Halfords - what are you smoking now?!

[jamiebae]

Yet another version of the same generic TDF/Zelos/whatever frame and fork combo seems to have been launched, now called the Karkinos.

It has Tourney shifters (yuk) and a cheapo unbranded chainset, although at least it's a compact and not the full size one the TDF had.

However, the size guide is, erm, interesting...

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/c...

Apparently I should order a 54cm frame size! I'm 186cm tall and usually ride a 58 so I can only begin to imagine how uncomfortable I'd be on a 54. If you're only 5'10" you're fine on a 51cm frame, which probably isn't far off having 650C wheels, and stabilisers.

Look out for some really uncomfy novice cyclists in a town near you!

[TheLemming]

Also the "was" price is getting less and less realistic.

On what planet was that ever a £700 bike?!

Some of the 13 and Boardman range are quite nice, but that's another rehash of the current Virtuoso / TDF - £80 more than last years TDF at the sale price with a gruppo downgraded to tourney...

[pembo]

I spotted this when in there the other week at full price! Reasonable colour scheme, terrible finish all round, I pointed it out and said 'That will be half price in a few weeks and it will still be too much'.
Looks like I was right.

[Barchettaman]

Nice colours, looks like a Cube/Focus rip off.

Sensible crankset but it looks like the 14-28 threaded freewheel, so if anything it'll be undergeared.

I can't comment on Tourney STI shifters as I've never used them but they're probably OK.

Sizing is probably right actually with its sloping top tube.

At £297, probably still £50 overpriced. The Merlin PR7 is the segment killer at the moment around £300 but they're (unsurprisingly) all sold out.

All IMVHO of course.

The Pendleton Initial at a post-discount £225 is, however, the deal of the decade, for the ladies!

[Mr Will]

jamiebae said:

Apparently I should order a 54cm frame size! I'm 186cm tall and usually ride a 58 so I can only begin to imagine how uncomfortable I'd be on a 54. If you're only 5'10" you're fine on a 51cm frame, which probably isn't far off having 650C wheels, and stabilisers.

I suspect those are 'true' frame-sizes, rather than 'horizontal equivalent' frame-sizes and as such the size guide is correct.

[TheLemming]

Barchettaman said:

Nice colours, looks like a Cube/Focus rip off.

Sensible crankset but it looks like the 14-28 threaded freewheel, so if anything it'll be undergeared.

I can't comment on Tourney STI shifters as I've never used them but they're probably OK.

Sizing is probably right actually with its sloping top tube.

At £297, probably still £50 overpriced. The Merlin PR7 is the segment killer at the moment around £300 but they're (unsurprisingly) all sold out.

All IMVHO of course.

The Pendleton Initial at a post-discount £225 is, however, the deal of the decade, for the ladies!

Tourney are horrible... IMHO of course

The Pendleton is down to £202 by my count if you include the 10% off everything this weekend and British Cycling discount (expect another 10% off everything weekend first weekend in December)

[anonymous-user]

Mr Will said:

I suspect those are 'true' frame-sizes, rather than 'horizontal equivalent' frame-sizes and as such the size guide is correct.

So it's not Halfords who have been smoking something then?!

[Barchettaman]

They were certainly on something when they put that bike up at £699 to begin with.

[jamiebae]

Mr Will said:

jamiebae said:

Apparently I should order a 54cm frame size! I'm 186cm tall and usually ride a 58 so I can only begin to imagine how uncomfortable I'd be on a 54. If you're only 5'10" you're fine on a 51cm frame, which probably isn't far off having 650C wheels, and stabilisers.

I suspect those are 'true' frame-sizes, rather than 'horizontal equivalent' frame-sizes and as such the size guide is correct.

Really? It looks like a small and a medium based on the sizing of the TDF, and no 'large' size available. Surely they would follow what appears to be the industry standard for sizing rather than going their own way?

To the other poster asking about Tourney shifters, they are a clunkier 7 speed version of the old 2300 models, with the thumb shift on the hood.

[littleandy0410]

TheLemming said:

Tourney are horrible... IMHO of course

The Pendleton is down to £202 by my count if you include the 10% off everything this weekend and British Cycling discount (expect another 10% off everything weekend first weekend in December)

Has anyone on here actually got the extra 10% BC discount on top of one of their 10% off weekends? I bought their new usb lights (that look remarkably similar to Lezyne ones) yesterday for £18, and was told the discount wouldn't go through on top of the 10% off already applied. Not worth arguing for £1.80, but worth knowing for larger purchases.

[Chebble]

Barchettaman said:

They were certainly on something when they put that bike up at £699 to begin with.

It's a standard retail tactic though, and a successful one at that. To someone who knows absolutely nothing about bikes, it looks like a fantastic deal. They just see the 'was' price and fixate on that.

It's a perfectly adequate bike for those that use them sporadically.

[Nikolai]

Mr Will said:

jamiebae said:

Apparently I should order a 54cm frame size! I'm 186cm tall and usually ride a 58 so I can only begin to imagine how uncomfortable I'd be on a 54. If you're only 5'10" you're fine on a 51cm frame, which probably isn't far off having 650C wheels, and stabilisers.

I suspect those are 'true' frame-sizes, rather than 'horizontal equivalent' frame-sizes and as such the size guide is correct.

I'm wading in late on this one but for anyone else thinking of one of these...I have the 2013 Zelos and I'm 6'1" on a 54cm frame! Definitely off sizing. I had to change the lengthy stem to a 100mm as I was too stretched out before. It was supposed to be a cheap commuter bike and you can get some decent speed up but everything wore out in 6 months.

[anonymous-user]

littleandy0410 said:

Has anyone on here actually got the extra 10% BC discount on top of one of their 10% off weekends? I bought their new usb lights (that look remarkably similar to Lezyne ones) yesterday for £18, and was told the discount wouldn't go through on top of the 10% off already applied. Not worth arguing for £1.80, but worth knowing for larger purchases.

I asked this yesterday as I'm buying a bike and want to combo some deals.

They said at the tills they are only allowed to apply 1 discount so on a 10% weekend that's it.

They also kindly told me how to get around it . Order the item/bike from the website for store pick up and pay when you get to store. The website sends it through to them with the 10% already removed so then the till staff have the ability to apply the BCA discount.

HTH

[littleandy0410]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Fingers crossed that works for you then, but that's the way I bought the lights- reserved online as I wanted to check they had stock before making a special trip.

ETA: Don't forget to also get the extra 10% off by buying gift vouchers online and getting them sent recorded delivery, assuming you've got time to do this before you buy. (Which I guess you now haven't if you're buying during the current 10% off deal.)

Edited by littleandy0410 on Saturday 1st November 12:31

[anonymous-user]

littleandy0410 said:

Fingers crossed that works for you then, but that's the way I bought the lights- reserved online as I wanted to check they had stock before making a special trip.

ETA: Don't forget to also get the extra 10% off by buying gift vouchers online and getting them sent recorded delivery, assuming you've got time to do this before you buy. (Which I guess you now haven't if you're buying during the current 10% off deal.)

Edited by littleandy0410 on Saturday 1st November 12:31

I'm doing it at the end of Nov but yeah doing the voucher thing