Halfords

busyliving

Hey all,

I'm just wondering if any of ye good people have purchased a bike from Halfords?

If so, was it good value or is it better to shop in local bike shops?

I'm basically looking for a good start up road bike, but considering winter will soon be upon us I may just wait till after xmas.

But thought it was worth asking now either ways:D

Khannie

Personally I would rather buy from the LBS than Halfords because it's easier to just knock down to them if you have any minor issues.

Winter doesn't have to be a problem at all. No way I'm stopping cycling over this winter.

Jawgap

Halfords are very hit and miss - it all depends on the staff working there.

xz

I bought a Boardman last year under the CTW Scheme,good bike, but I insisted on collecting it still in the box, after seeing one of their "mechanics" attacking bolts on a bike with a vise grips, whilst I was placing my order

Rev

I got my bike in Halfords in Limerick, but it was a friend of mine who I know is good with bikes I was dealing with.
I haven't brought the bike anywhere near the place since I got it, simply because I do my own maintainence. Friend has since left.

Thinkingaboutit

A complete lack of mechanical aptitude/knowledge is a prerequisite for working there, so if a person has any, self-assembling the bike seems an idea, or collecting it, and getting someone who can, as they do have some reasonable bikes but some very crap staff.

andyf3050

I agree with the guys in previous posts. I bought a Carrera Vulcan about 4 years ago and took it home in the box to assemble it myself. I saw one of the guys from Halfords putting one together and lets just say... he only had a pipe wrench with him. Numpty. The bike itself is great. A bit battered now as I used to use it every day to get to work around London and at weekends quite often for a bit of downhill stupidity. It's a hardtail with front suspension and can handle being thrown about... I weigh 18 stone so its been properly tested...!
Hope this helps...?
Andy

busyliving

Well I'm looking for a road bike, would that make any difference lad?

I just as, because most things on road bikes tend to be quick release don't they?

Icyseanfitz

boardmans and some careras are good, their build quality is supposedly hit and miss though, father bought a boardman mtb from them and its a real nice bike

Lemag

Those assembling boardman bikes are supposed to have received special training. Perhaps this will give you some piece of mind if buying one from Halfords. Anyhow, if you live close to a Halfords store then it won't be much of an inconvenience to bring the bike back should any problems arise.

lennymc

i bought three bikes from drogheda halfords with no problems. guys up there seem clued in. I still stood over them when they prepped the bikes and gave them a good going over when I got home. 15% discount with axa insurance policy. what bikes are you looking at?

studiorat

Guys in Carrackmines were good too!

Hail 2 Da Thief

Lemag wrote: »

Those assembling boardman bikes are supposed to have received special training.

The Halfords 'mechanic' who recently changed a rear shifter on my Boardman bike wasn't even able to index the gears. He was completely dumbfounded as to why the gears weren't shifting properly. All I could do was laugh tbh!

Lemag

Hail 2 Da Thief wrote: »

The Halfords 'mechanic' who recently changed a rear shifter on my Boardman bike wasn't even able to index the gears. He was completely dumbfounded as to why the gears weren't shifting properly. All I could do was laugh tbh!

Sram, right? The shifters are already indexed, no? TBH, I've had crap experiences with LBSs, internet bike shops and sometimes I let myself down. It's hit 'n' miss with pretty much all of them.

Icyseanfitz

can i ask what do ye mean by indexing gears? just setting them up?

Hail 2 Da Thief

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

can i ask what do ye mean by indexing gears? just setting them up?

Sorry, I meant tuning. Tuning the rear mech using the barrel adjuster.

Icyseanfitz

ah cool, was thinking there was something else for me to learn

clonmahon

I bought a Carrera TDF in Halfords, Cavan last week, have done over 200 km on it so far and its going fine, so the build was good.

kona

you have to be a retard to work there.

Crow92

kona wrote: »

you have to be a retard to work there.

Thats a bit harsh Kona, the previous poster was right about the boardman and better bikes will be assembled by the more experienced mechanics.

I joined 2 months ago in the coolock branch and love working there, I'm still learning bits and bobs which is what amazes that there's always small new things to learn every time I work.

but as Said it can be a bit of a hit and a miss there are some people who don't care as much about the work they do but you get that will all jobs (especially when your only on minimum wage =/)

xz

studiorat wrote: »

Guys in Carrackmines were good too!

You jest....yes ?

C3PO

kona wrote: »

you have to be a retard to work there.

Charming as ever ......

a148pro

clonmahon wrote: »

I bought a Carrera TDF in Halfords, Cavan last week, have done over 200 km on it so far and its going fine, so the build was good.

Same from Liffey Valley, all good. One of the cheapest road bikes and pretty good value at the price apparently. When you buy it you'll see a checklist on the bike making sure everything's been done. A place like Halford's are worried about getting sued if a punter rides out on a bike which then falls apart at high speed. So they'd hopefully be good for that side of things.

OP you have to remember there is a bit of snobbery among bike enthusiasts about Halfords, would be the equivalent of McDonalds for a food snob.

Mind you I fcuking hate McDonalds.

CeannRua

I was looking at a bike in Halfords the other day but no test cycle allowed, even around the car park - insurance being the reason I was given. So no sale - I bought elsewhere. I wasn't spending huge money but enough that I wanted to know if it was going to be comfortable cycling.

New to this forum... are test cycles normally allowed or not? In the two other shops I was in, there was no problem.

studiorat

Well I suppose like McDonalds it has its uses. Walked in told them what i wanted. Told them would be back in half an hour to pick it up. Got a coffee left with a new bike. Simples. Have always had much more grief with buying or getting stuff done in the pro shops.
That said if I need something special try the locals.

kona

RPL1 wrote: »

Charming as ever ......

twas a joke for the more seasoned posters :rolleyes:

Joey The Gowl

kona wrote: »

you have to be a retard to work there.

Don't you work in Smyth's bike dept? Glass houses and all that..

kona

Joey The Gowl wrote: »

Don't you work in Smyth's bike dept? Glass houses and all that..

Youd be very very suprised where i now work.

Hermy

kona wrote: »

Youd be very very suprised where i now work.

Halfords?

kona

Hermy wrote: »

Halfords?

not currentley :pac:

Joey The Gowl

kona wrote: »

not currentley :pac:

Somewhere spelling isn't a priority?:pac:

sill17

bought a bike there last christmas . have done 40 miles and it is falling a part brakes faulty gears slipping lots of parts lose stay far away

kuro_man

kona wrote: »

Youd be very very suprised where i now work.

McDonalds?

murphyebass

I bought a carrera Kraken in the Blanch halfords about a year ago.

Admittedly its only gone down mountains a few times (goin this weekend, woo hoo) but has been about the roads as well. No problems what so ever.

I bought a carrera Virtuoso on Sunday just gone and have done 2 cycles with no problems. One of which was 25km so that would have showed up any glaring problems I'd say.

I think the guys in Blanch are pretty clued in. One guy spoke to me last year at length as he built my bike about ticknock which was useful for a newbie as well.

It probably depends on the shop to be fair to them. You can get bad employees in any company as well though.

For cheaper bikes I dont think you can go to far wrong.

I got the Virtuoso as a start off road bike and it was only €440 which imo isnt bad as a start off bike.

If I get into it in the next year or two I'll sell it and buy something better from a specialised shop.

lochdara

a friend works in halfords and got moved to the bike dept. it was his own responsibility to learn about bikes. had to research them online to see whats what. I bought a track pump off them and a few bits and that was it.

petethedrummer

sill17 wrote: »

bought a bike there last christmas . have done 40 miles and it is falling a part brakes faulty gears slipping lots of parts lose stay far away

Apollo or Trax?

sill17

apollo