Halfords Carrera bikes

The Bosscp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Buggi

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by _Ben_

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by alfablue

alanbeeb - the Subway is good, just note that although your voucher has to be used in Halfords, they will undertake to supply virtually any bike (sourcing it from another bike shop if necessary), so you are in no way restricted purely to Halfords regular stock.
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alanbeen - READ WHAT HE HAS PUT and take note of it

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This cannot be guaranteed to be more than a half-baked attempt at a post.
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That's very interesting to know. my company does the same scheme.
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Yes, it's apparently true. You may have to hassle a bit in order to get to speak to the monkey grinder, as the shop-floor numpty may not how to go about the ordering process, but they apparently can.

Carreras are not bad bikes, probably not as light as a flat-barred road bike but perhaps better tyres for tow paths... but if anyone gets one PLEASE DO lose the adjustable stem and ghastly suspension seatpost!

The Bosscp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Adam Tranter

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by alecstilleyedye

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Rich H

so, do I get a Carrera Vanquish, or a Trek 1000 or Pilot 1.0?

That is the question

Richard

Best thing I ever bought for a bike?
Padded shorts![:D]
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the trek 1000 apparently (was on t'internet so must be true) uses the same frame as the carrera virtuoso (but with better componentry). if the vanquish is the one in halfords with the carbon forks it looks a nice bike.

if i had a better signature, i'd use that instead
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That is completely untrue, I'm afraid.
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Yep, completely untrue. If it were then halfords would brag about it.

Ste_S · June 2007

Trek's (or at least some of them) are made by Giant if i remember correctly.

I'd be interested to compare a Carrera alu frame to something like a Cervelo (if they still do an alu frame) with the same components to see how much of a difference there actually is.

alecstilleyedye · June 2007

i think the current range of virtuosos are different from the one i have. mine came with sora/unbranded 12-25 cassette and 42-51 chainset and is 6061 heat treated aluminium frameset (forks inc), wheras current virtuoso has 7005 aluminium frame with steel forks and compact 50-34 chainset.

from a bit of googling heat treated 6061 is apparently lighter and less brittle than bog standard 7005, so on mine i think the budget went on the frameset, rather than the componentry, but the current version has better componentry on a cheaper frameset. that said both the carbon forks currently adorning my virtuoso, and the 531 steel forks on my other bike are nicer to ride with than the alu forks it came with.

if i had a better signature, i'd use that instead

alanbeeb · June 2007

Well in the end I bought the Carrera Subway 8. Took it home in the box and had it going in about an hour. Easy.
People say its not light but its a lot lighter than the bikes I was riding 10-11 years ago. It seems really nimble and I'm enjoying getting out on it a lot.

Halfords manage to sell me two pannier racks that didn't fit it though (its got disc brakes so needs spacers)... got a refund and bought one that did fit at the shop near work for œ15 less than halfords.

The Bosscp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by alanbeeb

Halfords manage to sell me two pannier racks that didn't fit it though (its got disc brakes so needs spacers)... got a refund and bought one that did fit at the shop near work for œ15 less than halfords.
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That's the story all the time with halfords. They want to get a sale and they don't really care whether what they're selling you is right for you or not, as long as they get their profit. Just don't trust their advice and you'll be fine.

PeteinSQ · June 2007

The main difference that I notice between cheap frames and more expensive frames (made from aluminium) is the quality of the welding. On some the welding looks terrible, my girlfriend's aluminium Cannondale's welding is really neat.

That can't just be about aesthetics can it?

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by PeteinSQ

The main difference that I notice between cheap frames and more expensive frames (made from aluminium) is the quality of the welding. On some the welding looks terrible, my girlfriend's aluminium Cannondale's welding is really neat.

That can't just be about aesthetics can it?
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I think Cannondale deliberately sand down their welds to make them look better (so yep, it's aesthetics) personally I quite like the look of a nice fish-scale weld job. Some of the cheaper frames I've seen do look more like a bird-sh*t splodge than a proper weld though.

SteveR_100Milers · June 2007

I had a carrera yellow and grey thing 15 years ago, upon which I did my yet still unbroken PB's on a 10, 25 (under the hour) and a 50. Did perfectly ok for 10k miles or so, then sold it when I gave up in 1994. Mind you evetrything bar the frame was changed or upgraded, as I recall the wheels it came with were appaling, kept breaking spokes on a daily basis. Fell off it loads of times, bashed it up but to me it was old faithful...[:)]

Time! Time! It's always too long and there's never enough!

hayesdj · June 2007

Bought a 2007 Valour a couple of weeks ago after reading this thread.
I know Halfords are generally frowned upon but the service I got was excellent. The floor price was supposed to be 399, but he let me have the one on display for 359 and also threw in some mudguards (which they fitted), bottle cage (also fitted), 2 bottles, upgraded the front mech to tiagra (obviously fitted) and also gave me 2 of the run flat inners (the ones with the funny green goo inside).
So far, very impressed.
I am planning in doing Edinburgh to Southport in a couple of months however, so i'm looking to make the bike as comfortable as possible at the moment so im possibly going to re-tape (use gel tape???) and possibly get a new saddle (although i've not had any major discomfort so far and it'll prob get better).
It comes with "DBR 1 rims" with 700 X 23c tyres, so being a beginner I was wondering whether increasing the tyre width would increase the comfort. I'm not sure how much I can increase it from 23. anyone know?

Wynne G Oldman · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by hayesdj

Bought a 2007 Valour a couple of weeks ago after reading this thread.
I know Halfords are generally frowned upon but the service I got was excellent. The floor price was supposed to be 399, but he let me have the one on display for 359 and also threw in some mudguards (which they fitted), bottle cage (also fitted), 2 bottles, upgraded the front mech to tiagra (obviously fitted) and also gave me 2 of the run flat inners (the ones with the funny green goo inside).
So far, very impressed.
I am planning in doing Edinburgh to Southport in a couple of months however, so i'm looking to make the bike as comfortable as possible at the moment so im possibly going to re-tape (use gel tape???) and possibly get a new saddle (although i've not had any major discomfort so far and it'll prob get better).
It comes with "DBR 1 rims" with 700 X 23c tyres, so being a beginner I was wondering whether increasing the tyre width would increase the comfort. I'm not sure how much I can increase it from 23. anyone know?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">My Dawes Super Galaxy has 700 x 28 tyres on it. I'm a newbie myself, but I find it much more comfortable than the dual suspension mountain bike with gel saddle I used to have, over distance. I don't think that you want to go much bigger than this because the bigger the cross section of tyre you use, the greater the rolling resistance is.

"on your bike" Norman Tebbit.

hayesdj · June 2007

is it worth changing from 700x23s to something a bit wider then.
Not having riden 220 miles over 3 to 4 days before, I need as much advice as i can get .

Unknown · June 2007

Subway 8 has DISCS? Didn't know Shimano do a Nexus internal hub gear with a disc mounting.

d.j.
"The Angels have my 'phone box."

bornagainbiker · June 2007

Subway 8...

It DOESN'T have discs.
Those are heatsinks for the internal brakes.

SBothwell · June 2007

Dave,

Shimano's Alfine groupset has the 8-speed Nexus hub gear with centrelock discs. Haven't seen it available except on complete bikes yet though. Shame, I reckon an Alfine wheelset would be a decent upgrade for my Subway-8, especially with the front hub dyanamo (if its one of shimano's decent ones).

pete236uk · June 2007

I had a G Fisher marlin which had not been missused however had to replace forks œ75 i put slicks on then it got nicked !! so need a new commuter bike road and trail and train should i get a carrera

peter

slunker · June 2007

I am going to buy a new carrera valour for a winter bike. Knowing the brand now I know it will perform nearly as well as the Trek.

Unknown · June 2007

I love my Valour to bits at the minute. However, It is compared to the last bike that I owned. That would be a Marlborough Medalion (ok, so I was eleven). This bike had six gears (yep, it only had a single front chainwheel) and a plastic saddle (god that hurt), but even so, I went for miles on that bike.

Top speed so far on the valour is 57kph, that was going down Bottle Hill (Wynyard Bank for the locals), and 15kph going back up (and it was the first time I have managed to ride all the way to the top of that rise in my twenty odd years of cycling, and I am still slightly unfit. At the end of the day, it's not the bike that counts, but the dude (or dudette) that is riding it.

If at first you don't suceed, deny all knowledge of ever trying!!!

SureSureSure · June 2007

The only mods i've had to make to my 06 Valour is flipping the handlebar mount round and bought a 52T chainring for it. Otherwise it's a cracking buy at a discounted price of œ280.

If at first you don't succeed - give in and go for a pint!

Unknown · June 2007

Ok, I'm new to this, as I've ridden mountain bikes for the last 15 years. However, myself and some friends are slowly coming back to road bikes for commuting & popping to the pub. So far, it's reached fully-rigid MTB, (one has fixed-wheel now) and I'm now looking at cyclo-x bikes. Having spent loads on my current MTB, I don't really want to spend œ600 on a cyclo-x bike and was wondering if one of the Carreras would do with some fatter tyres on? Has anyone got experience of this? I take it I would be better to go for the cheaper one with steel forks for comfort & flip the handlebar stem. Cheers for any suggestions.

cyclingnut · June 2007

Bypassed pages two to five...

Bought myself a Carrera Gryphon 7 years ago (when they were metallic green and black) for commuting, the thing was a beast. Changes I made were to ditch the clip-on tri-bars things, put on some slicks, stuck a 44 tooth chainring on and a 12-21 cassette. Ultimate commute machine!

Used it right up til 2 years ago when they brought in the poxy bike ban on Southeastern trains. The only things that needed replacing were the wheelset (smacked up the front wheel when someone doored me in 2001) and the left hand shifter as it exploded into a thousand pieces in 2004. I'd say it has easily covered 20,000 miles in that time (worked out on riding 40 weeks of the year).

Since then it's sat in my garage, apart from when I pulled it out and upgraded it to 9-speed (I'd had the bits lying around for ages). An absolute shame, as I consider it to be the best bike (for it's purpose) I've ever had. And I've owned a few, including a Colnago!

grantus · June 2007

had a Carrera Fury 2003 mtb (nice Merida frame) bought for œ300 - full Shimano Deore groupset, Rockshox fork, Ritchey components and Jagwire branded cable outers - as light as my mate's GT Zaskar which was three times the price. Agree, set up was pish. Derailleurs needed totally adjusting plus they'd set the V brakes up far too tight so I couldn't unclip them to remove the front wheel.

Simple things but irritating none the less. Once sorted it was an absolute belter of a bike which I sold on for œ100 last year. Upgraded to a Commencal full susser but now wish I still had the Carrera as well.

The sales in Halfords seem to depend on shop-to-shop, depending on what old stock they've got left.

In the Shettleston branch a few weeks ago they had a two year old vanquish on offer at œ350. Tiagra shifters, 105 rear mech and similar in weight to a Specialized Allez which is œ150 dearer. The vanquish didn't have a carbon fork mind you..

giant_man · June 2007

I just can't take them seriously sorry. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying a bike from Halfords however nice looking it is and who's name is on the tubing (meaning Boardman).

If that makes me a bike snob then so be it.

SIZE IS EVERYTHING! or at least that's what my LBS tells me.

Mister Paul · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by giant man

I just can't take them seriously sorry. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying a bike from Halfords however nice looking it is and who's name is on the tubing (meaning Boardman).

If that makes me a bike snob then so be it.
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No, not a bike snob. But it won't do much to encouarage people into cycling more. The easiest thing in the world is to recommend they spend œ200 on a Subway 1. It's a great bike.

__________________________________________________________
What we need is a new, national White Bicycle Plan

grantus · June 2007

Originally posted by giant man

I just can't take them seriously sorry. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying a bike from Halfords however nice looking it is and who's name is on the tubing (meaning Boardman).

A fool and his money are easily parted.

giant_man · June 2007

Well if you go in Halfords they are yes!!

SIZE IS EVERYTHING! or at least that's what my LBS tells me.

grantus · June 2007

touche' :-)

Mister Paul · June 2007

You ever looked at or ridden a Carrera Subway giant man? Were you aware that Isla Rowntree had a large part in its development? The same Isla Rowntree who builds a range of children's bikes, highly respected in cycling circles?

Or are you just going on the general view of Halfords?

__________________________________________________________
What we need is a new, national White Bicycle Plan

Small Fish · June 2007

It's a big dilemma the Halfords thing - A couple of friends bought Carrera Subway bikes recently and there is no doubt they're decent bikes. The œ200 one is great a value bike - cheap enough to appeal to a beginner and good enough to convert a 'not sure' cyclist into a 'love it' cyclist.

But because of a high proportion of indifferent staff, the experience of going into the 'Bike Hut' just isn't pleasant. And although my 2 friends Carrera Subways both seem OK, my bike that I ordered through Halfords was assembled so badly that I think it was actually dangerous (front mech cable and brake blocks all not tightened properly)

DavidTQ · June 2007

I wouldnt trust a halfords saturday monkey as far as I could throw them, but then I also stopped buying using the LBS where I brought my bike because their mechanics were getting things badly wrong on my bike as well.

An LBS is no guarantee of any better build quality than Halfords, and the carrera bikes themselves are pretty darned good for the money. I would have no more confidence in a random LBS than Halfords for building up a bike.

Halfords will never have a good reputation in my eyes but that doesnt mean I would turn down a bike just because it came from there, Id give it a once over myself before any serious use wherever it came from!

Halfords Carrera bikes

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