New bike but it must be from Halfords!
Discussion
My wife has been progressing well with her cycling and now covers 14 miles a day to work and back, she has lost 2 stone and needless to say I am quite proud of her. She has decided to go for toe clips and upgrade her bike.
The Cycle to Work scheme is available which means that she can lease a bike for 18 months and then pay 5% of the value, the advantage is that she is a higher rate taxpayer so gets nearly 50% off. She can spend up to £1k but it has to be at Halfords.
Their top of the range bike seems to be the Boardman road or hybrid womans bike, I can't seem to find any reviews.
Has anyone any suggestions on a bike from Halfords for a 5'10 lady who is getting a bit serious about her cycling?
The Cycle to Work scheme is available which means that she can lease a bike for 18 months and then pay 5% of the value, the advantage is that she is a higher rate taxpayer so gets nearly 50% off. She can spend up to £1k but it has to be at Halfords.
Their top of the range bike seems to be the Boardman road or hybrid womans bike, I can't seem to find any reviews.
Has anyone any suggestions on a bike from Halfords for a 5'10 lady who is getting a bit serious about her cycling?
eightseventhree said:
If it was anything like mine (which was through halfords). . .
The cycle to work scheme have to source you any bike you request not just halfords ones.
They seem quite adamant we have to deal through Halfrauds, I have just read the small print and they keep prattling on about it. I will look into it further. Thanks.The cycle to work scheme have to source you any bike you request not just halfords ones.
edited to add its all arrange though a company called mychoice.....
Edited by lost in espace on Tuesday 20th April 15:08
Halfords will order in pretty much any make/model of bike you want, meaning you do have other options to the halfords-specific bikes (carrera/boardman) through halfords. Having said that, the boardmans are pretty good bikes (Ive got a team FS on a C2W scheme). If there still running the same offer, you might be able to get 10% worth of accessories thrown in if you do go for a boardman!
It has been mentioned many times, on many sites, that boardman bikes are particulary very good VFM at the moment. I have no specific riding experience but, Their frames are from reputable large scale manufacturor and their groupsets (gears and stuff) are higher spec for the same price on other reputable brands.
They're trying to gain significant (supported by SRAM) market share and seem to offer great bikes at relativitly low price.
If I was in the market I don't think I'd look much past them unless I was a campag or shimano junkie.
Many people who have brought them have recommended buying online and setting it up at home, if you have some bike understanding it shouldn't be too hard, this is mainly to do with the fact that many people don't trust your local Halfords BikeShop technician to break an egg let alone put a good bike together.
They're trying to gain significant (supported by SRAM) market share and seem to offer great bikes at relativitly low price.
If I was in the market I don't think I'd look much past them unless I was a campag or shimano junkie.
Many people who have brought them have recommended buying online and setting it up at home, if you have some bike understanding it shouldn't be too hard, this is mainly to do with the fact that many people don't trust your local Halfords BikeShop technician to break an egg let alone put a good bike together.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 20th April 16:10
OneDs said:
Many people who have brought them have recommended buying online and setting it up at home, if you have some bike understanding it shouldn't be too hard, this is mainly to do with the fact that many people don't trust your local Halfords BikeShop technician to break an egg let alone put a good bike together.
Thanks for that. I think we have to order instore so will be set up instore, hopefully the 12 year old I saw in the store will do a decent job. The big question is hybrid or road bike? I have never ridden a hybrid and they didn't have one instore to view. My wife's ride is mainly on roads and pavements (ahem I mean cycle paths) with two large hills. She has complained about potholes quite a bit.
i'm saying nothing 
to the OP: boardmans are great bikes for the money, some cyclists and non-cyclists have a prejudice that because nits from halfords it must be s
te but they are just ignorant. boardmans are built by merida, a well known and reputable brand, well built and fitted with excellent kit. they arrive in halfords in a box, buy it boxed, take it home, "build" it yourself (its not hard, few screws etc). both hybrid and road bikes get excellent reviews, i have an 08 team road bike and love it to pieces. its very fast and stable, transfers power well and has comfy geometry. on this forum i have heard such bullst about boardmans i defend them to the hills plus its more fun overtaking a stalinist pinarello riding bigot on a halfords special....
the voodoo bikes are designed by joe murray - the man behind kona all those years ago. dont now much about them but i dont think joe would put his name to any old crap.
the carrera range are pretty good and you could easily buy one of their bikes, get some good qulaity shimano wheels for under £100 and havea very reliable and satisfactory bike. wheels are always a weak point on any bike and a point where the manufacturer will look to save costs. shimano rs20s are under a hundred pounds and a massive upgrade on whatever it comes with.
as others have said, you can get halfords to order anything through SOME cycleschemes, so do some investigation.
to the OP: boardmans are great bikes for the money, some cyclists and non-cyclists have a prejudice that because nits from halfords it must be s
te but they are just ignorant. boardmans are built by merida, a well known and reputable brand, well built and fitted with excellent kit. they arrive in halfords in a box, buy it boxed, take it home, "build" it yourself (its not hard, few screws etc). both hybrid and road bikes get excellent reviews, i have an 08 team road bike and love it to pieces. its very fast and stable, transfers power well and has comfy geometry. on this forum i have heard such bullst about boardmans i defend them to the hills plus its more fun overtaking a stalinist pinarello riding bigot on a halfords special.... the voodoo bikes are designed by joe murray - the man behind kona all those years ago. dont now much about them but i dont think joe would put his name to any old crap.
the carrera range are pretty good and you could easily buy one of their bikes, get some good qulaity shimano wheels for under £100 and havea very reliable and satisfactory bike. wheels are always a weak point on any bike and a point where the manufacturer will look to save costs. shimano rs20s are under a hundred pounds and a massive upgrade on whatever it comes with.
as others have said, you can get halfords to order anything through SOME cycleschemes, so do some investigation.
£1000 BikeToWork scheme
Road Bike
Team Carbon spec £999
FRAME:Ultralight unidirectional T700 carbon fibre monocoque
FORK:Ultralight unidirectional carbon fibre monocoque
GEARING:SRAM Rival 20 speed
BRAKES:Lightweight R580
CHAINSET:SRAM S350 GXP Compact
WHEELS:Ritchey Pro rims with sealed bearing hubs
FINISHING KIT:Ritchey Comp
Hybrid
Pro LTD £999
FRAME:Ultralight super butted aluminium
FORK:Lightweight carbon fibre with alloy steerer
GEARING:SRAM Rival Double Tap 20 speed
BRAKES:Avid Elixir R Carbon hydraulic disc
CHAINSET:Truvativ Rouleur carbon GXP compact
WHEELS:Ritchey Pro rims with sealed bearing hubs
FINISHING KIT:Ritchey WCS/Pro
Your OH will need to sit and cycle both of these bikes to see what she is most comfortable on.
On a commute the slightly more upright hybrid with wider flat bars and disc brakes will be a safer and possibly more comfortable option.
The Carbon frame on the road bike is very light and flexibility of multiple and positions on the drop bars will make this a great mileage machine.
Both bikes have top spec bits for the prices and it's hard to say which one is better. If she wants ultimate speed then it's the road bike, if she wants what looks like a great flat bar commuter then it's the Hybrid.
If she is talking about doing sportives/charity rides joining a club etc then it's the road bike. If she is just getting fitter and wants a good commuter then I'd suggest the hybrid with some bar ends, and perhaps some wider tires for comfort/better grip with the disc brakes(not sure on tires they look thin maybe 700cx23).
Didn't see the fi range but I'd go for the £999 fi road team carbon or the mens Pro ltd hybrid if it fits, the fi hybrid is not as good as the mens.
Road Bike
Team Carbon spec £999
FRAME:Ultralight unidirectional T700 carbon fibre monocoque
FORK:Ultralight unidirectional carbon fibre monocoque
GEARING:SRAM Rival 20 speed
BRAKES:Lightweight R580
CHAINSET:SRAM S350 GXP Compact
WHEELS:Ritchey Pro rims with sealed bearing hubs
FINISHING KIT:Ritchey Comp
Hybrid
Pro LTD £999
FRAME:Ultralight super butted aluminium
FORK:Lightweight carbon fibre with alloy steerer
GEARING:SRAM Rival Double Tap 20 speed
BRAKES:Avid Elixir R Carbon hydraulic disc
CHAINSET:Truvativ Rouleur carbon GXP compact
WHEELS:Ritchey Pro rims with sealed bearing hubs
FINISHING KIT:Ritchey WCS/Pro
Your OH will need to sit and cycle both of these bikes to see what she is most comfortable on.
On a commute the slightly more upright hybrid with wider flat bars and disc brakes will be a safer and possibly more comfortable option.
The Carbon frame on the road bike is very light and flexibility of multiple and positions on the drop bars will make this a great mileage machine.
Both bikes have top spec bits for the prices and it's hard to say which one is better. If she wants ultimate speed then it's the road bike, if she wants what looks like a great flat bar commuter then it's the Hybrid.
If she is talking about doing sportives/charity rides joining a club etc then it's the road bike. If she is just getting fitter and wants a good commuter then I'd suggest the hybrid with some bar ends, and perhaps some wider tires for comfort/better grip with the disc brakes(not sure on tires they look thin maybe 700cx23).
Didn't see the fi range but I'd go for the £999 fi road team carbon or the mens Pro ltd hybrid if it fits, the fi hybrid is not as good as the mens.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 20th April 16:53
swerni said:
lost in espace said:
OneDs said:
I don't mean to be rude Craig but are you new to the internet?
You may want to get one of your children to explain search engines
HTH
Nooo I am quite capable of using google in my old age, I just prefer to get the sage advice of fellow PH'ers, which as always is top notch.You may want to get one of your children to explain search engines
HTH
Apologies if I have taken anybody's time up with a needless post.
lost in espace said:
eightseventhree said:
If it was anything like mine (which was through halfords). . .
The cycle to work scheme have to source you any bike you request not just halfords ones.
They seem quite adamant we have to deal through Halfrauds, I have just read the small print and they keep prattling on about it. I will look into it further. Thanks.The cycle to work scheme have to source you any bike you request not just halfords ones.
edited to add its all arrange though a company called mychoice.....
swerni said:
el stovey said:
lost in espace said:
eightseventhree said:
If it was anything like mine (which was through halfords). . .
The cycle to work scheme have to source you any bike you request not just halfords ones.
They seem quite adamant we have to deal through Halfrauds, I have just read the small print and they keep prattling on about it. I will look into it further. Thanks.The cycle to work scheme have to source you any bike you request not just halfords ones.
edited to add its all arrange though a company called mychoice.....
I got one of my Specialized bikes from Halfords.
My 5'8 other half has taken a real shine to my Large Boardman Hybrid Pro... she loves it and is annoyingly fast on it. I know that the new Boardman Fi range is set up for womens geometry... shorter reach etc but I think it's actually a bit overpriced compared with the equivalent mens bike on spec.
I'd get her to have a look at the Hybrid Pro, it can take larger tyres shoud she want to head off road, has attachments for pannier rack for the commute and mudguards too in winter. Personal view is that the extra for the tiny amount of extra carbon on the Hybrid Pro ltd is not really worth it and more likely to fail, though I have no experience of this...
Hope this helps!
I'd get her to have a look at the Hybrid Pro, it can take larger tyres shoud she want to head off road, has attachments for pannier rack for the commute and mudguards too in winter. Personal view is that the extra for the tiny amount of extra carbon on the Hybrid Pro ltd is not really worth it and more likely to fail, though I have no experience of this...
Hope this helps!
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