# Never again from halfords



## 13liverbird (29 Aug 2009)

Bought a MTB from there 9 weeks ago, when i got it home and took it for its first spin realised that some of the gears didnt work properly. Tooki it back after a week and when had it back that day took it for another ride and although they wernt perfect the were better. week 7 started to heara squeeking noise and took it back in on week 8 for its free service/safety check. 

Had it back and went out this morning. The squeeking noise is still there and the gears are worse than ever. If i put it in 7th the chain keeps wanting to come off. If i put it in 12th the gears keep juming and the same for 17th and 18th.

Not sure now wheather to take it back for them to correct or take it to another bike shop (tredz) and pay them to service it to get the gears right.

Never again will i buy a bike from halfords, getting a drop handle bar soon and think it will be from tredz.


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## alecstilleyedye (29 Aug 2009)

i'd take it to halfords first, and tell them that if they can't fix it you want a new bike. also tell them that if you have to take it elsewhere to get fixed, you'll expect them to front the cost.


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## joebingo (29 Aug 2009)

It doesnt sound to me as if you're changing through your gears properly.

Which gear are you in at the back wheel when you move to the middle/outer chainring?


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## 13liverbird (29 Aug 2009)

To be honest wasnt aware there was a set way to change gears, if you could point these out it would be much appreciated. When the gear near your foot is in the middle and i shift from the outermost on the back wheel to the closest gear it keeps going further than the gear and goes onto the plastic ring thats there.


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## Ivan Ardon (29 Aug 2009)

You're not doing anything wrong. The gears aren't set up right.


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## HJ (29 Aug 2009)

This is why we warn people about using Halfrauds...


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## ianrauk (29 Aug 2009)

*Sits back and waits for Blazed the Halfords Homie to appear*


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## snorri (29 Aug 2009)

13liverbird said:


> To be honest wasnt aware there was a set way to change gears, if you could point these out it would be much appreciated.


You should have received an instruction book, which gives some guidance on gear changing and lubrication. Did you receive it? Did you read it?
The sales person should also have talked you through the product before handing it over.
I'm not trying to defend H......s, but you admit to a lack of experience with gears, so I don't think you should go in there with all guns blazing.
Perhaps it can all be sorted out amicably.


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## april74 (29 Aug 2009)

13liverbird said:


> Bought a MTB from there 9 weeks ago, when i got it home and took it for its first spin realised that some of the gears didnt work properly. Tooki it back after a week and when had it back that day took it for another ride and although they wernt perfect the were better. week 7 started to heara squeeking noise and took it back in on week 8 for its free service/safety check.
> 
> Had it back and went out this morning. The squeeking noise is still there and the gears are worse than ever. If i put it in 7th the chain keeps wanting to come off. If i put it in 12th the gears keep juming and the same for 17th and 18th.
> 
> ...



Welcome to modern cycling. Gears hardly ever work properly unless you learn to do them yourself. 

Don't blame Halfords.


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## captainhastings (29 Aug 2009)

or even take it back to a different halfords store they might have slightly better people. That worked for me any way


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## Davidc (29 Aug 2009)

april74 said:


> Welcome to modern cycling. Gears hardly ever work properly unless you learn to do them yourself.
> 
> Don't blame Halfords.



Not sure about modern - been the case as long as I've been cycling!

The LBS I bought my Ridgeback from (and gave lifetime free servicing on it) is only the second shop I've ever come across that can set 'em up properly.

Buy a good maintenance book, and you'll need some sort of stand while you're adjusting them.


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## betty swollocks (29 Aug 2009)

Learn how to sort the gears yourself here, by watching this video tutorial.


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## starthms (30 Aug 2009)

did you get your bike from the halfords in llansamlet becuse they are rubbish. halfords are not good at the best of times. there a big halfords in parc trostre in llanelli have no idea if they are any good as they still a halfords. i do hear good things about tredz and schmoos off st helens street.


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## accountantpete (30 Aug 2009)

The rear mech isn't set up correctly if the chain is riding onto the plastic guard.

At a guess what's happening is that the rear mech is travelling too far towards the wheel dragging the chain across with it. To establish this,turn the bike over and check the alignment of the jockey wheel nearest to the cassette with the sprocket - it should be directly in line with the sprocket.

If it's not then the cable needs adjusting depending on which way the jockey wheel is out of line (most likely tightening either by the adjuster or by the cable clamp itself)


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## 13liverbird (30 Aug 2009)

Yeah i bought if from the halfords in llansamlet. Tredz lok a good shop and may try them for my drop handle bar. Havnt been to schmoos, so may take a spin there one day to check it out.

Thanks for all the other replies, will check it over today and take it back tomorrow to see if they can sort it. Also learn how to do it myself aswell, think that may be best thing.


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## 45cotterless (30 Aug 2009)

Yo, just come to terms, they should call it Bikeslut!
I feel deeply ashamed that following the petrol crisis , when we got issued with ration books, I wrote to Halfordz head office. I asked them to consider going into bikes big time, even to have a se[erate part of the stores dedicated to cycling
. At the time there was a trend to switch to cycling due to the East having tightened the knot on fuel. I didn't get a reply, but it must have gone to some bright spark and we now know the results.


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## Weegie (30 Aug 2009)

13liverbird said:


> Also learn how to do it myself aswell, think that may be best thing.



Definitely the best thing, if you're at all mechanically minded. It's not particularly complex once you understand how the derailleurs work, and just think - next time your gears need a little tweaking (which will probably happen as the new cables stretch) you can do it yourself at the roadside in 5 minutes, instead of having the hassle & expense of visiting a shop.


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## rusky (30 Aug 2009)

I got a Carrera Vulcan disc spec from halfords, collected it when they were finishing it off, looked like they were adjusting it correctly but when I came to ride it home, the gears weren't particularly well adjusted.

10 mins at home & it was sorted. 

I have to say though, the guy did spend a while getting the fit right.


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## Cubist (31 Aug 2009)

Just to add that my gears were pretty close when I picked mine up from Halfords, but I still spent a happy hour getting them bang on. Exactly the same thing on my MTB from the LBS. Close, but nothing works on the road like it does in a workstand, or even upside down in the garage. You need to ride it to find out where the niggles are, then fix them.


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## 13liverbird (31 Aug 2009)

Is it best to get a stand to work on mike bike and clean it or is it ok just doing it upside down.


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## rusky (31 Aug 2009)

I find it easier in a stand, apart from anything else, it's at a sensible height.


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## mikeitup (31 Aug 2009)

13liverbird said:


> Bought a MTB from there 9 weeks ago, when i got it home and took it for its first spin realised that some of the gears didnt work properly. Tooki it back after a week and when had it back that day took it for another ride and although they wernt perfect the were better. week 7 started to heara squeeking noise and took it back in on week 8 for its free service/safety check.
> 
> Had it back and went out this morning. The squeeking noise is still there and the gears are worse than ever. If i put it in 7th the chain keeps wanting to come off. If i put it in 12th the gears keep juming and the same for 17th and 18th.
> 
> ...



I had the same probs with my local Halfords when I bought my Carrera Fury '07.
Took it back 3 times and they didn't sort it.
Took it to LBS and had it serviced. Rode like a dream ever since.
Next bike will be from LBS.


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## Virtual DBP (31 Aug 2009)

i've had two bad experiences with regards to halfords and as such would never go back.

I am in the camp that says if i want a bike, i go to a bike shop. i wouldn't go to a supermarket, so why would i go to a car accessory supermarket.

thing is, they've actually put me off buying anything from their shops.


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## Hilldodger (31 Aug 2009)

Virtual DBP said:


> I am in the camp that says if i want a bike, i go to a bike shop. i wouldn't go to a supermarket, so why would i go to a car accessory supermarket.



Halfords are bike shops and they have been since 1902 when the first one opened - so they've been around longer than 95% of current bike shops.
They have 300+ stores so there are bound to be more stories about them than a single LBS.

Plus, they currently sell over 25% of all bikes sold in the UK and have done for years. Must be doing something right.


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## akaAndrew (31 Aug 2009)

Hilldodger said:


> Plus, they currently sell over 25% of all bikes sold in the UK and have done for years.



Of which x% are sitting rusting in the garden shed because the riders got so frustrated with a poorly set up bike that they gave up 

No problem with H's myself but I have never, and would never, buy a bike from them. A tin of car wax maybe but not a bike!


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## D-Rider (31 Aug 2009)

Just more worrying chat re Halfords. I'm planning to get a new bike via the cyle to work scheme. Would much rather buy from a LBS but my company scheme is exclusively with halfords.... Bugger.


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## marinyork (31 Aug 2009)

I knew someone that had a LBS scheme with halfords. Despite this, condor or whoever it was wouldn't let halfords touch the thing and assembled it themselves even though it was through Halfords.


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## Cubist (31 Aug 2009)

D-Rider said:


> Just more worrying chat re Halfords. I'm planning to get a new bike via the cyle to work scheme. Would much rather buy from a LBS but my company scheme is exclusively with halfords.... Bugger.



Suppose it needs saying again. The bikes are good. Some of the Halfords staff are not. Some of the Halfords staff are good. I got a Halfords bike. It's brilliant. It was very good value for money. It was set up pretty well, but needed a bit of adjusting. If you don't trust yourself to do that, then take it to someone you do trust. If your company, like mine, binds you to halfords, you have a choice. get them to source another bike for you, but then who will set that up? Back to square one.


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## marinyork (31 Aug 2009)

Cubist said:


> Suppose it needs saying again. The bikes are good. Some of the Halfords staff are not. Some of the Halfords staff are good. I got a Halfords bike. It's brilliant. It was very good value for money. It was set up pretty well, but needed a bit of adjusting. If you don't trust yourself to do that, then take it to someone you do trust. If your company, like mine, binds you to halfords, you have a choice. get them to source another bike for you, but then who will set that up? Back to square one.



Halfords can order in plenty that aren't halfords bikes. It's sometimes limiting, sometimes not.


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## D-Rider (31 Aug 2009)

Aye. Don't get me wrong, I'll be buying through the scheme and that means Halfords so hopefully they'll be OK. I'm not really up to setting up / adjusting much on my own though so it'd be a pain if there were any problems.


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## HJ (31 Aug 2009)

D-Rider said:


> Aye. Don't get me wrong, I'll be buying through the scheme and that means Halfords so hopefully they'll be OK. I'm not really up to setting up / adjusting much on my own though so it'd be a pain if there were any problems.



Take it down to Alpine Bikes on Holburn Street or Anderson's Cycles‎ on Rosemount Viaduct and get them to check it out if you are not sure....


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## youngoldbloke (31 Aug 2009)

THe point is - and cannot be avoided - that unless the bike is sold with everything adjusted and working properly it is _not fit for purpose_, and at worst, potentially dangerous. Unless Halfords can supply properly set up bikes they should not be selling them at all. (Rant over!)


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## D-Rider (31 Aug 2009)

HJ said:


> Take it down to Alpine Bikes on Holburn Street or Anderson's Cycles‎ on Rosemount Viaduct and get them to check it out if you are not sure....



Will do HJ. Although it'll be early next year... stupid scheme only lets me get a voucher in January.

EDIT: Nice brocken spectre BTW


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## HJ (31 Aug 2009)

D-Rider said:


> EDIT: Nice brocken spectre BTW



Thanks!


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## Slim (1 Sep 2009)

Have a word with some of the local shops. There are a few down here that accept Halfrauds vouchers; there may be one or two in your area also.


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## Virtual DBP (1 Sep 2009)

my suggestion (after bitter bitter experience) to those who have to buy from halfords due to the cycle to work scheme is to get the bike and take it straight to their local dealer of the brand they have bought. e.g. i bought my giant scr from halfords as part of the cycle to work scheme.

my next advice would be to not only have the lbs service/set up the bike but ask them to check that all the components added are indeed the correct ones (e.g. i had the wrong chainring on mine).

and my third bit of advice would be to complain to your work that they have chosen halfords in the first place.


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## Tynan (1 Sep 2009)

adjusting the cable is one thing but you should expect the stops to be correct

I know what they are in theory but I don't think I've adjusted a rear one yet


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## BilboSmeggins (1 Sep 2009)

D-Rider said:


> Just more worrying chat re Halfords. I'm planning to get a new bike via the cyle to work scheme. Would much rather buy from a LBS but my company scheme is exclusively with halfords.... Bugger.



I feel your pain.............

I've had to go through Halford's for exactly the same reason. And it was made clear to me that I couldn't "top-up" the £500 voucher value to get the bike that I wanted. Ended up getting a Carrera Vanquish which seems to have garnered some good reviews.

I pick it up tomorrow from the Malvern branch. Hopes are exceedingly low - the average age of the staff in the shopp appeared to be about 12 years old. I'm stressing..............


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## D-Rider (1 Sep 2009)

BilboSmeggins said:


> I feel your pain.............
> 
> I've had to go through Halford's for exactly the same reason. And it was made clear to me that I couldn't "top-up" the £500 voucher value to get the bike that I wanted. Ended up getting a Carrera Vanquish which seems to have garnered some good reviews.
> 
> I pick it up tomorrow from the Malvern branch. Hopes are exceedingly low - the average age of the staff in the shopp appeared to be about 12 years old. I'm stressing..............



Be interesting to hear how you get on... maybe they'll be ok! 

I took a wander round my local Halfords today... was underwhelmed by the selection. Was going to ask if they had a wider range not on display but the two young lads working were deep in conversation... something about how they couldn't be bothered setting up the bike some customer was coming to collect.... doesn't really inspire confidence.


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## nosherduke996 (1 Sep 2009)

This is common, they take yer cash and then they dont give a toss.I also have had big issues with Evans Cycles at Gatwick after spending £2000 +.
Most bike shops customer service is abismal.
I have just bought a new mounting bike from my lbs and after 2 weeks the rear break calliper is falling to bits


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## D-Rider (1 Sep 2009)

Hmmm... I think a bike maintenance class might be my best bet.....


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## HJ (1 Sep 2009)

D-Rider said:


> Hmmm... I think a bike maintenance class might be my best bet.....



Worth checking if the is an evening class locally, if not then there is always the Embra CoOp...


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## threebikesmcginty (1 Sep 2009)

I went to my local Halfords on the weekend (not for a bike!) for a socket adaptor and some brake cable. I spoke to an older chap in the motors bit and an older chap in the bike bike. Both of them knew what I wanted and pointed me in the right direction.

Usually when I go in there, which isn't often, you just get the sneering spotty oiks who no nothing - this time they got it right.

Good for them, for once!!!


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## smeg (1 Sep 2009)

Hilldodger said:


> Halfords are bike shops and they have been since 1902 when the first one opened - so they've been around longer than 95% of current bike shops.
> They have 300+ stores so there are bound to be more stories about them than a single LBS.
> 
> Plus, they currently sell over 25% of all bikes sold in the UK and have done for years. Must be doing something right.


You're having a laugh! That's like saying Microsoft must be getting something right due to the majority of PC's running sluggish resource hogging bloatware Windows, it's more to do with lack of alternative unless you're a nerd type into user un-friendly Linux. Most people buy a bike in Halfrauds for them being cheap and for convenience and through ignorance which included myself untill I learnt better of it. They sell bikes which are totally unsuitable for people's needs, i.e. full suspension heavy knobbly-tyred mountain bikes for road use. It's about time they started asking customers what they intend to use their bike for. I bought my mountain bike from Halfrauds because I wanted something cheap to get from A to B commuting to work, mainly due to the ever increasing bus fares being too expensive, now I realise I should have spent more and got a more suitable bike for commuting (I've bought a tourer/hybrid since online). I've also found cycling to be more enjoyable than I thought I would so it's more than just getting from A to B now and am prepared to throw more money at it. 

I was also given misinformation from one friend of a friend and also a work colleague to which type of bike I should get, they recommended that I get a mountain bike, I'm not sure why I don't think they know themselves either! Especially the work colleague that also commutes to work using bikes other than a mountain bike - he should be in position to give better advice. I remember the friend of a friend telling me if I get something other than a mountain bike I'll be getting buckled wheels....All utter nonsense!


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## Harbornite (1 Sep 2009)

Like many here I am tied to Halfords as my employers have used them as the sole supplier for the C2W.

I would like to think that purchasing a bike just short of a £1,000 might be a pleasurable experience, however I was wrong. Halfords introduced me to the worst experience of 'customer service' I've ever had.

Agreed a discount then refused to sell the bike at the discounted price.
Went to collect my bike having visited the shop two days before & told it was ready and built, only to discover it had been sold to someone else when I arrived.
Poor bike set up, two hours of my own time getting it road worthy.
Revisited the shop as I wasn't provided with any documentation & I was handed a manual to someone elses' bike sold in January.

Best of luck when dealing with the customer service / complaints department as they have displayed the same inadequacies, I'm still waiting for manual & documentation 3 months on.


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## Harbornite (1 Sep 2009)

Yup


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## Error (1 Sep 2009)

Im hearing sooo much negativeness about Halfords but its clearly not all the shops. Lets not forget the crowd that go there to get bikes because they save a bunch of bucks and then goto their LBS for a correct setup.....its still cheaper.

I bought my Boardman Hybrid from Halfords in Putney and they guy done a great job setting it up. The problem came with my total lack of gear knowledge and not knowing about the selection of "useable" gears. of course the first thing I done was blame halfords, got on youtube to find some gear setup videos and started to play.

This wasnt overly successful but i did manage to get hem back to a decent place where they were working fine. To double check i took the bike to my LBS for a gear check, the guy heard the wheel turn and told me the brakes needed setting up as well......£40 later after a service the bike is in much worse shape than it came from halfords.....to summarise ....not all LBS's know what they are doing either.....now i have to waste more time getting this thing done properly.

Cheers

Craig


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## Harbornite (1 Sep 2009)

> Oh, ok. Last time I saw a newbie from Brum on here it turned out I knew him.
> 
> Do I know you? You're not Glade, the dog from the Cycle Surgery are you?



I'm not, but I need to book my MB in there shortly.


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## BilboSmeggins (2 Sep 2009)

Well, it wasn't a total surprise.....

Picked up my Vanquish from Halford's, that they made me wait 4 days for, so that they could "set it up". Got it home and gave the wheels a bit of a turn and the gears sounded a little noisy. Tried to change gears and it wouldn't even look at the big rear cog. And this was supposedly road ready. Rang them up (Malvern branch), and they couldn't have cared less.

So I then had to take it to _another _Halford's (Kidderminster), where the chap was able to sort the gears out. He then commented that he spent a lot of time sorting out problems with bikes from the Malvern branch.

Bike frame was very greasy too, not to mention small chip marks on the carbon forks. I shall be very reluctant to use Halfords for any major purchase in the future. Top guy at Kidderminster though..............


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## Error (2 Sep 2009)

so it could be said that like pretty much any odds that it was the staff at that particular branch. 

this thread is kind of annoying now, if you look at averages, the amount of branches halfords has and the service received from a percentage as crap is pretty (im guessing) average to the amount of crap LBS's.

halfords must be doing something right to get as big as it has, and if that means selling cheaper bikes than other stores dues to buying power then so be it, guys/girls can buy cheaper there then pay for a service at a so-called better place and get the bike set just fine.

in my experience, I bought a boardman from halfords that was setup fine and due to lack of knowledge and halfords fear i paid £40 for a service at a LBS that totally screwed my bike up.

I think its easy for everyone to criticise a chain in favour for local these days ( it happens with supermarkets all the time) but seriously its about cash ash correct setup/service I dont care how polite the guy is, im paying him to do a job only and my money expects him to know what he is doing, im not paying him to give me small talk about the "tour de wherever" because thats not my interest.

ewww today its wet outside lol

Craig


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## Ivan Ardon (2 Sep 2009)

BilboSmeggins said:


> not to mention small chip marks on the carbon forks.



I'd reject the bike immediately unless they change the fork at their expense. A chipped carbon fork isn't acceptable in a new bike.

Your face and teeth could be at risk if it fractures at one of the damage sites.


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## garrilla (3 Sep 2009)

My son went to collect his Vanquish today. He was just on the way out when I got in so I didn't get the chance to give it the once over but I did notice it had no dust caps. Surely that is on the list of things that takes 4 days ?


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## The Jogger (3 Sep 2009)

Where's Crankie, he's normally shouting the defence for halfords?


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