Accessories for a Carrera Crossfire 3

[vickster]

OK. His incentive is to sell. Make money. The Canterbury Bike project doesn't have that incentive. They're a charity. I'm going to them again. Steve is the main guy there.

I don't trust my lbs after what has now happened after I gave my bike to him.

Also Steve had told me that new bikes needing a service because cables stretch and things settle is total bs he said, that bike stores say to get you to give them money.

Go elsewhere then. Pretty much all bike shops will do a free service after 6 weeks or so to check for cable adjustment, only Halfords will do that for you. Any other bike shop will charge. Many cyclists don't bother, they can do the adjustment themselves

 

[Milena]

Go elsewhere then. Pretty much all bike shops will do a free service after 6 weeks or so to check for cable adjustment, only Halfords will do that for you. Any other bike shop will charge. Many cyclists don't bother, they can do the adjustment themselves

Halfords will not. There's no free first service with halfords. Only with local bike shops IF you buy the bike from them.

 

[classic33]

Most replies have not been constructive going through what I need from each item and what options I have. I don't have a budget, but I can say 'that's too much for me' or 'that's too cheap so I fear it won't be very good quality or last long' etc, once options are presented to me.

Which lights are you getting then?
Given the clocks change this weekend, the evenings will be darker earlier than this week. And they are a legal requirement on a cycle, not something to help you get more out of the bike.

"Too much for you" doesn't help when someone gives you something to look at. If you haven't set a spending limit, do it now. It's too easy spending money on what you want, not on what you actually need.
Write down a "wish list" of what you want. Then work out what you need from that list, putting those items on a new list. Then work out from there what you can afford, put a number besides each item in order of priority.

Yes it slows the process down, it's meant to. But it also increases your chances of not buying something not required. And, if you're inside at the moment, now would be an ideal time to start.

 

[vickster]

Halfords will not. There's no free first service with halfords. Only with local bike shops IF you buy the bike from them.

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/services/free-bike-check.html

 

[classic33]

It is what?

Also after I gave my bike to my lbs for a wash and puncture repair, the bike now makes noise in gears 1 and 2 on both front gear settings.
I went back to him today to tell him, and he said he hasn't touched the gears so it's not his fault, and that it would be £20 for a gear service.

The gears also don't change as smooth as before and they sometimes they don't change at all unless I change back to the gear I was in, then the one I want.

All this straight away after I rode it out from his bike shop.

That's when you should have gone back with the issue.

And the shops incentive isn't, or shouldn't be, to only sell you stuff. If they want customers returning, they should be willing to try and help you buy the correct items. Offering advice, based on their experience, on ways round problems. You, however must be willing to work with them.

 

[Milena]

That's when you should have gone back with the issue.

And the shops incentive isn't, or shouldn't be, to only sell you stuff. If they want customers returning, they should be willing to try and help you buy the correct items. Offering advice, based on their experience, on ways round problems. You, however must be willing to work with them.

He closed after I left. It was closing time. I couldn't go back. So I went back today morning.

 

[Milena]

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/services/free-bike-check.html

😂 I already went for that. Please read it. It's a CHECK. Not a service. And they're pathetic. None of the staff there know WTF they're doing. My bike was examined by a clueless guy very quickly. No proper check was performed.

Anything and everything is chargeable I was told by the manager of my local halfords. I really hate the manager there. He's a total douche and he has given me incorrect advice before too.

Even adjusting seat height is chargeable he told me.

 

[vickster]

😂 I already went for that. Please read it. It's a CHECK. Not a service. And they're pathetic. None of the staff there know WTF they're doing. My bike was examined by a clueless guy very quickly. No proper check was performed.

Anything and everything is chargeable I was told by the manager of my local halfords. I really hate the manager there. He's a total douche and he has given me incorrect advice before too.

Even adjusting seat height is chargeable he told me.

Go to a different branch if needed, or use the charity in Canterbury to learn to do yourself

 

[Milena]

Go to a different branch if needed, or use the charity in Canterbury to learn to do yourself

The Canterbury bike project DO NOT teach gear servicing for free. They charge £210 just to learn hydraulic break servicing.

The ONLY things they teach for free are, puncture repair, break pad replacement and a few other very basic things. And they won't cover in depth for something like brake pad replacement.

 

[presta]

No ones working with me to tell me what to get. Everyone's just arguing.

That's what people do on the internet, ask any question and you'll get half a dozen contradictory answers. Nobody can tell you what to buy, or not in any meaningful way, all you can do is read what people say, then decide what matters most to you, and make up your own mind.

Even adjusting seat height is chargeable he told me.

If you don't want to pay others, don't be so helpless.

 

[Alex321]

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/services/free-bike-check.html

That is only a check. They don't adjust or fix anything without you booking it in for a service.

 

[annedonnelly]

The Canterbury bike project DO NOT teach gear servicing for free. They charge £210 just to learn hydraulic break servicing.

The ONLY things they teach for free are, puncture repair, break pad replacement and a few other very basic things. And they won't cover in depth for something like brake pad replacement.

If you go along and learn what they can teach for free you'll build a relationship with them and they'll be more likely to help you out with some of the trickier things. They'll see you as someone interested in learning rather than some of their customers who might just be trying to get free labour.

 

[Alex321]

😂 I already went for that. Please read it. It's a CHECK. Not a service. And they're pathetic. None of the staff there know WTF they're doing. My bike was examined by a clueless guy very quickly. No proper check was performed.

Anything and everything is chargeable I was told by the manager of my local halfords. I really hate the manager there. He's a total douche and he has given me incorrect advice before too.

Even adjusting seat height is chargeable he told me.

The biggest issue with Halfords is the variability between branches. Some do have knowledgeable staff who are cyclists themselves. Others don't, and the service you can get from them can be terrible.

Though from what you have said, it doesn't sound like your LBS are all that great either.

 

[classic33]

He closed after I left. It was closing time. I couldn't go back. So I went back today morning.

Things aren't adding up here. Working from both threads.
Wednesday you had a puncture.
Two days later, Friday(today) you took the bike to your LBS for repair.
The morning after, tomorrow!, you went back with a gear issue.

I've taken bikes back to the bike shop for the free first service. And just as you say replacement parts cost money. You tend only to pay for what is used/replaced, not the time spent on the service. I've also given the instruction to replace what they feel requires replacing, without having to contact me to tell me, then me saying yes to that, no to that.
Saved them time and me money.
Bike was in regular use, four times a day at the time.

 

[classic33]

Mod Edit: swearing language has been removed

There is an actual requirement, under health and safety at work, that requires the bike be clean when repairs are carried out. If that means they clean it, they can charge you for doing it.

The £20 for the replacement tube is around what they charge up here. It isn't cost effective for them to fix a puncture. Which is why so many riders learn to do this.