halfords

[betelorg]

The Boardman road bike was developed in the UK where the design and development was done however ALL the race and team bikes were made in the Far East by the manufacturer who was contracted to Halfords. This caused a big row at the time because the developers wanted to claim that they had built the team bikes, which in the end, they didn't.
Personally I find Halfords OK, the prices are good, I've bought several bikes from them over the years and have always been pleased with the results. Not the place to go for cycling advice through!!! My local independent bike shop can be less than helpful, I've twice been in there and had to fight with them to get a bike off the rack so my wife could sit on it. In the end we bought from Halfords on both occasions and we've toured Europe on the bikes and the savings have gone towards the cost of the holidays! Bike prices from Bike "Boutiques" are preposterously expensive for everyday use and the cost of accessories from most sources are insulting.

[Guy951]

Bike prices from Bike "Boutiques" are preposterously expensive for everyday use and the cost of accessories from most sources are insulting.

Very much +1 on that.

[al_yrpal]

Personally I find Halfords OK, the prices are good, I've bought several bikes from them over the years and have always been pleased with the results. Not the place to go for cycling advice through!!! My local independent bike shop can be less than helpful, I've twice been in there and had to fight with them to get a bike off the rack so my wife could sit on it. In the end we bought from Halfords on both occasions and we've toured Europe on the bikes and the savings have gone towards the cost of the holidays! Bike prices from Bike "Boutiques" are preposterously expensive for everyday use and the cost of accessories from most sources are insulting.

+1
We have 4 LBS here, the nearest, which is well known is a rip off merchant. 2 others are mediocre. Another gives good service but its expensive and doesn't have much stock. The best bike shops in the area are Halfords, Decathlon and Evans Cycles in that order. Some of the Halfords staff are a little short on experience but try to give enthusiastic service. The two Carrera bikes that I have purchased and toured extensively on have been great value for money and absolutely reliable.

Al

[amica]

Ive very recently bought a Boardman from Halfords. The customer service was a bit hit and miss to be honest. I too was told that they didnt have any medium sized bikes but their website told me otherwise. I think they said they had only large because they didnt want to get the bike out of the warehouse and put it together for me to try but I insisted.

[gezpage]

I have just bought the boardman comp hybrid from Halfords, a bike that I was assured was of a good grade and worth the £200+ increase in my original budget. Having ordered online last night to get the £40 discount, I went to the shop today to pick it up. Gave the bike a good looking over, a couple of things needed doing; blotches of grease remained on the peddles, a black plastic packaging piece was left on one side of the rear wheel - it wasn't a good sign but I let it pass as I was so excited to get my new bike.

I took it for it's first ride around the carpark next to a noisy road, all seemed fine, new feel, still quite excited. Cycled off to start the 8 miles back to my house and once I reached the quieter parts of the ride I realised there were some pretty loud noises coming from the rear wheel area, so I stopped repeatedly to try and find the cause. Eventually found that the disc brakes on both wheels still had a "spacer" (like a metal paper clip) in them, removed and most of the sound went away, but not all. Also the gear changing was clunky and not smooth.

Made it home somewhat disappointed with the whole experience, having forked out what I consider to be a great deal of money.

Plan to take it to a different Halfords branch tomorrow, which I hope will have someone who knows what they are doing and can sort it out.

Fingers crossed.

[JohnW]

..................My local independent bike shop can be less than helpful, I've twice been in there and had to fight with them to get a bike off the rack so my wife could sit on it...............we bought from Halfords .....................

I'm not surprised if you're just making a convenience of them!

I see these bad reports about people's local bike shops, and I'm truly amazed. The LBSs in my part of the world are decent, honest, helpful (except for one experience about 5 years ago), knowledgeable.............they are all different of course, majoring on slightly different types of cycling, but generally comprehensive. What they haven't got, they'll get for you - and if they can't, they won't try to persuade you that you don't want what you want, but what they want you to want.

Other forum members tell quite different stories, and I do sympathise. I went into a local LBS in Wales and I was ignored completely, by assistants who eyed me up and down, and carried on with their gossiping. I was later told that this was because it was Wales and I was obviously English - but I really can't believe that. At another LBS in Cornwall, I was similarly ignored - one of the staff was busy taking a delivery of bikes from a van, but the other chap turned away as I approached him, and was clearly displeased to be asked to serve me. The shop had what I wanted, and asked for by name, on a rack behind the counter, but the assistant said : "all the tyres we have are there". If I'd not really needed a tyre, I'd have left the shop.

But honestly, they don't treat you like that in these parts.

[Bowland Rider]

Last wednesday i noticed a "3 for 2" offer online from Halfords. I selected the following products:

[Bowland Rider]

The above was a Brooks B17 special saddle, a Cateye Wireless computer and a Cateye rear light. I would have got the rear light free, saving me £30. Unfortunately it appears that all the products have to have the same delivery category - either "ring and reserve" or home delivery to be allowed to "checkout" on the website. I emailed customer services. This was their reply:

"Dear Mark,
Thank you for your email.
I am sorry to hear of the issues that you have had with our website.
Unfortunately the rear light is an obsolete product, and as such is not available in the 3 for 2. Please note that all offers are subject to stock availability."

Total twoddle as i have the screenshot to prove that it was. Im extremely disappointed to say the least.

[easyroller]

^^^ Screw buying that rear light on the 3 for 2 offer! You spent £75 on the Brooks and £43 on the computer - add something more expensive to your basket as you only get the cheapest item for free. Find something nice in the offerings for around 40 quid to get for free!


Never had a problem with Halfords. Staff knowledge is hit and miss, good range of parts and accessories. I quite like their click and collect service. I've bought two cheap "mountain bikes" from them in the past. One Raleigh is still going strong even after much use and neglected maintenance, the other got stolen after only a couple of months. I prefer my local boke shop for parts/advice. They've special ordered in gear for me at very good prices, but unfortunately their in-store range is quite limited...

[Bowland Rider]

I trawled the "3 for 2" list but didnt want anything else off it. So stuff the computer, i just got the saddle. £75 for a Brooks B17 with copper rivets is a good price considering that the second hand ones with someone else's bum print on it go second hand for £65.

[wakou222]

For a long time I have been suffering poor braking (cantilevers) and decided to fix my front brake once and for all. I came to the conclusion that I needed something like this:



Many hours of google and I find that Tektro make the ones above and a US comapny called Wheels also do them, but hard to find in the UK, and expensive too:
http://bit.ly/INn4Hu The redoubtable SJS who are very good at carrying stock of obscure small parts no longer do them. From abroad, here for instance: http://bit.ly/IRAYKh the shipping makes it prohibitive.
Imagine my big grin then, when popping to to Halfords to pick up some 1/2 price GT85 (bargain!) I spotted these:


http://bit.ly/IRB1Wl

The young chap at the counter did not know what a cantilever brake was, and told me that these are 'for BMX bikes' but I assured him that they were what I wanted, I heard him later ask his manger if they were OK for my purpose, so top marks to him, no shame in not knowing, as long as you want to learn.


ps While I was there, I applied for a job as 'mechanic'. Expect any crits of Halford's staff expertise to be firmly rebuffed in the future!

[binsted]

Probably in the minority but bought a Boardman Team Hybrid at Christmas, been back for free first service and a couple of minor niggles that were sorted straight away, found them to be very helpful and competent.

[Alex L]

While I was there, I applied for a job as 'mechanic'. Expect any crits of Halford's staff expertise to be firmly rebuffed in the future!

It's been a while since you posted this. Did you get the job?

[darrellthfc]

had awful experience trying to purchase 2 Boardman bikes from Halfords, had one store tell me they have nothing available until next Jan!! did find my own online via their website. Went to another Store which is actually closer and the guy Jay (Halfords High Wycombe) could not have been any more helpful, in fact he was excellent in all aspects. This one guy has restored my faith in Halfords (well the Wycombe branch anyway!!) if you are in high Wycombe Area i recommend Jay (he is the bikehut Manager) he really knows his stuff and has excellent people and customer service skills!

[philg]

Well it's a thumbs up from me for Halfords Taunton anyway.

We had just set off in the car with bikes on the pretty-old-by-now rear carrier when we heard a loud crack from the back, and I just caught a glimpse in the rear view mirror of 3 bikes falling off the back. Mercifully I was only doing bicycle speed on an empty country lane; I cannot bring myself to think of the possible consequence had this happened on a motorway......

Anyhow, all 3 top straps had broken, frayed at the buckle. Luckily, the bikes, being MTBs, were OK (more or less) and the car is now sporting a few more scratches but having 3 bikes 200 miles from home could have been a major problem!

Into Taunton and LBS#1 closed on Sundays, great; LBS#2 sympathetic but informed me (a touch haughtily I thought) that their bike carriers are guaranteed for life so they don't carry spares. They did suggest Halfords though as our best bet - and sure enough he was right. £7.50 for a pair of replacement top straps and we were back in business again (the staff were very helpful too)

More seriously, if anyone out there has a getting on a bit rear carrier, please check the straps where they double round the buckle, and maybe move the strap through it a few cms. The new straps are slightly thicker than the old, so hopefully will last a bit longer, but it is a worry. Maybe dust off the old Thule roof rack/bars and invest in a new set of roof mounts?