Chris boardman

Das

ive had no previous experience with any kind of cboardman bike.
they seem to have won many awards! the road team bike has taken my fancy!

but for £600 am i getting value for money???

plus the added factor that halfords is the only place you can buy them
is really the only thing that puts me off
:?


[/b]

nesty

I saw one today. They looks very high at the front. Also stocks are low on this range at the moment, so I gather.

In my opnion the team and pro looks a much better buy for the money.

sicknote

Cycling Plus gave it the best budget bike of the year so have a look for the reveiw, plus a friend has just bought one and is very happy.

Hope it helps

volvine

they are good enough for Rob Hayles

i was very tempted when i was looking around and they all seem really well specked for the money and as stated won best budget bike of the year against good competition

Leeba

I've had my Boardman Road Comp for 2 weeks now and am well pleased with it. Had to have the gears tweaked by my LBS other than that the set up by Halfords was OK. I looked at a few other options and couldn,t see anything with a comparable spec for the same price. It has had some very good reviews, i think it's the Halfords connection that puts people off.

andrewjoseph

I've had a road comp for 1 year now. First road bike I've had so can't make comparisons.

the next bike I get will probably be a higher spec boardman. No real issues with the bike, the front wheel bearing rubber seal disappeared after a few miles and was replaced by halfords with no hassle. the chain had a broken outer plate for a few rides before I noticed it had scratched the paint near the dropout.

I changed the saddle for a brooks but I am really pleased with the bike.

I will state though that I wouldn't let halfords build up the bike for me, I told them I wanted to build it myself, they said fine as long as they could check it out after 6 weeks. it's not needed to go back since.

bice

A lot of people here pour scorn on Halfords, and I have never bought a bike there. But I have dealt with the Wandsworth, Fulham, Victoria, Spitalfields and Clapham branches of Evans and there is no intelligent administration or sense of responsibility in the chain at all. There are some good, knowledgeable guys and you just have to buttonhole one of them. I am sure there are some in Halfords as well. I wish our CtW scheme was with Halfords.

Juju_uk_68

For balance, I got a Bianchi through Bikehut dorking on the c2w scheme, and it was well built on collection.

nesty

I think most people have been going to Halfords stores. I visited a few and must admut the people didn't sound all knowledge/ However I wwent to Bikehut (Standlone) branch, they just deal in cycles, nothing more nothing less. I was really impressed with the knowledge there. If you going to deal with Halfords range go to a Bikehut standalone. You can get Carrera's, Merdia, GT's & boardmans etc.

Also the store much more spacious to deal with. Whenever I went to a bikehut inside Halfords. I could never seem to have a ride on one around store without some small kid wanting to throw themselves under the wheel!

Daan Hammond

I've just bought a Planet X ProCarbon which slots in between the two highest CB road bikes. I looked at all of the CB road bikes and was really impressed with the apparent build quality and the finish of the bikes. I was a fan of CB when he rode and I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't a bit of a draw to have a bike with his name and world champ stripes on it.

I think that there is likely to be a revised range soon: maybe even launched at Eurobike which I think is on now. Nicole Cooke rode the carbon prototype in Beijing and there is a tt rig available through its own website based on (inspired by?) the Team GB track bike technology.

On Halfords. They take so much stick. I have no vested interest in defending Halfords, but I really like the fact that my small town has a shop open seven days a week and until 7 or 8 at night where, for a decent price I can get a chain breaking tool or a tube - without having to remortgage the house. I don't care if the staff aren't Sheldon Brown - people aren't as critical of staff in other chainstores. Surely it stands to reason with a national chain that there will be a variety of levels of skill and experience?

Finally, my recent experience at my LBS: I took my 2005 Carerra Kraken for a front derailleur tune up. Granted they sorted it for the agreed price for which I was pleased. However, they didn't call me to let me know the job was done, as promised, made me feel like I was inconveniencing them when I called and reminded them I was waiting to hear from them, and then had to endure the predictable lecture about "these Halfords bikes" when I collected it. Apparently the chain line was "nearly off" due to the bb being too narrow etc etc.. Sour grapes? I wonder! I think the rule on LBS v Halfords should be that there is no general rule. In the credit crunch surely value for money will be a lot of people's deciding factor.

Sorry for the long post. Stuck on a train ;-)

Daan Hammond

I've just bought a Planet X ProCarbon which slots in between the two highest CB road bikes. I looked at all of the CB road bikes and was really impressed with the apparent build quality and the finish of the bikes. I was a fan of CB when he rode and I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't a bit of a draw to have a bike with his name and world champ stripes on it.

I think that there is likely to be a revised range soon: maybe even launched at Eurobike which I think is on now. Nicole Cooke rode the carbon prototype in Beijing and there is a tt rig available through its own website based on (inspired by?) the Team GB track bike technology.

On Halfords. They take so much stick. I have no vested interest in defending Halfords, but I really like the fact that my small town has a shop open seven days a week and until 7 or 8 at night where, for a decent price I can get a chain breaking tool or a tube - without having to remortgage the house. I don't care if the staff aren't Sheldon Brown - people aren't as critical of staff in other chainstores. Surely it stands to reason with a national chain that there will be a variety of levels of skill and experience?

Finally, my recent experience at my LBS: I took my 2005 Carerra Kraken for a front derailleur tune up. Granted they sorted it for the agreed price for which I was pleased. However, they didn't call me to let me know the job was done, as promised, made me feel like I was inconveniencing them when I called and reminded them I was waiting to hear from them, and then had to endure the predictable lecture about "these Halfords bikes" when I collected it. Apparently the chain line was "nearly off" due to the bb being too narrow etc etc.. Sour grapes? I wonder! I think the rule on LBS v Halfords should be that there is no general rule. In the credit crunch surely value for money will be a lot of people's deciding factor.

Sorry for the long post. Stuck on a train ;-)

Daan Hammond

I've just bought a Planet X ProCarbon which slots in between the two highest CB road bikes. I looked at all of the CB road bikes and was really impressed with the apparent build quality and the finish of the bikes. I was a fan of CB when he rode and I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't a bit of a draw to have a bike with his name and world champ stripes on it.

I think that there is likely to be a revised range soon: maybe even launched at Eurobike which I think is on now. Nicole Cooke rode the carbon prototype in Beijing and there is a tt rig available through its own website based on (inspired by?) the Team GB track bike technology.

On Halfords. They take so much stick. I have no vested interest in defending Halfords, but I really like the fact that my small town has a shop open seven days a week and until 7 or 8 at night where, for a decent price I can get a chain breaking tool or a tube - without having to remortgage the house. I don't care if the staff aren't Sheldon Brown - people aren't as critical of staff in other chainstores. Surely it stands to reason with a national chain that there will be a variety of levels of skill and experience?

Finally, my recent experience at my LBS: I took my 2005 Carerra Kraken for a front derailleur tune up. Granted they sorted it for the agreed price for which I was pleased. However, they didn't call me to let me know the job was done, as promised, made me feel like I was inconveniencing them when I called and reminded them I was waiting to hear from them, and then had to endure the predictable lecture about "these Halfords bikes" when I collected it. Apparently the chain line was "nearly off" due to the bb being too narrow etc etc.. Sour grapes? I wonder! I think the rule on LBS v Halfords should be that there is no general rule. In the credit crunch surely value for money will be a lot of people's deciding factor.

Sorry for the long post. Stuck on a train ;-)

alfablue

Daan Hammond wrote:

people aren't as critical of staff in other chainstores. Surely it stands to reason with a national chain that there will be a variety of levels of skill and experience?

I am critical of bad service wherever it is, and for whatever products (or restaurants). I agree, a national chain is going to struggle getting a large team of highly skilled staff. And also the anti-Halfords prejudice is also going to put off good bike mechanics. I have found one Halfords with excellent bike staff (Cheltenham I think), where I bought a Carrera Gryphon bike for a friend. They did impress me with their enthusiasm and knowledge and I think I would have trusted them to build the bike, though I still took it home in the box.

So I would suggest treating them as you find them. If you need them to build the bike and they don't impress in a particular store, either go to a different branch or get the LBS to build it. Their CB bikes, if at the right price, certainly do look good. And their Carrera range are pretty good too especially at sale prices.

nesty

I think what really I find interesting is the knowledge to build a bike. I haven't done it personally, but I would imagine that you would require some formal course and a specific training course? It like a garage, if you took your car in even for the minimal of things you would expect a technician that is qualified to complete the task. I am not knocking Halfords, but it does appear from at least 4 bike hut stores within Halfords I visited they were all straight from school. It's possible some of the staff worked other sections then just been placed in bikehut (i.e. no specific knowledge). BQ is the same they employ loads of people that never done any DIY ever, so when you ask they haven't got a clue.

Anyway maybe getting off topic of the original thread as a Halfords moan thread somewhere else! The Boardman bikes do look a classy product & there isn't anything wrong with other Halfords products such as the Fury and rest of Carrera range. Though technical help in store might prove hit and miss?

mackdaddy

I got a Boardman a couple of weeks ago as a second bike because with the C2W it was the best spec for what I was allowed. At £600 the road comp was a bargain, it was set up fine by Halfords (I did check everything because I keep reading how poor the staff are, but found nothing to fault) and I have nothing but praise for the two staff I dealt with in Newbury. Contrary to most reports (some of which are snobbish in my opinion) they were very knowledgeable and helpful. I manage to strip down my own bikes to a bare frame each winter and rebuild them so it's not as if I was overwhelemed by a little knowledge on their part.

Bike is higher spec than alternatives at same price point and C+ rated it highly as well.

I've ridden about 100 miles so far and I'm very happy with it.

Mullerman

Just bought the Team hybrid, excellent value and good Halforders at Ferndown branch! Complete range of Boardmans is well specified but surely due for an update to 2009 models soon, but i would asssume a price increase to go with it.
Maxxis detonator tyres do just that! Changed for Continental Kevlar jobs with Slime inners, (its a commute to work not the TDF).

Bengdogg

I looked at the boardman bike but was so reluctant to buy from my local halfords based on a friends experience with a rear cassette problem :S

Juju_uk_68

sure. Even different stores within a chain are not the same.

I went into the Brighton Bikehut, tried to look like an interested shopper, but the assistant was far too busy fawning over a couple of cute young women to bother me for about 20 mins. I asked about a Boardman in small size and they had one in stock, but not built up. They took my number and said they'd ring me when it was ready.

I never got the call, and when I passed by the store several weeks later, with my c2w voucher still unspent, they'd sold it. I did say it had been built up for me ot have a go on, but they just shrugged their shoulders and said that they were popular bikes..... Oh, and they'd not have let me out the shop on it either.

The Dorking store were excellent, I went in on three occasions, and each time got staff who were both happy to help, sat me on bikes, offered me demos,(even suggested a 10-15 mile route and said if the size bike I wanted wasnt in stock, to take something in mysize for a workout just to make sure) and frankly treated me in a way I'd expect a lbs who'd known me for years to treat me, and not just some punter off the street. - Both stores were as easy to get to, and in the end I plumped for a Bianchi which was delivered tothe Dorking store, which as I said, was well assembled and handed over to me by a couple of guys with a great attitude! (Put it this way, they'd assumed I didnt want the bell and refelctors fitted!).

I'd say to anyone the Dorking Branch of Bikehut were on my experience, a really good store, andnot to letthe name put you off.



Even though Halfords dont supply Bianchis, due to the way they work, the store still gets credited for the sale, and I was happy with that. Off the record, I think they admitted that a Halfords on an industrial estate selling stereos and alloys to chavs in corsa's have a different target market viz bikes. Generally people dont march into a Halfords store, surrounded by £69 apollos and want to know whether Campag or Shimano is this years flavour.

Isuggest mystery shopping a handful fos stores and going with the one who gives you the best feeling.

ruswilks

I was in the Swindon Halfords earlier today looking at the Boardman range, and got talking a staff member there. I was told that any store selling the Boardman range is meant to have a specially trained mechanic in whenever there is 2 or more Bikehut staff working, and a store can't sell Boardmans until their staff have done the course. So in theory if it stocks the Boardman range it should be built up by a qualified mechanic, if they don't stock them and have to order it in for you then don't get them to build it. The bloke I was talking to seemed really into cycliing, recommended a couple of LBSs I should go and see, and said if I phoned up this afternoon he would make sure he personally built it for me. So they cerainly aren't all bad...

nesty

I colllected my Boardman Team today. The Bikehut bloke really explained things well to me. My only small gripe is that the model came without pedals. The clip-less ones were just for show & this wasn't mentioned upon trying out. I had to choose another pedal set, for them to fit. I plumped for a cheap set, which were £7. I can perhaps change these later on, so intial expsense wasn't much.

The bikes looks great, feels great too. I took it out for a short ride today, (weather put me off) not the bike!

I also got £50 of bike vouchers to use in store! I chose the Chris Boardman cycle helmet. Even though my riding don't look great out on the trails; at least I will!

saf4254201

got my roadbike from Halfords at Hermiston Gait. Excellent to deal with (guy in there knows what he is talking about) - they phoned round a numbe of branches to track down a Small framed bike for me (ended up they had to get it shipped up from england due to stock shortages.

They were quite happy to switch the STI brake cables onto a continental layout as well (only problem was that I was so desperate to get my hands on the bike that I couldn't wait the extra 24 hours for them to build it - so I picked it up straight away and did all the build etc myself).

Only complaints with the bike itself was front wheel needed truing slightly.

Other changes carried out to the basic setup - I changed the seat from the black CB branded one to a yellow Selle one. Replaced the Tiagra front mech with a 105 mech and put on black 105 callipers. Fitted 105 SPD-SL's. But these were all personal preferences/tinkerings and the bike is excellent straight out the box.

The Spiderman

For anyone in London there is an excellent stand-alone Bikehut store,which stocks all their high end stuff,including Van Nicholas Ti bikes,Condor,etc,plus the full Boardman range in Ave Maria Street,near Ludgate Hill,a short walk from City Thameslink station.

hammy123

A freind got a boardman pro?(i think, cost £1000) couple of months ago from halfords with c2w, supplied with wrong chain fitted and was told the noise it was making was chain bedding in! After a couple of days chain snapped and on returning bike was told hed have to wait for a spare chain to be delivered to store as they kept no spares. Was told by manager hed get a phone call as soon as bike had new chain fitted. Day after he was suppose to get phone call he phoned them to be told chain didnt arrive and he ended up waiting 2 weeks to get bike back...........He was not amused!

top_bhoy

I've said this before and the above post re-iterates this, while there may not be anything wrong fundamentally with the bikes themselves, there are too many horror stories on this forum and elsewhere about Halfords nearly killing people and causing inconvenience with crap set-ups of their bikes that you'd be better going for something for similar money elsewhere. There is a higher chance that elsewhere won't nearly kill you.

I've never saw the attraction of Halfords.

Stevehall00

I went to the bikehut in Hull and the guy there was very good. That was ages ago an Finall FINALLY my council have got round to offering the cycle to work scheme. Immagine you had a nicely set up mtb with goos slicks and were happy with the set up. Then you go out, get drunk and plough it into a takeaway window. The bike is wrecked but you think hey, ctw scheme soon. That was six months ago.

So they finally launched it this week and I am still waiting for my voucher. I am running out of patience so a warning to all Hull Halfords staff.... after six months of waiting I am in no mood to be messed arround. I want my boardman road team now now NOW! I want it I want it I want it! If I walk in there brandishing my voucher/letter and am told I have to wait two weeks for a suitable bike.... there will be murder on the east coast!

Crashed my specialized so on a £30 steely with slicks... unhappy cyclist!

cougie

You put your bike through a takeaway window ? Nutter !

A lot of bike shops can be pretty rubbish - saturday boys and all that.

LBS near us put my mates brake blocks on back to front - they stayed in the shoes - but zero grip when he needed them. I trust my mechanical skills more than I do the LBS now.

Nick6891

anyone know if there is a bikehut in or near leeds?

Stevehall00

Re: You put your bike through a takeaway window ? Nutter !

Should have seen the looks on the turkish guys faces when I picked myself up and ordered a Chicken Kabab!

giant_man

ruswilks wrote:

I was in the Swindon Halfords earlier today looking at the Boardman range, and got talking a staff member there. I was told that any store selling the Boardman range is meant to have a specially trained mechanic in whenever there is 2 or more Bikehut staff working, and a store can't sell Boardmans until their staff have done the course. So in theory if it stocks the Boardman range it should be built up by a qualified mechanic, if they don't stock them and have to order it in for you then don't get them to build it. The bloke I was talking to seemed really into cycliing, recommended a couple of LBSs I should go and see, and said if I phoned up this afternoon he would make sure he personally built it for me. So they cerainly aren't all bad...

And you believe that bs? Come on we're talking Halfords here.

richlong28

i'm glad you posted this as i'm looking into getting a boardman comp for £600

but he's bringing his new range out next year so whether its worth waiting for the new model (prices are yet to be announced) or wait for this years model to drop in price as they go to sell them off

or just buy it now

i have a bordman mountain comp from halfords and i got somebodys who knew what he was doing in the bike area as he rode alot himself, i had to wait a few more days for it but i haven't had a single fault

Bikerbaboon

Nick6891 wrote:

anyone know if there is a bikehut in or near leeds?

the halfords in kirkstal has one. and the stock CB bikes