Halfords Bike Monkeys

[drcarlos]

To answer a few questions, the scheme dictated Helfrauds so I had to go there, would have gone to Berkshire Cycles (hope recommendations are allowed ) if it was my choice, I have always used them and found them to be very good.

I did sign the PDI form as the girl did tighten the BB in front of me and it did turn ok if a little slowly, which I could have but down to new bearings needing bedding in. It was tight enough though for me to want to confirm it was ok.

However I will see if one of the LBS' can sort it for me as my neighbour suggested that the bit's are consumables anyway so I could ask them to order the correct bearings if they have none, take the bike home, then buy and fit my own in the meantime (for my holiday) and refit the wrong ones when the correct ones are in at Halfords. I will then have a set of spares.

Carl.

 

[Russell]

the cranks and bottom bracket would have come pre-installed from the manufacturers.

+1.

Its a new bike, so none of this would have been fitted by Halfords in the first place. OK, the girl didn't know what she was doing, but we all know that some Halfords staff are a bit shoddy.

This really should be a thread about Konas poor quality control, not Halfords. Anyone want to start a Kona bashing thread?

 

[hoegaardenadds1]

external bb cranksets are a bit tighter than standard ones.

 

[drcarlos]

the cranks and bottom bracket would have come pre-installed from the manufacturers.

+1.

Its a new bike, so none of this would have been fitted by Halfords in the first place. OK, the girl didn't know what she was doing, but we all know that some Halfords staff are a bit shoddy.

This really should be a thread about Konas poor quality control, not Halfords. Anyone want to start a Kona bashing thread?

Very true I did say this in the original post here:

'If they had checked it over when the deposit was placed or even PDI'd it correctly they would have noticed and could have let me know and ordered parts.'

The bearings are clearly wrong they are 25mm ID (I have a vernier and a fair amount of experience of bearing due to my other hobby) when they should be 24mm.
I brought a Kona as BITD they were always quality bikes and the Kula still gets good reviews.
I think I may write to Kona UK to complain.

Carl.

 

[jonnyboy666]

i wouldn't bother writing a letter to paligap, it would be 1 in a million they get that they ignore or delete.

stick to being polite but firm in halfords

 

[hoegaardenadds1]

i dont really understand halfords bashing as most of the cycle shops round me (bar 53-12 who are excellent) are rude bike snobs.

 

[jonnyboy666]

i don't bash them but i wouldn't recommend them. being ex bike trade sort of forces me into that mindset because i've seen the crap bikes they turn out for bugger all money and see their mistakes turn up in the shop i used to work in. i was about a 2 minute ride from 1 main halfords in southampton.

assuming you read my earlier post on this thread i gave my reasons for halfords having the problems they can have in my opinion.

also i said be polite but firm not go in and shout etc.

i just think they are a bad advert for bikes and cycling.

 

[hoegaardenadds1]

surely tesco's, argos, cycle king, asda's are worse though? was more of a general statement than picking you out jonny. just that most independents i've been to aren't as good as people think. not saying halfords is perfect but having been the largest bike company in england for so long, must be doing something right.

 

[drcarlos]

It's a shame I don't live in Hereford as one of the guys in the Halfords there really knows his stuff and was happy to chat about the pros and cons of different bikes including building them and maintenance for quite a while. Reckon he would have sorted this easily.

Carl.

 

[Russell]

i dont really understand halfords bashing as most of the cycle shops round me (bar 53-12 who are excellent) are rude bike snobs.

Me neither. What the OP is essentially saying is that FSA supplied Kona with a BB/Crankset that had incorrect parts and Kona fitted it poorly, but its Halfords fault that it is wrong despite the fact that he signed that he was happy with it after watching someone 'fix' it for him.

If indeed, FSA and Kona did make these errors, there really is more of a problem here than Halfords employing a few monkeys. I suppose Halfords is the easy target, when (as I said) the real problem here is the QC at FSA and Kona.

I'm pretty sure that the pre-sale checks don't include taking a vernier to bearing races.

Any bike shop would have done exactly what Halfords did, tighten the BB, ask the customer if he was happy (you said you were) and then let the bike go.

Need to start an FSA bashing thread aswell now.