# Biting my tongue in Halfords



## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

Just went to the outskirts-of-town shopping centre thing (you know the type, branch of Halfords, a Currys (or was it Comet?), an Argos, and a DIY store), took my daughter there on my bike.

We had a quick browse through the shops, stopped off in Halfords, a woman came in at the same time with her daughter (about age 6), looked at the small display of bikes near the entrance, we both went upstairs to the bikes section. They've got quite a mixed bag in Halfords, some very nice bikes and some absolute crap.

Daughter was looking at 'girly' bikes, she told her mother 'I want a basket', bloke behind the counter ignores us both, eventually she asks him for help. He pulls out a 24" wheel Apollo for £200 (!) she can't even get on it, well perhaps she could but the bloke is not really interested in helping or explaining standover height, adjusting the saddle. I don't look too closely but it's got ridiculous knobbly tyres and probably weighs a tonne.He says 'why don't you have a look around', and pisses off again.

Am wearing my Altura jacket and must look somewhat cyclist-like, but I didn't feel like offering unsolicited advice and I guess she didn't feel like asking me.

Feel sorry for the poor kid who was going to end up with a piece of crap, or nothing at all.


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## MontyVeda (1 Feb 2012)

Apollo, being the Halfords brand is what the staff are expected to push.


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## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

Apollo, Carrera and Boardman, at a minimum, belong to Halfords. Possibly Trax as well?

This one doesn't look too impractical:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_816515_langId_-1_categoryId_165630

would hate to see how much it weighs though, being solid steel I suspect rather a lot.

From what I can see on their website almost all of the Halfords kids bike have some sort of useless suspension system so it might have been hard for him to push something sensible really. Which might be why he had so little interest, if they're all crap. Can't see any kind of aluminium-framed bike with sensible tyres and no suspension on there at all.


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## Peteaud (1 Feb 2012)

Crap wages and he dont care so its no loss to him.

Its why i detest hellfrauds.

If it was me i would have told the woman to go to a lbs.


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## brokenflipflop (1 Feb 2012)

Peteaud said:


> Crap wages and he dont care so its no loss to him.
> 
> Its why i detest hellfrauds.
> 
> If it was me i would have told the woman to go to a lbs.


I've had a similar poor customer service experience at a lbs.


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## 400bhp (1 Feb 2012)

Peteaud said:


> *Crap wages* and he dont care so its no loss to him.
> 
> Its why i detest hellfrauds.
> 
> If it was me i would have told the woman to go to a lbs.


 
Do you think lbs's pay significantly higher wages.

Whats "he dont care"? Are you singing?

I have had very good service at my local Halfords, so it is a bit hit and miss.


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## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

Peteaud said:


> Crap wages and he dont care so its no loss to him.
> 
> Its why i detest hellfrauds.
> 
> If it was me i would have told the woman to go to a lbs.


 
Well the LBS sell a lot of crap kids bikes too. A lot of the adult bikes are pretty crappy, when it comes to that, but it's probably worse for a child to have an 18kg hunk'o'junk.

Islabikes Beinn is a fantastic first real bike IMO, I think the fabulously named 'Puky' might be ok too. Neither available in any LBS I think....


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## ufkacbln (1 Feb 2012)

Despite everything ......

The Carrera Subway series made good commuters and day bikes!


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## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

Cunobelin said:


> Despite everything ......
> 
> The Carrera Subway series made good commuters and day bikes!


 
Plenty of decent adult bikes in Halfords, the Boardmans are good.

A Boardman Hybrid Comp 'kids' bike might be an idea....


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## gaz (1 Feb 2012)

thelawnet said:


> Well the LBS sell a lot of crap kids bikes too. A lot of the adult bikes are pretty crappy, when it comes to that, but it's probably worse for a child to have an 18kg hunk'o'junk.
> 
> Islabikes Beinn is a fantastic first real bike IMO, I think the fabulously named 'Puky' might be ok too. Neither available in any LBS I think....


Depends on the LBS, my one doesn't sell any bikes for less than £1,000. To some those bikes are crap.


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## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

gaz said:


> Depends on the LBS, my one doesn't sell any bikes for less than £1,000. To some those bikes are crap.


 
Was referring to '*the* LBS' not a generic LBS, i.e. the one that is local to the Halfords I was in (well there are three reasonably local, and they all sell a number of crap bikes).


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## Peteaud (1 Feb 2012)

400bhp said:


> Do you think lbs's pay significantly higher wages.
> 
> Whats "he dont care"? Are you singing?
> 
> I have had very good service at my local Halfords, so it is a bit hit and miss.


 
Agree its hit or miss, but most small lbs will be a one man band so he / she will at least try. the 18 year old in "insert large chain of shops" could not give a sh*t.

Fair point, some are good, but imho its rare. My last visit to them for a roof bar i asked the guy behind the counter if they had mine in stock, his reply, ddduuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnoooooo.


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## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

Peteaud said:


> Agree its hit or miss, but most small lbs will be a one man band so he / she will at least try. the 18 year old in "insert large chain of shops" could not give a sh*t.
> 
> Fair point, some are good, but imho its rare. My last visit to them for a roof bar i asked the guy behind the counter if they had mine in stock, his reply, ddduuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnoooooo.


 
I had a fun Halfords roof rack experience. Was going away (on a flight), leaving the kids with the parents, thought we'd bring their bikes, so I went to Halfords on the way to the parents house on the way to the airport. Bought the rack, thought 'these people will have done it before, I'll pay the £5 to get it fitted'.

They hadn't, and it took over an hour, they were clueless.

Nearly missed our flights....


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## deptfordmarmoset (1 Feb 2012)

Bikehut Mechanic Part time London Area 
£4.81-£5.93 ph


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## User16625 (1 Feb 2012)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Bikehut Mechanic Part time London Area
> £4.81-£5.93 ph


 

Dam thats crap! They are asking a whole lot from someone for minimum wage. Would the company expect employees to give them "minimum effort"? Hell no. I hate employers attitudes. That job description should be paying at least £8 per hour.


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## Dan B (1 Feb 2012)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Bikehut Mechanic Part time London Area
> £4.81-£5.93 ph


National Minimum Wage is £6.08 according to the DirectGov site. How on earth can they get away with this?


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## marafi (1 Feb 2012)

No suprizes with Halfords tried to fix my brakes front and back for £25 i actually was laughing at them. So its fun when you need a good laugh with them.


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## 400bhp (1 Feb 2012)

under 21s


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## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

Dan B said:


> National Minimum Wage is £6.08 according to the DirectGov site. How on earth can they get away with this?


 
It was £5.93 until last year. I expect this is an old ad. You'd get £6.08.


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## deptfordmarmoset (1 Feb 2012)

thelawnet said:


> It was £5.93 until last year. I expect this is an old ad. You'd get £6.08.


 
No, it's a current ad. I think 400bhp is probably correct. Though it's interesting that they don't specify that the vacancies are for under 21s.

But it does give an insight into why the service is sometimes not of the most highly motivated kind. There are good people working there but I doubt that they stay - they're relying on churn in a recession, and one that's particularly hard for young people.


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## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> No, it's a current ad. I think 400bhp is probably correct. Though it's interesting that they don't specify that the vacancies are for under 21s.
> 
> But it does give an insight into why the service is sometimes not of the most highly motivated kind. There are good people working there but I doubt that they stay - they're relying on churn in a recession, and one that's particularly hard for young people.


 
Hmm, I'd be very surprised if they actually pay people that.

The rates are:
£6.08 for 21+ (up from £5.93 on 1/10/2011)
£4.98 for 18-20 (up from £4.92)
£3.68 for 16-17 (up from £3.64)

I think what they are saying (in code) is they will pay NMW, and they will take workers aged 18+.

But perhaps the £4.81 is for 16-17 year olds, as the NMW for 18-20 year olds was previously £4.83

Either way, it's pretty terrible for what is a skilled job.

Looks like they pay all their staff that:

http://www.halfordscareers.com/vacancies.php?area=storesLondon

So no, I don't think they can be only employing under 21s.

Actually working in Halfords is not unpleasant compared with other minimum wage jobs, but they are obviously not going to attract the creme de la creme.....


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## thelawnet (1 Feb 2012)

More details on this here:

http://www.jobvacancies.org/halfords-job-vacancies

Basically Halfords have a shoot jobs website and this is obviously automated somehow, someone forgot to update the salary field in the database....


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## poynedexter (1 Feb 2012)

most jobs now are crap wages. i'm currently working for less than i was in 1995. its the way of the world. i've walked out of halfords about 4 times due to a lack of available staff either on the floor or at the till. i detest the place.


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## MissTillyFlop (1 Feb 2012)

I have had really good service in Halfords in Croydon and Doncaster and crap service in Halfords Brixton and Peterborough.

It depends on who is working there really.


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## sabian92 (1 Feb 2012)

Most of them generally are 16 year old "Experts" who actually don't give a shoot and break stuff then claim it was like that when it was brought in.


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## Holdsworth (2 Feb 2012)

As bad they (supposedly) are, I have applied for a position in the Bikehut section. You cannot afford to picky about where you work in this day and age, that said I still haven't heard a reply


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## BluesDave (2 Feb 2012)

Holdsworth said:


> As bad they (supposedly) are, I have applied for a position in the Bikehut section. You cannot afford to picky about where you work in this day and age, that said I still haven't heard a reply


 
How would you ever be able to pay your rent or mortgage, bills and feed your family on under £5 per hour. True you can't afford to be picky these days but there must be a line drawn and I also am earning/ charging less than in 2004 but if people continue to accept these starvation wages then unscrupulous companies will continue to pay them. I've lived near Bolton. I sometimes wish I still did and even if I had lived in the Outer Hebrides and we'd raised our own sheep to eat we'd have struggled to survive on that.

I wouldn't pay anyone under £50 a day, even a trainee. Anything less is an insult in this day and age what with the cost of living.

To get back to the point though how can you possibly expect to have motivated and caring staff when you are insulting them with a renumeration like that and by the look of it that's even for skilled people such as competent bike mechanics. Shocking!

About three years ago I bought two kiddies bike for my twins birthdays, when I went to pick them up three weeks later they hadn't even bothered to put them together.
I was very angry because I had paid for them up front, they knew what they were for and they had blatantly lied to me telling me they would be ready, instead they hadn't even bothered to take them out of the f****** box.
I was fuming and they had the audacity to accuse me of shouting despite being so blatantly in the wrong.
So I showed them SHOUTING.
Two bikes, the same as purchased, were taken off display and they expected me to sign to say that I had taken them at my own risk as "they had not been built for riding only displaying". Instead I made the bloke get a spanner and a screwdriver and tighten every nut. bolt and screw on them.
It made me late for my boys which I have never been.
I never got a reply to my complaint to their Head Office which just goes to show what kind of a company they are.

I didn't go in there again or any other Halfords until three years later when my fiance insisted on her birthday present coming form there (Halfords, Sutton, Surrey). How I managed to ride that home without it falling apart I don't know, the angels must have been carrying it. I got the spanners out when I got it home.

Now I wouldn't even buy a washer from Halfords and I have to say it's a shame none of whats on this forum ever gets read by their customers or ends up as reviews on their website. I think it's more likely that they remove bad reviews.

Pay peanuts, employ monkeys it's that simple. (No offence to Holdsworth).


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## deptfordmarmoset (2 Feb 2012)

Holdsworth said:


> As bad they (supposedly) are, I have applied for a position in the Bikehut section. You cannot afford to picky about where you work in this day and age, that said I still haven't heard a reply


 
You're right, you can't pick and choose. If you do end up working there and if you're any good, it will only be stopgap for you, and Halfords will have a competent member of staff for the limited time you're there. Cycling is one of the few growth sectors around at the moment and there'll be far better opportunities coming along for you


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## donnyjnk (3 Feb 2012)

two weeks to tighten up rear wheel hub on my sons bmx. Apparantley bike mechanic only works a couple of hours a day due to recent heart surgery. I nearly spat out my drink, even the local policeman that was stood at the side of me had to turn away. Halfords in Doncaster name and shame. Go to lbs much better


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## Banjo (4 Feb 2012)

The advert says that candidates must actively keep their knowledge up to date then advertises an out of date pay scale. Says it all really.


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## Francesca (4 Feb 2012)

MontyVeda said:


> Apollo, being the Halfords brand is what the staff are expected to push.


 errrr..whats wng with Apollo?


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## Francesca (4 Feb 2012)

Francesca said:


> errrr..whats wng with Apollo?


 wrong ...


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## MontyVeda (4 Feb 2012)

Francesca said:


> errrr..whats wng with Apollo?


 
I never said anything against Apollo (although the moon missions were obviously faked, but that's another thread) ... i said that halfords sales staff are expected to sell the Apollo range before selling the non halfords brands, being Boardman, Carrera, etc..


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## Francesca (4 Feb 2012)




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## RecordAceFromNew (4 Feb 2012)

MontyVeda said:


> I never said anything against Apollo (although the moon missions were obviously faked, but that's another thread) ... i said that halfords sales staff are expected to sell the Apollo range before selling the non halfords brands, being Boardman, Carrera, etc..


Apollo, Trax and Carrera are their own brands. They have exclusive rights to sell Boardman and Voodoo in UK.


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## Pedal pusher (4 Feb 2012)

brokenflipflop said:


> I've had a similar poor customer service experience at a lbs.


It's the same over and over again. I challenge anybody from the senior management of Halfords, to come to the forum and defend the company's appalling attitude towards people who want to spend hard earned money. Go on Halfords I dare you !!!


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## Peteaud (4 Feb 2012)

Francesca said:


> errrr..whats wng with Apollo?


 
Nothing at all.

My Mrs had one for 6 years and it was great, got the same abuse as my giant at the time and never went wrong, although Hellfrauds never touched touched it anyway.


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## thelawnet (7 Feb 2012)

Francesca said:


> errrr..whats wng with Apollo?


 
Well, cheap and nasty mainly.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-apollo-paradox-11-45210

Full-sus bike for £300, which is cheap for full-sus, but expensive for a budget-brand bike.

"Super soft springs mean you can get the rear end to full travel just by pedalling hard. Enthusiastic efforts will also flex the swingarm enough to drag the chain out of its chosen gear, leaving it better suited to being coaxed along the flat rather than charged up hills. Start hitting stuff more than an inch or so high and you unleash a deafening scrapyard soundtrack of cracks, bangs and metal-on-metal explosions as the shocks bottom-out and top-out in initial reaction and then repeated echo of any impact.

The undiluted shocks come straight through the steel bars and stem too, adding wrist and hand numbing pain to the deafening din. While travel isn’t really enough to let it bounce properly out of shape, the pogoing fork is certainly difficult to predict and control with the narrow, violently vibrating bars.
Within half-an-hour of riding relatively tame cross-country trails (roots, foot-high steps and so on) the left-hand pedal fell out of the crank taking most of the woefully soft thread metal with it. Although we bodged it back in for a while, it soon worked loose enough to fall out just by bouncing on the forks without even being on the bike."

So it's utterly unfit for the purpose that full-suspension is designed for. Compeltely and utterly useless.

And while it will work for what many buyers might use it for, which is just going to shops or something, it weighs 40lbs and costs £300, so it's a failure at that job too, as it's going to be incredibly slow and off-putting.


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## Nearly there (8 Feb 2012)

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_810707_langId_-1_categoryId_165710 Seriously


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## 2Loose (8 Feb 2012)

The TDF used to be about 300quid iirc, shocking price rise imo.
You can get a full carbon with 105 for a hundred quid more from Decathlon (ok, I know its on special offer at the moment...)


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## ohnovino (8 Feb 2012)

That looks like price establishing to me. They have to occasionally advertise it at full price so they can get away with calling it a "special offer" at all other times.


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## Leodis (9 Feb 2012)

Funny thing is its not just Halfords, when I decided to join the Cyclescheme I used to pop into Evans every Friday after work to have a look at the shiney new bikes, not once out of 5 or 6 visits did anyone approach me. When I got my voucher I just walked in and said "I want this that and this other thingy and here is the discount voucher to reduce to my Cert limit", they ordered and made a mistake leading to me walking out with an extra £65 worth of kit.


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## Francesca (9 Feb 2012)

thelawnet said:


> *Well, cheap and nasty mainly.*
> 
> http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-apollo-paradox-11-45210
> 
> ...


 
sorry what you mean cheap and nasty? mines fine had it for a year now and no problems with it whatsoever, ive cycled on roads, and MTB with it, and had no problems with it and one puncture, and iam sure there are loads others out there that have Apollos....yeah there are bikes out there a thousand times better designed and priced than Apollos..but to say cheap and nasty is a bit overboard there I would say..


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## Old Plodder (9 Feb 2012)

The only good thing about working in your LBS is the discount that usually goes with the lack of wage, but even so, most good mechanics can get a fair wage out of the owner.


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## RecordAceFromNew (9 Feb 2012)

thelawnet said:


> http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/review-apollo-paradox-11-45210
> 
> Full-sus bike for £300, which is cheap for full-sus, but expensive for a budget-brand bike.
> 
> ...


 
I usually take commercial reviews with a pinch of salt, but having seen the spec of this one I can fully believe it. Who in the right mind would produce a £300 ("originally £419.99") full susser with 50mm travel forks weighing over 18kg in this day and age? Unbelievable!

And then who in the right mind will buy a mtb costing £3000 from the same people?

However, I think the undeniable "commercial" success, indeed growth of their business is dependent on selling much cheaper bikes than these by the truck load (think they sell about 1 million p.a. in UK), where nobody except Decathlon afaik can truly deliver superior offerings. When you think that generally retailers need to mark up cost of goods by around 100% to cover overhead and thereby breakeven, it makes you appreciate how difficult it would be to sell decent £100 bikes to Joe Public and not lose your shirt.

Would certainly love to hear comments from knowledgeable people working in the industry.


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