Halfords Bikehut. Anygood?

[Gazza AK47]

I'm starting my new job in about a week and its a couple of miles up the road from me and it seems pointless driving to work.

My experiences of the Halfords car shop has not been good, but as I'm a mechanic/mot tester I'm gonna be picky.

I don't want this to be another anti-Halfords slagging thread, I just want to know what the Bikehut side of the buisness is like as I need a new push bike, Bearing in mind I used to race bikes, but I have been out of the saddle a good few years. My BIG belly is evidence of that. And as there seems to be a lack of bike shops in and Truro, Bikehut seems the only option as I don't want to buy off the internet as I want to sit and get a feel of the bike to start with.

 

[Hellcat]

They have some decent bikes there, GT and Koni as well as their own brand Carerra (Don't bother with Apollo). Have a flick through the mountain bike mags and see if any come with Halfords vouchers. I managed to get a 2000 Carerra Hellcat for £470 down from £699 with vouchers from MBUK, etc.

 

[Cr@zy]

they are o.k, im my experience they are abit of a fraud on bikes aswell but yea go for KONI or GT but if you want a proper bike go for a SPECIALIZED or a good CLAUD BUTLER!

 

[custard]

how much you looking to spend?just for commuting?

http://www.touchlocal.com/nat/c-184-t-24612-Bike+Shops-Truro

 

[serin]

i bought a £99 pound apollo for work, and its still going strong

infact, the old apollo "laser" i was bought for my cycling proficancy test still all works. I only stoped riding it as a peddle broke off (but that had been ruined when i was run over on it )

 

[faster4_tec]

you don't get turner's in bikehut
frame only in uk £1595, from US of A, £960 new inc import tax's and shipping

thats just the frame mind, everything else costs £££ (mine was blue)

 

[Gazza AK47]

Hmm bit extreme just to go to work on and the odd bit leisure riding. My old Road bike had top flight Reynolds tubing with full Campagnola group set on it, did some good times on that old bike.

 

[Vickster]

Is there not an Evans cycles or a specialist bike shop near you? I have a Giant Hybrid, cost me £250ish once I'd shelled out for new pedals, lights, mudguards etc ... perfectly good for commuting (I do 5 miles each way)

I looked in Halfords and was told their bikes are cr*p and to go elsewhere

 

[custard]

you don't get turner's in bikehut
frame only in uk £1595, from US of A, £960 new inc import tax's and shipping

thats just the frame mind, everything else costs £££ (mine was blue)

a little pointless on this thread dont you think?

for the OP,the bulk of budget-low end bikes are made by kinesis so often are fairly decent and just rebadged.
kept maintained a cheap bike can last for yonks.
did you follow the link in my 1st post?

 

[ChrisUK]

Well I bought a Saracen Xray 2years ago for £320 and rode it twice lol. I will sell it for £130 if anyone is intrested .

 

[faster4_tec]

a little pointless on this thread dont you think?

yes, but I enjoy bragging, its probably the only thing I CAN brag about since I drive a 8year old green fiat punot

it may have cost a fortune to put together, but I've enjoy every minute I ride it, and I ride it a lot, so neeeigihh (Don't ask what the hell that word is mean't to be)

 

[SkinzCinqSporting]

Yeah but my BMX cost me £300 and maybe another £150 in parts and I enjoyed every minute of that, proof big bucks bikes aren't needed for thrills

 

[faster4_tec]

their needed for not having nasty accidents when substandard parts fail on you on a moutain at 3000ft (or 5000ft in the alps ) leaving you injured, un mobile to probably die.

so no I think its worth it.

you can buy a sweet bmx for £300, but I doubt you'd do the same tricks and same riding on a bmx costing £59.99 from argo's would you

 

[SkinzCinqSporting]

their needed for not having nasty accidents when substandard parts fail on you on a moutain at 3000ft (or 5000ft in the alps ) leaving you injured, un mobile to probably die.

so no I think its worth it.

you can buy a sweet bmx for £300, but I doubt you'd do the same tricks and same riding on a bmx costing £59.99 from argo's would you

Granted, plus I snapped an budget Ally 26" dirtjump frame once by way of a large impact with a tree! Glad I had been spat off before it hit the tree mind

 

[Hellcat]

I looked in Halfords and was told their bikes are cr*p and to go elsewhere

Evans can be good, but they are few and far between. Certainly not one anywhere local to me.

Who told you Halfords bikes are crap? My Carerra Hellcat was great.. so good some thieving scum stole it in broad daylight outside a busy University on CCTV..

 

[pinin__prestatyn]

Not as tasty as pizza hut :yum:

 

[faster4_tec]

carrera make some good stuff.

was tempted when a 2004 LRS2 (2nd best kitted out of a series of 4) came up in our local halfrauds for £550 instead of the usual £1399.

I could have bought it, ridden it for a few months then split it up for parts and sold for around £6-800 in parts
decided to go get it.
arrived at halfrauds and they were just packing it up to send it to another store as it wasn't selling in theres!!! I said I wanted it, look heres £50 cash I'll pay the rest on debit card, and then they said it had been sold elsewhere and they were sending it to warrington?

anyway, was a bit pished off, especially since the dep manager lives next door, although I was sort of seeing his daughter at the time, hence why he wouldn't help me, she was worth it though:yum:

 

[Vickster]

Who told you Halfords bikes are crap

I tried to edit that post to say that it was actually the sales guys in Halfords who told me their bikes are cr*p for the money and told me to go to Evans Not good if your staff think the product is rubbish

I got mine from Action Bikes locally who were extremely helpful; note they are a franchise though and there are 2 branches near here, one is great the other is pretty poor

 

[custard]

carrera get a decent write up,unfortunatly the best deals are online so unless you are happy to shop online its what you can get local.
dont forget the local selling papers,gumtree,ebay(local) etc

 

[Hellcat]

anyway, was a bit pished off, especially since the dep manager lives next door, although I was sort of seeing his daughter at the time, hence why he wouldn't help me, she was worth it though:yum:

LOL

As for Halfords guy saying their bikes are crap.. maybe they were being let go and wanted to get some revenge?

Check out the sales - Bunny got a GT I-drive 4 for £500 down from £1000

I should also suggest buying 2nd hand.. I got a mint condition Specialized FSR Extreme for £500 - £1500 new