The MTB thread

get them to build it then take to a local reputable shop/home mecanic to be pdi'd i get allot of ppl with bikes straight from the store

[maviczap]

TBH Nobby, it'll arrive pre assembled in a box & all they need to do is slot the wheels in & tighten up the handlebars.

PDI check will check to gears sync & brakes work, that's about it..

If you're not happy do as rp16 says, my Hoodoo came out of Halfrauds working fine, the gear cables will need adjusting after a few rides, after that it'll be fine.

[northwind]

Yeah, my cross bike came from Halfords pretty much immaculate- the cables were a little over-long but that's a factory job not a shop job, and anyway could have been useful for people adjusting the setup. Otherwise, as good as I would have done it myself.

But! My Halfords is good, other halfordses are not so good. Way I see it, is the prices are better than what you'd pay for mailorder so the shop service is a bonus. So if it's terrible, you're no worse off, if it's good then you're golden.

Bikes aren't complicated machines but there are tricks so if you don't know your way around at least a bit, not a bad idea to have someone else take a look- if not a shop then a mate.

northwind am i right in thinking u are one and same of the stw massive? the sheer mention of cross bike got me ticking boxes

[northwind]

Guilty as charged, there can be only one

[Nobbylad]

Thanks peeps.

Mate owns a bike shop so will ask him to take a look.

He'll probs tel me to booger off for buying it from Halfords and not him

haha thought as much i remember your bike from the pic threads,u must have the cx team then sooooo sexy but the tricross is so versatile i cant change as can do road races due to no discs but also ride bristols trails

[Steve_God]

Originally Posted by Nobbylad

Anyone know of any review sites that rate different Halfords stores for their bike building skills?

Having had one of my best mates work at Halfords for several years in his younger day, it's pot luck, even within a particular store.

He was constantly complaining about having to put right repairs that his colleagues hadn't done correctly, yet he was excellent at it. They pay low for the skills, and it reflects in the consistency of who you get. For example, I recently took mine to Halfords at Leigh (free service with O2), and they were pretty good, however that was only because their main mechanic happened to be out front at the time, and explained the issues there were with the bike. However none of that info was on the printed thing I would've got from a random person fetching my bike from the bike who hadn't dealt with it themselves.

TL;DR: It's pot luck.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by rp16v

haha thought as much i remember your bike from the pic threads,u must have the cx team then sooooo sexy but the tricross is so versatile i cant change as can do road races due to no discs but also ride bristols trails

Nah, I had a Voodoo Limba- think there's probably pics of it in this thread somewhere but this one:


cross by Northwindlowlander, on Flickr

Fair to say, I am never going to be a proper cx rider

ah yes iv had a look over those before seem a nice build apart from canties i changed mine almost instant to mini v's now it stops dead when needed with loads of modulation handy if coming from mtb( have a spare set if any intrest)