Halfords In-Store Bike build problems

[GeordieT32]

An update for anyone that is interested... there isn’t one, I’ve heard nothing back so I will be calling them in the morning!

[mattsccm]

Do not let this drop.

[Eyebrox]

Hi Geordie. Your bike will be fine. I am a bike mechanic in a bike shop and spend much of my day sorting new bikes from the likes of Halfords, Argos and Sports Direct. You get to know the common problems with certain models and the shortcomings of staff involved at the final assembly stage. Halfords will put it right and you'll soon be out on the roads enjoying the better weather and the easing of lockdown. Been through this many times with customers who have asked us for advice and aren't confident about returning to the original retailer.

[PH]

I see what you are saying. Unfortunately I don’t have the budget to spend upwards of £600 on a bike, which seems to be the lowest you can spend on a good bike.

That wasn't quite what I meant and it certainly wasn't any criticism of yourself or any other individual. It's more a frustration at the way consumerism has gone.
Halfords could sell exactly the same bike, put together with more care, with improved pre purchase advice and customer service, plus a thorough bike check up after a few weeks. It might add £50 to the price and be worthwhile for many buyers, but they don't because buyers would look at the price, see it was £50 cheaper at the competitor down the road and buy there instead. So we don't get the choice.

[peetee]

Hi Geordie. Your bike will be fine. I am a bike mechanic in a bike shop and spend much of my day sorting new bikes from the likes of Halfords, Argos and Sports Direct. You get to know the common problems with certain models and the shortcomings of staff involved at the final assembly stage. Halfords will put it right and you'll soon be out on the roads enjoying the better weather and the easing of lockdown. Been through this many times with customers who have asked us for advice and aren't confident about returning to the original retailer.

As suggested in my previous post I concur with this advice but for the suggestion to return the bike to Halfords for rectification. This advice echoes the law with regard to faulty goods but my experiences over more than ten years as an independent mechanic suggest that Halfords is more than happy to pay for someone else to rectify the problems and then reimburse the customer. You trusted them to provide you with a safe, fully functioning bike and they failed. Are you happy to trust them again?
Let me tell you of one particular story.
I was asked to look at a Halfords bike that was only a few days old. The rider was a college student and his journey involved riding down a twisty 20% hill on a busy urban road. The rear brake had ceased to function and, upon inspection, the front was sure to follow suite. The (disc) brake cables had been set up with the outer cable perched on the lip of the calliper seat. The rear had dropped into its correct position creating so much slack that the levers touched the bars before the brake functioned. It was only by luck that I received the bike before the other brake did the same and something awful happened. I included my diagnosis in a written report along with several other issues that prevented full, reliable and safe functioning of the bike. I stated in no uncertain terms the potential for fatal injury as a result of failing to ensure a basic assembly action common to all cable operated brake systems. The owners father was incensed and made Halfords fully aware of his displeasure. They received the cost of the bike in compensation and a promise that management would inspect every bike before it was handed over to a customer. Frankly I found this last assurance one of the worst examples of retail b******t that passes as customer pacification that I have ever heard. As far as I am aware Halfords management are retail trained not mechanical experts that possess more cycle tech experience than their mechanics. I am willing to accept I may be wrong but as a customer I would be much happier for my bike to be assembled by someone who doesn’t need their work checking because they are inherently incompetent.....and the management knows it!
Which ever way I look at it it doesn’t inspire me to believe that the company has or enforces a code of practice that puts thoroughness above everything else. All the other issues with their bikes echo this. Just how thoroughly do you check a bike not to notice that the front mech cable end is so long as to catch the crank arm every revolution? Or that the front mech set-up sticker is still on and catches on the chainring teeth? Or the steering bearings are slack and the forks rock? In my experience it is a rare Halfords bike indeed that doesn’t have at least one of these issues.

[iandusud]

From your description it sounds like the Halfords 'mechanic' failed to tighten the stem clamp bolts around the steerer tube, and over-tightened the headset top cap. As a result the headset bearings were way overloaded (hence the stiff steering), and it was only the pressure of the top cap where it pressed against the stem that resulted in the forks and front wheel turning with the handlebars. Inevitably the top cap gradually loosened (every anti-clockwise rotation of the bars to steer even slightly to the left would have had the tendency to unscrew the top cap pressing on the stem) until the bars finally lost the ability to steer the bike.

I suspect that this is exactly what has happened. However if it is the case it is extremely worrying. Anyone who is preparing bikes to be sold to the public as ready to ride should surely have to have had proper training. I don't know if the law stipulates a specific accredited level of training required, but it will stipulate that the employer has trained their staff to an adequate level to be able to send the bike out in a safe condition.

[Jdsk]

I don't know if the law stipulates a specific accredited level of training required, but it will stipulate that the employer has trained their staff to an adequate level to be able to send the bike out in a safe condition.

I don't know of anything specific beyond normal duty of care and consumer protection.

Is there an industry code of conduct?

Jonathan

[peetee]

Further to my previous comments, a quick search online provides interesting reading. Indeed.com has extensive feedback from Halfords employees many of whom feel undervalued and pressurised on timescale. I know people with an axe to grind are generally more vocal than those that are happy but the forum seems quite balanced with some glowing reports too.
One particular comment is rather interesting. The employee suggests that training is online and to be completed in their own time. I cannot say if this is ‘spanner’ work or not.
A company called Cytech claims to be the internationally recognised cycle mechanic training organisation for over 30 years. About 5 years ago I had a conversation with a former Halfords employee who said that the company does not use Cytech’s services. “If they trained us with them they know we would all up and leave for better jobs”.
When you look at the open environment in which a Halfords mechanic operates its clear that there is a substantial risk of being distracted by other issues. Add in tight timescales for completion and it’s hardly an environment that promotes thoroughness even for those with adequate training.

[slowster]

What concerns me is that what the Halfords' employee did was so basic and serious. Failing to tighten the stem clamp bolts and overtightening the headset top cap so much that the wheel and forks will turn with the handlebars, demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of how the bike functions, i.e. it was not just an oversight such as failing to do up a particular bolt.

What we do not know is how it came to happen. It might have been a new employee who had not been properly trained and/or whose work was not adequately checked. It might have been another member of Halfords staff temporarily working on bikes because of a shortage of cycling staff. Crucially this was not just one fault on just one bike caused by just one 'mechanic'. For this to have happened there must be serious failings in the running of the store which are likely to result in it happening again or some other equally dangerous error made in preparing a bike. Nor do I believe that this particular store is likely to be an exception.

Halfords sell hundreds of bikes every day, a lot of which are for children. The next adult or child who gets a bike from that store in such a dangerous condition might not be as lucky as the OP, and might easily be killed or paralysed.

OP, you need to contact your local Trading Standards office and tell them what happened. They are the people with enforcement powers and who are best placed to investigate what happened, identify the causes, and determine whether or not Halfords has taken sufficient action to prevent it happening again (and not just at that store, since they may find that what happened to you is indicative of failings across the store network).

[scottg]

So how much does a bike shop charge to take the Halfords bike to bits
and assemble it correctly, with grease, decent cables and brake blocks/pads ?

What is a good question to ask at shop selling bikes to determine if they're competent ?

In car shops you ask to buy a gallon of blinker* fluid, if the fellow at counter tries to look
blinker fluid up on his inventory, leave and find an actual car shop.

*indicator light fluid, British term.

[KTHSullivan]

Halfords a year or so ago had a good deal on pedals, especially with the 10% CTC discount; Mrs KTHS was in the market. She enquired if they came with cleats? Workshop "manager" opened box and exclaimed " I did not know you could get mini cleats"! Obviously well trained and experienced.

[leftpoole]

I would never buy any type of bicycle from Halfords.

Thanks for your insight. I could of done with that before I bought the bike

Never mind!

[tatanab]

So how much does a bike shop charge to take the Halfords bike to bits
and assemble it correctly,

A local mobile mechanic advertises £40 for "internet bicycle purchase build" which is probably similar.

[philvantwo]

That would be to take it out of the box, put the bars straight and check gears and brakes.
Would you take a bike apart and reassemble it all for £40?

[Jdsk]

So how much does a bike shop charge to take the Halfords bike to bits
and assemble it correctly,

A local mobile mechanic advertises £40 for "internet bicycle purchase build" which is probably similar.

That's interesting. There are lots of discussion in the archives about how to respond when online prices are lower. Explicit charging for items of service has always sounded sensible.

Jonathan

PS: Could it also work for advice?