Wiggins joins Halfords to help boost sales?

[cyberknight]

[QUOTE 4001292, member: 45"]I wonder what Chris Boardman thinks about this? There's a risk that it has/could dilute(d) the Boardman brand reputation. Boardman bikes initially were excellent. There's some question about some of the cheaper-end models, but they're still consistently good. Pendleton bikes were marketed to the shabby chic world, with her whole girly thing and pastels being a marketing factor, but really they're not as good as the traditional bikes they pretend to be. Not sure where things are with Hoy bikes now, but with Brad coming in to do kids' bikes isn't it just going to be another muddling of what's good and what isn't?

The bottom line I suppose is that if it gets more people on bikes it's great. But Halfords aren't doing it because of this, they're doing it because sales are down and they want to bring them back up again. Let's hope that they do it properly and it means a range of decent bikes rather than fat, clunky ones that aren't as easy or fun to ride as they look.[/QUOTE]
Didnt boardman sell his company to halfords anyway ?
I think a lot of the downturn in sales have been down to the olympic bubble finally bursting .

 

[Saluki]

I must be having some sort of brain atrophy today. I read Wiggins as Wiggle and thought that Wiggle & Halfords were merging. Very relieved to read it properly.

 

[mjr]

They have huge cost involved in the real estate of the business through rent and business rates which don't help matters but trufully if you needed a part for your bike where would you go? LBS or Halfords?

One of two LBSes every time. If I can't get there while they're open, there's a car spares shop selling bike parts. If I really must have it in the 2h30 each evening when Half-odds is open and the other car spares place isn't, then I'll go look, but they often gouge prices on walk-up sales, but their click-and-collect has failed twice and it's not getting a third go.

Funny, Halfords is the one place where car drivers and cyclist can safely share the same space with one another.

You've not had to enjoy the motorists rushing out of their aisles (which are nearer the tills in the two nearest me) just to get there before a cyclist, then?

[QUOTE 4001295, member: 43827"]Apollos are no worse to work on, or any more unreliable, than others bikes in similar price ranges, and they are a lot better than the supermarket bikes.[/QUOTE]
There's an Apollo MTB doing ice-bike duty here. It's as heavy as the Dutch bike despite being a much smaller size, but that and an ugly was-fashionable-once paint job are the only things betraying its cheapness. The parts seem surprisingly sturdy for a bottom-end bike.

 

[MichaelW2]

Halfords are in such a dominant position, they could do anything they want. They have the retail space, the buying power (their wholesale prices are a steal), the capital. They could turn themselves into a respected, trusted brand, but instead they are following the marketeers, screwing up the stuff they do well (like Carrera Subway) playing catch-up with Islabikes, and skimping on the basics, like trained staff.

 

[Illaveago]

They seem to pay more attention to altering displays than retaining skilled staff and trying to push people into having things fitted. They are useful for tools and are much better than my LBS which seems more like a fashion shop.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

A year ago, BikeBiz covered mechanics pay:

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/halfords-faces-criticism-over-wages/017118

 

[Illaveago]

I was there part time for 2 years on minimum wage working as a fitter, fitting bulbs ,batteries, and wiper blades. I left because I had had enough of working outside in all weather , sometimes in the dark trying to fit heavy batteries and bulbs whilst motorists whiz past you.
The Gears training is a joke, done on the computer in your own time . I could swear that the actor presenting the training was becoming more depressed as the training courses continued.
The staff are great , it is the top management that need a good kick up the rear.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

"Labour" charge to fit a headset, supplied retail by the same shop, to a bike, in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen? £75 (all three shops I tried, and two that a Danish colleague rang for me, quoted more-or-less the same price)
"Labour charge to fit a headset, supplied by the same shop, to a bike, in Horsham, West Sussex? One or other

a) £0
-or-
b) "I'm not paying that, so-and-so in the lbs over there will supply it, and fit it for free."