Tredz and Wheelies sold to Halfords
Discussion
I've started using the new Cycle Republic on Fenchurch Street as it's near my office. First impressions are pretty positive - they have good stock and, more importantly, the staff seem really helpful and engaged. (To be clear, I've no commercial interest but I know Halfords get a lot of brickbats from cyclists so wanted to give a bouquet where due.)
pablo said:
Just came up on bikebiz.com
Could be a good thing, gives them dedicated store fronts away from their existing car-based outlets. Havent they got some posher branded bike only places in London?
I ordered something from Tredz once as they were the cheapest for a particular item and they were pretty poor in terms of customer service and lead time. I see from there web site they have three shops. I wonder what they are going to do with them. Could be a good thing, gives them dedicated store fronts away from their existing car-based outlets. Havent they got some posher branded bike only places in London?
Never used Wheelies, so can't comment on them.
If its true, I don't really understand the purchase and what they will get out of it.
I work at Monument and I keep meaning to have a walk up to Cycle Republic for a browse.
bakerstreet said:
I ordered something from Tredz once as they were the cheapest for a particular item and they were pretty poor in terms of customer service and lead time. I see from there web site they have three shops. I wonder what they are going to do with them.
Never used Wheelies, so can't comment on them.
If its true, I don't really understand the purchase and what they will get out of it.
I work at Monument and I keep meaning to have a walk up to Cycle Republic for a browse.
I've mixed experiences. I bought my bike from Tredz and when it developed a BB problem after a few months they were happy to look at it...but only if I agreed to ship it back to them. I reluctantly did so but after that I have to say they were spot on, with a long chat with the tech and a new BB.Never used Wheelies, so can't comment on them.
If its true, I don't really understand the purchase and what they will get out of it.
I work at Monument and I keep meaning to have a walk up to Cycle Republic for a browse.
I guess that's online selling though. Would be happy to buy from them again though.
I had a great experience with Halfords (Wickham Rd Croydon I think it is) last week.
I ordered for in-store collection 2x ass-saver at £1.
Later in the day I had a cheery call from a real person at the store who said he'd got the items ready and they'd be upstairs in store (where the bike department is). I was able to ask him to hang on to them for a couple of days longer than the default instore collection time because I'd realised that I wasn't going to end up doing my cycle commute home which passes near the store until then which they willingly agreed to.
When I went to pick-up there was no problem, it was open until 8pm so plenty of time to get there and paid my £2. The guy that served me was knowledgeable and friendly. They had a quick look at the bike for me too, because my chain had snapped on the way and I just wanted to check the chain was still long enough.
I know they get a rough reputation and I don't like the look of their BSOs but to take such care and be genuinely interested was very refreshing. I'll try and remember in future to check their prices when looking at things and consider them where I mightn't have done before.
I ordered for in-store collection 2x ass-saver at £1.
Later in the day I had a cheery call from a real person at the store who said he'd got the items ready and they'd be upstairs in store (where the bike department is). I was able to ask him to hang on to them for a couple of days longer than the default instore collection time because I'd realised that I wasn't going to end up doing my cycle commute home which passes near the store until then which they willingly agreed to.
When I went to pick-up there was no problem, it was open until 8pm so plenty of time to get there and paid my £2. The guy that served me was knowledgeable and friendly. They had a quick look at the bike for me too, because my chain had snapped on the way and I just wanted to check the chain was still long enough.
I know they get a rough reputation and I don't like the look of their BSOs but to take such care and be genuinely interested was very refreshing. I'll try and remember in future to check their prices when looking at things and consider them where I mightn't have done before.
I have had mixed experiences with Halfords. They have routinely balls things up but the resolution has often led to free stuff or replacements so bitter sweet really. I can't say that I have ever been truly impressed with any bike shop entirely. Halfords at least are happy to hold their hands up. I wouldn't take my bike there for a service though but by no means a halfords hater.
My latest go to places have been Halfords and Tredz, I've not had bad experiences with either - Tredz did delay a delivery recently, I ordered 3 "in stock" items and it turned out 1 wasn't in stock but they called me an hour or so after my order and asked if I wanted the 2 items sent ahead of the 3rd - I wasn't desperate so waited for all to come together.
I've found Halfords to be quite competitive on certain items (if they stock what you want) - plus with BC discount, 10% offers and the reloadable card (at 10% discount) you can pick up a bargain!
Maybe the buyout will increase the brands Halfords stock or give the ability to Click and Collect to local stores...
I've found Halfords to be quite competitive on certain items (if they stock what you want) - plus with BC discount, 10% offers and the reloadable card (at 10% discount) you can pick up a bargain!
Maybe the buyout will increase the brands Halfords stock or give the ability to Click and Collect to local stores...
Seems a strange purchase to me, Tredz is a pretty small outfit compared to Halfords and they're not a least at the moment planning to rebrand their in-store cycle areas as Tredz or Wheelies - I think it might go the other way hand Halfords will suck all the goodwill out of the Tredz brand for as long as it's got life in it to sell their usual crappy BSOs like they've done with Cycle brands over the years.
As for their stores, well Tredz opened in Cardiff a few years ago, the best thing (maybe the only good thing) about them was they opened on a Sunday when almost none of the other bike shops did which meant when I found something had broken in the Shed overnight I could go there rather than Halfords, their workshop is actually pretty good - but whenever I've tried to use them it's "yeah we can do that mate, bring her around, then they slap their stickers on it, take all your details and casually drop in it's going to be 3 weeks to do it".
Their website isn't much better, notorious for selling things as being "in stock" before you get the boilerplate e-mail saying "oh dear it seems they've lost in in the warehouse - it'll be 2 weeks" and it turns up after 3.
As for their stores, well Tredz opened in Cardiff a few years ago, the best thing (maybe the only good thing) about them was they opened on a Sunday when almost none of the other bike shops did which meant when I found something had broken in the Shed overnight I could go there rather than Halfords, their workshop is actually pretty good - but whenever I've tried to use them it's "yeah we can do that mate, bring her around, then they slap their stickers on it, take all your details and casually drop in it's going to be 3 weeks to do it".
Their website isn't much better, notorious for selling things as being "in stock" before you get the boilerplate e-mail saying "oh dear it seems they've lost in in the warehouse - it'll be 2 weeks" and it turns up after 3.
Halfords' website had Conti inner tubes at £2.99. In store they were £6.99. So, standing at the till with my phone I did the click-and-collect thing on half a dozen of them (I like to keep a few in my store), showed the chap the evidence on my phone, and paid the lower value.
No quibbles, although the guy laughed because no-one had done that before. I was surprised about that.
Their BSOs are rubbish and it does worry me that so many people are introduced to cycling through their BSOs but the fact they are investing in cycling at all has to be a good thing.
No quibbles, although the guy laughed because no-one had done that before. I was surprised about that.
Their BSOs are rubbish and it does worry me that so many people are introduced to cycling through their BSOs but the fact they are investing in cycling at all has to be a good thing.
Watchman said:
Halfords' website had Conti inner tubes at £2.99. In store they were £6.99. So, standing at the till with my phone I did the click-and-collect thing on half a dozen of them (I like to keep a few in my store), showed the chap the evidence on my phone, and paid the lower value.
No quibbles, although the guy laughed because no-one had done that before. I was surprised about that.
Their BSOs are rubbish and it does worry me that so many people are introduced to cycling through their BSOs but the fact they are investing in cycling at all has to be a good thing.
BSOs suit a certain person, its like people who buy cheap digital cameras, they have no ambition to be Ansel Adams, they just want to capture a scene. BSOs get people from A to B and thats all they need to.No quibbles, although the guy laughed because no-one had done that before. I was surprised about that.
Their BSOs are rubbish and it does worry me that so many people are introduced to cycling through their BSOs but the fact they are investing in cycling at all has to be a good thing.
To be fair to them, Halfords were a key part of the resurgence in British Cycling. They were co-sponsors of a pro team in the mid eighties and Nicole Cooke was in their team the year she won the Beijing Olympics as well as a few other household names. They've worked really hard to shrug off the old image and I hope a few BSO owners are converted to better bikes and ride more. The fact is so many LBSs are off putting and Halfords is, to many, a safe place to buy a bike. That Halfords market share is growing is largely down to the LBSs themselves...
pablo said:
To be fair to them, Halfords were a key part of the resurgence in British Cycling. They were co-sponsors of a pro team in the mid eighties and Nicole Cooke was in their team the year she won the Beijing Olympics as well as a few other household names. They've worked really hard to shrug off the old image and I hope a few BSO owners are converted to better bikes and ride more. The fact is so many LBSs are off putting and Halfords is, to many, a safe place to buy a bike. That Halfords market share is growing is largely down to the LBSs themselves...
Agree about that. There's no way I'd spend anything more than a few quid at my LBS as the owner is a renowned a
hole but will use Halfords if I need to and C&C or the 10% BC discount makes their prices agreeable.Regarding their technical ability, many years ago a friend of mine who had worked in a LBS for years and was a great mechanic took a job there and was happy enough there for 3 or 4 years. His skills didn't diminish just because he was working in an orange shed, but I suppose you take your chances as you're probably more likely to face someone who has just done the 2 week Cytech course and may not have the years of experience he had, or you would assume a LBS brings.
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