Halfords

[RiflemanSmith]

Just picked up a Carrera Blast from Halfords for his Birthday today, was pleased with the bike.
Looks good, value for money decent components for a kids bike.
I was really shocked how they could have let this bike leave the workshop!
I know how bad they are that is why I wouldn't even take it there for its free 6 week service, I have always had nothing but trouble from Halfords.
That being said this bike had no brakes what so ever, the rear brake was slack and the tension adjuster on the brake lever was out to the max already!
I had to cut an inch and a half off the rear brake cable outer.
I had to tension both brake cables correctly, and adjust the brake pads so they were just clear of the rotor on all four pads as they were either rubbing or not even touching when the brakes were engaged.

 

[DaveyM]

Hope the little fella enjoys the bike now you have sorted it for him.

 

[Sandra6]

I hope you pointed these things out to them in the shop.
It is shocking that bikes are sold in such shoddy repair, but if nobody ever pulls the mechanics for their failings they'll just keep churning them out.
I hope the bike is well received now it's in working order though.

 

[EltonFrog]

You should send those points to Halfords Head Office.

 

[Scuba-phil]

Which store was it?

 

[paul04]

I've not had any problems with my local halfords store, really helpfull in there.
Like CarlP said, I would write a letter to head office, if no one informs them, then they can't fix the problem.

 

[Sandra6]

You should send those points to Halfords Head Office.

l
On every till receipt from Halfords there's a bit on the top about giving feedback, www.tellhalfords or something. It generates a print out which is put up in the staff room weekly, good comments are rewarded and the bad don't go ignored.
And you get entered into a prize draw for £1000!

 

[craven2354]

I hear halfords have a new "we will make the customer happy no matter what policy" I'm told the staff are no longer aloud to tell the customer he/she is wrong even if they are and do everything in their power to make the customer happy not 100% sure it's all stores I'm sure Sandra can tell more whether I'm wrong or right

 

[RiflemanSmith]

Which store was it?

Enfield.
I have never had nothing but problems with that branch.
Bought a car stereo for my missus sent her in to get it fitted, it wasn't wired up properly or shielded.
LW/MW bands could not get a signal and engine and indicators interfered with the signal.

Bought my Voodoo from there, I had ordered online and paid for the bike and some other kit.
I picked up some other stuff and went to pay.
I gave the dive on the till my receipt for the bike and bits she looked at it and then went on to charge me for every thing I had already paid for, She had to get some one else to come and refund it.
On the way home the bell fell off, so I got home and went round snugging every thing and lots of stuff was loose.
The chainring guard was put on over the top of the protective shipping plastic and instead of taking it off they just pulled it off so there were tufts of plastic sticking out.

Thought that I would order some stuff and get it delivered so I wouldn't have to deal with the zombies/staff in the shop.
Two weeks later my order hadn't turned up, so I email them and get a response that they had been ringing my work on a number to pass the verification process for two weeks but no one was answering.
1. I never gave them my work number.
2. Even if they had the right number and got through I we have different sites.
3. Did it not occur to the idiot that,Oh no one is answering on this number I should check it, or find another way to verify and to contact the buy to let them know what is going on.
4. I buy alot of stuff online and never experienced any like that at all.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...e-Halfords-is-named-Britains-worst-store.html

 

[defy-one]

Hope this isn't tempting fate .... halfords Uxbridge is pretty good. I have bought a few things from there cycle related. No issues :fingerscrossed

 

[Sandra6]

I hear halfords have a new "we will make the customer happy no matter what policy" I'm told the staff are no longer aloud to tell the customer he/she is wrong even if they are and do everything in their power to make the customer happy not 100% sure it's all stores I'm sure Sandra can tell more whether I'm wrong or right

It's certainly not my policy
But - yes, we are supposed to find a happy outcome even when the customer brings in something they clearly bought in the 70's and claims it was a gift last Thursday and inexplicably broken despite the fact we can see where they've taken a hammer to it.
The general rule of thumb is avoid a call to head office at all costs - unless it's about charging for carrier bags which is about the only area where you get their full support!

 

[thefollen]

The majority of things I've purchased from Halfords either haven't lasted long or let me down- generally poor quality. I avoid buying anything complicated from them unless really stuck. Stuff like alan keys, oil etc are fine however.

You may get some stores where the bike people are actually good. I'd recommend if you do decide to go Halfords, obtain some word-of-mouth experiences for a particular store before purchasing a bike or anything technical.

 

[Teuchter]

Someone I work with uses a fairly horrible looking, cheap Halfords Y-framed mountain bike to get around town and I'd done some work on it for him - he was having issues with brakes and gears.

The bike had been assembled (by Halfords) with the front fork facing backwards. It was a straight suspension fork so he'd been able to ride around on it fine and I only realised myself when I went to the front brakes and realised they were on the back of the fork. I slackened the stem and turned everything around the right way.

This wouldn't put me off using Halfords but if I ever bought a bike from them, I'd want to check everything over myself before riding it. Then again I do this for any new bike I or the kids get anyway, regardless of where it's come from. The trouble is shops like Halfords get used a lot by people who have no knowledge themselves and put all of their trust in the shop's staff.

 

[RiflemanSmith]

I was slightly foxed by this comment (in bold above) about cutting the length of the outer.

I've spent years (decades?) goofing around with frames and bars and wheels and cables to make bicycles out of bits. I'm doing all my very small brain can do to work this one out, but I cannot. I've never had to cut anything off a cable outer to get a brake to function. Never.

Is this something one only has to consider with cable discs? I've never worked on a cable disc brake... But I don't get the logic of having to cut down the length of the outer...

I've seen a house fly, I even seen a horse fly, but I aint never seen an elephant fly... and I've never had to cut the length of a bowden-cable outer to make a bicycle brake function.

Have I led a very sheltered life, or is there a joke I'm not getting here?

Anyone out there wise (and diplomatic) enough to gently explain this procedure to a numbskull?

No I explained what I had to do to get the brakes to work?
1. I had to adjust each brake pad.
2. I had to adjust the brake cable correctly (pinchbolt).

The outer was just too long and was making the angle to acute, which would of worn the cable unduly.

See picture there was a big loop so the swivel was pointing down between the top caliper bolt and the black pad adjuster.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Just picked up a Carrera Blast from Halfords for his Birthday today, was pleased with the bike.

Sorry you had problems, but I vote for crap service with my feet, I never cross the threshold of a shop again, you have had 3 instances, you must enjoy it.

Alan...