Picked Up The New Boardman Road Bike. Not Very Happy.

[Lovacott]

So after popping into Halfarts last Saturday to collect my bike after receiving a text telling me it was ready when it wasn't, I finally collected the bike last night.

Brought it home in the car, took it inside and decided to hop onto it to check the saddle height. It was then that I discovered that turning the handlebars did not turn the wheel.

The clamp bolts were totally loose. Not just slightly loose, but not even done up finger tight. Like the bloke who popped on the bars when building from the box had completely forgotten about them?

So I put that right and then after tea, I ran through the indexing in a stand.

Shocking to say the least. Rear cable tension was miles out with not enough barrel adjuster room to put it right so I re-set the cable and sorted that.

All the while, I'm noticing that the drivetrain seems pretty stiff. The front indexing wasn't great with the top limit set too high making the inner plate rub on the chain when in big front / small back and grind badly when moving up the cogs on the back. I can only assume that the "mechanic" just left the gears as they were when the bike came out of the box? The cable tension indicator lines on the front mech didn't line up. I watched a youtube video on setting up a Shimano 105 FD-R7000 front mech and then sorted the cable tension.

Still though, the drivetrain was stiff?

On my old Apollo, if I spin the cranks backwards, I get four or five rotations before the drivetrain slows and stops. If I do the same with the Boardman, I get a quarter of a rotation at best.

Without taking off the chain, I can't tell whether it is a BB bearing problem or a wider drivetrain issue?

Other niggles included the fitting of the front reflector so that it faced skywards (WTF???).

So this morning, I'm driving to work with the bike in the back of the car and taking it straight back to the shop on the way home.

They've a couple of these bikes on display on the shop floor so I'm going to see how they run as a comparison.

I'm just glad that they didn't have it ready on Saturday because my plan was to ride the bike the eleven miles to home. With the stem not being clamped, I wouldn't have made it out of the car park.

Not very happy.

 

[Tripster]

Thats a poor showing from Halfrauds. Although the Boardman bikes are cracking bikes its unlikely to be anything other than poor set up by the ‘mechanic’.... hope you get it sorted and enjoy many miles

 

[Lovacott]

Thats a poor showing from Halfrauds. Although the Boardman bikes are cracking bikes its unlikely to be anything other than poor set up by the ‘mechanic’.... hope you get it sorted and enjoy many miles

I had a play with one of the display bikes last week and it was as sweet as a nut. I didn't ride it, but I picked it up with one hand and ran through the gears. They have the exact same model and size on display at the moment and if the set up is better than mine, I'll ask to swap.

The only thing the tyres have touched so far is my living room carpet so I can't see how they can argue.

 

[Cycleops]

Unfortunately confirms what we've known about Halfords, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. The display bike was set up by 'Kevin' who's now left or been transferred to another department.

 

[rogerzilla]

Did you pay for assembly? I think they've started charging now, so you may have it as it came out of the box.

 

[Tripster]

I had a play with one of the display bikes last week and it was as sweet as a nut. I didn't ride it, but I picked it up with one hand and ran through the gears. They have the exact same model and size on display at the moment and if the set up is better than mine, I'll ask to swap.

The only thing the tyres have touched so far is my living room carpet so I can't see how they can argue.

Even if you had rode the bike I would ask for a swop or to see the mechanic set the gearing up in your presence. If the display bike is good then maybe your bike has a fault, been damaged some how. Its annoying when you get excited ready for a new bike and something happens. Small teething problem though and at least they have stock of the right bike and size to swop too

 

[Tripster]

Unfortunately confirms what we've known about Halfords, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. The display bike was set up by 'Kevin' who's now left or been transferred to another department.

I was in Halfords after xmas for something, grease I think, staff rolled a bike out to a bloke who was stood in cycle gear ready to ride home. Not a new bike so I assume been serviced. The guy politely asked if they could straighten the bars so he could ride it home.... staff replied that they are turned to make storing easy in small workshop side by side... he then offered to get someone who could do it for him as the customer pointed out it said mechanic on his name badge

 

[Tripster]

Did you pay for assembly? I think they've started charging now, so you may have it as it came out of the box.

Out of the box a bike should be better set than that though

 

[Deleted User]

Two mates have Boardmans, 8.6 gravel and I think the Carbon 9 something or other and they're good bikes so don't worry in that respect.

Unfortunately Halfords have got a certain reputation for the experience you've had, try not to let it put a dampener on your new bike.

It'll be worth getting it sorted as annoying as it is.

 

[Lovacott]

Did you pay for assembly? I think they've started charging now, so you may have it as it came out of the box.

Assembly is free for anything over £250 and they had the bike in store on Saturday.

I've got a signed checklist stating everything they've done including the stem clamp with the torque setting written in.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the checklist was ticked after "setup" rather than after each step?

I built a bike from a box for my Daughter last year and there really isn't much to do. Pop on the bars, take off the packaging, fit the pedals and reflectors and then run through the indexing.

Not sure how they could get it so wrong?

 

[rogerzilla]

They've messed up, then. You must have got the Saturday boy/girl.

 

[Lovacott]

Out of the box a bike should be better set than that though

When I built my daughters bike, the indexing was out but only by a half barrel turn or so front and back.

The Halfords checklist states "Check cable tension and indexing of front and rear gears where fitted". Both boxes are ticked.

 

[fossyant]

Take it back as you are doing.

I've bought bikes in the box from them and, as you said, all that's needed is pedals and straightening the bars. Gears are usually indexed. I've had to sign a disclaimer though !

 

[Sterlo]

Bought my wife's mountain bike from them last year and didn't bother with their set up (mainly due to the delay), did it myself in less than an hour and felt more confidence.

 

[mythste]

Some pointers. I had something resembling a third-life crisis in 2019 and ended up working in the bike department of a halfords for 6 months. I cared deeply about doing the best I could when it came to set up, and so did most of my colleagues.

The problem is (I say problem, hear me out) most of the boardman bikes came pretty much bang on out of the box. Though we were expected to "PDI" check each and every bike the same, which most of us did, I wouldn't be surprised if someone has got a bit cocky and assumed yours would be bang on.

No excuse for the stem faceplate though, the handlebars are never shipped on.

By all means go and get everything sorted out, the sticky drivetrain could be any number of things. But do remember none of the people you speak to will be on a living wage. You'll get further with a smile and "I'm sure this was an honest mistake, could someone take a look for me?" than you will guns blazing. Not paid enough to give a fark, I can tell you that.