Halfords and Bike To Work Scheme

Anonymous

Here is a story I like to tell
about a firm called halfords
We all know so well
It started way back in history
With some cranks, some dints and a hex aln key!

Ok enough of the beastie boys rip off, here is the latest story over the complete saga ive had with Halfords and bikeToWork scheme. It may make you laugh, well what else can you do, go mental?

Ok, so I picked up my Boardman Comp and was very happy, apart from it had a dint in the down tube from being shipped to the store I picked it up from, from another store.
So the guy in the BikeHut was real helpful and told me they would just do a swap for the 09 model when it arrived.

Now that was cool, they didn't know when it was coming in, and I did have something to ride. Excellent! So off I went in a happy mood, loving the bike as it rides great so far.

Until.....crack!!! My cranks came off in traffic (5.30pm) at a rather busy roundabout...whoops that Red Mini was oh so close to me!.. but apart from having to stop traffic and run into the middle of the round-a-bout to grab the left crank and pedal (the right one was kept on by the chain), no harm was done.. may have raised the old heart rate somewhat..

Took it back to the store same evening, told them what happend, the same guy sorted it out for me, temporary repair and the crack stem had threaded.

Cool, no real harm done could have been worse and all that but it wasn't.

So this was all after 2 weeks of having the bike and only approx 34 miles of riding...crunch grind crunch noise starts to happen from inside that bit on the frame where the crank arms go into.. it gets worse each time you ride it and now I just don't feel safe on it at all......so I am stuck with a bike I am paying for with no bike riding as it's unsafe.

So I 've emailed the people at Bike2WorkScheme and Halfords offered me a letter stating they were sorry etc... and a £50 accessories voucher..mmm I thought but ok lets give them the benefit of the doubt here as the guy in the shop said they would swap when it comes out.

I get the voucher letter, letter is dated 21/08/08 and voucher expiry date is...cough cough 21/08/08...letter was received on the 22/08/08...spot the flaw? plus the name on it is totally incorrect.

It was at this point (this morning) I've emailed Bike2Work people telling them I am not happy as am paying £62 for a bike that I can not use and is unsafe!..

They are yet to get back to me...

What would you guys do? Should I ask for a same specification bike? a new bike, a better bike?

Anyway... the eastenders or coronation street theme tunes are playing in my head as this has been a month long soap opera.

They can not confirm then the new Boardman model is out.. could be months! Summer is ending!

Peace

G

*****************27/08/08 UPDATE**********************

After speaking with our bike2Work people again today, they have got Halfords head office to contact the local store and swap the bike for the GT Aggressor XCR. Have just come off the phone with the guy at the bikeHut and again he is cool about it... all the bother has come from Halfords head office!

Our HR people are looking into it at work as at least 4 other people have had a similar experience!

I've learned a good lesson from this all... get the main guy at the bike hut to check your bike, get some tools and do it yourself when you get home, buy a decent maintenance book, and what ever you do DO NOT trust the word of Halfords head office.

Happy ending, could have been worse, sorted no worries..

now for some riding on Sunday!

p.s the guy I dealt with at the bike Hut is off to a specialist mountain bike store now after handing in his notice...:)

Peace

crichten

Talk to whomever is organising it through your employer....

remind them that you are on a lease and as such if you have non use of the bike for a time period.... then u shouldn't have to pay... (if only but its nice to tell them that and see them squirm til they tell the manager)

Ohh

Being that there has now been quite a few threads on halfords C2W and that its been dodgy can one of the mags maybe start asking some questions...

off-one

I had to almost rebuild mine after Halfords PDI it. I would advise anyone to check everything again when they pick up a bike from Halfords, or just take it home and do it yourself.

bonyjoe

At the store I work at almost every boardman bike we get is faulty and before we can sell them everything has to be fixed, theres some things that the bike mechanics don't notice once in a while as would be expected, not everyones perfect.

So I don't know whether boardman bikes are just shoddily manufactured as a lot of people on this forum recommend them, but if most of them are given to the retailers like this then it is not completely the fault of the halfords workers :?

Although I don't know whether they just send my store all the faulty ones or this is what they are all like. But the bike mechanics can actually play the game "What fault will this boardman have?" before opening and assembling the bike

Chaka Ping

Well, they're a new company and they've been very successful in their first year - it sounds like they might be having trouble recruiting enough people who know how to put a bike together.

Do you know if they're assembled in the UK or far east?

supersonic

bonyjoe wrote:

At the store I work at almost every boardman bike we get is faulty and before we can sell them everything has to be fixed, theres some things that the bike mechanics don't notice once in a while as would be expected, not everyones perfect.

So I don't know whether boardman bikes are just shoddily manufactured as a lot of people on this forum recommend them, but if most of them are given to the retailers like this then it is not completely the fault of the halfords workers :?

Although I don't know whether they just send my store all the faulty ones or this is what they are all like. But the bike mechanics can actually play the game "What fault will this boardman have?" before opening and assembling the bike

The mechanics should be noticing everything. OK, parts do fail from time to time, but the PDI is specifcally to set the bike up as they don't arrive from the factory set up or bolts torqued correctly. Bikes are given to retailers this way, not just Boardman bikes.

Main reason cranks fall off is because they have not been installed correctly.

Also it is worth pointing out that the owner of the bike has a duty to check the bike as well, and maintain it. If you do feel that there is a manufacturing problem, STOP riding, and contact the dealer before you make it worse.

Anonymous

The mechanics should be noticing everything. OK, parts do fail from time to time, but the PDI is specifcally to set the bike up as they don't arrive from the factory set up or bolts torqued correctly. Bikes are given to retailers this way, not just Boardman bikes.

Main reason cranks fall off is because they have not been installed correctly.

Also it is worth pointing out that the owner of the bike has a duty to check the bike as well, and maintain it. If you do feel that there is a manufacturing problem, STOP riding, and contact the dealer before you make it worse.

This must have been one they missed, the bikeHut guy did make a temporary fix, however the bearings must be grinding as well.. I've gone over the whole bike carefully with the Zinn book and the correct tools, and everything else is fine, it's just not a safe bike to ride anymore, noise was getting louder, i've informed them of this and the fact I am left without a bike to ride and still paying for it....

Update - I've since asked for a replacement (via bike2Work who will contact halfords).. I am yet to get a reply.

Don't think asking for a replacement of a different bike of the same £RRP is too much to ask really.?

Thanks for your comments everyone.

G

crichten

Yup, Ive not heard back from them either yet...

toshmund

Once you have the bike from Halfords, just never consider going back to them. My philosophy has become that I have a bike which was £579.99 when I bought it (now £649.99, I think...) which will eventually cost me about £380 'ish. The bikes themselves are good, the mechanics mean to do a decent job (in the main) alas, Halfords don't seem to have the infrastructure to keep up with the demand for (a) C2W (b) the boardman range in general. All of this "accreditation of specific branches" to only supply Boardman bikes. Don't think those members of staff have been on any courses either. Just a paperwork exercise, to sound good. Must be quite a stressful place to work in, all they seemed to deal with when I was in there were complaining customers.

Reference the crank, yes - had that too, after 350 miles. Bloke at work got a Giant MTB, he lost a crank also - so it isn't just the Boardman's.

Finally, there is always Ribble...£399, how do they do it? lol

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/SpecialEditionBikes.asp

supersonic

It sounds like the bottom bracket bearings are beginning to fail. A quick and easy fix at the store, under warranty. I don't think a couple of failures is reason for a new bike to be honest, but make they don't fob you off.

Good on you getting Zinn!

RVP

TBH mate Halfords have stitched you right up. Swapping a Boardman for a GT??!!!!

Also Cranks should not fall off esp after 30 odd miles

I'd get back on to them and demand an exact replacement for what you bought.

supersonic

GT Aggressor XCR is slightly better specced than the Boardman, and retails for more. If you are happy with the riding position, there is no loss there!

I see that they did give a new bike after reading the update, very good of them! If you like it, keep it.

Anonymous

supersonic wrote:

GT Aggressor XCR is slightly better specced than the Boardman, and retails for more. If you are happy with the riding position, there is no loss there!

I see that they did give a new bike after reading the update, very good of them! If you like it, keep it.

Hey there! picked up the bike last night after teething troubles with not only their head office, but the mechanic in the store..after giving them the order number (part number from website) going into the store and pointing at the bike I wanted and sitting on it.. they put together the wrong one! lol... no worries though luckily one was still sitting on display so that was fixed up...well gears sorted out...brakes still need bleeding though but it's not major as yet still work really well.

The ride position is actually ok, although the steering is a little slow to respond but that may be my set up.. i've got it locked out at 130mm on the forks for the road and the saddle quite high, set it up for city hills at the moment..will hopefully get out on some trails this weekend! missed 4 weeks of riding and feeling the pace at the moment..lol

It's a good strong machine, feels tougher than the boardman, and tbh I wish I'd gone for this one first.

oh yeah and I would stress to ANYONE picking up a bike from halfords to go over it themselves with tools and make sure everything is tight! you wouldn't beleive it but the pedal cranks were loose again..lol sod's law.. good job I carry that multitool and hex set around with me

oomidamon

My company has just signed up to the Halfords Bike2Work scheme so I want to get a second bike for commuting, the odd race and general thrapping about. I’m looking for a hardtail with a list price of up to a grand. I’ll probably get a spare set of wheels with road tyres for commuting, to get the best out of it (but this won’t be covered by the purchase). Any suggestions of what I should go for? I don’t think the scheme will let me top-up to buy anything over a grand, so it’s got to be £999.99 or less. I’m 6’2” and 13.5st so don’t want anything too spindly but I don’t want to lug anything too heavy around either. I may consider a 29er but I haven’t ridden one.

Anonymous

oomidamon wrote:

My company has just signed up to the Halfords Bike2Work scheme so I want to get a second bike for commuting, the odd race and general thrapping about. I’m looking for a hardtail with a list price of up to a grand. I’ll probably get a spare set of wheels with road tyres for commuting, to get the best out of it (but this won’t be covered by the purchase). Any suggestions of what I should go for? I don’t think the scheme will let me top-up to buy anything over a grand, so it’s got to be £999.99 or less. I’m 6’2” and 13.5st so don’t want anything too spindly but I don’t want to lug anything too heavy around either. I may consider a 29er but I haven’t ridden one.

Well i've gone for the GT Aggressor XCR, 20" Frame (Large). I've changed the pedals to V8s (wider for my feet). I had a boardman comp (rrp £650) but that was faulty, so since I've gone for the GT Aggressor (rrp £700) i've never really looked back. It's a little heavier than the boardman but that makes no difference to me really. Ive been to work and back on it. (approx 6 miles round trip) and on the roads it plods along nice. Road tyres would be better for when it gets a bit wet as the GT has chunky tyres on it. Set your PSI for roads to about 60 max, much better. I've also used it off road downhill (not major downhill though, as it's a hardtail) and it is great fun,,,,learning not to brake is tricky. But off road it rides great. For offroad I set my forks to 100mm and 50% lockout..was a farm trail. On road set at 130mm and 100%lock out.

Anyway, if you are spending a grand, look at the Boardman Team which is 999.95, my mate has one and it's great. 20" frame should do ya. the boardman Team has a great spec.. I think a new range is coming out soon.

Cube make great bikes also.

Hope any of the above helps mate, the GT was good for me as I used a lot of the remainder of the voucher for crud catchers, multi tool, spare tubes, light and gloves/.

Peace

GmanUK101

soy_sauce

GmanUK101 wrote:

oomidamon wrote:

My company has just signed up to the Halfords Bike2Work scheme so I want to get a second bike for commuting, the odd race and general thrapping about. I’m looking for a hardtail with a list price of up to a grand. I’ll probably get a spare set of wheels with road tyres for commuting, to get the best out of it (but this won’t be covered by the purchase). Any suggestions of what I should go for? I don’t think the scheme will let me top-up to buy anything over a grand, so it’s got to be £999.99 or less. I’m 6’2” and 13.5st so don’t want anything too spindly but I don’t want to lug anything too heavy around either. I may consider a 29er but I haven’t ridden one.

Well i've gone for the GT Aggressor XCR, 20" Frame (Large). I've changed the pedals to V8s (wider for my feet). I had a boardman comp (rrp £650) but that was faulty, so since I've gone for the GT Aggressor (rrp £700) i've never really looked back. It's a little heavier than the boardman but that makes no difference to me really. Ive been to work and back on it. (approx 6 miles round trip) and on the roads it plods along nice. Road tyres would be better for when it gets a bit wet as the GT has chunky tyres on it. Set your PSI for roads to about 60 max, much better. I've also used it off road downhill (not major downhill though, as it's a hardtail) and it is great fun,,,,learning not to brake is tricky. But off road it rides great. For offroad I set my forks to 100mm and 50% lockout..was a farm trail. On road set at 130mm and 100%lock out.

Anyway, if you are spending a grand, look at the Boardman Team which is 999.95, my mate has one and it's great. 20" frame should do ya. the boardman Team has a great spec.. I think a new range is coming out soon.

Cube make great bikes also.

Hope any of the above helps mate, the GT was good for me as I used a lot of the remainder of the voucher for crud catchers, multi tool, spare tubes, light and gloves/.

Peace

GmanUK101

Its the Boardman Pro which is £999.95.

oomidamon wrote:

My company has just signed up to the Halfords Bike2Work scheme so I want to get a second bike for commuting, the odd race and general thrapping about. I’m looking for a hardtail with a list price of up to a grand. I’ll probably get a spare set of wheels with road tyres for commuting, to get the best out of it (but this won’t be covered by the purchase). Any suggestions of what I should go for? I don’t think the scheme will let me top-up to buy anything over a grand, so it’s got to be £999.99 or less. I’m 6’2” and 13.5st so don’t want anything too spindly but I don’t want to lug anything too heavy around either. I may consider a 29er but I haven’t ridden one.

I agree with Gman, the Boardman Pro is one of your best option. good value for money.
remember, Halfords can source most of the bikes even they don't have it store. so you could try to phone Halfords head office to get it order into your local store for you.