Si wrote:Working with halfords makes sense fot ctc,erm cuk i mean. Halfords, working with ctc are putting on a number of free cycle-promotion events. Because of the size of halfords they can often do this easier than LBSs.....more staff more resources, more publicity.
Because it's not like there's a national organisation of LBSes... oh wait, Association of Cycle Traders... so it must be because CTC/CUK don't have any local member groups?
Si wrote:As for 10% discount at halfords....does nothing for me. Our halfords has just moved from being a few yards from the cycle path to a shopping centre surrounded by dual carriageway and big junctions. Not that i used to buy anything in it anyway......wilco was cheaper for basic sundries, lbs for specialist expensive stuff and internet for everything else.
The local one is still near a cycle route. Still doesn't have useful cycle parking. Still wouldn't use them unless I want a part after 6pm.
Do you mean Wilco (the car and bike parts shop) or Wilko (aka Wilkinsons) BTW?
gaz wrote:It adds that Halfords is supporting the BBR by offering free cycle safety checks (Dr Bike?) during Bike Week and if faults are identified, 20% off their servicing prices.
I wouldn't trust most of the staff of the local Half-odds to identify their backside with both hands reliably after they handed back a bike to someone in my neighbourhood with both brake QRs open, or after they screwed up the indexing on my wife's bike, or...
I wonder whether they can screw up Dr Bike checks badly enough to cause reputation risk to CUK?
gaz wrote:It's Halfords that presumably have joined this partnership for a commercial benefit. That may take many forms, at the simplest the Cycling UK member discounts and BBR promotions may get them trade that would otherwise have gone elsewhere.
In other words, CUK is helping to take trade away from local bike shops and give it to a big-box chain store with serious quality control problems. Shame on it!