My Halfords experience today.

Fifenewbie

Ok, went to Halfords to buy a puncture repair kit. Whilst looking, I came across a product called `Leeches`, which are self adhesive patches. Now, I hadnt even heard of these before, so , took them to the counter to ask for advice. Upon asking the sales assistant "are these any good m8, I havn`t seen these before?, a vacant look came across his face and he replied " erm, dunno m8" - ffs, what hope is there?! :roll:

RamMan13

ZZZzzzz

Galfinnan

At least he was honest, better that telling you they work like a dream then when you get a puncture they fail badly. I have used these

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tools-punc ... uper-patch

They worked as expected with little fuss or hassle. Halfords sell a ton of stuff cars,tents and bikes so you can't expect them to be an expert on all of it just like any shop that sells a lot of stuff. Could just have asked if there was anyone who would know?

Incidently, I bought my daughter a lot of new accessories for her bike, when we got home her helmet had a crack in it. Admittedly chanced my arm a bit and took it back and they swapped it over with no fuss or hassle, benefit of a big chain with a good refund policy. Halfords tend to get a bad rep some of it derservedly so but I have nothing but praise for my local one. The service you get will vary day to day, person to person and store to store.

ilovedirt

Self adhesive patches are pretty good, they don't stick as well as regular patches (or the draper ones i use don't anyway), but i very rarely get slow punctures anyway, i'll usually get a pinch flat which warrants replacing the whole tube

Raymondavalon

ilovedirt wrote:

Self adhesive patches are pretty good, they don't stick as well as regular patches (or the draper ones i use don't anyway), but i very rarely get slow punctures anyway, i'll usually get a pinch flat which warrants replacing the whole tube

I've had both the Park Tools Super Patch and Leeches let me down.
I had to use Leeches when I picked up a 2nd puncture in Leigh Woods, it worked, but was losing air and I know I'd applied it properly, as in over the puncture.. yes I did sand the area down too...

The Park Tools Super Patch came undone on my commuter, but it did hold for a month or so.

I think the trick with glueless patches is to ensure the area you're sticking it on has to be spotlessly clean, this isn't always achievable on the trail..

Fifenewbie

I know, guess i was expecting him to give me some advice. Dont get me wrong, I bought my Carrera from Halfords and the service was spot on. Just thought he would have been clued up seeing as he worked in the bike department - its no big deal, I bought them anyway - dont want to start a slagging match here :roll:

cooldad

So what did you want to do?

waby1234

My local halfords has 'people who work in the bike department' and 'people who know about bikes who work in the bike department' I'm afraid. Not all of them are fully knowledgeable about all the products. If you get an erm dunno response ask for someone that would know. That approach works for me :-)

Anonymous

ilovedirt wrote:

Self adhesive patches are pretty good, they don't stick as well as regular patches (or the draper ones i use don't anyway), but i very rarely get slow punctures anyway, i'll usually get a pinch flat which warrants replacing the whole tube

You can fix pinch flats too.

ilovedirt

yeehaamcgee wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

Self adhesive patches are pretty good, they don't stick as well as regular patches (or the draper ones i use don't anyway), but i very rarely get slow punctures anyway, i'll usually get a pinch flat which warrants replacing the whole tube

You can fix pinch flats too.

Really? The majority of mine have a hole too big to stick a patch over... being able to fix them would save me a fair bit of money

Anonymous

Yes, really. Get bigger patches.

Northwind

I doubt I've ever been in a bike shop where every assistant knows about every product. Though I've been in a lot where they try to bluff it and get it wrong.

Anonymous

Northwind wrote:

I doubt I've ever been in a bike shop where every assistant knows about every product

I knew your chip shops were crap up north

Northwind

/Northwind does not understand

Anonymous

Northwind wrote:

/Northwind does not understand

Do you do battered sausages?
Er, Dunno mate, I just work here.

BG2000

Raymondavalon wrote:

I think the trick with glueless patches is to ensure the area you're sticking it on has to be spotlessly clean, this isn't always achievable on the trail..

Very true indeed, but a good rub with sandpaper is all that's needed. People often throw these little emery paper patches away, thinking it's something from repair kits of a bygone era, i.e. metal tyre levers, Woods valve rubber inners etc..

But they do work.

RE: snake bite [impact] punctures, I recently repaired one by cutting one of these in half, and it worked fine:

http://weldtite.co.uk/products/detail/r ... s-8-carded

byker_dude

My local Halfords doesn't seem too bad. Went in there to see if they'll pump up a set of new forks as i didn't have a shock pump. When I asked about buying one, they assistant just told me to take it back and get them to do it. At no charge. Plus there are one or two who actually know what they are talking about.

Kaise

Northwind wrote:

I doubt I've ever been in a bike shop where every assistant knows about every product. Though I've been in a lot where they try to bluff it and get it wrong.

i have been to two that actual knows their shizzle and havent bluffed and that was strada cycles in bristol and that was about road bikes and the other was mud dock in bristol, they were very helpful and i i have even run in asked to borrow tools and then returned them and they have always helped out!