How do I best spend £20 at Halfords?

[Pete]

Inner tubes are OK.
Brake shoes - but in common with many other places they refuse to sell the blocks separate.
Rubber solution and patches (their feather edge patch strips are quite good).
(metal) tyre levers.
Drink bottle.
WD-40.
Number plate for the bike rack.
etc.
etc.
That £20 will soon be swallowed up!

 

[John the Monkey]

...So I suppose it's some clever marketeer that has come up with "Girls are more likely to buy a track pump in pink for £20 than a grey one for £15" I guess with more companies offering bike to work schemes, more women are taking advantage, and therefore needing more bits and pieces.

Not just that - it's so that girls and boys have their "own" set of accessories. I remember reading about this a bit ago - the basic idea is that instead of buying a track pump for all the bikes in your household (for example) you now buy one for your daughter's bike, one for your son's bike, etc. There's a whole strand of marketing related to making things gender specific to encourage that buying behaviour, as I recall.

 

[John the Monkey]

...So I suppose it's some clever marketeer that has come up with "Girls are more likely to buy a track pump in pink for £20 than a grey one for £15" I guess with more companies offering bike to work schemes, more women are taking advantage, and therefore needing more bits and pieces.

Not just that - it's so that girls and boys have their "own" set of accessories. I remember reading about this a bit ago - the basic idea is that instead of buying a track pump for all the bikes in your household (for example) you now buy one for your daughter's bike, one for your son's bike, etc. There's a whole strand of marketing related to making things gender specific to encourage that buying behaviour, as I recall.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Probably the best thing you could buy is a whopping great chain and padlock....


... and then fasten them to the front doors, thus preventing people going in and buying cheap, crap, badly built bikes.

Save them from themselves!

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Probably the best thing you could buy is a whopping great chain and padlock....


... and then fasten them to the front doors, thus preventing people going in and buying cheap, crap, badly built bikes.

Save them from themselves!

 

[mickle]

Inner tubes are OK.
Brake shoes - but in common with many other places they refuse to sell the blocks separate.
Rubber solution and patches (their feather edge patch strips are quite good).
(metal) tyre levers.
Drink bottle.
WD-40.
Number plate for the bike rack.
etc.
etc.
That £20 will soon be swallowed up!

[/shudder]Metal tyre levers?????[shudder/] Only if you enjoy mashing up your rims shurely?

 

[mickle]

Inner tubes are OK.
Brake shoes - but in common with many other places they refuse to sell the blocks separate.
Rubber solution and patches (their feather edge patch strips are quite good).
(metal) tyre levers.
Drink bottle.
WD-40.
Number plate for the bike rack.
etc.
etc.
That £20 will soon be swallowed up!

[/shudder]Metal tyre levers?????[shudder/] Only if you enjoy mashing up your rims shurely?

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

...well I just got in from the local shop and now own a red track pump which pumps up to 120psi. £19.99 or free to me as I had vouchers.

I'd forgotten how useless that place is...the bloke on the bike counter was nice enough but his comment..."yeah it can even pump up road bike tyres" didnt leave me brimming with confidence....then there was the check out girl who was clearly pissed off at her job...huffing an dpuffing..."oh no you 'avn't got a voucher 'ave ya...I'll need a code...oh ok...hang on while I do this other bloke first"...hmmm...

...I took a look at the roadbikes they had out...all small frames...nothing for the bigger bloke...they had carrera bikes only and the pedals were those toe clips and the the saddles looked instantly replaceable to me...talking of saddles the only spare ones they had were the excessively large mega gel typs for the excessivley large mega chavvy essex arse...they also did not have a hat to fit me. Hi vis vests cost over £15 there and I got mine for free, and am getting another free from the council....how they can boast they are britains number one bike shop is beyond me...I'll test out the pump soon...I wonder how long until I have to return it...

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

...well I just got in from the local shop and now own a red track pump which pumps up to 120psi. £19.99 or free to me as I had vouchers.

I'd forgotten how useless that place is...the bloke on the bike counter was nice enough but his comment..."yeah it can even pump up road bike tyres" didnt leave me brimming with confidence....then there was the check out girl who was clearly pissed off at her job...huffing an dpuffing..."oh no you 'avn't got a voucher 'ave ya...I'll need a code...oh ok...hang on while I do this other bloke first"...hmmm...

...I took a look at the roadbikes they had out...all small frames...nothing for the bigger bloke...they had carrera bikes only and the pedals were those toe clips and the the saddles looked instantly replaceable to me...talking of saddles the only spare ones they had were the excessively large mega gel typs for the excessivley large mega chavvy essex arse...they also did not have a hat to fit me. Hi vis vests cost over £15 there and I got mine for free, and am getting another free from the council....how they can boast they are britains number one bike shop is beyond me...I'll test out the pump soon...I wonder how long until I have to return it...

 

[Joe24]

Oil for the bike. I always seem to run out, when i need to oil the bike.
You could always get a number plate for your bike?

At my local Halfords, there was a blond on the till. I wasnt sure if she had got the job because for her knowledge in cars, or because she was some eye candy. She didnt seem very happy though.

 

[Joe24]

Oil for the bike. I always seem to run out, when i need to oil the bike.
You could always get a number plate for your bike?

At my local Halfords, there was a blond on the till. I wasnt sure if she had got the job because for her knowledge in cars, or because she was some eye candy. She didnt seem very happy though.

 

[John the Monkey]

...I took a look at the roadbikes they had out...all small frames...nothing for the bigger bloke...they had carrera bikes only and the pedals were those toe clips and the the saddles looked instantly replaceable to me...

TBH, some of the Carerra range is very good - the Subway city bikes are consistently well reviewed, and the Subway 8 would be on my shortlist if I wanted a dedicated, simple to run commuting bike, as would the Boardman Urban Team. Plenty of people run the Carerra Valour and Vanquish, and seem happy enough with those too (and unlike Decathlon's budget offerings, they'll take 'guards too, far more practical in our climate).

The weak point seems to be in bike setup, from what I've read - get a shop with good, interested staff and you're laughing. Get the branch with disinterested, bored staff and you'll be left to do the bike fit yourself.

 

[John the Monkey]

...I took a look at the roadbikes they had out...all small frames...nothing for the bigger bloke...they had carrera bikes only and the pedals were those toe clips and the the saddles looked instantly replaceable to me...

TBH, some of the Carerra range is very good - the Subway city bikes are consistently well reviewed, and the Subway 8 would be on my shortlist if I wanted a dedicated, simple to run commuting bike, as would the Boardman Urban Team. Plenty of people run the Carerra Valour and Vanquish, and seem happy enough with those too (and unlike Decathlon's budget offerings, they'll take 'guards too, far more practical in our climate).

The weak point seems to be in bike setup, from what I've read - get a shop with good, interested staff and you're laughing. Get the branch with disinterested, bored staff and you'll be left to do the bike fit yourself.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I bought a Joe Blow track pump from Halfords some years back. It is still working very well. And the P*nct*r* patches and rubber solution are good too. Sometimes they have bike tools at good prices as well.

I know Halfords have a certain reputation amongst "knowledgeable" cyclists but they do have some good stuff. Use you knowledge and you can get a bargain. IIRC C+ reviewed Halfords own brand light set. Very inexpensive and excellent value.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I bought a Joe Blow track pump from Halfords some years back. It is still working very well. And the P*nct*r* patches and rubber solution are good too. Sometimes they have bike tools at good prices as well.

I know Halfords have a certain reputation amongst "knowledgeable" cyclists but they do have some good stuff. Use you knowledge and you can get a bargain. IIRC C+ reviewed Halfords own brand light set. Very inexpensive and excellent value.