How Do You Find Your Local Halfords

[HLaB]

No idea, I've never been inside, (Seafield Road Edinburgh). The Dunfermline one is pretty rubbish when I was last in over 3 years ago, not a great range of stock and a lack of staff and those that they did have new little and weren't very enthusiastic (I'm maybe doing them a disservice, perhaps they've improved ) but it was sometimes handy because of the opening hours.

Chichester ........... Total Rubbish
Bolton.................. Total Rubbish
Aberdare .............. Total Rubbish
Nottingham............ Total Rubbish
Guildford.................Total rubbish
Peckham............... Total Rubbish
St Pauls ............... Good
Rustington..............Crap (Bikehut tho' can be OK!)
Dunfermline.............Total rubbish (Opening times are OK though)

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I think that provided you expect the bare minimum of service and expertise, that you know exactly what you want and are determined not to be swayed, then Halfords are no better or worse than some lbs. The employment of spotty, couldn't give a damn, and why should I? type schoolboys is not solely a Halfords trait. I don't use Halfords (or any other chain) unless I have no choice, but at least they are open on Sundays which has bailed me out of a problem more than once.

 

[fossyant]

Well....

Can't comment - don't use bike shops to fix my bikes at all.....

I have a couple of LBS's that I will use for wheel builds and I've just spent a fair few pounds with one locally, but I'm not in often - he know's I know how to sort bikes.... my new build came fully 'finished' - i.e. he had fitted all parts with a good load of Finish Line Pro Grease.....something you don't get in Halfords.........nothing for me to do.....

My kids bikes come from a local retailer, but I get them boxed, and fit/re-grease stuff before they use them.....

 

[punkypossum]

Chichester ........... Total Rubbish
Bolton.................. Total Rubbish
Aberdare .............. Total Rubbish
Nottingham............ Total Rubbish
Guildford.................Total rubbish
Peckham............... Total Rubbish
St Pauls ............... Good
Rustington..............Crap (Bikehut tho' can be OK!)
Dunfermline.............Total rubbish (Opening times are OK though)
Preston (Docklands branch)...... Total Rubbish

 

[jimboalee]

Here's my story, sad but true.
About a bike shop I once knew.
They spanned my leg then messed around,
with a bike that was over thirty pound.

Shoop, shoop, la la la la la shoop shoop,
la la la la la shoop shoop la la la la la ooooo.

I should have known it from the very start.
The kid in Halfords was a f**king tart.
He tried to sell me a piece of s**t,
And a bunch of rags he called 'good kit'.

I miss my bike shop with the man who knows
Crowther's gone and my sadness grows,
So if you don't wanna cry like I do.
Keep away from Halfords too.

 

[summerdays]

Well I find the kids bikes they sell are not very good quality and heavy.

As to what individual ones are like I don't know which Bristol stores are the ones people I know have used - but I advised someone who was having problems with their brakes that they needed new cables inner/outer. They took the bike to Halfords who said it was only cosmetic and no need to change the split bent rusty outter!!!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Horsham - Excellent (inc the weekend lads I've dealt with; all keen cyclists)
Crawley - Good

They are not all rubbish - sorry to disappoint.

Q. What are we comparing them with exactly?

 

[HLaB]

Well I find the kids bikes they sell are not very good quality and heavy.

A couple of years ago my mum bought a bike for my 6 year old nephew, I told her to wait and we'd go to a lbs at the weekend; before I knew it she had bought a kids bike from Halfords . Its feels heavier than my road bikes.

 

[John the Monkey]

Crewe (Grand Junction Way) - Service somewhat indifferent - e.g. asked them about a Vanquish that was on sale, they said they'd get one in for me to have a look at in my size, never heard from them again. Range of bits is ok, although I'd go to Supreme Cycles LBS for preference.

Stoke (Festival Heights) - Only used once, but staff were friendly & knew about the 3 for 2 offer on inner tubes (bargain!)

No idea what the bike setup & wrenching services are like at either store.

Overall, staff are a bit indifferent to your presence in the store, in my experience.

 

[John the Monkey]

Well I find the kids bikes they sell are not very good quality and heavy.

Kids bikes in general tend to the appalling.

My son's "Rhino" faux full sus is heavier than my Raleigh Pioneer Elite (an early 90s steel framed hybrid, no lightweight by any stretch) despite being about half the size. The parts on the Rhino require near constant attention, brakes and gears being particular areas of concern. I wish I'd known a bit more about bikes when we bought it - fortunately he's pretty much outgrown it now, so will get a proper bike by way of replacement.

 

[jimboalee]

The last time I used Halfords ( for a SRAM silver 9 speed chain ) there was a cyclist ?? standing around with a Trek mad one 4.5 ( I had a good look at it because Halfords don't regularly sell them ).

The guy walked off to look at something while I was eyeing up his bike. The bike was missing the front wheel.

I grabbed the goods I was shopping for and went to pay. The guy had returned to the cash desk to pay for his PUNCTURE REPAIR !!

Off he went with his £1400 worth and I commented to the young lad assistant about the inability of some 'Posers' to do the most fundemental jobs on a bike.

From what the young lad said, the 'poser' had gone out without a PRK, spare tube or any kind of tool.

I must bite my tongue and admit Halfords are sometimes useful to the type of cyclist who know nothing about bikes.

 

[Gooch]

Last time I went to Halfords the lad that that helped me was excellent. I was after a wiper blade and some oil for the missus car. He found the right blade and then went to the car just to double check (even offered to fit it) and then found the correct oil for me. Then he took it all to the till for me. He was extremely helpful and so I took his name and emailed Halfords to tell them how helpful he was. I can't speak for the rest of the employees though. This was at Halfords in Ringwood Road in Poole.

It's easy for us to knock them when they provide a bad service but who gives them a pat on the back when they do something right?

As for Halfords bikes. Let's face it if you're on this forum you either know a bit about bikes or you are very interested in cycling. Having looked at what they sell in Halfords most of us wouldn't touch them with a barge pole. Not because there is anything wrong with the bikes, I am sure they are good value for money. But they seem to be geared around the everyday Joe who just wants "a bike". If you are into Mountain Biking, Road Racing or getting a decent Commuter bike you would probably go elsewhere anyway. I don't know how clued up the employees in the bike section are but it's very easy for us to knock them with our keyboards!

 

[Jim_Noir]

Not bike related, but I just went to the one in Braehead to get a aux input for my ipod, the guy at the audio desk had no idea what I was talking about... even when I showed him the connections on a stand and advised I was looking for the one for my make/model/year... I said they all should fit... yes this right a honda civic will fit a Vauxhall you muppet!

 

[johnnyh]

I don't know how clued up the employees in the bike section are but it's very easy for us to knock them with our keyboards!

dunno about you but my keyboard cable doesn't stretch to the estate where Halfords is

Have to say the Frome Halfords is fine, no bother at all really. That said I always check my bikes over before using them anyway, so haven't really tried the "service" side of them.

They are always pleasant though.

You pays your money you takes your choice.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

my carrera roadbike was setup perfectly when i bought it. so when i went to get dd a bike some years later, i assumed that it would be problem free.

little did i know that the talented mechanic who did my bike had moved on to a proper bikeshop, and a monkey hired in his place.