# Carrera 2009



## Berger and Chips (7 Jan 2009)

No Carrera 2009 bikes at Halfords either on the web site or in store.
They are still ONLY selling last years Vulcan, Kraken and Fury .
Most other makes switched to the 2009 model range in Sep/Oct.
Anyone know why this is?


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## Berger and Chips (7 Jan 2009)

I realise their bikes are just rebadged Meridas but then so are those sold by many other big name brands.
I suspect Boardman bikes are just posh Carreras as well really; like Audi to VW or Lexus to Toyota and not this independant brand started by Chris Boardman, as we are supposed to believe.
I am just very surprised it is taking them this long to bring out the 09 Carreras, there are 09 Boardmans listed, or at least there were a few months back...

Thanks for your reply by the way, but what I am hoping for is that someone has either read in the cycling press the reason why this has happened this year or someone who works for them knows why.


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## alecstilleyedye (7 Jan 2009)

Berger and Chips said:


> *I realise their bikes are just rebadged Meridas* but then so are those sold by many other big name brands.
> I suspect Boardman bikes are just posh Carreras as well really; like Audi to VW or Lexus to Toyota and not this independant brand started by Chris Boardman, as we are supposed to believe.
> I am just very surprised it is taking them this long to bring out the 09 Carreras, there are 09 Boardmans listed, or at least there were a few months back...
> 
> Thanks for your reply by the way, but what I am hoping for is that someone has either read in the cycling press the reason why this has happened this year or someone who works for them knows why.



not these days they aren't. if it's a 7005 alu frame it isn't, if it's a 6061 alu frame, it is.


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## Berger and Chips (7 Jan 2009)

I am not so sure, do you know who makes the 7005 frames by any chance?
I ask this as the Merida Matts frame looks identical to the Carrera Vulcan frame on my ride-to-work hack bike, only difference is it says its 6061. Everything about the frame design looks identical, tubes, welds, stays, drop outs, etc.
It looks to me like its highly likely that Merida makes the same frames but in 7005 instead of 6061 for Halfords.
I have 3 other alu hardtails, a Nirve , Scott Scale and a GT and every detail on those 3 bikes is completely different to any of the detailing on the Carrera and Merida, but those two frames look superficially identical to the naked eye.
I noted that this years 2009 Boardman hardtails had taken on the same frame design as the Merida/Carrera range unlike last years models where the rear triangle looked different.


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## alecstilleyedye (7 Jan 2009)

there was a falling out, apparently, but it wouldn't surprise me if halfords just started buying the frames from the same factory in taiwan that merida do, perhaps specifying a cheaper alu.

my (summer) bike is a merida era carrera frame.


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## Berger and Chips (8 Jan 2009)

I like your Carrera racer, I have one of the new budget Carrera TDF SE models, which I got simply to see if I liked road riding. Its a good basic alu, racer, apart from the awful forks. Interestingly the last two Carreras I bought have no Shimano parts, one is all SRAM and the other all SUNRACE.

NB: I realise that often the people who work in Halfords are chavs who either dont know their stuff or talk bullshit to the customers, or both, but in my experience Carreras are as good as the equivalent TREK,Specialized and GIANT bikes for less money, Boardman are perhaps even better.
Shockwave, Apollo and the like do look rubbish a lot of the time though...


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## alecstilleyedye (8 Jan 2009)

the only thing left on that bike (other than the frame) that is halfords original is the handlebars…


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## Berger and Chips (27 Jan 2009)

Hmm, still no sign of any 2009 Carreras.
Seeing as most bike companies introduce their new range around August, we are half way through the 2009 bike year and Halfords are still selling only last years models.
Wonder if they are in any financial trouble...
This has definitely not happened before as I have seen reviews in mags and online of 2007 models from 2006 and reviews of 2006 models from 2005...


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## Berger and Chips (19 Feb 2009)

Well bugger me if Halfords still don't have the 2009 range and have just increased the prices on last years, now 20 month old, (from time of release) models...
A model I bought there as a ride to work bike over a year ago has just gone up £100 today...and I mean exactly the same model even down to the paint job,colour and stickers.
It even clearly states its the 08 model, whereas you would be hard pressed to get hold of any 08 Specialized, Trek, or whatever now...


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## Berger and Chips (19 Feb 2009)

Its not just them doing this:- many premium brand manufacturers models hardly change from one year to the next, also. I have seen Scott Scales, Marins, Specialized and GT's just change stickers and frame colour for two or three years in a row...


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## PoiSon (9 May 2009)

The 2009 range comes out very shortly. They are all in stock now but they want to get rid of the 2008 range first. 

Seems really silly to me that they won't sell 09 bikes that they already have in stock when my Halford's only have 1 Carrera Fury and 2 Kraken's left in stock and won't order anymore in. Even these bikes left are 16". Well they lost my £500 purchase because of it...

PS I know this partly because I spoke to a salesman and partly because my mates work in the bike hut.


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## bingledee (26 Jun 2009)

PoiSon said:


> The 2009 range comes out very shortly. They are all in stock now but they want to get rid of the 2008 range first.
> 
> Seems really silly to me that they won't sell 09 bikes that they already have in stock when my Halford's only have 1 Carrera Fury and 2 Kraken's left in stock and won't order anymore in. Even these bikes left are 16". Well they lost my £500 purchase because of it...
> 
> PS I know this partly because I spoke to a salesman and partly because my mates work in the bike hut.



still no sign of the 2009's in my local halfords, was going to check out the *fury*, though am sure the 09 version will probably be the same price if not more than the £549 for the 08's they have in stock...

might look at the GT XC 2 09, decent price and not a bad spec


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## Lastpost (3 Jul 2009)

Bought a Fury a couple of months ago...really regret it, I have had nothing but problems :-(
Wish I had just gone for a Specialized...


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## Berger and Chips (6 Jul 2009)

Bizarre re your Fury.
I bought a Vulcan V spec 08 in Easter last year, slapped on a pair of 09 Magura Odurs, which I bought from Chain Reaction for £200 - total price £397 and its been perfect and that is including being hammered around Ashton Court in Bristol.
I had a chain link break and the front changer needed replacing (£5 or £6) off Chain Reaction, but otherwise its been fine, even after a couple of thousand miles about 1/3 of which was off road.
I would definitely say that a Carrera V spec with these forks is better vfm, more rugged,lighter and faster than the Hardrock comp or sport that £400 would buy.
The price of the Fury wont even buy you a Rockhopper and that only comes with Darts and the Fury has Toras (now Epicon for 09).
At that price the best bike you can get anywhere IMHO is the Decathlon Rockrider 8.1 with Toras, a high end frame and Avid Hydraulics all for £499 - Specialized/Kona/Marin/Trek and the like expect £800-900 for that kind of machine these days.


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