Criminal-level abdication of duty

[Regular.Cyclist]

“Halfords should not be allowed to operate as a cycle business until they can prove at a national level they have the policies and trained staff to deliver a service that doesn't put the public at risk.”

After reading about the issues with the bike in this case I would agree.

https://road.cc/content/news/halfords-slammed-over-non-tightened-stem-bolts-308201

 

[Electric_Andy]

I'm not sure many people would be surprised by this. However, based on the number of bikes they sell, is this representative of their service in full or an isolated incident where the mechanic messed up? Don't get me wrong, I'd be livid if this happened to me. But I can't see anything happening apart from the mechanic getting a talking to

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I avoid them after they screwed up a hydraulic brake service for me where they failed to insert the retaining split pin for the front brake pads which then fell out.

I found out at a red light where I couldn't bloody stop.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

I'm not sure many people would be surprised by this. However, based on the number of bikes they sell, is this representative of their service in full or an isolated incident where the mechanic messed up? Don't get me wrong, I'd be livid if this happened to me. But I can't see anything happening apart from the mechanic getting a talking to

I can only speak from personal experience.

I was gifted only one brand new bike when I was a child and got it on Christmas Day. In the first ten minutes of riding it the drive side pedal parted company with the bike and the saddle dropped down several inches.

I bought a Boardman bike from them about 8 years ago. They tried to sell me the wrong size, twice, and suggested I ride it home to make sure everything was ok. I’m glad I didn’t as, when I stuck it on the stand at home, the front brake lever came back to the bar without the brakes coming anywhere near the wheel, the headset was loose and the rear wheel wasn’t seated correctly within the dropouts.

In 2020 a neighbour brought their new bike round saying it didn’t feel right. The fork was 180 degrees out from where it should be.

I’ve only seen these three bikes that I can be certain can be traced back to Halfords and all had issues.

 

[Time Waster]

TBH it's not just just halfords that are dangerous. My local bike shop that's been run by the same old guy for decades and it used to be good. I used him for a service and to fix a few issues about ten years ago. He showed me it was OK, gears changing on the bike stand. Got it out and cycled about 400m home and gears had slipped and the braking wasn't safe.

I got off halfway home and adjusted the brakes myself to make the safe. Then at home fettled the gears. A few months later before a family cycle tour I took it to another bike shop because I didn't trust how they has left it. The other bike shop was once the biggest in UK and possibly Europe at one time. It did a very good job.

Imho it is down to the bike mechanic how good or bad a shop is. My old local halfords had a few dodgy shop assistants but the bike mechanic was good. Plus another two shop assistants were very good.

 

[Drago]

Indeed. Hellfrauds are a shower of sheet. Whenever I've bought a bike from them I've assembled it myself for this reason.

However, this also beautifully illustrates the necessity of pre ride checks.

Sure, if as reported, the fault lies at Hellfrauds door for sure. Nevertheless, if the rider was trained and duly diligent they're still have teeth and testicles. It's always better to be both morally correct and unharmed if you can manage it.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Nevertheless, if the rider was trained and duly diligent they're still have teeth and testicles.

That would indeed be an unexpected outcome for the poor woman!

 

[Drago]

That would indeed be an unexpected outcome for the poor woman!

Ah, apologies. I'd presumed it was in Scotland.

 

[Bristolian]

I have no personal experience with Halfords, except buying parts from them. A friend took his bike to their store in Gloucester just before Xmas last year because he was having issues with a wobbly bottom bracket. It took them three attempts over six weeks to finally get the bike repaired properly and back to him. To their credit they discounted his bill by 100% so he paid nothing but he also couldn't ride for 6 weeks.

My friend is very mechanically adept (builds and races kit cars) but had never worked on a bike before hence the use of Halfords. We will fix his problems together so he learns and he won't be going back to them.

 

[cyberknight]

On the flip side my local store the mechanic is excellent whereas another LBS in the next town that is linked to the club is terrible.I took 2 bikes in once and they fitted a different sized chainring thinking i wouldnt notice and changed a press fit BB and they missed the preload washer and didnt tighten the crank arm enough so it was creaking and close to falling off

 

[Drago]

Back when I ran a fleet of bikes in the dibble the powers-that-be decided that the maintainance should be done by Halfords, a decision driven by cost.

Second batch that came back included one bike which had both cranks pointing in the same direction. I showed this to the area superintendent and pointed out that money saved was actually money wasted if bikes came back in an unrideable condition.

He saw my point and the organisation finally listened to me and the maintenance was switched to an LBS. They weren't perfect, but their average was very good and they fell over themselves to resolve minor issues swiftly and smoothly.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I'm not sure many people would be surprised by this. However, based on the number of bikes they sell, is this representative of their service in full or an isolated incident where the mechanic messed up? Don't get me wrong, I'd be livid if this happened to me. But I can't see anything happening apart from the mechanic getting a talking to

I don't think it's an isolated incident for this mechanic. I think if the checklist signed by the Halfords mechanic says the stem was tightened to 16nm, but is actually only meant to be 5-7nm then that mechanic is in the habit of not preparing the bikes properly and filling in the slips to cover themselves. If they'd even looked at the stem they'd have known to write a number between 5 and 7!

Unless the original customer contacts the shop, or the author reports them to Trading Standards as they say they are inspired to I think the mechanic will actually get away scott free on this. Just goes to show, always check your bike yourself after anyone else works on it!

 

[grldtnr]

Back when I ran a fleet of bikes in the dibble the powers-that-be decided that the maintainance should be done by Halfords, a decision driven by cost.

Second batch that came back included one bike which had both cranks pointing in the same direction. I showed this to the area superintendent and pointed out that money saved was actually money wasted if bikes came back in an unrideable condition.

He saw my point and the organisation finally listened to me and the maintenance was switched to an LBS. They weren't perfect, but their average was very good and they fell over themselves to resolve minor issues swiftly and smoothly.

What i'd give to see 'Dibble' back on a bike, ....even PC Dibble just walking the beat, we're lucky to see them drive by in a car ,most times they are just conspicuously parked.
Always respected Dibble, know a few socially, my Cousin is a 'Skipper'...

 

[Drago]

Off topic, but...

While there are technically more dibble than ever before, the numbers don't tell true story.

As a ratio of dibble to the population, numbers are not at thei4 peak.

The average dibble now has less than 4 years service, so half are still off the streets a lot for training. A decade ago the average was 16 years, but many have retired and those eligible went early to avoid being foxtrotted over by the government any further.

But the biggest factor, with pressure on finances due to austerity (not intending this as a political discussion, just an observation by way of explanation) is that most forces let go loads of civvy staff. These roles have to be backfilled, and the only people left to do that are the dibble themselves.

By far the biggest drain on their time is "case building" for court. 30 years ago the average arrest generated 7 hours of paperwork, almost all of it completed by the civilian case builders. In 2024 its over 20 hours, almost all of it having to be done by police officers because the civvies have been sent home. The maths are simple, and leave little time left over for inconsequential stuff, like going on patrol.

And there are dozens of other administrative drains on their time that just didn't exist when I joined in 1991. The list is mind boggling.

And they get no thanks for it. My reward for receiving serious injuries protecting the public in the line of duty (I took a kicking from an irate motorist intended for a lollipop lady and recrived broken bones and permwnent nerve damage) was to be threatened with the sack when I didn't recover sufficiently to return to full duty. The head of Criminal Justice for our farce, a civilian with very little to do because they have few staff of their own left, got an MBE. Go figure.

Throw in to the mix declining salary in real terms (it was never brilliant when I was in, but we stuck it for the love of the job) and now no one with any active brain cells wants to join. So the brain donors that do apply spend longer in training, are less adept at the complex admin side so it takes them longer, and the cycle goes round and round.

That's why you never see a Bobby out on a bike any more. It's sheet from top to bottom.