be one sitting in my shed right now. Actually if I had a bit more than that it'd be a Cube Aim maybe.

Having ridden to town and back just now, I popped into my LBS and a guy with a long (blue) goatee (which always fills me with confidence, being a goatee wearer myself ) who had a look. He said the frame would last, and that the components on it, though cheap, shouldn't give me too much trouble as long as I kept on top of the maintainance. He clocked the different cassette, and it seems it has been supplied with a Shimano front mech rather than the Logan one advertised for some reason?

He also mentioned the unsealed bottom bracket; make sure it is looked after and maybe consider swapping for a sealed one.

 

[Grizzly]

I go a Carrera Kraken about 8 years ago, I got it for free due to Halfords making an ar$e of the paperwork. I still use it for towing the Trek Trailer with the wee fella in it so its the best bargain I've ever had. The point about "fit for purpose" is a fair point but what you need to remember is the "Trade Description Act". The price of an item is also a description of that item, you can't expect a cheap cassette to last as long as an expensive one, if its cheap to buy then its cheaply made. I would however blow a gasket if I was being sold such a poor quality product.
When it comes to recalls you need to remember the simple rule. If the cost of a recall is greater than the cost (or likely cost) of being sued, do to injury (or death) to someone as a direct result of a failure of your product, then you don't need to do a recall, and yes that is legal. There was a case in America a few years ago were a Jury awarded an injured party more than the cost of a recall (I'm sure someone will remember the figures better than I can but it was something like $27 mil awarded as cost of recall was an estimated $25 mil) just to work it right up Ford Motorcars.

 

[ian turner]

The first rule of Bicycle club is... don't mention Bicycle club
The cassette breaking a matter of days after purchase is ridiculous even for Apollo cycles. You expect something to break after a year and for the bike to be a tad on the heavy side and not too fast but with components that fragile it becomes more profitable not to sell it rather than replace it multiple times.

 

[Benthedoon]

I deal with Halfords on a daily basis through work and for me the biggest statement is the fact thet, of the employees that cycle to work (at Halfords) the vast majority don't ride something that they sell, and those that do have stripped and upgraded beyond recognition.
Carrera frame with after market components or, if they use C2W, a boardman.
Most of the staff bikes out the back are DMR, Identity jump/slalom bikes or battered old catalogue buys until they buy a car.

 

[Xiorell]

Halford have pissed me off 3 times in as many weeks. Won't go into the first two times, but today, I walked in to look at some of their better bikes. I first had a look over at the pannier racks and stuff for my hybrid before proceeding to check out the bikes. See a couple I liked the look of, obviously waiting for one of the 3 muppets behind the counter thing to enquire if I needed help... nothing, just stood around chatting. We'd not get away with that at my work place.

It shouldn't happen whatever price range you're looking at but I'd have thought when a guy has been checking out the 700-1000 pound kinda bikes for the last 20 or 30 mins, you might stop scratching your arse and go have a chat.

 

[abo]

Halford have pissed me off 3 times in as many weeks. Won't go into the first two times, but today, I walked in to look at some of their better bikes. I first had a look over at the pannier racks and stuff for my hybrid before proceeding to check out the bikes. See a couple I liked the look of, obviously waiting for one of the 3 muppets behind the counter thing to enquire if I needed help... nothing, just stood around chatting. We'd not get away with that at my work place.

It shouldn't happen whatever price range you're looking at but I'd have thought when a guy has been checking out the 700-1000 pound kinda bikes for the last 20 or 30 mins, you might stop scratching your arse and go have a chat.

Yeah that is pretty poor tbh. Do they not get a commission on bike sales there? I guess not, otherwise you can bet you arse they'd have been over to you...