Pros and Cons of letting Halfords assemble a new Boardman
Discussion
I am about to order a Boardman road bike. Carbon frame and disc brakes etc. I'm a competent mechanic and quite capable of assembling it myself. I am assuming it will just need the handlebars straightening. Perhaps wheels fitted and my own pedals to be screwed on, setting up of the gears and a thorough check over.
Should I let Halfords assemble it? I'm concerned that if I do it myself and there are warranty issues further down the line, then Halfords may try and wriggle out of it if they didn't assemble it. I've read stories of poorly fitted bottom brackets causing issues. However, surely that is a Boardman issue as the bike would arrive at Halfords with the BB already fitted? They can't be building them from scratch.
Even if I get Halfords to do it, I would give it a good check over and set it up myself.
Advice please.
pp
Should I let Halfords assemble it? I'm concerned that if I do it myself and there are warranty issues further down the line, then Halfords may try and wriggle out of it if they didn't assemble it. I've read stories of poorly fitted bottom brackets causing issues. However, surely that is a Boardman issue as the bike would arrive at Halfords with the BB already fitted? They can't be building them from scratch.
Even if I get Halfords to do it, I would give it a good check over and set it up myself.
Advice please.
pp
Depends on the store, like any other bike shop really, some are good, some are better. There is a snobbery that your local bike shop is better than Halfords but I’ve seen people ride on bikes built by “mechanics” in trendy bike shops that are straight up dangerous.
FWIW I couldn’t fault the mechanics at Halfords in Weston Super Mare when I bought mine years ago.
FWIW I couldn’t fault the mechanics at Halfords in Weston Super Mare when I bought mine years ago.
It depends on how Boardman supply it to Halfords, no idea if it’s a complete build or just bar straighten.
Either way I think I’d get Halfords to build it then when I got it home partly strip, check and rebuild it myself. That way they’d do the majority of the work but I’d check it was done properly.
Either way I think I’d get Halfords to build it then when I got it home partly strip, check and rebuild it myself. That way they’d do the majority of the work but I’d check it was done properly.
My experience is just one bike. But the bikes will arrived at halford boxed and needing the handlebars straightening or maybe putting on, front wheel put in, and pedals screwed in.
They did 1/3 of those jobs satisfactorily. Ok riding the bike from the car to the house. The wheel almost come off and the handlebars spun in the stem
They did 1/3 of those jobs satisfactorily. Ok riding the bike from the car to the house. The wheel almost come off and the handlebars spun in the stem
Bathroom_Security said:
I'd personally set it up myself
Not because I don't trust a bike mechanic to put a bike together (lets face it anyone can make a good or bad job of it) but because I'd want to know if there were any problems with the bottom bracket. Or anything else for that matter
But you wouldn't be putting the BB in. Its just front wheel, bars and peddles. Not because I don't trust a bike mechanic to put a bike together (lets face it anyone can make a good or bad job of it) but because I'd want to know if there were any problems with the bottom bracket. Or anything else for that matter
Not sure there’s really a choice these days; my experience of the last couple of bikes I’ve bought is the retailer insisted on doing the build and a safety check. Neither was prepared to let me take either bike away in the manufacturer’s carton; both cited insurance stipulations that they must build, even if they then broke down again to ship.
I guess with carbon parts, proper torquing and use of the right assembly compounds can be important so I sort of get it although part of the pleasure of a new bike for me is the unboxing and build.
I guess with carbon parts, proper torquing and use of the right assembly compounds can be important so I sort of get it although part of the pleasure of a new bike for me is the unboxing and build.
I remember a mate taking his Felt in for a new lower headset bearing, the bike looked a bit higher at the front with a bigger gap between frame and fork but he still joined a club ride and mentioned at the end of the ride that the front end felt a bit loose.
Turns out they just put the new bearing on top (underneath) the old bearing! Never seen anything like it and I still can't work out how he managed a quick 25mile ride, the steering was lethal, it was like riding a bike without adjusting the pre-load on the forks!
Turns out they just put the new bearing on top (underneath) the old bearing! Never seen anything like it and I still can't work out how he managed a quick 25mile ride, the steering was lethal, it was like riding a bike without adjusting the pre-load on the forks!
Gary C said:
Wouldn't let some half trained Halfords monkey assemble a 99 flake let alone a decent road bike.
DIY.
Pretty much this.DIY.
Not quite the same I know, but having worked in a now defunct toy shop when I was younger that assembled kids bikes, I choose to assemble my kids bikes myself.
My experience with Halfords has been fairly positive. I bought my daughter two Voodoo bikes and had no issues with either of them. Both were assembled correctly, everything was nice and tight and the shop assistants seemed quite knowledgeable. All I had to do when I got home was set up the tyres tubeless and adjust the air pressure in the fork.
So I popped in to my local Halfords today. Had a chat with a very pleasant and knowledgeable member of staff. He explained that the bikes came to them boxed. They only need the handlebars fitting, pedals screwed on and the front wheel fitting. Everything else is fitted and checked at the Boardman factory.
They could assemble the bike for me I could do it myself. No issues as far as Halfords were concerned.
On balance, I'm going to assemble it myself. I have no issues with the local Halfords branch. The chat today instilled a good level of confidence. However, just enjoy unboxing stuff and assembling it.
Something of a moot point at the moment as Halfords and Tredz are out of stock!
They could assemble the bike for me I could do it myself. No issues as far as Halfords were concerned.
On balance, I'm going to assemble it myself. I have no issues with the local Halfords branch. The chat today instilled a good level of confidence. However, just enjoy unboxing stuff and assembling it.
Something of a moot point at the moment as Halfords and Tredz are out of stock!
Pickled Piper said:
So I popped in to my local Halfords today. Had a chat with a very pleasant and knowledgeable member of staff. He explained that the bikes came to them boxed. They only need the handlebars fitting, pedals screwed on and the front wheel fitting. Everything else is fitted and checked at the Boardman factory.
They could assemble the bike for me I could do it myself. No issues as far as Halfords were concerned.
On balance, I'm going to assemble it myself. I have no issues with the local Halfords branch. The chat today instilled a good level of confidence. However, just enjoy unboxing stuff and assembling it.
Something of a moot point at the moment as Halfords and Tredz are out of stock!
With respect, Halfords are wrong any factory built bike needs a full and proper PDI inspection carrying out, a decent bike shop will do that before the bike is handed over to the customer.They could assemble the bike for me I could do it myself. No issues as far as Halfords were concerned.
On balance, I'm going to assemble it myself. I have no issues with the local Halfords branch. The chat today instilled a good level of confidence. However, just enjoy unboxing stuff and assembling it.
Something of a moot point at the moment as Halfords and Tredz are out of stock!
romeodelta said:
Gary C said:
Wouldn't let some half trained Halfords monkey assemble a 99 flake let alone a decent road bike.
DIY.
Pretty much this.DIY.
Not quite the same I know, but having worked in a now defunct toy shop when I was younger that assembled kids bikes, I choose to assemble my kids bikes myself.
Halfords aren't building it, one or perhaps two individuals are and those individuals may be totally useless or be borderline obsessive when it comes to bikes and possess skills that would put most people to shame.
But crack on and let stereotypes and assumptions rule your small mindedness. And I'm probably slightly defensive as the chap who put together my Boardman and has had dealings with it since is superb and I couldn't fault the bike, service or staff.
To further my reasoning, latterly I used a mobile guy... highly recommended / knows everything / a genius etc etc so I duly left the bike for a once over, fettle and upon getting it back my front disc was rubbing and the pinch bolt on the rear mech gear cable wasn't tightened properly so within a few shifts, the cable slipped.
The chap at Halfords made good...
Edited by Davie on Thursday 24th March 20:25
Davie said:
What a crappy attitude.
Halfords aren't building it, one or perhaps two individuals are and those individuals may be totally useless or be borderline obsessive when it comes to bikes and possess skills that would put most people to shame.
But crack on and let stereotypes and assumptions rule your small mindedness. And I'm probably slightly defensive as the chap who put together my Boardman and has had dealings with it since is superb and I couldn't fault the bike, service or staff.
To further my reasoning, latterly I used a mobile guy... highly recommended / knows everything / a genius etc etc so I duly left the bike for a once over, fettle and upon getting it back my front disc was rubbing and the pinch bolt on the rear mech gear cable wasn't tightened properly so within a few shifts, the cable slipped.
The chap at Halfords made good...
Crappy attitude, ok, its crappy because they can be crap.Halfords aren't building it, one or perhaps two individuals are and those individuals may be totally useless or be borderline obsessive when it comes to bikes and possess skills that would put most people to shame.
But crack on and let stereotypes and assumptions rule your small mindedness. And I'm probably slightly defensive as the chap who put together my Boardman and has had dealings with it since is superb and I couldn't fault the bike, service or staff.
To further my reasoning, latterly I used a mobile guy... highly recommended / knows everything / a genius etc etc so I duly left the bike for a once over, fettle and upon getting it back my front disc was rubbing and the pinch bolt on the rear mech gear cable wasn't tightened properly so within a few shifts, the cable slipped.
The chap at Halfords made good...
Edited by Davie on Thursday 24th March 20:25
How much training do you think an average Halfords 'cycle tech' gets ? Of course some will be good, and for most bikes, they ain't rocket science so crack on, but I would not let a £10/hr cycle tech work on a Carbon bike.
They are a 'supermarket' retail chain and not a specialist. I wouldn't let Halfords fit brake pads to my Carrera either.
Maybe because I am an engineer that I know I can do a much better job than them when it comes to engineering tasks
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