I don't know what everyone's problem with Halfords is....

highlandsflyer":26zx3jz1 said:

I don't know if it really works. They wouldn't make it public that it doesn't until the credit line dries up. There is no real way of knowing.

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of course it works. why else would they still be trading if it didn't?

as mentioned above, we are not halfords target audience. they do cater to all levels of cycling as you can order anything on the market trough them. you'll be paying rrp though. win win for them.

I do remember the price of a Carrera Quattro Comp f+f was 69 quid wholesale, really nice frames btw but to joe public it was around 369 with the whole bike retailing at £799. I hate to think what the wholesale price for a Raleigh Mustang was, probably about 50p.

jamabikes":2kcxsq0o said:

highlandsflyer":2kcxsq0o said:

I don't know if it really works. They wouldn't make it public that it doesn't until the credit line dries up. There is no real way of knowing.

Click to expand...

of course it works. why else would they still be trading if it didn't?

as mentioned above, we are not halfords target audience. they do cater to all levels of cycling as you can order anything on the market trough them. you'll be paying rrp though. win win for them.

Click to expand...

Every company out there still trading is 'working'? That explains all the companies that go into administration at short notice. (Not!)

We are not Halford's target audience, yet they cater for all levels of cycling?

Going by what I have read on this board over the years ALL cyclists are their target. Plenty of people who post here mention shopping there regularly, and buying bikes from there, especially kid's bikes.

Seems like half the posters here used to work for them too!

highlandsflyer":p2pn05s5 said:

jamabikes":p2pn05s5 said:

highlandsflyer":p2pn05s5 said:

I don't know if it really works. They wouldn't make it public that it doesn't until the credit line dries up. There is no real way of knowing.

Click to expand...

of course it works. why else would they still be trading if it didn't?

as mentioned above, we are not halfords target audience. they do cater to all levels of cycling as you can order anything on the market trough them. you'll be paying rrp though. win win for them.

Click to expand...

Every company out there still trading is 'working'? That explains all the companies that go into administration at short notice. (Not!)

not that short notice if you look into it.

We are not Halford's target audience, yet they cater for all levels of cycling?

yeah like when mc donalds sells salads.

Going by what I have read on this board over the years ALL cyclists are their target. Plenty of people who post here mention shopping there regularly, and buying bikes from there, especially kid's bikes.

generally followed by 'cos the lbs i normally use was shut'


Seems like half the posters here used to work for them too!

Click to expand...

says a lot to me.

I think Halfords has the same problems that lots of large chain "superstore" places have; B&Q, Homebase, PC World etc.. The staff aren't owners or enthusiasts, but, and I don't mean this to be derrogatory, they are just employees, sometimes you get a member of staff that happens to be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the products, other times they know less than you.

Badly set up bikes aren't a new phenomena either. I remember back in the eighties when Raleigh was still big, even when you bought one of Raleighs better bikes they weren't particularly well assembled. Back then headsets, bottom brackets, pedals and wheels all used cup and cone type bearings and these would all be generally quite poorly adjusted and assembled with very little grease. So, unless you took the time to dissasemble, re-pack with grease and adjust all the bearings properly they would all fail fairly quickly.

With newer bikes a lot of bearings are sealed cartridge types, so they aren't usually a problem. However, if you've ever bought Shimano hubs, they are still poorly adjusted from the factory and it's worth re-doing them properly. In addition, those old style cup and cone headsets and bottom brackets are still commonplace on cheap BSOs and given the cost constraints they are unlikely to be assembled and adjusted with the "just-right" tightness that you might take the time to do yourself.

I dont know how true this is but...the Mister I sit next to at work used to work at Halfords and he went in recently to see if they would give his son a job.It would appear that Halfords are having a re-think and will be employing less school leavers now as they are giving Halfords a bad name.They intend to have fewer staff but the staff will be older with better customers skills.It would seem Kids now have little ability to communicate with their own friends and family,let alone customers and work colleagues.

Thats what the man said anyway. :facepalm: