Halfords, not always as bad as painted

[Bodhbh]

I bought my bike from cyclopedia, the guys in there are very nice and I would prefer to give them my business, but at the end of the day I need my bike to get to work, the job I needed doing was really a 5 minute job.

It was Cyclopedia who were good enough to fit my wheel repair in quickly without the computer says no act (although they were later messed me about a bit on some other repairs, not sure if they had some summer staffing issues or something).

 

[Cromcruaich]

I get the impression that Halfords have got a lot of things right but their chronic failure is to employ kids and oiks whereas a proper bike shop will naturally be independant and staffed by the owners and some key staff

lol, both my lbs are pretty bad.

Whereas went into my local halfords, was a youngish person in there, early twenties i'd say - but he knew his stuff inside out.

Had a stuck freewheel hub which i couldnt shift, lbs didnt want to know, went into halfords this guy just freed it for me with his huge breaker, no charge, no fuss. Then asked if he had any grease - said they had loads of it they use and gave me 4 free tubes of it!

Ok obviously where it falls down is if you want any specialist or high end stuff, but just for being friendly and helpful ive had better experiences at halfords that the lbs's whose eyes seem to light up with £ signs as soon as you ask em to do anything.

 

[Hont]

...their chronic failure is to employ kids and oiks whereas a proper bike shop will naturally be independant and staffed by the owners and some key staff

Unfortunately not in all cases. Whenever I've gone in for repairs to my LBS I'm referred to said oik who hasn't got a clue. The owner only wants to know if you're looking to buy.

 

[col]

One of the local bike shops I went to while looking for a bike wasnt very helpfull at all. I asked if a particular hybrid could have drops put on, he just said no, nothing else, then tried to sell me an entry level road bike, evens I think it was, turns out it isnt as good as the virtuoso I now know, which ironically comes from Halfords, where Iv had nothing but helpfull people go out of their way for me. Seems to me its pot luck with your local Halfords, mine is great.

 

[ASC1951]

Halfords .... employ kids and oiks whereas a proper bike shop will naturally be independant and staffed by the owners and some key staff

It's very difficult to employ older and more expensive staff and sell the range of stuff that Halfords do, at the prices they do.

We are hardly the Halfords target market on here. They are there to sell basic bikes to the masses, so we shouldn't get too precious or snotty about them. I wouldn't expect them to advise me on the merits of Durace against Record any more than I would complain that my fish stall on Barnsley market doesn't sell turbot.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

my fish stall on Barnsley market doesn't sell turbot.

Sometimes it's hard to imagine the deprivation that still exists in this country.

 

[Fnaar]

Dover sole makes a reasonable alternative to turbot

 

[Cromcruaich]

Dover sole makes a reasonable alternative to turbot

http://www.fishonline.org/advice/avoid/?item=59
http://www.fishonline.org/advice/avoid/?item=68

Turbot can be farmed very successfully, dover sole certainly can't be.

Not OT this at all is it?

 

[Bodhbh]

What does a fish use to keep fit in winter? A turbot trainer.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

What does a fish use to keep fit in winter? A turbot trainer.

There's a time and plaice for this sort of thing. This thread is not it.

 

[johnnyh]

I think this thread is starting to flounder, but I for one wont take the bait.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Sorry, I was just fishing for someone eels to join in.

 

[John the Monkey]

I just pray to cod that these puns will stop soon.

 

[Bodhbh]

There's a time and plaice for this sort of thing. This thread is not it.

I knew someone would start carping on about it.

(I've not turned it into one of these bloody threads :< )

 

[John the Monkey]

I knew someone would start carping on about it.

(I've not turned it into one of these bloody threads :< )

Now now, no need to be koi.