what do we think of Halfords

[kaytronika]

Fine if you know what you're after.

But most of their customers probably don't know what they're after.

I did the reading and bought the Fury based off that, couldn't get near the spec from a boutique brand. After-sales support was pathetic.

 

[gerryattrick]

That's highly patronising of their customers. Most know exactly what they want, a cheap bike to get them from A to B.

 

[rosstheboss]

That's highly patronising of their customers. Most know exactly what they want, a cheap bike to get them from A to B.

But they also sell expensive bikes too!! Not £7k full x0/xtr stuff but the top end Boardman stuff would be considered expensive in most people's books.

 

[poweredbypies]

Toys r us make halfords look like a bike specialists shop. Its not just that the staff are given crap training the bikes are beyond dire. Did a year there on the bike section. I was the only one that could actually repair a bike. We got sent on a 1 day course to Universal cycles on bike assembly :roll: . By the time the instructor had finished telling us what he wanted us to do mine was built. Spent the rest of the day pretty much being an instructor

 

[cyfa2809]

They used to have the boardman air 9.8 (or a very similar model) at my local halfords. It was about £4000 which was reduced also i think.

 

[videojetman]

my mate bought a bike from halfords last week, he told me on the way to work the handle bar slipped round, he nearly fell off and could have seriously hurt himself.
another mate of mine bought a bike from halfords, he asked me to check it over and i had to tighten a number of bolts.
halfords are crap.
i'm not a qualified bike mechanic, but i've built enough bikes to know what i'm doing.

 

[silverclaws]

I think the flash stuff is aimed at the Kev's that but the car tuning stuff or the fathers that want something pretty to hang on the bike rack with the kiddies bikes at the back of the family people wagon with the ski box on top to complete the outdoor healthy look. And I have seen them fathers looking very confused in all the fast cycling clobber riding in circles of so slow they are struggling to keep the thing balanced whilst they shepherd the kids on matching flowery pink bikes with stabilisers fitted.

But halfords is good for getting prices wrong and stuff heavily priced elsewhere is often cheaper in there, and their bargain basket is always worth a look.

Bitd, I used to use Halfords almost exclusively for parts to keep my first Saracen mobile, not boutique parts you understand, but I didn't run a boutique bike.

 

[saulus]

My local Halfrauds? They're bloody good at child car seat fitting and advice.

I've browsed their bike accessories but due to their poor rep that's as far as its got!

Play to their strengths. Ignore their weaknesses

 

[FSR-Si]

Never had any problems with them myself, bought my boardman in 2010, also my little girl had a carerra fury, fantastic bike for the money, both times i had friendly helpful service.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

Our Farce have recently switched our cycle maintenance contract from a small but excellent owner- operated LBS to Hellfrauds. Unfortunately. I dont have space to list all the cock ups, but one bike assembled with both cranks pointing in the same direction was the pinnacle of their workmanship.

As one of the 3 qualified instructors, the nearest thing the Farce has to experts in the field, it was unsurprising that we werent consulted first.