Tried searching and couldn’t find anything

Getting bike to work vouchers through work for Halfords. These two look like they have similar spec. One ali and one steel.

I’m imaging that some people have had a similar choice. Who has these bikes and what are they like?

Also if anyone has any other suggestions around the same price from shos that accept the halfords vouchers.

Cheers

Andy

Choices

Boardman Team
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_502095_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

or

Voodoo Wanga
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_515341_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

Halfords can (or at least could) get On Ones in, and sell them on their scheme… Might be worth a look on the On One website…

The Boardmans are very highly rated though in terms of value for money, they’re a proper head down arse up style old school XC bike but you don’t half get a lot of kit for what you pay.

Look pretty similar spec to me. FWIW I love my Voodoo(SS) and choose it over a much more expensive Yeti most of the time!

Take your vouchers to an LBS, a fair few of them accept the Halfords ones.

Alternatively, Halfords can order in bikes from other brands.

I got a GT Aggressor xcr for £749.99 which has never let me down in the year I have had It. Pretty well specced for the money.

XT chainset
Marzocci TST44 Forks
Juicy 3 brakes

Halfords Can’t get On Ones

The Voodoo would be my choice just over the Boardman

Very happy voodoo bantu owner here.

Got a Boardman under the same scheme, nice bike, well specced & rides well. No complaints here. Voodoo looks pretty much on a par when seen in the shop though – for the snob factor (and exists – after riding my Boardman up the hills) it doesn’t make any difference as everyone will know where either came from.

Workmates have used the tokens to get Merlin Malts & Genesis bikes too so you’re not very limited.

Another workmate got offered a last years GT at a damn good price by Halfords so I’d phone the CTW phone line & ask if they’ve got any bargains going.

J

Check the Letter Of Collection Voucher first – you may find you can use it in lots of shops – if it is the same as the one our company does then it is only Halfords which adminstrer the scheme – they just “suggest” you get the bike form Halfords – under our scheme you can go to Condor / Cycle Surgery etc.

The acid test is phone the Halfors team and tell them you want a Brompton – Brompton won’t sell to Halfords so they will have to advice you which other shops you could use the voucher in to get the “Brompton”

Personally i’d get the Wanga. I’m not anti-Boardman (I have a Boardman road bike), I just like the spec more – I prefer the Raceface finishing kit and Geax tyres.

HB47 you’re wrong i’m afraid, we have a good relationship with Brompton, it’s just an easier process for you to go to a local Brompton dealer

The Boardman’s are well specced for the money no doubt, but if I ever go to Halfords to buy a bike then that Wanga is the only bike I’d bother with.

it would be the voodoo for me,
but i am a steel junkie.

Had to make a similar choice a while back – insurance at the time only used Halfords.

I was all fired up about the Voodoo but when I actually physically picked up the bikes I performed a total U turn – the weight difference is astonishing and I went for the Boardman.

Down to personal choice & a test ride would be ideal but I think impossible. Use their search to see if you can get to a store that has both & at least have a little sit on each & pedal around the store if not car park.

Beware though, if you get the Voodoo Wanga & I see you innocently cycling by I will point & shout “WANGA!!!!” at you 🙂

I have/had a Wanga, but not a Halfords, an original import before they grabbed the franchise.

Loved it, and will be building it back up ASAP as either a 1×9 or a single speeder for evening jaunts

I got the Bokor recently and I really like it. only thing you may need to do is consider different tyres for the winter, in the dry the geax are very good but as soon as it gets wet and sloppy like you get in the UK they don’t cope.

I’ve done no more that had a quick look at them in my local Halfords but both look good bikes. Of the two I’d probably go for the Wanga myself.

Had a Wanga, sold it on here and miss it a bit, lovely nimble ride.
However the slidy dropouts are a real pain to get tight, I found my chain kept falling off when I put the power on round a corner, real old skool flexy frame.

I have a wanga waiting for me at halfords in ipswich, I’m just waiting for my letter from work to go and pick it up. as it’s last years bike it was reduced to only £765. 🙂

The more expensive Boardman HTs are excellent quick lively singletrack machines. Once winter passes they deserve better tyres but the stock ones aren’t too bad in mud. Shorter stem is a nice upgrade too. Apparently they’re more comfy than heavier alu alloy frames and some steel ones but I haven’t ridden enough others to comment. For rougher rockier straighter trails I’d lean towards something more slack angled.

But with a boardman you cant say ‘ Ive got a big red wanga’…snigger 8)

I bought a £400 complete Wanga last January on an impulse.
I found it hard to shift the pieces for the same money back, but I did have fun with the frame for a while and broke even – if you ignore the hours of selling and packaging up.

I got a boardman team frame and fitted a120mm fox fork, slx gears and deore wheels, Easton bars. It’s a bit more trail riding oriented than the shop spec and jolly good fun.

AlasdairMc – Member

“Take your vouchers to an LBS, a fair few of them accept the Halfords ones.

Alternatively, Halfords can order in bikes from other brands.”

And both ways you’ll almost certainly get an inferior bike for the same money 😕 Fact is the Boardman and Halfords ranges are class leaders, if they fit you and suit you there’s no reason other than snobbery to discount them. Whereas if you do get another brand brought in it’ll be at RRP.