# Halfords to stock Pinarello



## Herzog (15 Jan 2013)

It's not April the 1st yet is it? 

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/...ck-pinarello-36180/?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRROADHOME

Thankfully they're not planning to sell the Dogma, compensation cases brought following inept servicing would surely bankrupt them...


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## Andrew_P (15 Jan 2013)

My first though was the Boardman contract must be coming to an end. Not sure I would want my brand in there, and if I were a current independent stockist I would be looking at getting shot of Pinarello.

There was a rumour a while ago that Specialized were going in to Halfords?


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## sabian92 (15 Jan 2013)

I hope if people have the money for a Pinarello they have the money to get it built by somebody else.


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## Globalti (15 Jan 2013)

Boardman is going to Evans, isn't it?


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## DooDah (15 Jan 2013)

Wiggle already sell Boardman bikes if you live out of the UK, so if they will no longer use Halfords, I guess Wiggle will sell them in the UK. I would have thought that Boardman would open it out to any retailer that wants to stock them.


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## Drago (15 Jan 2013)

Hoy's new range is going through Evans.

I can't say that Evans are hugely savvy in the build and assembly stakes, but the times I've had a complaint at Evans its always been resolved immediately and without a word of argument, so they do try I guess.


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## lejogger (15 Jan 2013)

I have very mixed feelings on this... there is however a lack of mixed feeling on facebook where this link was published - there's not a whole lot of love going on.
I have two Boardmans so I have a small feeling of defence towards Halfords. My Team Carbon in particular is my pride and joy, and to be fair although I realise that Halfords have had a few shockers, I've had probably just as many poor experiences at my LBS. The mechanics charged with fettling the Boardmans are capable; what's worrying is the one's with the responsibility of building a steed up for your young child are generally the ones who seem to have spent a little too long inhaling the fumes in the touch-up paint aisle, or running round spraying alloy wheel cleaner down each other's pants.

I just can't get my head around the rationale. Nobody is going to be spending £5k on anything in Halfords, especially a bike. Pinarello don't make a bike that retails under about £1.2k do they so none of the C2W rabble will be cashing in? What market can they possibly be aiming at? The whole reason they shifted so many Team Carbons in 2010 was because it came in at £999. You don't see many of the Pro carbons around for that very reason despite them being perfectly decent.

So unless they're going to be heavily discounted, and/or under the C2W threshold whilst accepting that you ought to be a half decent fettler yourself to make sure you can set up anything that the mechanics might have missed, I just don't see how this is going to work for anyone.


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## cloggsy (15 Jan 2013)

No, I ain't joking... See here 

"Hello, I'd like a Dogma please..."
"Would you like us to building it for you sir?"
"erm, NO! Thanks for asking though..." 

Surely they could've found a UK stockist with a better reputation than Halfords?


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## Keith Oates (15 Jan 2013)

It does say they will be stocked in "Selected Halfords Stores" so that could be the answer. I know some Halfords have not given good service to many people but I've been lucky and had good service in a couple that I've visited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## smokeysmoo (15 Jan 2013)

You'd be surprised at how many different brands Helfrauds can actually source.

I was browsing a catalogue a while back whilst waiting for someone to serve me, (God knows what I was doing in there TBH but hey ho), and I was gobsmaacked at the variety of well established brands they can order, but why anyone would is beyond me.


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## lejogger (15 Jan 2013)

smokeysmoo said:


> You'd be surprised at how many different brands Helfrauds can actually source.
> 
> I was browsing a catalogue a while back whilst waiting for someone to serve me, (God knows what I was doing in there TBH but hey ho), and I was gobsmaacked at the variety of well established brands they can order, but why anyone would is beyond me.


 
Perhaps because their company only use Halfords as a C2W scheme supplier. It's in their interests to be able to source a wide range as it keeps the scheme viable - as short of the boardmans, serious cyclists wouldn't want any of the in-store bikes.
In the C2W scheme at our place this year when a lady tried to get them to source a single speed Pinarello Catena and they couldn't find one, they actually arranged for a local bike shop to supply it and deal with her, and then paid the LBS back for the bike.
Forget the reputation, that's good service IMO when they could have easily told her to forget it and choose something else from their range.


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## fossala (15 Jan 2013)

I like my local halfords lot and pick up the odd thing from there when it is cheaper. Wouldn't let them touch my bike though.


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## lejogger (15 Jan 2013)

fossala said:


> I like my local halfords lot and pick up the odd thing from there when it is cheaper. Wouldn't let them touch my bike though.


 
Their problem is the inconsistency. The lad who sold me the Team Carbon was beaming with pride when he told me he'd personally assembled and set it up... and was quite devastated when I pointed out that he hadn't tightened the stem and the handlebars moved quite independently from the front wheel and the rear brake was rubbing on the rim.
You can get enthusiasm without care, attention to detail or skill, or you can just get no care or attention to detail at all. He wanted to do a good job but for whatever reason didn't. It could have been nasty but I would never have ridden it away without giving it a damn good check over first anyway - but that would be the same for me with a bike bought from an LBS.

Fortunately there are a couple of lads who do know what they're doing and for small jobs while they were under warranty I let them look at brake and gear issues the first couple of times, especially with the disc brakes on the CX before I got the hang of them. I do the majority of things myself now - and as a bike owner I kind of feel that that's how it should be. I certainly didn't consider them when I needed a spoke replacing and a wheel truing last month though.


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## derrick (15 Jan 2013)

Would you buy a Pinerello from halfords, aparently they are going to sell them.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/halfords-to-stock-pinarello-36180/


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## smokeysmoo (15 Jan 2013)

Already on the GO


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## derrick (15 Jan 2013)

Whoops missed it.


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## Peteaud (15 Jan 2013)

Mrs aud wanted the Boardman Fi but the staff in Halfords really put her off, so she bought a spesh instead from the LBS.

I wonder how many sales Boardman lose because of halfords.


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## Mr Haematocrit (15 Jan 2013)

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/halfords-to-stock-pinarello-36180/

I assume this is a good move in terms of shifting a higher number of bikes, but is this going to hurt the perception or image of the brand.
You can't buy the high end Pinerello bikes from halfords but the same can be said for Board man bikes the very high end Air models are not available from Halfords.

Is it a good move?
What's your thoughts?


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## MrJamie (15 Jan 2013)

I think the Boardman bikes are great and incredibly good value for money, but I know if I was out to buy a really nice bike to love and cherish  there would be a tiny nagging elitist snob part of me willing to pay over the odds not to have the Boardman/Halfords brand. I suspect if I started noticing a lot of low end Pinarellos around my advertising-vulnerable subconscious would start associating the brand with common Halfords bikes too. 

This is more a 'if I had the money to be snobbish' opinion, I'd more than likely compromise on branding/perception for value for money.


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## Mr Haematocrit (15 Jan 2013)

I think that's fair, I'm a massive fan of Boardman Bikes they offer exceptional value for money with decent build quality and components. I can't help but think the brand maybe getting slightly tarnished now due to the workmanship of some stores. I remain a fan of the bikes not a fan of halfords and the nicknames the retailer has suggests I'm not the only one with this view.
I think it will be interesting to see in the impact on Pinerello brand perception long term.

Although I just can't wait to ask every Dogma owner I come across, what halfords his bike came from and they got it on C2W


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## jdtate101 (15 Jan 2013)

I spoke to a Pinarello dealer today, and he's majorly pissed at this, and I can't blame him. He seemed to think they would only be available at some, not all, Halford's branches, so it may not be the same deal as Boardman. I did mention that he may get more business correcting the faults in assembly done by Halford's, to which he laughed and agreed.
I think they are taking the Uno, Due and Kobh bikes, everything else is still only via dealers or web retailers as before. Still those are seriously expensive bikes for Halford's to shift and I can't imagine anyone dropping that sort of cash without a proper bike fit (at least I hope they wouldn't).
As a Dogma owner, I'm a bit mystified my Pinarello's decision, but I guess time will tell.


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## lulubel (16 Jan 2013)

jdtate101 said:


> As a Dogma owner, I'm a bit mystified my Pinarello's decision, but I guess time will tell.


 
It seems very odd to me that a brand known for being high end, expensive, exclusive, etc, would choose to go into any large chain store that caters to the mass market, regardless of what their reputation is for putting bikes together properly. The only thing I can think is that Pinarello aren't doing so well financially, and this is a move to try and shift higher volumes of their lower priced models and make the balance sheet look a bit prettier.


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## jdtate101 (16 Jan 2013)

I personally don't think this will work out as Halford's hope. I think they won't shift anywhere near the volume that they plan simply because anyone that is going to drop that much cash on a bike, usually knows what they are doing (in respect to bikes), will want a bike fit as part of the deal, and would normally go to a specialist dealer for the after care (or a trusted web retailer and do the work themselves). I doubt very much those people would go to Halford's as they are the sort of people who already know Halford's reputation.

Or I could be wrong.......


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## Robeh (16 Jan 2013)

I dont see a problem with halfords selling Pinarello,i bought a boardman team last year from halfords.
it's my best ride and a quality piece of kit which has nothing to do with halfords,and i would happily buy a Pinarello if i was in the market for one which im not.
I also have a carrea TDF which i bought 2 years ago to use as my winter bike,for a entry level bike it has been a very good buy and i spent very little on it apart from tyres pads e.t.c.
Chris Boarman has made a mint selling his quality bike's through halfords so pinarello will no doubt do the same.
He continues to sell his bike's so Halfords cant be that bad.
It make's me chuckle that their are so many bike snobs who seem to think the word halfords is something to avoid at all cost's


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## Crankarm (16 Jan 2013)

Is it 1st April?


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## jdtate101 (16 Jan 2013)

Robeh said:


> It make's me chuckle that their are so many bike snobs who seem to think the word halfords is something to avoid at all cost's


 
Just do a quick search on this forum for Halford's and you'll see why so many people have an issue with them. It's nothing to do with being snobbish, more to do with the poor quality of work and bad customer service.


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## phil_hg_uk (16 Jan 2013)

Robeh said:


> I dont see a problem with halfords selling Pinarello,i bought a boardman team last year from halfords.
> it's my best ride and a quality piece of kit which has nothing to do with halfords,and i would happily buy a Pinarello if i was in the market for one which im not.
> I also have a carrea TDF which i bought 2 years ago to use as my winter bike,for a entry level bike it has been a very good buy and i spent very little on it apart from tyres pads e.t.c.
> Chris Boarman has made a mint selling his quality bike's through halfords so pinarello will no doubt do the same.
> ...


 
I dont think anyone is saying that there is anything wrong with Boardman bikes, and I have seen lots of people on CC singing the praises of carrera bikes. The problem seems to be the training (or lack of training) given to the staff who assemble and repair them, there are reports of bikes with forks on backwards and bikes that have to be sorted out at LBS because they are incorrectly assembled. Personally I have bought stuff from halfords, but would I let them anywhere near my bike ........................ HELL NO


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## Robeh (16 Jan 2013)

jdtate101 said:


> Just do a quick search on this forum for Halford's and you'll see why so many people have an issue with them. It's nothing to do with being snobbish, more to do with the poor quality of work and bad customer service.


my point on bike snobs is there is nothing wrong with the bike,s Halfords sell i.e carrera, boardman,Voo doo e.t.c,but some peeps seem to think unless its a trek,cannondale e.t.c they wont go near it....
I agree the cycle mechanics in the main are pretty clueless and the customer service is in many case's pretty bad.
I had a BB issue with my boardman just after i bought it,i took it back to the shop,and the lad sorted it there and then.
any maintenance i do myself and i probably wouldn't take my bike back to Halfords.
people need to rise above the name Halfords and buy your bike and enjoy it..
if you need it fixed after the warranty runs out take it to your LBS...


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## Mapster5 (16 Jan 2013)

The guys in scunthorpe halfords bike depot are all good at there and seem to be into bikes. Don't think Chris boardman would put his name on any old rubbish and imagine he knows a little more about bikes than any 'bike snob' on this or any other forum


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## Mapster5 (16 Jan 2013)

At there job


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## jdtate101 (16 Jan 2013)

Robeh said:


> my point on bike snobs is there is nothing wrong with the bike,s Halfords sell i.e carrera, boardman,Voo doo e.t.c,but some peeps seem to think unless its a trek,cannondale e.t.c they wont go near it....
> I agree the cycle mechanics in the main are pretty clueless and the customer service is in many case's pretty bad.
> I had a BB issue with my boardman just after i bought it,i took it back to the shop,and the lad sorted it there and then.
> any maintenance i do myself and i probably wouldn't take my bike back to Halfords.
> ...


 
I too bought my 1st bike from Halford's, which was a Boardman, and it was a quality bike, but it was assembled wrong and had numerous defects as a result. This was not due to the Boardman brand, but more the training quality of the people in the bike huts. I agree that sometimes you can get good staff in Halford's who do seem to know what they are doing, but equally there are a lot of kids working there who have the bare minimum of training and damage expensive bikes as a result. I would buy spares and accessories from Halford's (and have done) as it's convenient to walk in, but unless they up their training then I wouldn't trust them with my bikes. 
As for brand names, well that can be said of any product, some people like to own quality items and are prepared to pay a little more for them. I dare say some would consider my Dogma overkill, but I race it and it brings a smile to my face every time I use it, so for me it's great value. Equally my cross bike (which I use more often than my Dogma) is much cheaper and just as much fun but for different reasons, and I bought it from Evans, another large chain store (but there the staff have a good standard of training, but not without some issues).


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## Drago (16 Jan 2013)

Robeh said:


> I dont see a problem with halfords selling Pinarello,i bought a boardman team last year from halfords.
> it's my best ride and a quality piece of kit which has nothing to do with halfords,and i would happily buy a Pinarello if i was in the market for one which im not.
> I also have a carrea TDF which i bought 2 years ago to use as my winter bike,for a entry level bike it has been a very good buy and i spent very little on it apart from tyres pads e.t.c.
> Chris Boarman has made a mint selling his quality bike's through halfords so pinarello will no doubt do the same.
> ...


Boardman continues to sell his bike through Hellfrauds for no other reason that its making him a lot of lolly. Simple as that.


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## jdtate101 (16 Jan 2013)

Also I'm sure the kids in the Hut's would like more training as it will increase their own job prospects.......


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## Robeh (16 Jan 2013)

> I dare say some would consider my Dogma overkill, but I race it and it brings a smile to my face every time I use it, so for me it's great value.


i feel the same way about my Cube GTC


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## Robeh (16 Jan 2013)

Drago said:


> Boardman continues to sell his bike through Hellfrauds for no other reason that its making him a lot of lolly. Simple as that.


same as any other brand name then...............


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## nickyboy (16 Jan 2013)

Just to provide a bit of balance, Halfords reported 33% increase in what they term "premium bike sales" 2012 v 2011. Forumites opinion of the Halfords brands that constitute "premium" will be different, but they include Boardman, Carrera and Apollo

http://www.halfordscompany.com/investors/reports-and-accounts/annual-report-2012

Seems to me that forumites are not representative of the Great British cycle buying public. I suspect that whilst most people here wouldn't buy their Pinarello from Halfords (just as they wouldn't buy any bike from Halfords), plenty of folk will. Of course, the more expensive the bike, the more sophisticated the customer and the greater likelihood of rejecting Halfords. But don't make the mistake of thinking that everyone with a couple of grand to spend on a bike is just like you.Loads of £1K + bikes have been sold by them so Pinarello-man isn't such a major step


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## Mapster5 (16 Jan 2013)

nickyboy said:


> Just to provide a bit of balance, Halfords reported 33% increase in what they term "premium bike sales" 2012 v 2011. Forumites opinion of the Halfords brands that constitute "premium" will be different, but they include Boardman, Carrera and Apollo
> 
> http://www.halfordscompany.com/investors/reports-and-accounts/annual-report-2012
> 
> Seems to me that forumites are not representative of the Great British cycle buying public. I suspect that whilst most people here wouldn't buy their Pinarello from Halfords (just as they wouldn't buy any bike from Halfords), plenty of folk will. Of course, the more expensive the bike, the more sophisticated the customer and the greater likelihood of rejecting Halfords. But don't make the mistake of thinking that everyone with a couple of grand to spend on a bike is just like you.Loads of £1K + bikes have been sold by them so Pinarello-man isn't such a major step


To true


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## SomethingLikeThat (16 Jan 2013)

DooDah said:


> I would have thought that Boardman would open it out to any retailer that wants to stock them.



They may have an exclusive deal with Halfords that prevents them from going to anyone else in the UK.


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## Drago (16 Jan 2013)

They probably do, but without a shadow of doubt the contract will have performance related get-out clauses, so of the dough stops rolling they'll be able to bail.

And even if they didn't, no court would enforce it if business dried up and Boardman wanted to bail. Any court will take the view that a contract is not a suicide pact, and inherently unreasonable terms won't be valid under UK contract law.

But I daresay the money is rolling in nicely. Boardman has a budget brand but with a good bit of bling that stand it apart from the competition in the eyes of typical buyer, ad a presence in Britaons biggest high street bike retailer. He's sitting pretty as he is and I can't see there is much incentive to change things.


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## aces_up1504 (16 Jan 2013)

Has anyone thought that going in a local bike shop can be somewhat overwhelming to a newbie, your walking into a store in which you know nothing about, brands you may not have even know exsisted. To many people it is just much, they dont want to seem like an idiot.

Same can be said about many specialist shops, I remember walking into a Local fish shop and being completely put off from running a Marine tank by there opinions and some might say snobbery. It put me back a year and run a tropical tank with the help of store within a garden center and it was much more accessible. It was not until i found a shop with a friendly guy who helped rather than preached that i got my marine tank.

The point being a newbie walkling into a LBS does not know what to expect, will they be looked down its only natural to think this. Halfords like a fish shop in a garden center is netural ground, you feel safe because you have been in there before and know what to expect and the sales dont lie, dispite the internet forums complaing about build quiality they are still one if not the biggest bike sellers in the UK.

I wonder % wise how there build quality wise bikes are returned to Halfords or LBS for fixes. It could simply more sales therefore more complaints?

Overall by this premium brand Pinarello agreeing to sell in halfords they are opening themselves up a huge market that was not be accessed sales wise.


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## Mapster5 (16 Jan 2013)

Aces up has a point I play guitar and going into a guitar shop or going to a muso's night can be the same if your guitar is that current flavour if the month or your amp isn't hand built by a redneck from Alabama using wood from a tree in his backyard you feel can be made to feel that your not a real musician same can be said about cycling


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## Drago (16 Jan 2013)

My LBS is awesome. Their typical approach is "go and have a free coffee in our lounge and think about it." No pressure, just decent advice from folk that know what they're about.


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## youngoldbloke (16 Jan 2013)

aces_up1504 said:


> Has anyone thought that going in a local bike shop can be somewhat overwhelming to a newbie, your walking into a store in which you know nothing about, brands you may not have even know exsisted. To many people it is just much, they dont want to seem like an idiot.


 But ..... I can't believe that many 'newbies' are prepared to spend over £1K on their first bike without some research. If they are maybe the description 'idiot' is appropriate.


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## aces_up1504 (16 Jan 2013)

Drago said:


> My LBS is awesome. Their typical approach is "go and have a free coffee in our lounge and think about it." No pressure, just decent advice from folk that know what they're about.


 
Most LBS are probably like that, its the fear of the unknown




youngoldbloke said:


> But ..... I can't believe that many 'newbies' are prepared to spend over £1K on their first bike without some research. If they are maybe the description 'idiot' is appropriate.


 
Most people think going into halfords to spend 1k on c2w scheme is doing research. Otherwise forums like this would have 10s of thousands of members. Forum users are probably are only a small % of total number of people in a hobby or sport


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## youngoldbloke (16 Jan 2013)

aces_up1504 said:


> Most people think going into halfords to spend 1k on c2w scheme is doing research. Otherwise forums like this would have 10s of thousands of members. Forum users are probably are only a small % of total number of people in a hobby or sport


 
Ah... forgot about that - it's never applied to me. Apologies for veering off-thread but It has always seemed very unfair to me that a similar scheme wasn't available to retired people, or perhaps a bicycle-on-prescription scheme.


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## Rob3rt (16 Jan 2013)

I think it is a good move, it might force them to deflate their prices a tad since they are way over priced for what they are!


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## nickyboy (16 Jan 2013)

aces_up1504 said:


> Most LBS are probably like that, its the fear of the unknown
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Nail, head. I used to post on a frequent flyer forum and it was full of people very knowledgeable about flying matters. They couldn't get their heads around people's apparently irrational flying decisions. They could only see it from their informed, experienced position.

Exactly the same here. People who post on cyclechat forum (or any other cycling forum) are not representative of the cycling public. There are loads of people who just want an ordinary retail experience like going to M&S - well laid out shop, non-intimidating staff, returns policy etc etc. Halfords ticks their boxes. If the LBS don't like the fact that Halfords are the UK's leading bike retailer then they need to look at why Halfords are so successful. 33% increase in premium bike sales. 55% gross margin on all sales (not split into bikes/non bikes unfortunately). Great business


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## 400bhp (16 Jan 2013)

Rob3rt said:


> I think it is a good move, it might force them to deflate their prices a tad since they are way over priced for what they are!


 
Aye

It's not that hard to work out their decision is it?

Massive increase in cycling = massive brand awarness now the bikes are ridden by certain cyclists including a certain British TdF winner. Spin out a few "lower end" models, with possibly sora or a lower groupset, and a few hybrids/mtb lower end models and it's a winner.

Perhaps brand them subtly different (think Emporio/Giorgio).

Boardman bikes were the largest selling bikes in the UK back in 2009 when I bought mine from there and I suspect that is still true.


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## Crankarm (16 Jan 2013)

Chris Boardman must be minted now given all the Boardman bikes that Halfords have sold. I think they are also selling Victoria Pendleton's bike offering as well although I might be wrong. If they sold anything badged with Lance Armstrong then they might be onto a loser, although ..........


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## Herzog (16 Jan 2013)

Crankarm said:


> If they sold anything badged with Lance Armstrong then they might be onto a loser, although ..........


 
Depends on what the free 'accessories' are..nudge...nudge...wink...wink.


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## Crankarm (16 Jan 2013)

Herzog said:


> Depends on what the free 'accessories' are..nudge...nudge...wink...wink.


 
What are you suggesting?


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## zizou (16 Jan 2013)

I dont actually mind Halfords, they've saved me quite a few times when i've needed an inner tube or tool or bottle cage (etc) or other 'emergency' purchase. How the bikes are put together in the shops is going to be very dependent on who the mechanic is....but the same is true with LBS too. There are ones i'll avoid because i've had poor quality of work done on my bikes despite them being "proper" bike shops.

As for damage to Pinarello's brand (and thus the price premium they can charge for their bikes) - that has already been damaged hugely in the last 2 or 3 years not by decisions like deciding to sell a bike in Halfords but by not being able to clamp down on the fakes on sale from China.


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## GetAGrip (16 Jan 2013)

Drago said:


> My LBS is awesome. Their typical approach is "go and have a free coffee in our lounge and think about it." No pressure, just decent advice from folk that know what they're about.


What a great idea, I would really love that!
Cycling mags and other snippets of information strewn around and like minded people to chat to and bounce ideas off of AND coffee and cakes an all. Sounds a great way to help you part with your hard earned money


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## ianrauk (23 Feb 2013)

Well, they went on sale in Halfords from today.

*HERE*


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## potsy (23 Feb 2013)

Hideous


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## ianrauk (23 Feb 2013)

potsy said:


> Hideous
> View attachment 19565


 

lol, indeed..


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## djb1971 (23 Feb 2013)

potsy said:


> Hideous
> View attachment 19565



Looks like its been under front car wheels already!


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## potsy (23 Feb 2013)

djb1971 said:


> Looks like its been under front car wheels already!


Bargain at £800 though


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## djb1971 (23 Feb 2013)

potsy said:


> Bargain at £800 though


Is that all

I'll take two then


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## Radchenister (23 Feb 2013)

If I were to offer them -£500 off the 2K+ bikes would they let me assemble it myself?


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## nickyboy (23 Feb 2013)

So they now have the Boardman range up to £1,300 and the Pinarello range above that. Very smart move both for Halfords and Pinarello
Halfords get a product which rides the wave of Sky cycling brand awareness. Pinarello get access to by far the most powerful bicycle distributor in UK
Boardman has done very well out of the Halfords association and it couldn't last forever. Of course he will still shift big numbers as the Boardmans are still slap bang in the £1,000 key price point.
The top end Boardmans will presumably reappear elsewhere So what has happened in summary is that Pinarello and top end Boardman have swapped places. Pinarello wins because it plugs into Halfords unrivalled distribution


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## CopperCyclist (24 Feb 2013)

So I guess we start a sweepstake then? First person to photograph a Pinarello in the wild with backwards forks wins.


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## 400bhp (24 Feb 2013)

nickyboy said:


> The top end Boardmans will presumably reappear elsewhere So what has happened in summary is that Pinarello and top end Boardman have swapped places. Pinarello wins because it plugs into Halfords unrivalled distribution


 
The top end Boardman's have never been sold in Halfords.


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## Andrew_P (24 Feb 2013)

An interesting aside, Chris Boardman does not own Boardman Bikes, he is a 9.09% Shareholder and he is not a director either. Guess he makes his money in Royalty charges. Well thats how it looks in the accounts.


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## Peteaud (24 Feb 2013)

They are on the Halfords website.


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## youngoldbloke (24 Feb 2013)

Peteaud said:


> They are on the Halfords website.


 They just can't get it right though - this Veloce equipped FP Uno is shown withTiagra kit in the opening image, and similar mistakes abound. The FP Due White (105) is shown with SRAM Rival for example. Sad. You might think that when launching a new range of a prestigious brand they might at least try a bit harder.


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## Peteaud (24 Feb 2013)

youngoldbloke said:


> They just can't get it right though .


 
Thats all you need to put really, lol

But with a product like that you would have thought a bit of effort may have been involved.


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## Andrew_P (24 Feb 2013)

Only stocked in three stores, not a prolific start.

Pinarello bikes are available for delivery boxed or built or for reserve and collect in *Chingford*, *Farnborough* and *Nuneaton* where we have Pinarello trained staff who are able to build and service your Pinarello bikes.


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## nickyboy (24 Feb 2013)

400bhp said:


> The top end Boardman's have never been sold in Halfords.


 
Apologies. I didn't realise there was a higher end range that wasn't stocked by Halfords. I meant the more expensive Boardmans that Halfords stocked, which they seem not to offer now


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## 400bhp (24 Feb 2013)

LOCO said:


> An interesting aside, Chris Boardman does not own Boardman Bikes, he is a 9.09% Shareholder and he is not a director either. Guess he makes his money in Royalty charges. Well thats how it looks in the accounts.


 
Who owns then?

VC? Part owned by Halfords? Subsid of someone surely?


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## 400bhp (24 Feb 2013)

youngoldbloke said:


> They just can't get it right though - this Veloce equipped FP Uno is shown withTiagra kit in the opening image, and similar mistakes abound. The FP Due White (105) is shown with SRAM Rival for example. Sad. You might think that when launching a new range of a prestigious brand they might at least try a bit harder.


 
But it's not really aimed at us geeks that hang around on cycle chat though is it.


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## Peteaud (24 Feb 2013)

400bhp said:


> But it's not really aimed at us geeks that hang around on cycle chat though is it.


 
It is also better than Sky's bikes.

*PINARELLO FP UNO CARBON ROAD BIKE 49CM PRODUCT DESCRIPTION*

The *Pinarello FP Uno Road Bike 49cm *is created incorporating the same technologies that were used to build the bike that Team Sky rode to victory but it has a superior carbon frame, made from Carbon 24HMUD, meaning it weighs less than 10kg.


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## redcard (24 Feb 2013)

Less than 10KG is a selling point?

Wow.


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## youngoldbloke (24 Feb 2013)

400bhp said:


> But it's not really aimed at us geeks that hang around on cycle chat though is it.


You may well be right. I am amazed that - apparently - people make impulsive 'lifestyle' purchases of £2+K road bikes, with little knowledge, and even less experience.


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## Peteaud (24 Feb 2013)

youngoldbloke said:


> You (may well be right. I am amazed that - apparently - people make impulsive 'lifestyle' purchases of £2+K road bikes, with little knowledge, and even less experience.


 
Well i have been online to Wonga, borrowed £2.5K and am now off to halfords to buy a peperonierollo (the bike that chris wiggins rode on the tour of the isle of man)

So there


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## Andrew_P (24 Feb 2013)

400bhp said:


> Who owns then?
> 
> VC? Part owned by Halfords? Subsid of someone surely?


Alan Ingarfield, Sarah Mooney are the major shareholders. I only know this as I pished off with the way my CX was set up and looked in to it, to be fair CB he did respond to my email.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/boardman/boardman_about.html


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## 400bhp (24 Feb 2013)

LOCO said:


> Alan Ingarfield, Sarah Mooney are the major shareholders. I only know this as I pished off with the way my CX was set up and looked in to it, to be fair CB he did respond to my email.
> 
> http://www.boardmanbikes.com/boardman/boardman_about.html


 
Yeah, but that doesn't necessarily mean they own them.

Private/public/their own money/backers.


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## 400bhp (24 Feb 2013)

youngoldbloke said:


> You may well be right. I am amazed that - apparently - people make impulsive 'lifestyle' purchases of £2+K road bikes, with little knowledge, and even less experience.


 
People do it all the time with cars.

I talked down a "friend" from buying a £2k Ribble bike without him knowing much about them.


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## nickyboy (24 Feb 2013)

If you are sufficiently bothered a few quid will get you the annual return for Boardman Bikes Ltd. Free info is that there are 5 shareholders (corporate or individual) and it is an independent company

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/05467715

400bhp is spot on re how representative posters on Cyclechat are regarding Halfords target market for Pinarellos......wholly unrepresentative. There are plenty of folk out there with £2K to drop on a bike who have no idea about bikes and wouldn't dream of visiting a LBS to buy one


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## youngoldbloke (24 Feb 2013)

nickyboy said:


> 400bhp is spot on re how representative posters on Cyclechat are regarding Halfords target market for Pinarellos......wholly unrepresentative. There are plenty of folk out there with £2K to drop on a bike who have no idea about bikes and wouldn't dream of visiting a LBS to buy one


I increasingly feel I live in a different universe - are they the ones who then fit propstands, mirrors and expensive chunky flat MTB pedals, maybe?


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## 400bhp (24 Feb 2013)

nickyboy said:


> If you are sufficiently bothered a few quid will get you the annual return for Boardman Bikes Ltd. Free info is that there are 5 shareholders (corporate or individual) and it is an independent company
> 
> http://companycheck.co.uk/company/05467715
> 
> 400bhp is spot on re how representative posters on Cyclechat are regarding Halfords target market for Pinarellos......wholly unrepresentative. There are plenty of folk out there with £2K to drop on a bike who have no idea about bikes and wouldn't dream of visiting a LBS to buy one


 
Yeah-thanks , CBA to spend money, but it doesn't state how much of the company is debt and interest. Would be interested to know if those 2 bods had a bit of cash to finance the deal in the first place. I would imagine a hefty capital layout is initially required to start a bike business, not least to give it the clout to get Halfords to sell them.


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## Andrew_P (24 Feb 2013)

nickyboy said:


> If you are sufficiently bothered a few quid will get you the annual return for Boardman Bikes Ltd. Free info is that there are 5 shareholders (corporate or individual) and it is an independent company
> 
> http://companycheck.co.uk/company/05467715
> 
> 400bhp is spot on re how representative posters on Cyclechat are regarding Halfords target market for Pinarellos......wholly unrepresentative. There are plenty of folk out there with £2K to drop on a bike who have no idea about bikes and wouldn't dream of visiting a LBS to buy one


Its free with DueDil :-) and it looks like someone dropped a bit of cash in last year + debtors almost doubled suggesting they pu a lot of stock in to someone.


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## nickyboy (24 Feb 2013)

400bhp said:


> Yeah-thanks , CBA to spend money, but it doesn't state how much of the company is debt and interest. Would be interested to know if those 2 bods had a bit of cash to finance the deal in the first place. I would imagine a hefty capital layout is initially required to start a bike business, not least to give it the clout to get Halfords to sell them.


 
I was surprised that it qualified as a "small business". This means that it fulfils two of the following 3 criteria

1) Turnover less than £2.8m
2) Balance Sheet total less than £1.4m
3) Employees fewer than 50

It fulfils (2) ... the Net Worth is £0.8m so it either has fewer than 50 employees or turnover less than £2.8m or both.

This suggests to me that this company is just a place to invoice the royalties payable by Halfords etc payable on Boardman bike sales.
Say the royalty is £100 per bike, it takes a lot of bikes to get £2.8m turnover but then again, there will be very little overhead in the business. Working Capital is not an issue as Halfords will buy from and pay the factories directly. Boardman Bikes will not be involved in this.


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## 400bhp (24 Feb 2013)

nickyboy said:


> I was surprised that it qualified as a "small business". This means that it fulfils two of the following 3 criteria
> 
> 1) Turnover less than £2.8m
> 2) Balance Sheet total less than £1.4m
> ...


 
I think you're on the right lines, although I suppose a lot of it could be done overseas- my guess is this was financed by Halfords in some shape or form.


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