Halfords Carrera

shannons dad said:

Hi everyone. Me again. Does anyone know anything about the Carrera brand of bikes from Halfords. I'm looking to buy either the Valour or Vanquish road bike. I know they're not top-of-the-line-die-hard-race-bikes, but, I am but a poor peasant and can't afford anything else!😄 Any help would be very welcome. Thanks.

Bill.

i have three carrera's, my son has two and my girl has one, we find them very good value for money.

halfords make [censored].

everything halfords made ive ever bought has broken within days of getting it home.

they're target market are Chavs.

its not like the bikes are even particulary cheep.

unless they are doing you a very good deal stay well away.

complience said:

halfords make [censored].

everything halfords made ive ever bought has broken within days of getting it home.

they're target market are Chavs.

its not like the bikes are even particulary cheep.

unless they are doing you a very good deal stay well away.

the only [censored] about that was your coments. halfords do NOT make bikes, Merida make them. in fact my sons fury actually has MERIDA stamped on the rear dropout casting. i presume you've never rode or owned a carrera or i'm sure you wouldn't spout such biased rubbish. we own quite a few between us and have NEVER had a problem with anyone. i also own a stumpjumper fsr120 expert, my son owns a stumpie comp hard tail and an 05 Sworks enduro so we do have top bikes to compare carrera with and they compare very favourably. so please could you only make INFORMED unbiased comment someone may lose out on a good bike because of your petty bias

Ahem.

Halfords also sell Konas. Definitely not [censored].

I probably wouldn't trust the mechanics at Halfords to build bike for me though. I'd much rather a proper (and by that I mean dedicated) bike shop do it for me, or do it myself. Of course, this is just a personal opinion.

🙂

wheelist said:

Ahem.

Halfords also sell Konas. Definitely not [censored].

I probably wouldn't trust the mechanics at Halfords to build bike for me though. I'd much rather a proper (and by that I mean dedicated) bike shop do it for me, or do it myself. Of course, this is just a personal opinion.

🙂

No i wouldn't use a lot of their mechanics either though i one i use is quite good but then i know a fair few "lbs"'s i wouldn't trust the mechanics in either haha!! there are some very good bike shops about (i use leisure lakes a lot) but then i can take you to a few places locally i would't go near.
its all opinion i guess but i don't think that detracts from things like build quality which IS very good with carrera
anyway have fun, i gotta work this weekend so can't get out to ride much and i'm p***ed about it haha!!

your eyes seem to be [censored] also.

I never said halfords made bikes.

All i said is that the stuff halfords do make is [censored].

That said, just because the actual halfords shareholders dont sit around in the workshop building the bikes and other [censored], doesnts mean you can say halfords dont produce anything!

your a complete muppet, Halfords are the sole distributer, jesus mary mother of christ, im sure you can work out what that means.

and as you probably cant, ill say it now for the record "halfords make bikes"

Halfords target market are Chavs. Just walk inside one and take alook at your fellow customers.

I do own a halfords bike, its [censored].

seigneur said:

the only [censored] about that was your coments. halfords do NOT make bikes, Merida make them. in fact my sons fury actually has MERIDA stamped on the rear dropout casting. i presume you've never rode or owned a carrera or i'm sure you wouldn't spout such biased rubbish. we own quite a few between us and have NEVER had a problem with anyone. i also own a stumpjumper fsr120 expert, my son owns a stumpie comp hard tail and an 05 Sworks enduro so we do have top bikes to compare carrera with and they compare very favourably. so please could you only make INFORMED unbiased comment someone may lose out on a good bike because of your petty bias

shannons dad said:

Hi everyone. Me again. Does anyone know anything about the Carrera brand of bikes from Halfords. I'm looking to buy either the Valour or Vanquish road bike. I know they're not top-of-the-line-die-hard-race-bikes, but, I am but a poor peasant and can't afford anything else!😄 Any help would be very welcome. Thanks.

Bill.

I bought the Carrera Vanquish last year - 2000 miles later and I've not had a problem with it. I'm probably a similar cyclist to you and I doubt I'd notice much difference in a bike twice the price.

Mine is a 2003/4 version (coloured yellow). The 2005 bike may be a little different (it's a different colour for a start). My one has Shimano 105/Tiagra components and Richey elsewhere (wheels, saddle, handbars).

I paid £450 for it, but I've read that they're cheaper now with £100 of vouchers thrown in.

The one drawback is they only do two frame sizes - it wasn't a problem for me, but may be for you.

complience said:

your eyes seem to be [censored] also.

I never said halfords made bikes.

All i said is that the stuff halfords do make is [censored].

That said, just because the actual halfords shareholders dont sit around in the workshop building the bikes and other [censored], doesnts mean you can say halfords dont produce anything!

your a complete muppet, Halfords are the sole distributer, jesus mary mother of christ, im sure you can work out what that means.

and as you probably cant, ill say it now for the record "halfords make bikes"

Halfords target market are Chavs. Just walk inside one and take alook at your fellow customers.

I do own a halfords bike, its [censored].

I see from one of your other posts you are a "new rider" and have been riding less than 12 months, when you have more experience maybe you'll put your brain in gear before opening your mouth. i've been riding bikes for over forty years so i do feel i know what i'm talking about do you?
anyway enough of being nice.

I feel you just got owned.

And as Plato said. Wisdom is not gained through experience but logic.

in laymans terms.. your both old and stupid.
move over grandad.

seigneur said:

I see from one of your other posts you are a "new rider" and have been riding less than 12 months, when you have more experience maybe you'll put your brain in gear before opening your mouth. i've been riding bikes for over forty years so i do feel i know what i'm talking about do you?
anyway enough of being nice.

Thanks for the info guys. One point though, can we leave the petty name calling at the play-school gates. I think I'm right in thinking most of us have grown out of that [censored].

Bill.

well said, i just wished people wouldn't be so biased. i was in decathlon, merry hill last week. in there was a "rockrider" bike LX, deore gears, manatou forks, truvative cranks and hayes hydro discs for £499 was really a good bike told a mate, his reply its only decathlon [censored] not that he'd ever had anything to do with one but seems people or more interested in the name on the downtube than the bike. how many times have you had people say hello to your downtube? i've had the same people ignore me when i'm riding a carrera (anyone i have four) then behave like a long lost friend when i'm riding my stumpie. anyway look at the bike not the name on it eh? have fun

I know what you mean, I used to be that way. Priciest bike I ever had was a Proflex Animal, XT, Marzocchi Bombers, the lot. It all came to about £3,000. It was the most unreliable pile of [censored] I ever had. My current ride is a Landrover Visalia hybrid = £260. A little on the heavy side, but haven't had a single problem with it and the frame is nippy as hell. I could be wrong here, but as I see it, the bigger the manufacturer = more bikes = more chance of something going wrong. But thats just me. And between me and you, there is no substitute for experience.

Bill.🙂

funny i used to commute every day by bike and bought an £80 rigid bike from local bike shop as it had to be chained to a fence all day. never once in two years did i have a problem with that bike, not even adjusting cables etc. my stumpie which was £1900 i'm forever adjusting, the XTR rear mech is always wanting cable adjustment etc. still love the bike mind. unforunatly although as you say there is no substitute for experience its impossible to teach it and until you get it, you don't believe it exists. have a good un anyway i gotta work this weekend so can't ride properly until tuesday though i'll be up cannock for an hour in morning

Did you buy a bike from Halfords?

I have just put one up for sell. Halfords Carrera Vanquish 2004 model. Thought I'd get back to racing, just realised I'm too old!! Only used for about 100 miles!

DEMONS2447😄

demons2447 said:

Did you buy a bike from Halfords?

I have just put one up for sell. Halfords Carrera Vanquish 2004 model. Thought I'd get back to racing, just realised I'm too old!! Only used for about 100 miles!

DEMONS2447😄

Nah. Money ran out. Besides, I plonked some road bars on my hybrid and, whilst not the ideal set-up, it's about as close as I'll get to a road bike for quite some time until someone gives me a job!🙂

I had a Carrera before buying my current bike,

Frame was quite heavy, and the components let me down pretty quickly.

If you buy bottom spec of any range things will go wrong. If you buy a better specced bike with better components then you get what you pay for.

If you buy a bike just because it is "branded" then expect to get ripped off, (although from my experience same goes for buying Carrera). Make sure the bike hasn't got basic components (unless you intend to upgrade them anyway).

complience said:

...
I do own a halfords bike, its [censored].

what type of Halfords bike do you own? If you don't mind my asking.

shannons dad said:

Hi everyone. Me again. Does anyone know anything about the Carrera brand of bikes from Halfords. I'm looking to buy either the Valour or Vanquish road bike. I know they're not top-of-the-line-die-hard-race-bikes, but, I am but a poor peasant and can't afford anything else!😄 Any help would be very welcome. Thanks.

Bill.

Here's some info\reviews on the Vanquish.

roadcyclinguk.com332957698217328853336Open ↗

4 out of 5 is not bad with complaints being the front fork and paint scheme. You seem to know a little about wrenching on bikes so you can easily upgrade as needed or as much as the wife will let you. 🙄 I would go for it.

LW

shannons dad said:

I know what you mean, I used to be that way. Priciest bike I ever had was a Proflex Animal, XT, Marzocchi Bombers, the lot. It all came to about £3,000. It was the most unreliable pile of [censored] I ever had. My current ride is a Landrover Visalia hybrid = £260. A little on the heavy side, but haven't had a single problem with it and the frame is nippy as hell. I could be wrong here, but as I see it, the bigger the manufacturer = more bikes = more chance of something going wrong. But thats just me. And between me and you, there is no substitute for experience.

Bill.🙂

Not had much to do with halfords but do know the carrera range has a good reputation for good value. I have a mate that has one and he never has any problems with its just a bit on the heavy side.