# Decathlon or halfords



## shumidrives (27 Nov 2009)

which have the best value for money bikes?

rockrider or carrera?

how do they compare to GT and Specialized???


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## Hacienda71 (27 Nov 2009)

For service alone Decathlon by a mile very helpful set the bike up well. The bikes in Halfords are fine its just the service that goes with it that lets them down.


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## jay clock (27 Nov 2009)

+1 for St Deckie


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## Cubist (27 Nov 2009)

Decathlon Rockrider was reviewed and voted best sub £500 hardtail in the summer. 

GT and Spesh, all much of a muchness across all four types at that price point. Once you start upping the price point and specc to say £1000 Spesh leaves the rest behind. If you are looking around at that sort of money Halfords Boardman bikes knock the rest into the weeds for VFM.


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## Salad Dodger (27 Nov 2009)

At the lower end of the market I would say Decathlon bikes are built with better components than Halfords own make bikes. And I have more confidence in the mechanics at Decathlon than Halfords, although of course you can find good or bad workmanship anywhere.

Once you get up to, say £600 or £700 or more then the Halfords/Boardman bikes look pretty attractive...


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## shumidrives (27 Nov 2009)

im thinking around £400-£500 price range soooooooooo......


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## BearPear (27 Nov 2009)

you tailed off at the end there, have you dashed out to make a purchase?!!


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## shumidrives (27 Nov 2009)

noooooo not just yet


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## Cubist (27 Nov 2009)

Looks like you may have your answer, but with some of their offers on at the moment, Halfords is still worth a look. Whatever you buy, and wherever you buy it, make sure it's put together properly before you ride it!


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## valleyold boy (27 Nov 2009)

picking up a carrera "vengeance" in the morning(where do they get these names)as a winter bike.At present i have a dawes hybrid bought last winter that i have been very happy with and done over 1500 miles this year.However at £200 on the web for a bike that has been selling at over £400 for the rest of the year seems a good buy.Some of the trails in Wales need a mountain bike,however my other half says at 66 i,ll never get my wear out of it!Decathalon is agreat store if i was in my place in Brittany though i would not have had such a good deal.


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## Crankarm (28 Nov 2009)

Decathlon, no contest.


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## youngoldbloke (29 Nov 2009)

- just wish Decathlon would open more stores - if you live in the SW or Wales you are stuffed! My nearest store is in Dudley - around 200 miles round trip.


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## upsidedown (29 Nov 2009)

I'm a big fan of Decathlon, their returns policy is brilliant, they never argue and there's no time limit on returns.


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## Alan Whicker (30 Nov 2009)

I'd have bought a B'Twin Riverside from Decathlon if the top tube hadn't been erm, uncomfortably high. Great value, and the service I had from the staff at the Surrey Quays branch was brilliant. They really were very knowledgeable. And I love the way they just let you ride round the store until you're happy. I must say buying even minor items from Halfords (at the Mile End branch anyway) has always been a chore, and it certainly puts me off their bikes.


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## shouldbeinbed (30 Nov 2009)

My eldest has had bikes from both - go for decathlon.


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## shumidrives (30 Nov 2009)

im seeing a trend here halfords have good offers but rubbish service!
decathlon are ace!!!


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## youngoldbloke (30 Nov 2009)

shumidrives said:


> im seeing a trend here halfords have good offers but rubbish service!
> *decathlon are ace*!!!



- but very few and far between!


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## B-B-BikeyStrike! (30 Nov 2009)

My 2 pence worth- the Halfords in Colchester are actually alright. They're OK about letting you have a test ride in most circumstances and they seem to employ staff who actually do proper cycling. All seem about 18 years old though, but they are friendly.

The Decathlon on Surrey Queys seem OK - I actually take my bike to be serviced there as they do a decent job at a fair price.


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## Dave5N (30 Nov 2009)

I have a (very) cheap Decathlon road bike. It's pretty damn good, for the price.

The mechanic must have spent 30 minutes on it before I bought it. Didn't have the heart to tell him when he handed it over that I was taking it straight home and taking it all to bits - I bought it because I needed some shifters and the bike was cheaper than I could get shifters on their own.

However, I since rebuilt it and it is pretty ok.


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## wafflycat (1 Dec 2009)

Decathlon: every time.


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## youngoldbloke (1 Dec 2009)

wafflycat said:


> Decathlon: every time.



+1

Hope they expand their online selling beyond London very soon.


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## Jonathan M (1 Dec 2009)

+1 decathlon.

No one has mentioned their loyalty card system that earns vouchers either.

Our nearest is Stockport, so a 60-70 mile round trip, but we tend to make a couple of trips a year, really great to go in the summer and get Josh's new "school coat" etc. Might be slightly more ££ than Tesco & Asda, but better quality. He's got one of their sailing coats this winter.


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## hodsgod (1 Dec 2009)

Decathlon is great, I live about 10 miles from one and have bought a lot of stuff there and never been diappointed.


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