Halfords Yes or no

castle

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_551207_categoryId_212377_langId_-1?cm_vc=IOV4PDPZ1&iozone=PDPz1
Is there better for the price out there

650Ginge

Halfords stuff is rubbish, cheap shiny rubbish.....2nd day out my gf's rear axle slot broke clean of the frame....very safe.....

papac

Halfords cheapest stuff is generally very poor quality. The Carrera bikes are generally alright quality and good value.

I have a Carrera Subway in my bike collection for nipping around when I am in town and I really like it. I have actively tried to break it and I can't. I have done a fair bit of light off road on it as well and it takes all the abuse.Great bike for the money.

Mine is the cheaper v brake model. I think this is preferable to mechanical discs.

Halfords staff can vary from good to dangerously incompetent so beware.

panerai

yea, defo stay away

Lumen

Halfords stock a wide range of bikes, from complete crap to really great stuff.

I was skeptical myself at that price point, but the Subway has had very good reports from people who actually own them.

mloc123

Lumen wrote: »

Halfords stock a wide range of bikes, from complete crap to really great stuff.

I was skeptical myself at that price point, but the Subway has had very good reports from people who actually own them.

The subway is a nice enough bike for the money. gf has one and its fine.

L'Enfer du Nord

panerai wrote: »

yea, defo stay away

Some of the bicycles there probably represent good value. Don't buy any accessories, they are nearly all a rip.

I once went to buy a jersey there for 29 euros, when I got to the 'til I was quoted 39 euros. I queried this, it turns out the price on the label was sterling! Many of the staff are a little under-trained.

moby2101

Hey,
Dunno where Halfords are getting this rep from!!!
I bought a Boardman Pro Carbon last year, superb bike ...and Ive had it serviced there twice in the past year and Ive found the staff to be very competent guys...

LordSutch

Never had a problem with any of their stuff, got a new (Halfords brand) car battery from them last year and its great, got loads of bicycle bits too, bought a new two man tent for Oxygen this year - no probs at all, & nice staff . . .

route66

Halfords are like any big store - there is an element of pot luck to the customer experience. I was flamed in a previous thread for simply stating this (aka shooting the messenger), but the fact remains; if you want a better chance of good service, go to an LBS, otherwise take your luck with Halfords.

WRT the bikes they sell, their Carerra & Boardman ranges are pretty good, a lot of the rest are questionable. And don't rely on brandnames - I saw a Raleigh Venture in there which was crap a BSO. Their Trax stuff also looks a bit too good to be true.

The simple truth is that a new adults bike for under €200 is probably going to be rubbish. Just don't buy one and then complain because it's not great - probably better to keep stum and hope nobody notices that you've cocked up

So, in response to your question: yes

papac

Don't buy any accessories, they are nearly all a rip.

I'd agree here. Halfords offer free fitting on parts and accessories so they factor this into the pricing imo.

langdang

If you know what you're looking for, and what things are worth then you can get good value in Halfords, especially with different deals and offers on. If you have car insurance with AXA then you can offset some riding AXA gave you by using the AXA card for 15% off ON TOP of any deals*

The SX4 shifters are dire, and there's probably one or two other bits that are not great even considering the price -BUT, if thats the type of bike the OP wants I'd challenge anyone to find a better bike for the price of the one linked to?

Ya, keep an eye out for things that are loose, but I've had the same experience from local bike shops too...

*check this, i've never had a problem but ymmv..

darrenw5094

I just noticed Shimano Deore shifters are €90.81 in Halfords.

£25.74 on Chainreactioncycles with free postage.

Prices on the Halfords website are chronic at times.

endurodave

I would avoid halfords at all costs. As the staff for the most part are hopeless.
Try go to your local bike shop they will have years of experience and can advise you on the best bike for you and size you up correctly.

LordSutch

endurodave wrote: »

Try go to your local bike shop they will have years of experience and can advise you on the best bike for you and size you up correctly.

And possibly charge you twice as much as Halfords?

endurodave

LordSutch wrote: »

And possibly charge you twice as much as Halfords?

I wouldnt go that far but yeah you have to pay for piece of mind. and the quality of service will be far better than halfords.

Nate--IRL--

I've owned 2 versions of Carrera Subway 1's (one got stolen) and can recommend them. However I'd wait until they have one of their sales before buying a bike from them, as you could get up to €100 off that price if you're lucky.

Nate

kenmc

LordSutch wrote: »

Never had a problem with any of their stuff, got a new (Halfords brand) car battery from them last year and its great,

it's not a bicycle

LordSutch wrote: »

got loads of bicycle bits too,

not a bicycle either

LordSutch wrote: »

bought a new two man tent for Oxygen this year - no probs at all, & nice staff . . .

and neither is that.

The fact that you bought some nice things from some nice people has nothing to do with bikes. I've bought stuff in Halfords too - Gunk, Brake cleaner, Engine Oil, a smelly tree etc, all of them were excellent, and the staff were nice as well.

Halfords is a car accessory chain who are branching into various other markets, with varying degrees of expertise and quality. Argos sell "bikes" also, as do Tesco sometimes, Dunnes othertimes, Smyths Toys etc. Doesn't make them bike shops either.

Lumen

kenmc wrote: »

Halfords is a car accessory chain who are branching into various other markets, with varying degrees of expertise and quality. Argos sell "bikes" also, as do Tesco sometimes, Dunnes othertimes, Smyths Toys etc. Doesn't make them bike shops either.

All true. However, this thread is about the Carrera Subway, and despite many people who don't own Carrera Subways expressing negative opinions about Halfords bikes, all the people who do own Carrera Subways find them to offer completely acceptable quality for the price.

kenmc

Lumen wrote: »

All true. However, this thread is about the Carrera Subway, and despite many people who don't own Carrera Subways expressing negative opinions about Halfords bikes, all the people who do own Carrera Subways find them to offer completely acceptable quality for the price.

Fair enough, the missing point in my post was as already mentioned, customer service. If you don't need to have anything ever done to the bike you're probably fine getting it from Halfrauds. However YMMV in terms of build quality, tuning etc.

Aside, why is it that most folk coming on here to buy a bike automagically go to Halfords first? How has that become the standard?

DirkVoodoo

I had a Carrera Subway for a year, it was a great bike. Solid, never gave me any trouble and I think I bought it on offer for 250 euro. Can you really complain with a brand new, well made bike for near BSO money?

papac

kenmc wrote: »

Aside, why is it that most folk coming on here to buy a bike automagically go to Halfords first? How has that become the standard?

Same reason I go to Tesco/Lidl for my weekly shop. Cheaper/better selection of stuff.
I grew up in a bike shop and try to support them whenever I can.(Less and less all the time unfortunately.)
The world has moved on though. I can see lbs having a smaller and smaller share of the new (expanding) bike market but doing well out of servicing the online/Halfords purchases.

petethedrummer

The Carrera Subway is Kona approved. Lock thread.

castle

castle wrote: »

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_551207_categoryId_212377_langId_-1?cm_vc=IOV4PDPZ1&iozone=PDPz1
Is there better for the price out there

Thanks for all the replys keep them coming, I am in south Dublin where else should I go to check out similar, I just want a nice hybred and dont mine paying around 350E,
unfortunely my job do not do the bike scheme so will be full price

endurodave

You could try,

Belfeild bike shop in ucd or the bike rack in cabenteely.

everyday taxi

650Ginge wrote: »

Halfords stuff is rubbish, cheap shiny rubbish.....2nd day out my gf's rear axle slot broke clean of the frame....very safe.....

They sell cheap stuff, at expensive prices.

gman2k

Lumen wrote: »

Halfords stock a wide range of bikes, from complete crap to really great stuff.

Just like my LBS

papac wrote: »

Halfords staff can vary from good to dangerously incompetent so beware.

Just like my LBS

I had a good experience with Halfords today, I needed a shock pump with a gauge in a hurry, so I went onto their site, found one I liked, checked availability online with my local store, reserved it online, and 1 hour later I went in and there it was waiting for me - with my name on it!

BostonB

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/fury-10-35495

latest Carrera Fury

BostonB

went into a lbs on the way home this evening and they have a bike at on sale for 900 thats about half that delivered from the UK. At the end of the day no matter what the shop you have to do your research.

LordSutch

Lumen wrote: »

However, this thread is about the Carrera Subway, and despite many people who don't own Carrera Subways expressing negative opinions about Halfords bikes, all the people who do own Carrera Subways find them to offer completely acceptable quality for the price.

Oh hoo, I didn't realise this thread was totally limited to the Carrera Subway, I thought it was about "Halfords" so I will butt out of here now.

Bye.

PjayC

Cheap bikes are rubbish. I got one for a cummuter, its not even any good for that! Brutal.

Staff depend on the store but cant say much for my local store, I still had to adjust the brakes and tweek the gears when I got home.

they do sell some great bikes though, and im sure some of their staff know what their at

DirkVoodoo

PjayC wrote: »

Cheap bikes are rubbish. I got one for a cummuter, its not even any good for that! Brutal.

No bike is designed for that.