H*lf*rds - A Result :-)

[John B]

Yesterday I was training a young lad who's Mum had just bought him a new
bike two days earlier - full suspenson, all the gizmos, gaudy go fast
colour/decals and a 'bargain' at under a £100.
Yes, it was from H*lf*rds.

Mum went there because she had wanted a shop "that knew what they were
doing", and she had already tried ToysRUs.

Despite it having been "fitted" it was far too small and he was riding
with his legs *very* bent.

I went to raise the saddle only to find the seat pin was way above its
safe limit with the limit markings already 15mm above the tube - this is
how it had been sold.

Mum has called H*lf*rds and passed on my anger that they had adjusted an
already too small bike into a dangerous one.

To their credit they offered an immediate refund

Mum has now been directed towards a real bike shop.

John B

 

[killermike]

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:48:08 GMT, John B wrote:

> Mum went there because she had wanted a shop "that knew what they were
> doing", and she had already tried ToysRUs.

Classic

--
***My real address is m/ike at u/nmusic d/ot co dot u/k (removing /s)
http://www.unmusic.co.uk - about me, music, geek sitcom etc.
http://www.unmusic.co.uk/amh-s-faq.html - alt.music.home-studio

 

[John B]

killermike wrote:
>
> On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:48:08 GMT, John B wrote:
>
> > Mum went there because she had wanted a shop "that knew what they were
> > doing", and she had already tried ToysRUs.
>
> Classic

I know. I wanted to cry when she said that.

John B

 

[Bertie Wiggins]

On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:48:08 GMT, John B <[email protected]> wrote:

>Yesterday I was training a young lad who's Mum had just bought him a new
>bike two days earlier - full suspenson, all the gizmos, gaudy go fast
>colour/decals and a 'bargain' at under a £100.
>Yes, it was from H*lf*rds.
>
>Mum went there because she had wanted a shop "that knew what they were
>doing", and she had already tried ToysRUs.
>
>Despite it having been "fitted" it was far too small and he was riding
>with his legs *very* bent.
>
>I went to raise the saddle only to find the seat pin was way above its
>safe limit with the limit markings already 15mm above the tube - this is
>how it had been sold.
>
>Mum has called H*lf*rds and passed on my anger that they had adjusted an
>already too small bike into a dangerous one.

It would be nice to believe that the letter written by this newsgroup
and copied to the Halford's Chairman earlier this year had had an
impact.

It would seem it has not.

=============

I write to you as a Cycle Touring Club accredited cycling instructor
and school teacher for the daughter of one of your customers.

Mrs L***** bought a bicycle and cycle helmet from you for her
daughter's birthday two weeks ago. The bike is the right size for
J*****'s use and the saddle height is correct. However, the bicycle
was supplied in an unroadworthy condition and the cycle helmet was
incorrectly fitted to J*****'s head. With the essential repairs
outlined below, the bike is ideal for J*****'s use.

On the bike, one of the front brake blocks is incorrectly adjusted so
only half of it is in contact with the wheel rim; you will need to
correct this. The front brake cannot be properly used, as the brake
lever contacts the handle bar, this makes it impossible to fully apply
the brake. There are strict regulations about supplying new bikes with
incorrectly adjusted brakes. I have made some improvement to this
using the cable adjuster at the brake lever end, but it requires
further correction. The chainring gear cable is severely frayed and
needs repair or replacement. The other gear and brake cables need to
be cut back and capped. Since 1 May 2004 it has been mandatory for
all new bicycles to be fitted with a working bell; J*****'s bike
wasn't supplied with a bell.

The helmet's straps were too loose, and if dislodged the helmet could
have come off J*****'s head and trapped around the back of her head
with the straps around her neck. The four straps, two either side of
the helmet, should have been adjusted to pass either side of the ear,
with the connector below the ear. Your staff had fitted it so the
connectors on both sides were above J*****'s ear. I have made the
necessary adjustments, but you must ensure that your staff are
properly trained.

I am writing to you, rather than trading standards, so that you can
make the essential repairs. The bike will still need its standard six
week service.

 

[John_Kane]

killermike wrote:
> On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:48:08 GMT, John B wrote:
>
> > Mum went there because she had wanted a shop "that knew what they were
> > doing", and she had already tried ToysRUs.
>
> Classic

I think I know that woman
John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

 

[MartinM]

John B wrote:
> killermike wrote:
> >
> > On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:48:08 GMT, John B wrote:
> >
> > > Mum went there because she had wanted a shop "that knew what they were
> > > doing", and she had already tried ToysRUs.
> >
> > Classic
>
> I know. I wanted to cry when she said that.

I took my (at the time) 4yo to the New Forest several years ago; on the
way picked up a brand new kid's MTB from ToysRUs at Southampton. After
erecting the tent I set about assembling the bike. Imagine his
disappointment when I discovered that the rear brake stay had been
welded 1" too high up and it had to go back in the box (it was their
last one).
The replacement (several weeks later) worked and still works fine, but
I have been scared off such "bargains" by the experience.

 

[Bertie Wiggins]

On 22 Nov 2005 14:03:14 -0800, "MartinM" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I took my (at the time) 4yo to the New Forest several years ago; on the
>way picked up a brand new kid's MTB from ToysRUs at Southampton. After
>erecting the tent I set about assembling the bike. Imagine his
>disappointment when I discovered that the rear brake stay had been
>welded 1" too high up and it had to go back in the box (it was their
>last one).
>The replacement (several weeks later) worked and still works fine, but
>I have been scared off such "bargains" by the experience.

A child's front brake failed today.

The child was cycling to school and part of the front V brake sheared
off. It was unrepairable and the bike will have to go back to the
shop.

*Bargain full suspension bike* is an oxymoron. I'm considering
contacting trading standards about this failure, but am unsure how
they may respond.

 

[Al C-F]

Bertie Wiggins wrote:

>
> *Bargain full suspension bike* is an oxymoron.

Not so. However, the price may still be high, even for a bargain.

 

[Sandy Morton]

In article <[email protected]>, Bertie
Wiggins <[email protected]> wrote:
> *Bargain full suspension bike* is an oxymoron. I'm considering
> contacting trading standards about this failure, but am unsure how
> they may respond.

Sorry about this but - if it's a Labour administration, the child is
between 7 and 9 and the child is coloured - the Trading Standards
people will go ballistic.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

 

[Simon Bennett]

"Sandy Morton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, Bertie
> Wiggins <[email protected]> wrote:
>> *Bargain full suspension bike* is an oxymoron. I'm considering
>> contacting trading standards about this failure, but am unsure how
>> they may respond.
>
> Sorry about this but - if it's a Labour administration, the child is
> between 7 and 9 and the child is coloured - the Trading Standards
> people will go ballistic.

Any particular colour?

 

[Bertie Wiggins]

On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 23:48:29 -0000, "Simon Bennett"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Sandy Morton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> In article <[email protected]>, Bertie
>> Wiggins <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> *Bargain full suspension bike* is an oxymoron. I'm considering
>>> contacting trading standards about this failure, but am unsure how
>>> they may respond.
>>
>> Sorry about this but - if it's a Labour administration, the child is
>> between 7 and 9 and the child is coloured - the Trading Standards
>> people will go ballistic.
>
>Any particular colour?

The same question went through my head.

I've emailed trading standards to see if it's something that they'd
want to take up. The issue is not about the retailer - I'm sure they
will repair the bike - it's about whether such bikes should be sold in
the first place.

 

[Sandy Morton]

In article <[email protected]>, Bertie
Wiggins <[email protected]> wrote:
> The same question went through my head.

Ethnic minority colour

> I've emailed trading standards to see if it's something that they'd
> want to take up. The issue is not about the retailer - I'm sure
> they will repair the bike - it's about whether such bikes should be
> sold in the first place.

Any bike can fail but if it happens twice with the same model then a
fault exists.

 

[Ambrose Nankivell]

Al C-F wrote:
> Bertie Wiggins wrote:
>
>>
>> *Bargain full suspension bike* is an oxymoron.
>
> Not so. However, the price may still be high, even for a bargain.

Indeed. I had an £800 bargain a few years ago.

--
Ambrose

 

[Bertie Wiggins]

On Thu, 24 Nov 2005 09:35:46 +0000 (GMT), Sandy Morton
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>, Bertie
>Wiggins <[email protected]> wrote:
>> The same question went through my head.
>
>Ethnic minority colour

I would like to think that colour won't come into it - and certainly
didn't mention it in my email to them.

>> I've emailed trading standards to see if it's something that they'd
>> want to take up. The issue is not about the retailer - I'm sure
>> they will repair the bike - it's about whether such bikes should be
>> sold in the first place.
>
>Any bike can fail but if it happens twice with the same model then a
>fault exists.

I'd hate to wait for a second event to cause injury.

This was my email:

**A 10 year old child showed me yesterday a new bike whose front
**brake had failed when a bit of metal sheared. I fully expect that
**the bike vendor will make the necessary repair, but as a safety
**issue, is this something that you deal with?

This is their reply.

**This is indeed something that Trading Standards would deal with.
**If you can provide us with all the necessary details (make and
**model of bike, where and when purchased etc.) we can then
**progress the case.

It seems that they don't even need to see the bike.