Halfords

I think to an extent the reputation they have for setting up bikes poorly is a percentages thing. As a Bikeability instructor I probably see an example of a Halfords cock up at least once a fortnight. But I probably see about 30 Halfords bikes in that fortnight as that's where so many families go for their kids bikes. Is one in 30 such a bad percentage and does it compare so badly to smalller volume retailers?

This week's example was a cracker though. Apollo MTB, less than a year old, looked very little used. Stem and both sets of brake blocks were loose. Front brake cable had been wound all the way around the head tube. Rear brake cable was totally frayed at the point where it bolts to the brake caliper. According to the kid it had been back to Halfords 4 times to get problems fixed. Kids aren't always reliable sources but I'd guess it must have been back in at least a couple of times. At least the forks were the right way round though I wonder if they might have originally received the classic Halfords fork setup and it was in rectifying this that the front brake cable ended up how it was.

I've had a couple of cracking bargains from them. My Pro Carbon with the BC discount and a quidco code was a bargain, same with my MX comp. I had to sort out the massive balls up on the set up, on both bikes, but I like fettling bikes.

I like to think I'm a mechanic myself. I've been messing with bikes since I learned how to ride them. In fact I'm just on my way there as they had a deal for some Conti Race 28 inner tubes - 4 for £10.90. They called me when they were available to collect.

I think the Campagnolo Eurus I'm currently riding came from there too for around £450. All in all, I don't really use them as a local bike shop...although I did buy a kids bike and a saddle for my wife (that she choose), I usually just use them for click and collect.

I do love messing with bikes, but in this internet age, there's really no excuse for not having at least some idea about the bike you ride. You should have at least some idea of why you're going there in the first place...

Coming to think of it, I can remember buy crank cotter pins when I was a kid...

Really good mechanic in one of my local branches. The other one not so much...

I'm more than happy to buy stuff from them, they do often have good prices on stuff and being able to collect when it suits is better than delivery during the day.....however I wouldn't let my local branch anywhere near my bike.

I have some words of praise for their mechanics that help the Deloitte RAB. They were were very good and very helpful at what they did.

My main issue is that they stock low end stuff and unless you want starter bike/commuter/shopper type bike then there is nothing to excite my interest, and if I get someone who doesn't know what they are talking about then there really is no point in me being there.

I think pretty much the same thing could be said of Evans staff. Some of them know what they are talking about, but equally they have a lot of them that are clueless, and because they are generally young they don't think they can admit that.

I agree with some others that they're useful to keep an eye on for a source of the odd item as they sometimes have good sales. In fact, just yesterday evening, the last day of their 15% off promotion, I was on their website putting a few items into my electronic basket. Then, all of a sudden, I couldn't add the next item. Clicked the button, nothing happened. Reloaded the page, and was given the cutesy message "It's pit stop time. We're making a few tweaks," along with instructions simply to check back later. Of course, they weren't back up before midnight, so I'd wasted all that time, didn't get the discount on those items, and Halfords aren't getting any sales because even if they're still a bit cheaper without the discount than elsewhere, I'm not going to buy from them because they've just annoyed me too much.

I notice their website gets taken down relatively often, i.e. I've noticed it probably a few times in the last couple of years. But how often have you noticed Wiggle, CRC, Ribble, etc., to be offline? Though it may be unfair to generalise across all their stores, the fact they can't maintain a running website just adds to the impression that they won't put a bike together properly, either.

being open a lot later than regular LBS means have used Halfords a few times in an emergency and the one local to were I used to live had a mechanic that really knew his stuff

Another vote for the bargain bin - quality end of line stuff at sometimes unbelievable prices always worth a poke

It really depends on the staff, some are OK, but when you see 4 or 5 display bikes with the forks backwards it's hard to take them seriously. (Even had one being ridden around the caravan park I run and it took some convincing the parents what was wrong.) Handy for a quick nip in if you know you can get what you're needing and as mentioned the clearance table is worth a look at times.

Halfords told me I didn't ride far enough and wasn't flexible enough for a road bike and I'd find a bike with front suspension better going over curbs.

My commute was 25 miles and I stopped riding on pavements when I went to big school.

I worked for them for three years up to January just gone and we had one of the best bikehuts in the area in my store

By comparison another store that was just 10 miles away had no clue and turned a customer to us once because they couldn't replace a hollow tech II chainset despite the fact that it's on a couple of the bikes in the range

In all honesty it just depends which store you go to before I went there I didn't know a lot about cycling as a lot of people don't because a lot of them are part-time but i quickly found my passion as did a few of the other new guys

And went from occasionally riding my dad's bike to building my own full carbon out of reduced/clearance items in the shop

I like to think we did very well and admittedly we didn't get everything right but what shop does I'm sure anyone who's been to the Halfords in Ipswich will back me up

... It's all store dependant

Its because there is a lot of instances where the staff have no idea about bikes.

I saw today a guy come in with a Wrecked Wheel after having his bike wheel hit by a tractor.

A normal 700c wheel with rim brakes, The guy said all they have is a wheel which was disc brake wheel. The guy tried to explain the wheel wouldn't work on his bike and the sales advisor kept saying its okay.

This is the same idiot who told me that a sram chain on a sram cassette wouldn't work with a claris mech. EVEN though that was what I had on my bike at the time and just needed the chain breaking so I could put a new one on.

I like popping into halfords occasionally as they often have some good mark downs, like the cateye whisper I saw for £25 the other day, a shame as I'd just picked up a lazer genesis for £25 a few days earlier from JEJames so I had to give it a miss.

If the price is right, I don't care who supplies the kit. Halfords is a mile from my house and on my way home from work, the LBS is double that and out of the way, plus it doesn't open late, so I can never get to it because I work. I'd rather fix my bike and stay on the road than wait until the weekend so I can support my LBS, but use the car in the meantime.