Just looking for examples of Halfords being involved in fraudulent activities...I see 'Halfrauds' here enough to realise that there must have been a number of pretty high profile cases that passed me by.
Can anyone point me to any links etc?
Cheers
Lol, to be fair some of halfrauds staff are getting more knowledgeable the more bike kit they are knocking out at decent click and collect prices!
Can anyone point me to any links etc?
'Halfrauds' started being used after [url=
story.[/url]
What are you on about?
Ive paid halfords money for a bike and it arrived and was exactly as described and rather good.
Nah Jamie that's the one where Shimano were exposed as using faeces to make their products, leading to the "Shitmano" scandal.
Ah, my mistake. Must have been [url=
one[/url] then.
I cant believe I've just been rickroll'd
Chapeau Jamie....
I cant believe I've just been rickroll'd
What now?
twice??
Well done Jamie, 10/10!
I've had a couple of bikes from them and not had a problem. Staff have been really helpful too.
With 100's of stores,there are bound to be some poor experiences.
I think people rush to whinge about them.
Quality!
Could have been worse, could have been a link to download a virus! We are all so trustworthy on here.
I bought a bike from them in 2007. The saga would take all night, solicitors would need to be involved again, and I may have the restraining order re-imposed.
Best not.
I see them as being one of the biggest threats to the traditional lbs trade
I had a terrible experience in 2009, where I used them to source my cycle to work scheme bike.
They ordered me a bike from a brand they don't usually stock, and it was delivered promptly when they said it would be. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and the bike itself was well set up. The person doing the transaction even asked if I wanted the naff reflectors fitted that it came with before I left, were happy to do so, but assumed I'd not want them. They were right.
Overall I still have sleepless nights knowing they'd allowed me to leave the store with a a non fat tyre, non rigid, non singlespeed with clown wheels bike that might not fit into an Audi.
They changed some really awkward to get at bulbs on my car for about 6 quid. The bastards.
Never had a problem on the few occasions I have used Halfords.
Can't say the same for a few LBS I've used though ..
They did undercut every LBS in my vicinity by nearly £30 on a XT cassette and had the audacity to help me dislodge the stuck old one for the princely sum of £0!
PS I really wanted the LBS' to come up trumps but they wouldn't budge from £70 and even offered to remove the old one for a tenner. It does make it hard to chose the 'right' option!
They do great socket sets. Buy some pro ones when the sales are on.
I've got two Boardman bikes from Halfords which have pretty much faultless...
I went in once because there was something I needed.
They had it.
I bought it.
Bastards.
I've got no issue with them. I rarely buy bike stuff from them and it was all fine.
I'm usually in their for motorbike & car related sundries.
Top-tip: their Halford Pro socket sets are great value and quality.
Never had an issue with them apart from when they said they had Argon bottles in stock and didn't when I turned up.
orangeboy - MemberI see them as being one of the biggest threats to the traditional lbs trade
Did they introduce a myriad of competing standards that LBS's cannot possibly hope to stock?
Did they suggest that £2000.00 was the amount a beginner should be looking at to spend on a first decent MTB?
No, that would be the bike industry and their media chums.
Both of which are bigger threats to the long term survivability of the LBS than Halfords, imo.
Rickrolling Jamie? 2004 wants it's internet back. [url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1PBptSDIh8]GET OUT[/url]
They used to be fairly shocking as a place to buy crap gear at over inflated prices, and then there was the bike stuff. They hit a good market with own brand/cheap filters and oil etc and having all the stuff fora cheap diy car service in stock.
The problem in the Bike Hut was generally due to it being staffed by the same guy who sold banging stereos to the chavs.
It seems they have a business model of buy lots and undercut the rest, probably subsidised by having the shop costs paid for by the automotive side. They managed to upset hope by not sticking to price guides and wanting more discount and to undercut all the LBS - hope told them to go as they saw the value in the LBS in their business model.
Often buy bits and pieces from them or decathlon. I used to use a little independent in the centre of Southampton but he ended up closing (nice guy, commuting and utility focused shop) but with the proper shops being far from central if I need a tube or puncture kit or cable caps etc I am not going to take the car to work to do an eight mile trip to get that sort of thing.
It's not the bike bits that earned them that nickname. Price up a set of discs and pads for your car from them. Then give your local independent car factors a call. You can probably buy a full service kit (oil, filters and plugs) with the difference.
They changed some really awkward to get at bulbs on my car for about 6 quid. The bastards.
My lbs wouldnt even entertain doing that for me. Workshy layabouts....
Difference between local auto factors and halfords is the quality of the parts yiu are buying.
If you price up like for like they wont be much more expensive
A lot of motor factors **sell cheap brake pads that are verging on dangerous, and wear our in double quick time
** sweeping statement, not all auto factors sell cheap imported parts
I'm an idiot, what is an auto factor?
Inserts hidden meatspin link [u]HERE[/u]
Anyway, back on track. I view anyone who writes "Halfrauds" or other such witty play on words as being a twunt
(Daily fail/Heil excluded)
Decent set of brake pads ordered on Wednesday, delivered to my local store on Thursday.
Bastards
Went in last night looking for a head unit for the van. Saw one at £79.99 , sales bloke said come back tomorrow it's gonna be £25. Can you believe the cheek of it.
Your honour I bring to te attention of the court [url= http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomphillips/the-12-types-of-people-you-find-in-news-webite-comments?s=mobile ]'exhibit 2'[/url]
They sold me a double-din head unit for the focus for 1/3rd the price it was elsewhere. C****
They even had the cheek to remove half the trim on my car to change a bulb, replace it all properly, and then charge me £6 for the privelage of them doing it there and then while I had to wait!
I even blagged a new new cassette under warrenty for my MTB when it wore out in <6 months. The mechanic even too the time to go through a long list of what wasn't wrong with my bike when I asked loads of stupid questions like "why is there play here" (shimano freehub), "why doesn't the adjuster work" (blanking topcap on fork). Not quite so wet behind the ears now, or at least I know that cassetts dont last indefinately!
Anyway, back on track. I view anyone who writes "Halfrauds" or other such witty play on words as being a twunt
I see what you did there.
(Did you?)
Yes, yes I did
Rusty Spanner - Member"I see them as being one of the biggest threats to the traditional lbs trade"
Did they introduce a myriad of competing standards that LBS's cannot possibly hope to stock?
Did they suggest that £2000.00 was the amount a beginner should be looking at to spend on a first decent MTB?
No, that would be the bike industry and their media chums.
Both of which are bigger threats to the long term survivability of the LBS than Halfords, imo.
Sir, you make an excellent point.
Anyway, back on track. I view anyone who writes "Halfrauds" or other such witty play on words as being a twunt
(Daily fail/Heil excluded)
This is what I mean. I put it up there with 'wendyball' and other wacky things...
Mate of mine who spanners in a proper traditional LBS reckons that without Halfords and mailorder bike they'd go out of business- sure it costs them sales of bikes, but it keeps the workshop going and the workshop keeps the shop going.
Though, tbh my nearest Halfords is one of the good ones, it's a good sign when you walk in and one of the bikehut staff has his own dh bike in the stand working on it. I've bought a couple of bikes from them over the years and had mostly excellent service- needed a warranty replacement freehub part, they couldn't guarantee a fast delivery so they pinched a whole wheel from a display bike and gave it to me. On average they've been better than the average bike shop (and much better than Hope 😉 )
Quality! [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRAX-TR1-MOUNTAIN-BIKE-/251690128528?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item3a99e69490 ]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRAX-TR1-MOUNTAIN-BIKE-/251690128528?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item3a99e69490[/url]
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[i]I see them as being one of the biggest threats to the traditional lbs trade[/i]
Maybe the traditional lbs needs to up its game then.
The 'halfrauds' thing is a great way to identify people that can't think for themselves.
Mostly, not always, but mostly the fork on backwards thing happens when a customer asks to the handlebars to be turned 90' so they can get it in the car. When they get home instead of turning the bars back 90' they turn the wheel another 90'. Hey presto, the fork is on backwards.
Alternatively as there is a £20 build charge on a Trax a lot of customers take them away as a boxed bike and build it themselves. Hardly halfords fault if they don't turn the forks round when they get it out of the box...
[URL= http://i.imgur.com/GpraCgG.jp g" target="_blank">
I use my local one mainly for inner tubes lube etc the staff in there rank from being quite good to shocking but i always bear that in mind when I go in,BUT when a work mate who has been bitten by the bug asked where to go to by a bike for about £500/600 pointed him to halfords with a list of suitable brands
I just bought some screen wash from them. Its fruits of the forest scented. Saved me £1.99 on a air freshener, I just wash the screen instead. Bastards.
Maybe the traditional lbs needs to up its game then
+1
I really try and support my two LBS's - one fully independent and one that is part of a small (6 shops I think) Scottish chain - but it probably is time to give up on them.
Things I have tried and failed to buy from them this year - a floor pump, cone wrenches, a torque wrench, a bottle of Stans, brake pads for XT brakes, some grips that aren't Bontrager, and some bar end plugs.
I'd even be happy to wait if there was a bit of enthusiasm from the monosyllabic youths that mope about to get the items in, but that doesn't seem to be an option even if I suggest it! Currently into week 3 of waiting for my bottle of Stans, which needs to travel a whole 65 miles from the big branch.
Deary me...
I bought my bike and it was assembled correctly and the gears etc were all set up and indexed right. Bunch of sods they are!!!!
I don't think this has gone the way the op hoped it would
Interesting to see the impact halfords new relaunched 'cycle republic' brand has on the bike industry, especially in London.
Halfords have announced 30 stores for London, following opening of the first store at Euston Tower.
Rumours are a buy out and rebrand of existing cycle surgery stores from snow&rock group, as their owner LGV put their entire portfolio up for sale last year following Legal and General winding down their investment arm LGV.
Cycle republic is headed by the former retail director of Evans Cycles, who has been 'acquiring' a number of store managers from said former employer.
The times they are a changing....
I don't think this has gone the way the op hoped it would
I think it did.
Damn you Jamie (shakes fist in air!!)
Pook - Member
I don't think this has gone the way the op hoped it would
Not sure why this thread has been resurrected...but pretty much what I was trying to say.