Kwik Fit servicing bikes

[ebikeerwidnes]

I find it odd that a company would want to associate with another organisation that has a chequered history.
As evidenced here, the Kwik fit brand is not well thought of.
I fail to see the value for Fettle.

They may well be not thought well of - but everywhere I have lived the place seems to have a reasonable flow of cars coming in and out

Branding and marketing can do real wonders!

As far as Fettle is concerned - they get a place that everyone knows about and a place with good access and parking available

the move may well make sense for them - although lots of business moves that make sense at the time turn out to be less well avised in the cold light of day

we shall see

If it works I can see Halfords starting to service bikes in their car tyre places - I noticed that I bought my tyres from Halfords a few months ago when the big sign outside said National - so I presume they have taken over the tyre place

 

[FishFright]

A point which seems lost on many.

Next you'll be expecting them to read past the op before posting their opinion!

 

[Paulus]

They may well be not thought well of - but everywhere I have lived the place seems to have a reasonable flow of cars coming in and out

Branding and marketing can do real wonders!

As far as Fettle is concerned - they get a place that everyone knows about and a place with good access and parking available

the move may well make sense for them - although lots of business moves that make sense at the time turn out to be less well avised in the cold light of day

we shall see

If it works I can see Halfords starting to service bikes in their car tyre places - I noticed that I bought my tyres from Halfords a few months ago when the big sign outside said National - so I presume they have taken over the tyre place

I'm guessing, but Fettle are using Kwik Fit to get a covered premises, or maybe just a corner of their garage with all the power, air and facilities needed. I'm still sure that I probably won't use them anyway.

 

[sevenfourate]

I'm guessing, but Fettle are using Kwik Fit to get a covered premises, or maybe just a corner of their garage with all the power, air and facilities needed. I'm still sure that I probably won't use them anyway.

I’m predicting the cycle department will turn out ok (***Mundane / basic type service) work for the masses; who neither really care or hark for anything specialist; or that work to be carried out with a level of care and attention above and beyond the basics. They simply want a job done and a machine working again. Much like you could justifiably aim at the car division…..

My point is: I’m a passionate car guy. And will only have ‘specialists’ work on my toys. Or at least I’ll research to find out what their offering is exactly what I want. Which often means higher costs. Most owners on most enthusiast forums I’m on would neither want or accept the workmanship that mainstream places churn out. And I’d of thought the majority of cyclists here are of the same ilk. We have pride in our machines and simply completing the task in hand isn’t enough for us (?). We would want and expect that same task to more or less be done in the best way possible. With good quality products used….

Correct me if I’m wrong: but mainstream outlets such as these often offer low wages, these don’t then attract anything like the best Staff as a whole. And the workmanship can reflect that. I therefore personally don’t expect to meet many cyclechat members in my local Kwik-fit while waiting for our rides to be handed back to us anytime soon. And even if you’re there. I probably won’t be 😉

 

[craigwend]

Maybe they're working on a new slogan...

"You can't get better than a Kwik-Fit Fettler!"...

 

[vickster]

I’m predicting the cycle department will turn out ok (***Mundane / basic type service) work for the masses; who neither really care or hark for anything specialist; or that work to be carried out with a level of care and attention above and beyond the basics. They simply want a job done and a machine working again. Much like you could justifiably aim at the car division…..

My point is: I’m a passionate car guy. And will only have ‘specialists’ work on my toys. Or at least I’ll research to find out what their offering is exactly what I want. Which often means higher costs. Most owners on most enthusiast forums I’m on would neither want or accept the workmanship that mainstream places churn out. And I’d of thought the majority of cyclists here are of the same ilk. We have pride in our machines and simply completing the task in hand isn’t enough for us (?). We would want and expect that same task to more or less be done in the best way possible. With good quality products used….

Correct me if I’m wrong: but mainstream outlets such as these often offer low wages, these don’t then attract anything like the best Staff as a whole. And the workmanship can reflect that. I therefore personally don’t expect to meet many cyclechat members in my local Kwik-fit while waiting for our rides to be handed back to us anytime soon. And even if you’re there. I probably won’t be 😉

But Fettle aren’t a chain or mainstream outlet like Evans or Halfords…nor are Kwik fit providing anything other than a space for Fettle teams to work in. Did you read the article or look into Fettle as a business?

 

[gzoom]

it's a great buisness move or a nightmare for cyclists.!
My experience of these bandits has put me off them for life.
They are going to have to go some for me to return.

This place is halirious, when I got my eBike serviced at a local bike store plenty of people on here seem to suggest I was getting ripped off and shouldn't have gone to my local bike store.

I use Kwitfit and Halfords for MOT/service on my wifes car, never had any problems and better value than a branded dealer, so why wouldn't I use them service my bike?

After all the advice given here to me before was essentially to never take my bike to the local bike shop as and I quote

'They saw me coming?

So don't use the local bike shop AND don't use a national brand. Who do we use? Given the most maintenance on do any of my bikes is to keep tires inflated and spray WD40 (shock horror) on the chain once in a while

 

[PaulSB]

This place is halirious, when I got my eBike serviced at a local bike store plenty of people on here seem to suggest I was getting ripped off and shouldn't have gone to my local bike store.

I use Kwitfit and Halfords for MOT/service on my wifes car, never had any problems and better value than a branded dealer, so why wouldn't I use them service my bike?

After all the advice given here to me before was essentially to never take my bike to the local bike shop as and I quote

'They saw me coming?

So don't use the local bike shop AND don't use a national brand. Who do we use? Given the most maintenance on do any of my bikes is to keep tires inflated and spray WD40 (shock horror) on the chain once in a while

I use Kwikfit for tyres without any problems and my local garage (substitute LBS for bikes) for car servicing and MOT. Both my garage and LBS are great so I'd need a very strong reason to change. I wouldn't use Halfords simply because our local one isn't convenient. I've no idea if Halfords are good, bad or indifferent but wouldn't write them off.

I fully agree with you, amongst some cyclists nothing is ever right or decent value. The majority commenting on a Fettler/Kwikfit association are just taking an opportunity to kick out at Kwikfit without discussing the actual plans. It could work very well and if Fettler are good eventually provide a nationwide chain of reliable cycle maintenance outlets. A great idea, not something I would use, but probably interesting to many. And let's not forget posters on CC will often deride the LBS meaning Fettler could be a solution.

Two questions this raises for me. If Kwikfit has such an appalling reputation Fettler could get tarred by this brush, one I imagine Fettler has considered. The other is a Kwikfit outlet isn't a great consumer experience, basically a big shed with a small waiting area and a probably broken coffee machine. I don't like it but others may not be concerned.

 

[Drago]

I think the point is being missed - we simply do not believe the headline plans without some more information to support the report.

If a week passes without a KF spanner jockey trying to "help " and laying hands on a bicycle I'll eat my Y fronts.

I mean, where are the staff coming from? Where will Fettler suddenly source sufficient qualified bicycle surgeons to staff these new depots?

The report is lacking in detail about the operational arrangement. It's one thing saying they're simply setting up branches in KwakFart, but who exactly will be doing the work? It seems assumptions are being made in the opposite direction to the assumptions which you have taken issue with.

Until we have more detail and see it in action I have no issues with my continuing skepticism.

 

[Tom B]

Until we have more detail and see it in action I have no issues with my continuing skepticism.

That's pretty much my approach to life.

There is of course a huge people factor here.

Many years ago i took my Mrs car for an MOT at a local garage. They failed it in the handbrake, I changed the pads, disks, calipers and cables. But they still failed it several times several times with an increasing smirk. I think they was upset I wasn't getting them to do the work. The car is notorious for weak handbrakes and it possibly was poor to start with, but I think they used the latitude and interpretation allowed in the rest to produce a fail, or not produce a pass.

I found the handbrake held perfectly well on a 1 in 4 hill with even minimal lever travel.

I saw an offer for a cheap MOT and service at quick fit that I think came in at less than the sum total of the service parts and retest. (Never understand why people service first... What if it fails)

So threw the car at KwikFit for MOT, they gave the handbrake a good tug and passed it without comment. It went on to pass for 5+ more years.

Not all KwikFit are bad. Not all independents are good.

 

[Drago]

Aye, people prattle on about independents but when your car goes in it doesn't get any automatic software updates it may be due, doesn't automatically get any recalls/campaigns done, and thats before you even start worrying about the quality of the job they do. I prefer the dealer, although I watch them like a hawk - there are plenty of bad 'uns out there as well.

Being a sceptic is good. It's kept me alive 55 years, and kept me comfortably retired for 6 of them. Question everything, take nothing at face value!

 

[tinywheels]

re Kwik Fit, I'm 64 and as long as I can remember the buisness has had a dodgy reputation.
I have bought tyres in the past , tried to buy 4 michelins only a month or so back.
They pulled out after I'd paid online.
A call to customer service got nowhere .
The refund eventually arrived and I went elsewhere.
Not a great experience with them. Looking forward I will just wait till the memory of my pain fades,then retry,in a few years.
Bottom line their service sucks,but we need tyres.

 

[FishFright]

This place is halirious, when I got my eBike serviced at a local bike store plenty of people on here seem to suggest I was getting ripped off and shouldn't have gone to my local bike store.

I use Kwitfit and Halfords for MOT/service on my wifes car, never had any problems and better value than a branded dealer, so why wouldn't I use them service my bike?

After all the advice given here to me before was essentially to never take my bike to the local bike shop as and I quote

'They saw me coming?

So don't use the local bike shop AND don't use a national brand. Who do we use? Given the most maintenance on do any of my bikes is to keep tires inflated and spray WD40 (shock horror) on the chain once in a while

Because the average response to anything technical is by this guy.

 

[Drago]

Kwik Fit training video.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DUpQizgs_Yw

If you fancy another laugh Google "KwikFit damaged my car", and Gzoom can explain how that's better value.

 

[DRM]

https://bikebiz.com/bike-repair-startup-handlebars-rebrands-to-fettle/
https://bikebiz.com/reinventing-repair-fettle-plans-crowdfund/
https://bikebiz.com/kwik-fit-partners-with-fettle-as-it-enters-bicycle-service-and-repair-market/
Lots of changes at Fettle, all within 2 years, seems they may well be good fit with Kwik-Bodge after all