WARNING - boardman fs comp frame failure

damo2576

Yeah for £50 or whatever to swap the parts! W@nk3rs!

supersonic

For the frame with the better shock. the frame is the same, the shock isn't.

He shouldn't have to pay for the same frame though, but that hasn't been suggested.

Stuey01

Halfords have done nothing wrong and the OP is quite clearly chancing it with all this "I've lost faith in the frame" bullocks.

The frame broke, they offered to replace like for like. End of.

damo2576

They should give him a new bike, same or better frame with parts fitted free. He didn't ask for his frame to break after 4 months or whatever.

Service is so important to a brand. I have a Kitchen Aid coffee machine. 18 months old one of the thermostats on a heater went. I called them up and they said they would send UPS the next day to pick it up. I mentioned some of the enamel had corroded and perhaps that could be retouched. They said they'd have a look. They collected next day, 2 days later a brand new machine was delivered. That's service. It breeds loyalty and champions.

The trouble with Boardman is they've outsourced their supply to Halfords, well renowned for pretty crappy service and products. Brand wise it doesnt fit and strategically I think that's a bad decision, giving up control of supply to them leaves them at the mercy of Halfords - they have no control over the service given to their customers. It's a piece of cake to set up a bike company and sell bikes - building a pervasive culture of good service is much harder.

It will gradually erode the Boardman brand.

Anonymous

i think the halfords conection allows them to keep the prices down, i dont really know how but that is what he said.

Andy B

sheepsteeth wrote:

i think the halfords conection allows them to keep the prices down, i dont really know how but that is what he said.

Because they pay their staff peanuts & don't train them properly?

Stuey01

damo2576 wrote:

They should give him a new bike, same or better frame with parts fitted free. He didn't ask for his frame to break after 4 months or whatever.

they did. Same frame, transfer parts. OP has decided this is not good enough and is trying it on.

damo2576

sheepsteeth wrote:

i think the halfords conection allows them to keep the prices down, i dont really know how but that is what he said.

I think that's rubbish. Unless its by some kind of tie up with whoever builds Carerra bikes or are just going for the mainstream.

To me it would make sense to sell through Evans or similar or just establish a dealer network through LBS's.

supersonic

Halfords act as the importer, distributor and retailer and cut one of the middle men out. Also have massive buying power to buy all those parts cheaply.

Evans do the same with Pinnacle, CRC with BeOne, Wiggle with Focus.

Anonymous

well i dont know anything about distribution or business in general but i know i rather buy a bike from a proper bike shop, those boardmans are said to be superb, it is a shame that the retailers arent doing a proper job of selling them.

there are some good halfords branches but they should all be good, not just the occasional one.

damo2576

supersonic wrote:

Halfords act as the importer, distributor and retailer and cut one of the middle men out. Also have massive buying power to buy all those parts cheaply.

Evans do the same with Pinnacle, CRC with BeOne, Wiggle with Focus.

There you go then. Halfords bike with Boardmans name on.

supersonic

Not really - Halfords have nothing to do with the design or spec of the bike. The system helps them cut costs though.

damo2576

supersonic wrote:

Not really - Halfords have nothing to do with the design or spec of the bike. The system helps them cut costs though.

That's good, they can only screw up the service then!

supersonic

Lol, true!

Just to make clear, I have no love for Halfords - I try and judge as I see, though have played devils advocate to some extent here.

Have a look at my Halfords have done it again thread ;-)

fedrat

Boardman BIkes has signed a deal with Halfords to sell their bikes. Carrera and Apollo are NOT the same as Boardman, just the same as GT and Kona are two different brands and companies (but both sell through Halfords).
Kitchen AId are a VERY premium product and therefore offer a very different level of service to that offered by Morphy Richards and I don't blame you for praising the service you received.

Now as for the OP, I am not the only person in thinking he is taking the piddle a bit by demanding a new bike at a higher price bracket and that Halfords, no matter what you may think of their service and skills, have been reasonable enough in what they have offered, bar one thing. When offering the frame upgrade, as a gesture of goodwill, the store manager should've offered the parts swap for free.

What I fear the OP actually has is an inability to negotiate a satisfactory response to the matter. Something tells me if he'd agreed to meet Halfords halfway on the £50 charge (£25, to me and you), he'd have a shiny new frame and would be smiling at the world and singing Halfords praises. As it is, he's a miserable turkey who looks a bit sad now.

st4n

Just to clarify that when i was offered the Team frame by HALFORDS (Mansfield) it was they who told me that it was lighter, stronger and better put together than the Comp frame - they should know, shouldn't they????? Why else would i have considered one - change of colour?

The £50 Team frame upgrade did not include the rear shock. The original quote for the frame upgrade was £100.

A friend returned his bike with a small dent in the frame and got a total new bike, wrong to expect the same?

The situation i am in is due to the frame failing due to some manufacturing or material defect. Considering how quickly the frame deteriorated, if gone unnoticed for a short while longer I could have suffered a total frame failure. I did like the bike very much and really enjoyed getting back into biking.

I guess expecting something more than the bare minimum from either Halfords or Boardman was too much.

Live and learn.

supersonic

Your friends situation is different - I guess it was like that from new in which case, if he has reported it straight away he is entitled to a refund or full replacement as. Is that not the case? Is this person Ponyfeeder who posts here?

What is the current situation? Is the bike with them waiting for the frame replacement?

Andy

I've never had a problem with service from Halfords. I certainly cannot fault them.

Ponyfeeder

In answer to your question supersonic yes it was me that returned my boardman to Halfords ( Mansfield) spit. After having the bike for approx 3-4 weeks. i saw the dent and it has to be said it was a small dent after a few days of having the bike. I said nothing to Halfords as due to the position and shape of the dent i thought it could be part of the design. It was not untill i saw my mates bike, and could see that his frame did not have the dent did i know for sure it should not be there.
I took it back like i say after 3-4 weeks and got a new bike not just a frame, is it to much to ask that st4n be given at the very least the same ? i dont think it is.
As for the frame upgrade i again do not think it unreasonable due to the inconvenience caused that he be given some form of compensation. And like someone has already said if they had done that it breads brand loyalty. How many bikes over the years to come might we both have brought from Halfords/Boardman ?
I can tell you now how many i will be buying now a big fat 0 and i bet i can say the same for st4n too. so how many bikes is that now 10, 15, 20 ? how many people have read this post and thought i am not going to Halfords to buy a bike ?
All for the sake of a bit of customer service, i guess it was just to much to ask, oh and my bike is still with them after having a new rear mech, chain, and cassett on a bike i have rode twice. It is starting to make me think is it Halfords or is it that Boardman bikes are just not up to the job!!!!!

Northwind

sheepsteeth wrote:

if this had happened to me and halfords have offerred to exchange the frame, thats fair enough and i would be happy with that but i would expect them to do the frame swap and it shoudltn cost me.

If I read it right- scuse me if not but the post's a bit confused- the £50 was to build it onto a different frame, rather than a direct replacement.

damo2576 wrote:

You wouldn't expect that from any premium brand and tbh this gives you the clearest indication of where Boardman are positioning themselves.

What, cracking frames? Ask Orange, Lynskey, Commencal, Cannondale...

stink£r

Just to add mate, I think you may have been unlucky. I have no love at all for Halfords (in fact I belive some people on this earth should not be allowed tools, and most of Halfords staff fall into that catagory-and yes, I am a time served mechanical engineer of 16 years, so my opinion counts there!), but I used to weigh 120kg (down to 105 now), I have ridden my bike pretty hard 3 times a week, 100kmish per week, for the last 6 months or so, every ride in the Peaks near where I live, and so far no cracks etc, the only failings was with Halfords performance in every aspect. The bike once sorted, is great. I'd suggest you give it another go. I'm happy with mine. I hope you get whatever outcome you're after sorted.

Ponyfeeder

Supersonic you seem to be in contact with C Boardman ( correct me if i am wrong) it would be nice to hear what he has to say on the matter, or is he just a face/name of the company and has no say in how it is run ?

Anonymous

he's a forum member

Jeast

Oh bloody hell. I bought the Boardman HT/Pro last Friday and this thread is really making me regret my purchase and that's really not a nice feeling at all. I'm seriously considering taking it back, and I've not even given it a proper chance...

Anonymous

dont do that, those bikes are meant to be mega and there are more satisfied customers than upset ones.

get out, give it a thrashing and forget everything you ever read on the internet.

supersonic

Ponyfeeder wrote:

In answer to your question supersonic yes it was me that returned my boardman to Halfords ( Mansfield) spit. After having the bike for approx 3-4 weeks. i saw the dent and it has to be said it was a small dent after a few days of having the bike. I said nothing to Halfords as due to the position and shape of the dent i thought it could be part of the design. It was not untill i saw my mates bike, and could see that his frame did not have the dent did i know for sure it should not be there.
I took it back like i say after 3-4 weeks and got a new bike not just a frame, is it to much to ask that st4n be given at the very least the same ? i dont think it is.
As for the frame upgrade i again do not think it unreasonable due to the inconvenience caused that he be given some form of compensation. And like someone has already said if they had done that it breads brand loyalty. How many bikes over the years to come might we both have brought from Halfords/Boardman ?
I can tell you now how many i will be buying now a big fat 0 and i bet i can say the same for st4n too. so how many bikes is that now 10, 15, 20 ? how many people have read this post and thought i am not going to Halfords to buy a bike ?
All for the sake of a bit of customer service, i guess it was just to much to ask, oh and my bike is still with them after having a new rear mech, chain, and cassett on a bike i have rode twice. It is starting to make me think is it Halfords or is it that Boardman bikes are just not up to the job!!!!!

You reported the dent after 3-4 weeks? I think you have been very lucky they replaced the bike at all, never mind the frame. You have been given very good service there, well beyond what they are obliged to do. They may have even argued you dented it!

Your case, and st4ns case are completely different.

I am trying to be objective as a I can here given the SOGA and the info you are giving. Obviously just my opinion of course and intepretion of the info given. I do hope you both reach a satisfactory outcome! In st4ns case it would seem a frame swap, FOC to the same frame within a satisfactory time period, and in your case to remedy the component set up and communicate in a better fashion. I am not sure what the exact problem is though with your components, but it should nevertheless be sorted. WIthin reason: bedding in, etc..

I contacted Chris Boardman via the forum as I wanted to know some of the facts about the frames. He replied, as above: to that date only 2 frames have failed. Both were replaced through the warranty. The frames have a two year guarantee.

Northwind

Ponyfeeder wrote:

I took it back like i say after 3-4 weeks and got a new bike not just a frame, is it to much to ask that st4n be given at the very least the same ? i dont think it is.

Why on earth would you expect a whole new bike because one part has failed? It's just silly tbh. Yes, they've given you that, presumably because it was easier for them, but that's their shout. There's no reason to expect them to do the same for anyone else.

It's quite funny this thread, full of expectations of outrageously good service, compensation, whole new bikes... And if they fail to meet these high expectations it'll be "bloody halfords". But you wouldn't often get that sort of service anywhere else either. Look how long it's taking Commencal to replace cracked Meta frames.

Ponyfeeder, they gave you a whole new bike where they could have told you to **** off... And yet you're on here actually criticising them? What a joke. Something not right there at all. Out of curiosity, what's wrong with the industry standard mech, cassette and chain that means they all need replacing?

Anonymous

I think a like for like replacement warranty exchange is actually the case here as the bike was sold whole and not as components.

If halfrauds replace only the frame (albeit an identical frame) it is their responsibility to rebuild the bike as you bought it fully built. I believe they are obliged to change only the frame in a scenario like this.

If you are after a cheeky upgrade which it does sound like, then the cost of rebuild should be halfords too - if you are paying extra for the frame upgrade it still does not change the fact that you bought a completely assembled bike and that was what the original sale price included.

Halfords would be credited by Boardman for the warranty return and they should jump at the chance of a frame upgrade for cash plus free build because they are taking another £200 off you on top of the Boardman credit.


OP never bought a single component and the receipt is for a whole bike . No?

Also it does sound like the Mansfield Halfrauds is staffed or run by a bunch of cnuts tbh.

Personally, If you want out, i would accept like for like and get rid on the classifieds here?

There will be enough takers here and you will be able to put your cash somewhere else.

You may even find your next ride here or maybe even a trade?

Ponyfeeder

Ponyfeeder, they gave you a whole new bike where they could have told you to **** off... And yet you're on here actually criticising them? What a joke. Something not right there at all. Out of curiosity, what's wrong with the industry standard mech, cassette and chain that means they all need replacing?[/quote]



As for the dent there is no way on earth i could have done it as it was under the paint (obviously) with no damage to the paint at all so it must have come from the factory like it. And yes i am criticising them i have had the 2 bikes for approx 6 weeks now and for 4 of the weeks they have been at Halfords either being fixed, replaced or waiting for parts. In total i have rode my bike 6 times, the staff and management apart from one have been a waste of time and not intrested at all. As for the parts that they have replaced i did not ask for that all i did was take it back with a problem and that is what they have done. I have never asked for any compensation all i want i what i have paid for nother less nothing more!!!!!!!

Jeast

Could I make a small suggestion...if I have it right, neither of you have a real problem with the bikes themselves and you both understand and accept that the issues you have experienced can occur with any bike frame, regardless of the manufacturer. Your problem actually lies with Halfords and the level of service you have recieved from them when trying to obtain a satisfactory resolution to these issues, right?

I think it would be decent in this case to shift this discussion to a new thread with new title, because it seems to have shifted away from the actual faults to a outright blasting of Halfords, and this topic title remaining at the top of the list on this forum with so many negative remarks must be hugely damaging to the Boardman brand, and I'm sure this is not what either of you are trying to achieve.