Halfords ??

[petergc]

I think it depends on who they have in at the time.
I know when I went in asking questions about components on a bike that they stock. I was told by the staff at the bike hut " I'm sorry but I don't know, our bike mechanic will be in durning the week and they can help."

And he was tinkering with a bike as he spoke to me . So I guess if you catch them on a right day then there will be someone there.

I would still only take my new trek to my lbs.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I think it depends on who they have in at the time.
I know when I went in asking questions about components on a bike that they stock. I was told by the staff at the bike hut " I'm sorry but I don't know, our bike mechanic will be in durning the week and they can help."

And he was tinkering with a bike as he spoke to me . So I guess if you catch them on a right day then there will be someone there.

I would still only take my new trek to my lbs.

Ours have always been pretty good, I think its because they actually ride.

 

[sussex old beginner]

it has been build by a good bike mechanic at my lbs not a sixteen year old at Halfords tudor_77 im very happy with my boardman but I can trust its been build right I fly down the road

 

[Nigelnaturist]

it has been build by a good bike mechanic at my lbs not a sixteen year old at Halfords tudor_77 im very happy with my boardman but I can trust its been build right I fly down the road

The guys at or Halfords are not 16, not old i would say early 20's

 

[raleighnut]

The worst mechanics can often be old guys who don't give a tuppenny cuss anymore we used to have a shop in Leicester called Leedhams Cycles on Narborough road thankfully long gone but they were utter Sh*ts unless you were spending a bunch then they were smarmy sh*ts.

 

[pplpilot]

Halfords, Dixons, Currys, PCworld, Mothercare, Evans, Staples etc. etc. etc. are ALL the same. Vote with your feet, where you can give your business to the small independents where the guy/girl serving is the owner or the owners son/daughter. People who actually care and know about what it is they are selling. All the big high street chains are owned and run by bean counting investment/holding companies that couldn't give a toss what it was they were selling as long as the board meetings they get a spreadsheet out and prove that the grain input does not cross the egg output making the shareholders happy.

 

[rb58]

Halfords, Dixons, Currys, PCworld, Mothercare, Evans, Staples etc. etc. etc. are ALL the same. Vote with your feet, where you can give your business to the small independents where the guy/girl serving is the owner or the owners son/daughter. People who actually care and know about what it is they are selling. All the big high street chains are owned and run by bean counting investment/holding companies that couldn't give a toss what it was they were selling as long as the board meetings they get a spreadsheet out and prove that the grain input does not cross the egg output making the shareholders happy.

Rather a broad brush methinks. Personally, I've always found Evans very good in the London stores I've frequented. Much better than my local LBS, who only seem interested in selling me stuff I don't really need. This includes telling me parts have worn out then they haven't.

 

[wam68]

Can't say anything bad about my local Halfords. All good blokes and blokesses who know what they are doing. Is that how you say it.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Similar experience to @rb58 never had cause to complain about my local to work Evans. But have given a couple of LBS's a wide berth over poor service or attitude (one went bust recently so I dont seem to have been alone in my assessment) Also my Brompton from a very well known, long established & reputable Manchester bike shop went back for 3 basic but significant set up failures including the front brakes falling to pieces mid ride. *mea culpa for taking them on trust, normally I don't but a combo of them and Brompton, I thought was bombproof enough to hop on and go*

Lesson learned, you can never tell by name alone.

 

[ianrauk]

Evans in Crawley. Some of the very best service to a mechanical I have ever had from a bike shop. So much so that I wrote to their head office praising the store.

 

[screenman]

I think sometimes, the more you know yourself, the more you realise how ignorant some are in the big and small shops. i had a shout out with a idiot in Halfords who was using a hammer to try and fit a 27.2 into a 27 or less.

 

[Mobytek]

There is a reason that there are LBS about - wouldnt work in HF, and know that thre are things hey can not do that we can. And TBH, there are people with bikes, and cyclists. Some people with bikes will get what they pay for, some cyclists appreciate a personal touch. There are some with bikes that like the pesonal and some cyclists that are too tight, but they are in a minority.

We've got people with £5k bikes that take them to HF, then back to us the next week, realise they've paid twice for the same thing and then come straight back to us next time.

Others have really dirt cheap bikes, and refuse to pay for the knowledge and experience, and TBH i'd prefer to be able to spend a day with a client / on their bike without the pressure of "must turn over 20 a day" balls.

And i do not think that you can have a "full service for £25." I can spend all day doing a full strip, service and rebuild, what with hubs, BB, wheel truing, taking derailleurs apart etc...

 

[Crankarm]

If you can't change a bottom bracket and give your bike to Halfords to have them do it you deserve all you get! I do all my own bike maintenance and at least I know it's done properly and I'm not being ripped off. As it happens I changed a worn out bottom bracket last week on my commuting bike as it had a fair amount of play in it having only done about 50,000-60,000 miles. I bought a few 105 and Ultegra ones when they were very cheap a few years ago. I've had rotten bike services and wheels builds from a few LBS, Grafham Cycles is one as they cannot build wheels for toffee and whilst waiting I heard them give another customer some BS about their disc brakes not working properly. So I tend to steer clear of them as a hole for servicing except when buying goods such as clothing or shoes, where sizing is important. I had mixed results from Evans when I used to use them. Some guys were fabulous other's were just salesmen who knew nothing about bikes or kit.The only bike shop I trust is Condor but they are in London and I don't live there no longer. I am sure there are other good LBS but being able to do my own maintenance I wouldn't know too many. Bicycle Ambulance in Cambridge are good. Andy builds a good wheel. A small shop buy they are all passionate about bikes, know what they are talking about from what I can tell and they ride too.