Twenty Inch
Guru
- Location
- Behind a desk
Jake said:
OH yes!
Plax I usually stop if I see a cyclist in trouble, or wheeling a bike, irrespective of gender - and people have stopped for me. Random acts of kindness and all that...
How much worse can Halfords get?
- Thread starter Twenty Inch
- Start date
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OH yes!
Plax I usually stop if I see a cyclist in trouble, or wheeling a bike, irrespective of gender - and people have stopped for me. Random acts of kindness and all that...
Funtboy
Well-Known Member
- Location
- London via Jarrow
leoc said:While they're generally pretty good in there and I've had some good service, they set up my road bike pretty badly. HiLo stops wrong on front derailleur so it wouldn't change up and the cable on the rear brake pulled through first time I braked hard on the rear. Actually the derailleur thing got me interested in doing my own maintenance as I couldn't be bothered to take it back and argue.
To be fair I've only bought a few odds and sods in there but it was loads better than OKR Halfords.
goo_mason
Champion barbed-wire hurdler
- Location
- Leith, Edinburgh
My first Bike2Work bike in 2006, a Carrera Vulcan, was from Halfords. Fortunately I'd been told to get slicks fitted for commuting by a guy at work, so that was a better start.
However, on the way home the front reflector fell off, and then the saddle slid forward on the rails and was hanging off. The chainrings were grinding away on the front derailleur nicely too (which they failed to spot at its 6-week service until I asked if they'd fixed it as I was leaving - I suspect they put the bike in a cupboard for 2 days and then handed it back to me with their "it was completely fine" report.
They also managed to lose the rear wheel of the SCR2 - it started breaking spokes within a week of getting it back in April and they told me to return it to their HO down south for a rebuild, and it'd be back with me within a week. I waited weeks and weeks, and finally they stopped responding to my calls and emails. They'd lost the wheel so thought that if they ignored me, I'd forget about it. It was only sorted out by a call from our HR Department to their Halfords Bike2Work account manager.
Needless to say there were other things wrong with the SCR2 when I picked it up from them - gears not indexed, brakes set at normal working distance with the quick release open, so that closing the quick release locked the brakes against the rims. Brakes not attached securely to the frame / forks so that they moved easily from side to side.
I'm afraid that I don't have a high opinion of their standards.
However, on the way home the front reflector fell off, and then the saddle slid forward on the rails and was hanging off. The chainrings were grinding away on the front derailleur nicely too (which they failed to spot at its 6-week service until I asked if they'd fixed it as I was leaving - I suspect they put the bike in a cupboard for 2 days and then handed it back to me with their "it was completely fine" report.
They also managed to lose the rear wheel of the SCR2 - it started breaking spokes within a week of getting it back in April and they told me to return it to their HO down south for a rebuild, and it'd be back with me within a week. I waited weeks and weeks, and finally they stopped responding to my calls and emails. They'd lost the wheel so thought that if they ignored me, I'd forget about it. It was only sorted out by a call from our HR Department to their Halfords Bike2Work account manager.
Needless to say there were other things wrong with the SCR2 when I picked it up from them - gears not indexed, brakes set at normal working distance with the quick release open, so that closing the quick release locked the brakes against the rims. Brakes not attached securely to the frame / forks so that they moved easily from side to side.
I'm afraid that I don't have a high opinion of their standards.
Jake
New Member
my other half took my beloved to the place in selfridges, is it cycle surgery? for a service. They hadnt done anything to it which i could tell. I.e breaks still shoot, chain not even oiled. How could i tell nothing had been done? becusae it was still filthy when it came back to me lol.
Bike at the moment is feeling a bit odd, the handlbars and stearing isn't feeling right. felt it last night about 15mins into jounry and again this morning. not sure how best to describe it. hada quick look over the front end and cant see any cracks etc.
PS can i add that i had not used the bike for maybe a year or 2, it had been chained up inside all that time.
Bike at the moment is feeling a bit odd, the handlbars and stearing isn't feeling right. felt it last night about 15mins into jounry and again this morning. not sure how best to describe it. hada quick look over the front end and cant see any cracks etc.
PS can i add that i had not used the bike for maybe a year or 2, it had been chained up inside all that time.
I bought a bike from halfords and they built it and issued their 'safety certificate'. The brake levers went right back to the bars and failed to stop me when I rode it round their car park - they were even worse when they adjusted them, they'd forgotten to fit the pannier racks I bought, forgotten to fit the mudguards I bought (and when they did fit them, they rubbed against the tyres), not bothered to straighten the rim tape which led to 2 punctures in my first 2 outings, sold me the wrong size inner tubes so I was stranded when I had my punctures, and they even failed to pump up the tyres to the correct pressure.
I've now rapidly learned how to adjust disc brakes, fit and adjust mudguards, fit pannier racks and finally got my bike the way it should be. I've also spent a small fortune on inner tubes before realising my rim problem (!) I love my new bike, but I think I'll decline Halfords offer of a free 8 week service !
I've now rapidly learned how to adjust disc brakes, fit and adjust mudguards, fit pannier racks and finally got my bike the way it should be. I've also spent a small fortune on inner tubes before realising my rim problem (!) I love my new bike, but I think I'll decline Halfords offer of a free 8 week service !
Chris James
Über Member
- Location
- Huddersfield
In the interest of balance, it isn't only Halfords that can be bad.
Many years ago my sister bought a Dawes tourer from an LBS near where she lived in Sevenoaks. I asked to have a quick go on it and set off down the steep hill they lived towards the top of.
I was a little worried as I reached full speed to find that the quill stem hadn't been tightened up and the bars were moving uselessly in my hands!
Many years ago my sister bought a Dawes tourer from an LBS near where she lived in Sevenoaks. I asked to have a quick go on it and set off down the steep hill they lived towards the top of.
I was a little worried as I reached full speed to find that the quill stem hadn't been tightened up and the bars were moving uselessly in my hands!
spandex
I love Dr D
Er Er Er Er no I am not going to get stuck in
freewheelwilly
Senior Member
- Location
- London
Hi, new member here.
The only time i used Halfords for cycling needs was when some f*cker stole my front wheel from my mountain bike. As this was my main mode of transport and a massive pisser on the day ( i had done some shopping 2 miles away from my birds gaff and had to wheel the thing home on its rear wheel in my cleated road shoes ), i thought i'd finally take advantage of my insurance and made a claim.
1 month later i my insureres directed me to my nearest Halfords store to pick up my new wheel. What a suprise i got when i was presented with an Alien Industry wheel! Better still, the chap behind the counter was a wheel builder himslf and i've used him ever since for my rtoad bike.
Lucky chance encounter because to be fair Halfords are rubbish. If you want a good stereo you don't go to Currys or Dixons. Likewise, if you want a good bike or components don't go to Halfords.
The only time i used Halfords for cycling needs was when some f*cker stole my front wheel from my mountain bike. As this was my main mode of transport and a massive pisser on the day ( i had done some shopping 2 miles away from my birds gaff and had to wheel the thing home on its rear wheel in my cleated road shoes ), i thought i'd finally take advantage of my insurance and made a claim.
1 month later i my insureres directed me to my nearest Halfords store to pick up my new wheel. What a suprise i got when i was presented with an Alien Industry wheel! Better still, the chap behind the counter was a wheel builder himslf and i've used him ever since for my rtoad bike.
Lucky chance encounter because to be fair Halfords are rubbish. If you want a good stereo you don't go to Currys or Dixons. Likewise, if you want a good bike or components don't go to Halfords.
spandex
I love Dr D
Welcome freewheelwilly
freewheelwilly
Senior Member
- Location
- London
spandex said:
*doffs cycle cap*
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Evening FWW!!
Keep your freewheel away from my... please!
Keep your freewheel away from my... please!
freewheelwilly
Senior Member
- Location
- London
BentMikey said:
no worries. i stear well clear of everyone - cant trust anyone on the road these days. cabbies, truckers, school run mummies, cyclists and bladers
Twenty Inch
Guru
- Location
- Behind a desk
Just found this on blaggers forum, written by a Halfords employee. To summarise, he is saying that all they are interested in is getting 20 bikes a day out the door, 70 a day in the run up to Christmas. If you want something done to your bike subsequently, you need to buy something.
What a great advert for your LBS.
"secondly,
bike hut.
now however much i appreciate that the service you recieve from a halfords store in the southern part of the country is far from perfect. 99% of halfords bike hut employees are avid bike riders, bike mechanics and some are even trophy winners, (we had james and richard norton in our bike hut, james is one of the best British bmx and 4 cross riders and richard norton is 4th in the british DH (down hill) series sponsored by Solid bikes)
to put some more emphasis on this. i run the parts dept at one of our stores and i have never worked on cycles. i also ride DH and go to france and scotland frequently. the Ripspeed specialist rides flat land BMX and is sponsored too.
the stress involved on the bike hut is something you will never know about untill you actualy experience it. there is usualy 3 people full time employed for cycles, they build on average 20 different bikes a day, have to have them PDI'd and ready for a set collection time whilst serving customer that come to the store, services, and repairs too. this is exacerbated at x-mas as the workload more than tripples, we have almost 70 bikes a day leaving our store and all the time the bike hut staff are working harder than ever to, unbox, build and check these bikes. so the last thing you would need whilst doing this is for someone who had quite obviously snapped their chain to come in and ask for the area manager.... you see how frustrating this can be?.... if you have snapped your chain, come and buy a new one.... then ask if someone could replace it as your in a hurry. this will usualy get them over to you, and because of the workload, resolved very quickly. if it doesnt then take it further. but 9 out of 10 times people who have obviously broken their bike through impropper usage come in with a HUUUGE chip on their shoulders. the saying "the customer is allways right" is a load of rhubarb. they are right up untill the point where they are to blame. and even then we will still honour our customer service requirements. but it also comes back to the other age old saying, you get what you pay for. dont expect something like a mountain bike for £80 to perform or even last very long. after all, the forks on my bike were £950, the chain was £55 etc etc. if it brakes, youve done something wrong"
What a great advert for your LBS.
"secondly,
bike hut.
now however much i appreciate that the service you recieve from a halfords store in the southern part of the country is far from perfect. 99% of halfords bike hut employees are avid bike riders, bike mechanics and some are even trophy winners, (we had james and richard norton in our bike hut, james is one of the best British bmx and 4 cross riders and richard norton is 4th in the british DH (down hill) series sponsored by Solid bikes)
to put some more emphasis on this. i run the parts dept at one of our stores and i have never worked on cycles. i also ride DH and go to france and scotland frequently. the Ripspeed specialist rides flat land BMX and is sponsored too.
the stress involved on the bike hut is something you will never know about untill you actualy experience it. there is usualy 3 people full time employed for cycles, they build on average 20 different bikes a day, have to have them PDI'd and ready for a set collection time whilst serving customer that come to the store, services, and repairs too. this is exacerbated at x-mas as the workload more than tripples, we have almost 70 bikes a day leaving our store and all the time the bike hut staff are working harder than ever to, unbox, build and check these bikes. so the last thing you would need whilst doing this is for someone who had quite obviously snapped their chain to come in and ask for the area manager.... you see how frustrating this can be?.... if you have snapped your chain, come and buy a new one.... then ask if someone could replace it as your in a hurry. this will usualy get them over to you, and because of the workload, resolved very quickly. if it doesnt then take it further. but 9 out of 10 times people who have obviously broken their bike through impropper usage come in with a HUUUGE chip on their shoulders. the saying "the customer is allways right" is a load of rhubarb. they are right up untill the point where they are to blame. and even then we will still honour our customer service requirements. but it also comes back to the other age old saying, you get what you pay for. dont expect something like a mountain bike for £80 to perform or even last very long. after all, the forks on my bike were £950, the chain was £55 etc etc. if it brakes, youve done something wrong"
PBancroft
Senior Member
- Location
- Winchester
Twenty Inch said:
Actually, I think what he says is pretty much spot on, and fair enough.
Halfords isn't about high-end equipment, which he acknowledges. A £70 bike isn't going to be particularly robust, just like a £4k car isn't going to be. He seems to get a bit confused about his own argument towards the end, but otherwise is pretty accurate.
Any big chain sooner or later is going to be all about the sales... in fact most trading businesses will be no matter the size. Halfords is the Tesco of the car and bike world. It's cheap, readily accessible, provides disposable goods, and populated by the masses. But at least you can be relatively sure you're going to get what you expect.
Your LBS, on the other hand, is more like a farmer's market. More expensive for what could seem to be the same product, but its usually of a higher quality, provide more satisfaction, served to you by people who know where it came from and can tailor to your needs. The danger is that there is the odd unscrupulous trader who doesn't have to answer to corporate identity.
thomas
the tank engine
- Location
- Woking/Norwich
When I once needed some help (cleet had come loose so shoe was stuck in pedal) the guys in the halford's branded bike shop (not within halford, a bike shop, but owned by halfords) were really friendly, funny and helpful!
I was really pleased with the service there, just as an example
I was really pleased with the service there, just as an example
