I’m extremely disappointed with both…
I’m extremely disappointed with both the service and build quality I received from Halfords after purchasing four bikes, all marketed as high-quality models at a premium price point. I even paid extra for Halfords’ build service, expecting a professional standard. What I got instead was a frustrating experience from start to finish, and unsafe bikes that clearly were not assembled by specialists. I purchased the bikes on a Sunday, and was told they would be ready for collection by Wednesday. However, after making payment, the collection date was changed to Friday. I accepted the delay, but when I arrived on Friday, none of the bikes were ready. I called Halfords' main line and was informed the store manager would contact me but I never received a call. I returned on Saturday, and again, the bikes still weren’t built. I finally went back on Sunday, assuming that with a full week and the bikes in stock, the build would be completed and of a good standard. Unfortunately, this was far from the case. All four bikes were built poorly and inconsistently. There were loose nuts, crooked handlebars, improperly secured built-in stands, and reflectors fitted upside down or in the wrong place. To make matters worse, two of the bikes were identical models but were assembled differently. After just one day, the brake pads on my toddler’s bike fell off. A week later, on another bike for my 5-year-old, the entire front brake mechanism, which had clearly been left loose, came off while riding downhill, causing her to lose control & crash into bramble bushes. It was frightening, dangerous, and completely avoidable. This experience has shown that Halfords staff are not bike specialists. These are general retail employees being tasked with assembling bikes, including children's bikes where safety is critical. As the saying goes, jack of all trades, master of none. For anyone considering buying a bike from Halfords, especially for children, I strongly recommend going to a dedicated bike shop where bikes are built by trained professionals who take care and responsibility for their work. I won’t be returning.