Anyone had work done at Halfords?
Discussion
Went into the local Halfords to get some inner tubes the other day and got chatting to the bike technician there. As a general rule I wouldn't trust the monkeys you get on the shop floor to fit a wiper blade, but the guy from the bike section seemed to be a genuine enthusiast who knew his stuff.
Given the shop is directly on my way to work and the nearest 'proper' bike shop is about 10 miles in the opposite direction I'm quite tempted to give them a go. Does anyone have any experience of using Halfords for mechanical bits on bikes?
Given the shop is directly on my way to work and the nearest 'proper' bike shop is about 10 miles in the opposite direction I'm quite tempted to give them a go. Does anyone have any experience of using Halfords for mechanical bits on bikes?
All depends on what needs doing really, if its something that they will do a lot then it shouldnt be too much of an issue, if its something serious that they wont have much experience of I'd be wary. The quality of staff varies from branch to branch massively. As an example the Weston super Mare branch are very good and know their stuff, the Bristol stores are truly are shocking...
I think it will be the same for all big chains like this.
Some will be excellent, some will be piss poor, the majority will be ok.
It's a bit of pot luck, go on your instinct. If the chap sounds like a real enthusiast (and there will be many working at Halfords) then go for it, but just try and ensure it is him doing the work (i.e. it's not his day off the day you go in)
Bear in mind though. Most jobs on a bike are pretty easy for anyone who knows one end of a spanner from the other as long as you have the right tool. Buying the right tool and doing it yourself (there are loads of YouTube tutorials) may be more beneficial in the long run.
Some will be excellent, some will be piss poor, the majority will be ok.
It's a bit of pot luck, go on your instinct. If the chap sounds like a real enthusiast (and there will be many working at Halfords) then go for it, but just try and ensure it is him doing the work (i.e. it's not his day off the day you go in)
Bear in mind though. Most jobs on a bike are pretty easy for anyone who knows one end of a spanner from the other as long as you have the right tool. Buying the right tool and doing it yourself (there are loads of YouTube tutorials) may be more beneficial in the long run.
CoolC said:
Bear in mind though. Most jobs on a bike are pretty easy for anyone who knows one end of a spanner from the other as long as you have the right tool. Buying the right tool and doing it yourself (there are loads of YouTube tutorials) may be more beneficial in the long run.
True. I try and do most bits myself. One of the jobs I need doing is getting a wheel re-spoked. Not something I've done before, but I'm sure there's something out there on the web.Chris71 said:
CoolC said:
Bear in mind though. Most jobs on a bike are pretty easy for anyone who knows one end of a spanner from the other as long as you have the right tool. Buying the right tool and doing it yourself (there are loads of YouTube tutorials) may be more beneficial in the long run.
True. I try and do most bits myself. One of the jobs I need doing is getting a wheel re-spoked. Not something I've done before, but I'm sure there's something out there on the web.http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html
Chris71 said:
True. I try and do most bits myself. One of the jobs I need doing is getting a wheel re-spoked. Not something I've done before, but I'm sure there's something out there on the web.
I relaced a wheel using sheldon's instructions above.They are quite straightforward.
However, it is certainly not something I would give to Halfords.
And I am not sure I ever felt 100% confident in my own work.
I used the front fork as a truing stand, dished it by eye and tensioned the spokes by ear.
Buying the proper tools would be expensive for a one off!
Any proper LBS would do it for you for something reasonable like £30 and give you 100% confidence...
Have to agree with walm here. Wheel building is pretty much top end bike spannering skills and a bit of a black art. I have done it myself using the frame for truing, but I should think it took me all day to do it. (I was about 14 at the time though)
The guide above is very good and if your confident go for it, if your not, then find a good LBS. As much as I said in my first reply, I shouldn't think wheel building is a job the average Halfords is asked to do very often and so will likely not have anyone with the necessary "time served" skills for the job.
They'll likely charge the same as an LBS anyway, so you may as well use an LBS. (again finding a good one is the difficult part here)
The guide above is very good and if your confident go for it, if your not, then find a good LBS. As much as I said in my first reply, I shouldn't think wheel building is a job the average Halfords is asked to do very often and so will likely not have anyone with the necessary "time served" skills for the job.
They'll likely charge the same as an LBS anyway, so you may as well use an LBS. (again finding a good one is the difficult part here)
Well i also its all down to the guy in store...
I bought a GT i-drive and they hadnt adjusted the gears so i got home and had to go back.
Worse was my wifes Pashley which they didnt tighten up the stem which rotated on her during her first ride. Thankfully she was on a cycle path not the road.
Basically i wouldn't trust them ever again.
I'd buy a boardman but build it up myself.
I bought a GT i-drive and they hadnt adjusted the gears so i got home and had to go back.
Worse was my wifes Pashley which they didnt tighten up the stem which rotated on her during her first ride. Thankfully she was on a cycle path not the road.
Basically i wouldn't trust them ever again.
I'd buy a boardman but build it up myself.
I would only use them for warrenty work.
As i was on a tight budget I bought a carrera MTB and then a roadie.
I've been back and forth as their "mechanic" couldn't get the gears correct.
Recently the headset bearing lost all grease and had to be changed. Took over 3 weeks as the mechanic was away for a week, then a week and a half waiting for the tool then a few days doing it.
Their customer services on the other hand are excellent. By far the best I've had to deal with.
As i was on a tight budget I bought a carrera MTB and then a roadie.
I've been back and forth as their "mechanic" couldn't get the gears correct.
Recently the headset bearing lost all grease and had to be changed. Took over 3 weeks as the mechanic was away for a week, then a week and a half waiting for the tool then a few days doing it.
Their customer services on the other hand are excellent. By far the best I've had to deal with.
possibly not what you want to hear op...
I have two horror stories thanks to these bunch of clowns- now they seem pretty minor, but at the time I was fuming! I have a Specialized Allez 2010. I love my bike, and the only guys I ever let work on it now are Evans. Here's why...
1- They fitted my wheel on back to front! yep, the gear release was on the inside of the frame instead of the outside. I was pretty lucky as I happened to cycle past an Evans and decided to pick up some stuff, one of their mechanics walked past and said 'er...your wheel is on back to front!'...if it wasnt noticed, apparently it could have come loose?
2- Halfords sell a warranty (I forget the exact details) but inner tubes and other replaceables were included. "Great" thinks I, "i'll 'av me some of that"...included as part of this agreement was a "full service"..., so I take up their "full service". They tell me to drop the bike off and leave it with them for two days. Pretty standard so far. Two days come and go. They return the bike and I ask what has been done do it...the oik says "er...nothing". Basically, they had my bike for two days and didn't service it. The "manager" then came along with a multitool "tightened" some bolts and sent me on my way. All the way to Evans, where they discovered he actually managed mis-align the gears somehow.
Don't bother with Halfords, and if you ever buy a bike from them, take it to Evans to have it properly built.
I have two horror stories thanks to these bunch of clowns- now they seem pretty minor, but at the time I was fuming! I have a Specialized Allez 2010. I love my bike, and the only guys I ever let work on it now are Evans. Here's why...
1- They fitted my wheel on back to front! yep, the gear release was on the inside of the frame instead of the outside. I was pretty lucky as I happened to cycle past an Evans and decided to pick up some stuff, one of their mechanics walked past and said 'er...your wheel is on back to front!'...if it wasnt noticed, apparently it could have come loose?
2- Halfords sell a warranty (I forget the exact details) but inner tubes and other replaceables were included. "Great" thinks I, "i'll 'av me some of that"...included as part of this agreement was a "full service"..., so I take up their "full service". They tell me to drop the bike off and leave it with them for two days. Pretty standard so far. Two days come and go. They return the bike and I ask what has been done do it...the oik says "er...nothing". Basically, they had my bike for two days and didn't service it. The "manager" then came along with a multitool "tightened" some bolts and sent me on my way. All the way to Evans, where they discovered he actually managed mis-align the gears somehow.
Don't bother with Halfords, and if you ever buy a bike from them, take it to Evans to have it properly built.
extraT said:
Don't bother with Halfords, and if you ever buy a bike from them, take it to Evans to have it properly built.
Frying pan >>> fire situation you've got there. I wouldn't take anything to evans ever. They just want to flog you unneccesary stuff. "Gears not shifting slickly? That'll need an entire new drivetrain sir..." 
DIY.
It's really not hard. Also it's much harder to rip your self off.
Buy parts from CRC/Wiggle. Watch park tools vidoes for free. Fix bike. Spend money saved on more shinyness.
Lastly, £12 to adjust gears? GTFO
BaronVonVaderham said:
Frying pan >>> fire situation you've got there. I wouldn't take anything to evans ever. They just want to flog you unneccesary stuff. "Gears not shifting slickly? That'll need an entire new drivetrain sir..."
DIY.
It's really not hard. Also it's much harder to rip your self off.
Buy parts from CRC/Wiggle. Watch park tools vidoes for free. Fix bike. Spend money saved on more shinyness.
Lastly, £12 to adjust gears? GTFO
I didn't see £12 as a lot of money to do it, when I had already spent a few hours trying to adjust them myself, but everything I did (following the guides) seemed to have no effect. I also needed the bike running again urgently. DIY.
It's really not hard. Also it's much harder to rip your self off.
Buy parts from CRC/Wiggle. Watch park tools vidoes for free. Fix bike. Spend money saved on more shinyness.
Lastly, £12 to adjust gears? GTFO
Furry Exocet said:
I didn't see £12 as a lot of money to do it, when I had already spent a few hours trying to adjust them myself, but everything I did (following the guides) seemed to have no effect. I also needed the bike running again urgently.
Fair play, some things are a bit of a faff and sometimes the more adjustments made the worse things get...Accelebrate said:
I can't work out what you mean there, do you mean that they'd 'closed' the quick release lever in the wrong direction?
No! the quick release leaver is normally placed on the left hand side- but these clowns put it back facing the right hand side. The mechanic said that there was a possibility the wheel could have come loose/off when cycling! Although to be honest I took that with a pinch of salt...Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff