Why I going to buy my next bike from Halfords

[Freddyflintstone]

In the past I have bought a couple of BSO from them. Both had to be taken back under warranty.
So I thought "Somebody must get it right" How wrong was I.
Bought one costing £300 from London (Never again)
Back wheel was buckled 3mm
Gear cable housing cut in three places
Seat stay nut and back axle nut "chewed" due to a wrench being used
Front wheel fork ends "grinded" removing the paint
I think the bike was dragged across the workshop because the Chrome cranks had copper patches
and scrapes. (Metal is copper plated before it is chromed )
The spindle for the Sturmey Archer Hub gears was only in by 2turns (Their Web site states
all bikes are tuned and setup. Just turn Handle bars and fit pedals. (LOL)
At least Halfords are only round the corner and they always repaired it and I got 2 years out of the bikes. The one I have at the moment is looking like 2months

 

[gaz]

Why not try somewhere else apart from halfords and the shoddy place in London.

 

[Gbola]

In the past I have bought a couple of BSO from them. Both had to be taken back under warranty.
So I thought "Somebody must get it right" How wrong was I.
Bought one costing £300 from London (Never again)
Back wheel was buckled 3mm
Gear cable housing cut in three places
Seat stay nut and back axle nut "chewed" due to a wrench being used
Front wheel fork ends "grinded" removing the paint
I think the bike was dragged across the workshop because the Chrome cranks had copper patches
and scrapes. (Metal is copper plated before it is chromed )
The spindle for the Sturmey Archer Hub gears was only in by 2turns (Their Web site states
all bikes are tuned and setup. Just turn Handle bars and fit pedals. (LOL)
At least Halfords are only round the corner and they always repaired it and I got 2 years out of the bikes. The one I have at the moment is looking like 2months

I will never ever buy a bike from halfords again.

 

[the snail]

All my bikes have been bought from independents, and I've had more than 2 years use from them, but I bought from the shop, usually after a test ride. If I'd had any problem with my current bike, I'd know who to blame - cos the name of the person who built it is written on it - and the shop is a 15 minute train journey away.

 

[david k]

most my bikes have been from halfords and have been great, halfords st helens are aa good bunh of lads, really helpful

 

[Brandane]

Dales in Glasgow for the last 2 bikes. Specialized Tricross followed by a Secteur sport. Both excellent bikes, no problem with either. Other than a premature failing of the rear hub on the Tricross, probably caused by me being a bit over ambitious with it's off road capabilities! Hub was replaced by Dales with Specializeds authority, no problem. The Tricross is now over 2 years old and done nearly 6k miles. Still good as new and I would hope to get many more years and miles out of it. Secteur less than a year old with just over 1000 miles done, so hardly even run-in .

 

[Bicycle]

I was on a frozen touchline at the weekend watching one of my boys play. Two men (father and grandfather I guess) were discussing bikes.

One had just bought an MTB-type thing from Halfords, maybe for Christmas. He was over the moon.

"You won't believe what it has for what I paid: 27 gears, front suspension, rear suspension, fancy brakes..."

The other nodded sagely and said he'd bought bikes from them for years, adding:

"What's it got to give you, six years, maybe seven for the two boys? you can't go wrong there compared to what other places are charging."

I won't bore you with any more detail, but these were two loyal and longstanding Halfords customers who were very happy with the service they'd received and the products they'd bought over the years.

Whilst I wouldn't buy a bicycle from Halfords, I do not represent anything like the standard cycleshop customer. However, Halfords are in the business of turnover and profit. They know what most people want and they are good at selling it.

Those two men on the touchline will be very happy and so will the offspring the bike was bought for.

It's not what I'd do, but it is a good move and it does get another person onto pedals.

 

[400bhp]

Those two men on the touchline will be very happy and so will the offspring the bike was bought for.

What you don't know and all that.

 

[Bicycle]

What you don't know and all that.

Definitely a case of that, you're spot on there.... but that's not always so bad.

I appreciate a nice cut of meat from the butcher, but a lot of what I buy is from Tesco.... and it's not so bad.

I love a nice glass of CdP, but most of what I drink is from a 3-litre winebox.... and it's not so bad.

I love my wife's 60s roadster, but most of my driving is in a 1.2-litre Eurobox piece of poo with squeaky wipers. It's not so bad.

I do ride nice bicycles, but a lot of what I own, eat or use is at the cheap end of rough and it's usually OK.

I avoid Halfords for anything other than puncture repair kits and motor oil, but I can see why a lot of folk love them.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

it's a regular thing on here to slag off halfords. some branches have great reviews, some not. my experience of even the macclesfield branch is mixed: my road bike was set up perfectly by a decent mechanic (who then went to work in a proper bike shop), whereas my daughter's bso was set up so badly i had to strip it down to get it to even vaguely work.

 

[John the Monkey]

....my experience of even the macclesfield branch is mixed: my road bike was set up perfectly by a decent mechanic (who then went to work in a proper bike shop), whereas my daughter's bso was set up so badly i had to strip it down to get it to even vaguely work.

And that's the problem - that inconsistency isn't on when you're selling to people who don't know bikes.

My mate's Boardman Hybrid was built without the cap on the uppermost bearing of the headset assembly - end result a knackered headset on a £700 bike in less than one year. I've often recommended their bikes, which can be pretty decent (the Boardmans in particular are intelligently specced, keenly priced bikes, and the Subways are good vfm) with the caveat that the purchaser should get them checked over by someone who knows what they're doing as soon as possible after purchase.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

I've often recommended their bikes, which can be pretty decent (the Boardmans in particular are intelligently specced, keenly priced bikes, and the Subways are good vfm) with the caveat that the purchaser should get them checked over by someone who knows what they're doing as soon as possible after purchase.

indeed. as a result of knowledge gleaned here and through my membership of a cycling club, i'd happily buy another carrera or boardman if it was the best bike at the price. i'd buy it online and build it myself, or at least know how to check it over if they won't let you do that.

 

[Freddyflintstone]

Why not try somewhere else apart from halfords and the shoddy place in London.

If I was seriously into cycling I would pay upto 2k for a bicycle from a LBS round the corner who has a great reputation and been going years.
Unfortunately, I do it as a hobby and a way of extending my years (hopefully)
The last time Halfords repaired my BSO, they stated "Ah ! the spindle bearings have gone, have to order another 100, we replace them quite a lot"
For me its a comprimise, unless a member knows an economical LBS near Altrincham in Cheshire

 

[wiggydiggy]

Really does depend on the shop staff in my experience, and how busy they are. My local branch is normally great to deal with attentive/knowledgeable staff and a desire to help, but occasionally very busy so long wait times for the repair and one or two little misshaps but rectifed in store. Another branch is awful, bad staff and no desire to help you at all.

I have graduated onto a LBS now but for when I needed them, Halfords did ok.

 

[Klaus]

I got my bike free via Freegle and have been using it for nearly two years .....does this prove anything? Luck of the draw perhaps??