Halfords

Someone came into our work in the week asking if we could put his brake back together. I asked what he meant, and he showed me a caliper with no pads, dangling by the brake cable from the lever. When I asked what had happened, he said he had been to Halfords to have a set of mudguards fitted, and as he cycled off, he tried to apply the brake and it came apart.

They refused to help him put it back or accept responsibility, and told him to fix it he'd need to buy a new brakeset. He said he turned and left because he couldn't contain his anger.

Hopefully not representative, but you do hear these kind of stories a lot...

I had issues with a part being ordered under warranty. Lies after lies, and me coming in over a 2 month period, I finally got the part, yet it was the wrong one! I gave up.

Never subscribe to their servicing scheme, it's shit.

That's exactly why I picked up my Boardman still boxed and took it straight to Brixton Cycles to do the initial spannering plus fitting a rack and guards. Because I managed to get over 30% discount from Halfords, we reckoned that BC made more profit on the whole deal than Halfords did.

Halfords in Corporate Bike Promo Actually Quite Good Shock:

Halfords
#getonyourbike EXCLUSIVE - YouTube

I went to halfords for some break pads, ended up asking the guy to borrow his Allen key to raise my handlebar angle slightly. He wouldn't lend it due to h&s reasons apparently so I asked if he could kindly do it, and he did. As he was trying to loosen it slightly and he claimed it was stuck, I looked at him with my jaw to the floor and told him "the apparent mechanic" that he was going clockwise. How do these idiots get jobs seriously. Any harder and he would have cracked my threading the bellend.

You sound a bit judgemental for someone who went to purchase break pads...

[QUOTE=gino;3421246]I went to halfords for some break pads, ended up asking the guy to borrow his Allen key to raise my handlebar angle slightly. He wouldn't lend it due to h&s reasons apparently so I asked if he could kindly do it, and he did. As he was trying to loosen it slightly and he claimed it was stuck, I looked at him with my jaw to the floor and told him "the apparent mechanic" that he was going clockwise. How do these idiots get jobs seriously. Any harder and he would have cracked my threading the bellend.

You sound a bit judgemental for someone who went to purchase break pads...[/quote]

You've gotta speak their language* or you'll get nowhere with them.

*It's exactly like ours only different. Pieces of mind from only £3.99: it's a no-brainer.

I've had a very bad run with this shop and decided to give them one last chance. My dad bought a bike from them, I went with him to pick it up and had to inform the mechanic that the fork was the wrong way round.. So I needed my wheels truing. Evans and specialized Would of taken for ever and halfords offered £10 and ready in a day. Seemed alright, and it's not the hardest job in the world. Got it back, firstly it's untrue, secondly after cycling a mile I noticed that two spokes where so loose it was a joke/un safe. So I complained got a refund but I won't be going back there again.

They couldn't put forks/bars on the right way round and you still trusted them truing your wheels?

The fork was on the wrong way round..?!

My LBS is always selling bikes with the forks on wrong (v brakes on the framside) I got bored of telling them.
Absolute clowns

I once pointed out to them that had a bike on display with the forks on the wrong way round. Sadly it's also a regular occurrence with kids bikes when I do Bikeability training.

pm me if you want your wheels trued. I'm nearby.

would HAVE.

fuckinell. what's wrong with you people?

For anything like this, pop down the road to Surbiton where you have three options:

Surbition Cycles by the Marina
Surbiton Cycles by the station
Recycles by the traffic lights at the intersection of Brighton Road and Portsmouth Road. They're great for little jobs like a wheel true and removing a stuck freewheel.

Or Neils Wheels

There are plenty of other shops in the area. I've been using cyclopedia (a little bit out from Kingston in that vague Surbiton/Tolworth limbo) Well priced services and go the extra mile.

Yeah i've used recycle before for a wheel build and was fine and reasonably priced.
It just would of been nice to be able to get it done locally, My girlfriend even reminded me about how much I complain about halfords..My own fault really for giving them another chance haha. But yes I will make the effort to not be lazy and go to surbiton for my wheel truing from now on/might just buy a truing stand when I have a bit more cash

The fork was on the wrong way round..?!

Whats worse is that I had to tell the guy who clearly built it that it was on the wrong way.

It just would of been nice to be able to get it done locally...But yes I will make the effort to not be lazy and go to surbiton ...

isn't it about a mile or so from Halfords Kingston to Surbiton?

Would of

would HAVE.

fuckinell. what's wrong with you people?

would of

Don't ever EVER go to Halfords for ANYTHING under ANY circumstances.

ftfy

I live on the other side of kingston, recycles (i checked) is 3 miles and halfords is under a mile. which yes is local, but like i said I just need to not be lazy haha

But yes "Don't ever EVER go to Halfords for ANYTHING under ANY circumstances." Is the lesson learnt really

try 'would've'.

each time you use 'would of', Bahamut, Eater of Worlds is returned to yet more mortal flesh, whereupon his return shall herald an aeon of darkness and suffering in this realm from which there shall be no respite. the illiterate will be eaten last.

I dunno, I've quite happily used their degreaser and a tiny cable lock for audax/long ride refuel stops.