A Good Fitness Bike?
- Thread starter SAB
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
davidphilips
Phil Pip
- Location
- Onabike
Is it common to buy a Halfords bike and upgrade the components over time to make it dependable and a pleasure to ride? So long as one is happy with the frame?[/QUOTE]
best time and way to upgrade components is when they become worn and are due replacement, then just buy slightly better tyres, saddle, whatever.
best time and way to upgrade components is when they become worn and are due replacement, then just buy slightly better tyres, saddle, whatever.
Bonefish Blues
Banging donk
- Location
- 52 Festive Road
This. Or just buy the spec you want in the first place, but remember every bike's got a compromise somewhere.
Last edited:
bonsaibilly
Guest
It's probably because you made, in their view, a crass sweeping generalisation about Halfords which occupied more space in your OP than any other single part of it.
No issues with the following brands, obviously...
http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/recalls/15-million-bikes-recalled-faulty-quick-releases-blamed
https://static.evanscycles.com/prod..._notices/Specialized_pedal_extender_Rider.pdf
bonsaibilly
Guest
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
how can you knock Halfords, look at this beauty, will keep you fit as a fiddle!
When I was looking to replace my stolen 2010 Specialized Rockhopper SL Disc with the insurance pay-out I naturally enough went to Specialized again. I'd had no issues with my bike & so naturally assumed the 2016 model would be the same but better. How wrong could I be? The frame was more or less the same but the components had taken a real dive. Not just in the names but the reviews I read online confirmed the equipment supplied just wasn't up to scratch. The fanboys however maintained it was still a good deal as the frame was so good and so provided a good base for later upgrades. That may or may not be valid but I sure as hell wasn't about to pay the same money for a bike 6 years younger that came with inferior components and which would make me immediately start upgrading. A bike isn't supposed to be a money-pit. In fact I'd argue it should be the reverse. But we live in a consumer society now & people love to have the latest & greatest, whether they're capable of actually discerning the difference or not.
As much as I appreciate the idiosyncracies of LBS's I ended up buying mail order. I know how to put a bike together myself (it's not rocket science) so I did my research online, identified the model I wanted & went about sourcing it, from Germany as it turned out. I saved a bit of money and had minimal assembly to do. If you don't want to chance mail-order go to Halfords. Some of their staff can be enthusiasts rather than just day-jobbers. You'll definitely get a lot of bike for your money as far as I can tell from browsing this forum and clicking the links people put up to Halfords models. If something does go wrong, well, at least you know where they live, so to speak.
Good luck.
As much as I appreciate the idiosyncracies of LBS's I ended up buying mail order. I know how to put a bike together myself (it's not rocket science) so I did my research online, identified the model I wanted & went about sourcing it, from Germany as it turned out. I saved a bit of money and had minimal assembly to do. If you don't want to chance mail-order go to Halfords. Some of their staff can be enthusiasts rather than just day-jobbers. You'll definitely get a lot of bike for your money as far as I can tell from browsing this forum and clicking the links people put up to Halfords models. If something does go wrong, well, at least you know where they live, so to speak.
Good luck.
OP
OP
SAB
Active Member
For everyone replying, thanks for your continued advice.
My problem with Halfords is that their service isn't up to standard, and in some examples, 'brand' names are selling bikes in their stores with frame numbers that don't match the actual brands numbers. For example, Raleigh have some Halfords 'exclusives' but they aren't Raleigh's at all, I can't believe consumers are so tricked.
I have been to a lot of stores (across the UK, up and down the motorways during different journeys) , and I can't confirm good service fully, I mean, if you need something like a tin of brake cleaner for the car they will sort you out because you asked for the product, but as for the bike area I have never found that they've known what they are talking about in the slightest.
One time I was with a friend getting a six week check up and the guy kept asking 'what else' they wanted done, as opposed to taking a good look at the bike, finding the issues and resolving them. We left to go on a cycle, for my friend to realise 'Oh no, I forgot to mention XYZ', which was disappointing as sure, the friend should have remembered, but if we were clueless and depended on this for a safe bicycle we'd be so unfairly neglected. Thankfully the issues left, which were uncrimped brake and gear cables (on a 6 week old bike?!) and loose hex-fitting under the handlebar (serious I'd imagine if it was to give up) could be fixed by relatives.
I'm by no means a fanboy of any brand, in fact I actually like Raleigh but also find it hard to be happy with their offerings these days given that there seems to be no real substance behind any of their offerings, especially when I realised they were basically letting anyone build a bike and use their name under license as mentioned above.
So by all means, I know the 'name' doesn't carry much with it these days for any brand, and as the other guy above said his experience with Specialized was similar.
The bike I have, which is from Halfords (see, I gave them a chance!) is one I do like, but the failings and shortcomings of it are leaving me thinking I should have spent more on a 'good make' that I could depend on. The option remains to keep it and switch to better components, in which case I'd need to start a new thread in the mechanics(?) section to get some advice.
My problem with Halfords is that their service isn't up to standard, and in some examples, 'brand' names are selling bikes in their stores with frame numbers that don't match the actual brands numbers. For example, Raleigh have some Halfords 'exclusives' but they aren't Raleigh's at all, I can't believe consumers are so tricked.
I have been to a lot of stores (across the UK, up and down the motorways during different journeys) , and I can't confirm good service fully, I mean, if you need something like a tin of brake cleaner for the car they will sort you out because you asked for the product, but as for the bike area I have never found that they've known what they are talking about in the slightest.
One time I was with a friend getting a six week check up and the guy kept asking 'what else' they wanted done, as opposed to taking a good look at the bike, finding the issues and resolving them. We left to go on a cycle, for my friend to realise 'Oh no, I forgot to mention XYZ', which was disappointing as sure, the friend should have remembered, but if we were clueless and depended on this for a safe bicycle we'd be so unfairly neglected. Thankfully the issues left, which were uncrimped brake and gear cables (on a 6 week old bike?!) and loose hex-fitting under the handlebar (serious I'd imagine if it was to give up) could be fixed by relatives.
I'm by no means a fanboy of any brand, in fact I actually like Raleigh but also find it hard to be happy with their offerings these days given that there seems to be no real substance behind any of their offerings, especially when I realised they were basically letting anyone build a bike and use their name under license as mentioned above.
So by all means, I know the 'name' doesn't carry much with it these days for any brand, and as the other guy above said his experience with Specialized was similar.
The bike I have, which is from Halfords (see, I gave them a chance!) is one I do like, but the failings and shortcomings of it are leaving me thinking I should have spent more on a 'good make' that I could depend on. The option remains to keep it and switch to better components, in which case I'd need to start a new thread in the mechanics(?) section to get some advice.
lutonloony
Über Member
- Location
- torbay
im sure that beter spec components work out cheaper when bought as the complete bike, rather than upgrades. Although im sure my learned (?) colleagues will put me right
vickster
Legendary Member
Nope you are right. The manufacturers have bigger buying power than one does, although not all pass those savings onto their customers but rather their marketing and sponsorship teams (and to be fair, R&D which may trickle down the food chain)
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
it must be to do with competition at a specific price point, so , say, Trex, Speccy, Giant, Cannondale etc need to hit £999 for a model a year later but make an allowance for inflation, so reduce spec and hope no one notices
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
is that why groupsets always seem to have 50% off?
