Halfords cheap mountain bikes

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Dave Cox
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Halfords cheap mountain bikes

Post by Dave Cox » 01 Aug 2010 22:28

Returning from Seans's pacey ride to Evesham I came across a young couple trying to fix the front wheel on one of their new Reebok MTBs from Halfords. They had had a good ride to City centre on the canal and were in Bounville when one of them noticed that the cam on the front quick release was hanging loose. I tried to help but the cam lever would not stay on the skewer. It appeared to have been screwed onto a thread and either jammed on or cross threaded originally now it would not hold.

Fortunately it hadn't fallen out and caused an accident. These were cheap bikes but they looked OK and were brand new. Even a cheap bike should work and be safe. I dont know why they bother with quick release hubs if they can't be engineered properly, a couple of track nuts would do.

What is so frustrating is that people keen to start cycling and get into it are supplied by our largest retail supplier who enjoy a virtual monopoly in many towns with machines that are not fit for any purpose and potentially lethal. This young couple would have invested about £300 on two bikes and I felt really sorry for them.

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GrahamGamblin
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Post by GrahamGamblin » 02 Aug 2010 14:03

Agreed Dave, Halfords do stock some good bikes (the Boardman ones get good reviews) but don't seem to employ any staff who know anything about bikes, I've heard numerous tales of Halfords bikes being poorly set up or shoddily put together.
Graham

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chalkie
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Post by chalkie » 03 Aug 2010 08:47

come across this quite a few times where hapless Halford victims are busy fixing a badly setup bike en route - perhaps we should have a page on our web offering advice on how to buy a bike, what to look for, and a list of bhams' private/other bike shops to break the monopoly; it is amazing that the store has appalling stock variety, low knowledge base of bike products, and indifferent bike mechanics. state of the nation :x
and on the 7th day God created CLEATS..!

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RichK
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Post by RichK » 03 Aug 2010 08:53

Can I give (one) Halfords a bit of credit? When I started cycling (again) - I went in to Halfords (Selly Oak) to buy one of their "reduced" lines. Mech guy there said (unofficially :wink: ) don't buy one of those (you'll regret it)... Now I know a (bit) more, I can see why.

Went to Scotts in the end & although it's not the best piece of kit, it is still getting me to work & back 5 days a week.
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CakeStop
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Post by CakeStop » 03 Aug 2010 10:04

Does anybody have any experience of any of the Boardman range of bikes? I've heard that the bikes themselves are good quality and I read that the decision was made to give exclusivity to Halfords in order to reach a mass market quickly but I wonder whether ultimately the association could limit the market.
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Andy Terry
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Post by Andy Terry » 03 Aug 2010 11:20

I know somebody who got a Boardman Comp through a Bike to Work scheme - they had to use Halfords. It's a very nice bike for the money. I suppose if you're going to get one it would pay to take it to a 'proper' bike mechanic to check it over before riding.

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Post by BenFroggatt » 21 Aug 2010 13:37

I don't exaggerate when i say 20% of my work at present is fixing Halfords hideous mistakes. Oh and in my personal opinion, and speaking from experience Boardman bikes are extremely poor. They get good reviews as they appear to be well spec'd for the money i.e groupsets. Although all i can advise if anyones plan is to purchase on, is to think outside the box and observe the foul wheels and the quality of the frames.
"You break it, I'll fiix it" www.venturebikes.com

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