A bike mechanic has accused the UK’s biggest bike retailer, Halfords, of a “criminal-level abdication of duty” after a customer crashed on their first ride on a bike bought from the retailer on which it is claimed the stem bolts had not been tightened.
Mike Stead – a long-term road.cc reviewer and contributor – wrote on X, the social network formerly called Twitter: “Imagine walking out of a @Halfords_uk store with a bike so badly assembled, inspected and sold that the stem bolts were not even finger-tight.
“I inspected the bike today. Sold yesterday, on the first ride the customer crashed.
“Criminal-level abdication of duty,” he added.
And yes, that’s how I found the stem bolts. As shown in the video. The customer left the store on foot (doesn’t own a car) with a signed @Halfords_uk PDI form. This bike was apparently roadworthy, according to Halfords. pic.twitter.com/I9qsfIBTVV
— Mike Stead / Kiwimike at bsky (@tweetymike) May 3, 2024
On what planet does a stem bolt require *16Nm* of torque? It’s even *written on the side of the bloody thing*: ‘5-7Nm’.
So what the hell was your cycle ‘mechanic’ doing trying to apply *16Nm*?
Answer: he didn’t. Apply anything, I mean. pic.twitter.com/8PPZpijikr
— Mike Stead / Kiwimike at bsky (@tweetymike) May 3, 2024
Halfords does not perhaps have the best of reputations among many people whose work involves servicing and maintaining bicycles, as some of the replies to Stead’s tweets demonstrate.
He told us: “My friend messaged to say his partner had crashed off her new bike, and that the handlebars were very loose. She had collected it new from Halfords Perth that day, including a Pre-Delivery inspection checklist that showed the stem had been torqued to ’16Nm’.
“Now 16Nm is a hell of a lot for a 4mm bolt, and that much would likely have snapped them clean off – the Boardman stem is clearly stamped ‘5-7Nm’ as you’d expect. As it was I found the stem bolts were completely loose, and it was only the natural clamping friction of the stem that had kept the bars straight as she left the shop. Other interesting details on the PDI form included torquing the saddle to 20Nm (typically about 12Nm), the seat post to 12Nm (typically 5-8Nm), and BB/Cranks to what looks like just 16Nm (typically 30Nm or more).
“Other issues included the rear brake hose not being clipped into the frame letting it rub against the left fork stanchion, and the front mech wire being about 6 inches long therefore rubbing the left crank / rider’s ankle with every revolution.
I’ve heard of the legendarily incompetent and lackadaisical Halford’s cycle servicing over the years, but having witnessed it first-hand and having a friend nearly come to serious harm, I am now inspired to support them in raising a case with the local Trading Standards office,” Stead added.
“Halfords should not be allowed to operate as a cycle business until they can prove at a national level they have the policies and trained staff to deliver a service that doesn’t put the public at risk.”
-1024x680.jpg "“Clear anti-cyclist bias”: Lawsuit filed against Toronto police after cop doored cyclist… before ticketing rider over incident")
67 thoughts on ““Criminal-level abdication of duty” – Halfords slammed over non-tightened stem bolts”
The sheet says 16nm not 16Nm.
The sheet says 16nm not 16Nm. That’s a measurement of how much the hex key moved whilst tightening.
(nm = nanometers, one millionth of a millimeter)
If it were only tightened in
If it were only tightened in 16 nanometers deep that would explain a lot..
Which end of the key? Or is
Which end of the key? Or is it how deep the key was inserted into the nut?
Troon wrote:
I use Newton meters (sorry, US based) a lot at work, and I usually use the dot to make it clearer, N·m. I’ll use N-m if I’m in a hurry. Otherwise ALT 0183.
andystow wrote:
I thought the US shunned S.I. units, so I’m surprised you’re not using pound-force units or bald eagles per gallon
Were the forks back to front
Were the forks back to front as well? I see so many bikes being ridden by kids at our local BMX track with the forks on backwards and when I ask the parents, they generally say it was put together that way for them. A lot of the bikes have been assembled in Halfords I’m sad to say. I do often have allen keys with me and I couldn’t tell you how many bikes I’ve had to put right.
Maybe the mechanic that
Maybe the mechanic that assembles the bike should be made to ride it round the car park a few times to demonstrate its safety to the customer. Ideally have a little course requiring sudden turns and emergency braking.
My old man was an aircraft
My old man was an aircraft fitter in the Fleet Air Arm. More than once pilots insisted that he accompany them on test flights after him having worked on a plane.
pockstone wrote:
A group of Engineering professors were invited to fly in a plane. Right after they were comfortably seated, they were informed the plane was built by their students.
All but one got off their seats and headed frantically to the exits in maniacal panic.
The one lone professor that stayed put, calmly in his seat, was asked: “Why did you stay put?”
“I have plenty of confidence in my students. Knowing them, I for a fact can assure you this plane will never even start.”
‘Road test’ is one of the
‘Road test’ is one of the boxes to be ticked in the checklist used by my local mechanic
It takes a brave man to claim
It takes a brave man to claim to never to have made a mistake.
don simon fbpe wrote:
It takes a brave man to ride a Halfords assembled bike without checking it first
It takes a stupid man to
It takes a stupid man to trust anyone’s ability in this day and age.
don simon fbpe wrote:
Trust, but verify
That’s not really trust…
That’s not really trust…
What’s your point here? I’m
What’s your point here? I’m the mechanic quoted, and I can 100% state I have never let a bike leave my workshop with glaring, life-threatening faults like this present. At worst, for complicated faults of indiscernible origin like infrequent shifting issues, noises or issues like speed wobbles, I might advise a customer that I *believe* the fault to be rectified, but get back to me immediately if you note a recurrence. There’s a mile-wide gulf of negligence and danger between an occasional creak in a carbon frame under load, and *not tightening the stem bolts at all*.
The idea of the leaflet they
The idea of the leaflet they fill-in as they build the bike is to make sure they do not make a mistake. However if they just fill it in beforehand to save some time, then the “everyone makes a mistake sometimes” excuse does not fit.
And your evidence for this is
And your evidence for this is? Most bike shops I visit have separate workshops, Halfords have the mechanics working the tills, constant interruptions, perhaps the problem lies further up the management chain with those that organise the work and cut costs. That is if, indeed, this is as widespread and anecdotes make out.
I know at my local Halfords,
I know at my local Halfords, where my Boardman was put together properly at least even if it came with an extra bit of plastic attached, but I thoroughly checked it myself before riding, and yet my mate had the infamous back to front forks and a loose stem too.
the setup there was they had only the one senior bike mechanic, cytech qualified, who worked most of the time in the workshop area fitting up bikes, occasionally did the tills if had nothing else to do or covered for breaks, and you could have decent technical conversations about cycling bits with.
but they didnt work there full time, so occasionally the rest of the staff most of whom were much more junior in terms of experience, knowledge etc were left to fend for themselves.
and Ive always felt Halfords well documented bike construction problems, crop up because of that setup
As someone who’s worked cycle
As someone who’s worked cycle tech upstairs in a halfords shop this rings very true.
Unless it’s a big city branch you’ve more than likely got only one person up there for up to 8 hours a day (my shop constantly had upwards of 4 bodies downstairs and just me upstairs) handling everything from ringing stuff through tills, taking orders, facing up, putting stock out from deliveries, pre-build and service handovers, on demand stuff (tubes, tyres, chains, etc.), being pulled down for wipers and bulbs to slightly more incessant distractions (like taking displays out of loops for customers to try out, etc) As well as cleaning up after the stroppy weekend boys’ messes.
Somehow this one person also has to fit in a multitude of new builds & repairs and the accompanying paperwork that’s probably already well overdue in between all the aforementioned duties that are suited towards at least 2 or 3 bodies as opposed to just one dude.
I guess my point here is that no one goes in to a build with intent to be this blatantly negligent, whether through being interrupted constantly to the point of it affecting them being able to even remember where they were on it or just simply being rushed off their feet there is likely a fair explanation for this shit happening at pre-build.
ON THE OTHER HAND, whoever dimly handed this over to the customer with those bolts loose and didn’t catch this fault has shown an active negligence to allow that to happen.
The customer didn’t have a car so these bars would have HAD TO be turned for them in store, and they somehow didn’t think “hey, these handlebars are just spinning round without me loosening anything! maybe I should check that real quick so they dont hurt themselves.” yeah, that right there is criminal negligence. There is literally another stem torque check on the handover sheet for it.
There’s a world of difference
There’s a world of difference between making a mistake and fraudulently completeing a checklist to state you have done something when you simply haven’t.
That’s hell of an accusation.
That’s hell of an accusation.
don simon fbpe wrote:
No, its a statement of fact, he hasn’t accused anyone of anything.
Fraud?
Fraud? You have no evidence of intent. I’ll let you crack on and I’ve got a wee tool here that help sharpen your pitchfork, if you want it.
It’s what the article says
It’s what the article says happened.
That there was intent?
That there was intent?
I collected a Boardman from
I collected a Boardman from Halfords Lancaster a few years ago, for an elderly friend. It was very well set up. In 2018 I ordered a bike from Planet X- it arrived by courier, nicely packaged, clean and in a good box with one of those check-lists with ticks everywhere. However, they clearly just ticked a large batch of them at the beginning of the day- the cranks were wobbling, and not just a bit. It was evident that the assembly dimwit had put either the asymmetrical SRAM outboard bearings on the wrong side or had put two identical ones on. Therefore, either one or both had been cross threaded in a big way. I therefore declined the offer to have it ‘fixed’.
Bought a couple of complete
Bought a couple of complete bike from PX and no probs. When I decided later to slam the stems found plenty of grease on nuts, bolts, brgs etc. So I suppose, like everything else it’s a bit of a lottery, but my experience is good.
It’s absolutely disgraceful
It’s absolutely disgraceful this is still happening with Halfords. Around 8 or 9 years ago, I was on a ride when I spotted a woman on the opposite side of the road, clearly having issues with her bike. I went over and it turned out her handlebars were revolving loosely in the stem. She had only bought it from Halford that same day! Fortunately, I was able to make it sufficiently safe using my multi tool, but I strongly urged her to take it back at the first opportunity and not to ride it between getting home and taking it back.
In my case the seat post wasn
In my case the seat post wasn’t tightened resulting in a short but violent contact with the top tube.
I think everyone and anyone
I think everyone and anyone who has any business that involves cycles knows that a Halfords’ cycle should always be checked by a competent mechanic following purchase. Forks facing the wrong way is very common on Halfords bikes.
Massive amounts of anecdotal
Massive amounts of anecdotal hyperbole going on here. Loads of people riding round with forks on the wrong way round etc. I see about 1 person a year with forks on backwards.
Go on eBay and see how bikes for sale with forks on the wrong way round you see.
I agree. Once ayear seems
I agree. Once ayear seems about right. But no Halfords where I live.
Not saying you’re wrong per
Not saying you’re wrong per se, but you seeing about 1 person a year with fork on backwards is of course just as anecdotal.
Also, this might interest you ?
https://www.instagram.com/yourforkisonbackwards/
Just to point out, sometimes
Just to point out, sometimes they are meant to be like that:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLTf1_SN8MQ
I know, but I’m pretty sure
I know, but I’m pretty sure the folks buying their bikes at Halfords are not into motor paced track racing.
I see about one person/month
I see about one person/month riding along with the forks on backwards. Usually this is a kid at the local BMX track and the parents don’t know better. I’ve sorted out quite a few bikes, including one belonging to the child of a friend. In that case, the bike had been assembled by her brother in law admittedly, not Halfords.
You do see it occassionally.
You do see it occassionally.
I’ve done volunteer bike fixing at a local repair cafe since 2019. They had one in about 2 months ago, which was the first in that time, and sorry to say I missed it. A decent quality mountain bike that someone had bought and couldn’t get on with so had passed to a friend. Friend had had it a while and was having problems too. Bought off the internet and assembled at home. Which I think is probably responsible for the bulk you see, because that’s how they’re packaged, rather than Halfords or anywhere. With all the legislative safeguards around bikes sales that’s one that should be covered.
Most of what we see is humdrum, but occassionally we see something more alarming – snapped axels, a rear derailleur that fell off when we took the back wheel out, a rear hub with nothing to keep the bearings in.
Most common dangerous fault is brakes – people rarely ask us to look at those. They’ll say their gears aren’t working, the tyres are flat or whatever else. The fact their brakes do nothing seems not to concern them.
We all know about bad stories
We all know about bad stories from Hell frauds but tbh I like them. For the price you can’t get a comparable bike from anywhere else.
I’ve bought from them
2 kids bikes
2 junior MTB
Carrera vengeance race ltd (got stolen)
Carrera vengeance (got stolen)
Voodoo hoodoo (got stolen)
Boardman road race ltd (got stolen)
Carrera kraken (rode it to death)
Carrera vengeance especially – current
Never had any problems at purchase from Manchester stores.
What I will say is if the stem bolts were that loose how did they even walk out of the store with it? Those handle bars would’ve been spinning loosely, why/how did they even fling their leg over it without noticing. It sounds to me like the sort of thing done so that people can lie them flat in their cars.
Just sayin
I inspected the bike. There
I inspected the bike. There was enough friction to turn the wheel – but eventually the customer was in a situation where the forces involved in turning and braking overcame that natural friction, the bars turned/wheel didn’t and she crashed.
ICYMI: “The customer left the store on foot (doesn’t own a car)”
Re the car, I assumed the
Re the car, I assumed the tech wouldn’t know when a customer loads their bike into a car because all our bike huts are upstairs and customers are waved off at till.
Well then sorry for trying to defend you. Do your job properly.
He did do his job properly,
He did do his job properly, that’s how the story came to light.
Fergus_O’Hara wrote:
Sounds like a bit of undeclared interest showing itself there which explains your aggression and desperate need to manufacture an excuse for Halfords.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Sounds like a bit of undeclared interest showing itself there which explains your aggression and desperate need to manufacture an excuse for Halfords.— Fergus_O'Hara
You’ve hit the nail on the head there.
Maybe Halfords should put as much energy into doing their jobs properly as they do trying to defend their screw-ups (or not screwed up as the case may be)
KiwiMike wrote:
Also I’d like some clarification, I see that you are the after crash mechanic.
Are you the mechanic that inspected the bike prior to it being sold? Because on another comment on this thread you say you would never let a bike leave your garage in such a life threatening condition and on twitter called this “criminal”.
If you did inspect it initially then this is on you.
I don’t think KiwiMike works
I don’t think KiwiMike works for Halfords at the moment…
Are you being deliberately
Are you being deliberately obtuse?
How the f*** am I being
How the f*** am I being obtuce? Because I’m thinking critically?
To clarify, in the video posted on twitter how he says he found the stem and that “I inspected the bike. There was enough friction to turn the wheel”. Those bolts were a couple of mm from being even finger tight and would not by any stretch created enough friction to hold the wheel straight enough to push the bike away, nevermind ride it.
Regarding leaving them loose enough to lay a bike to fit flat in a car boot he added “ICYMI: “The customer left the store on foot (doesn’t own a car)””. How is he claiming to know the thought process of the halfords mechanic. ICYMI “It sounds to me like the sort of thing done so that people can lie them flat in their cars.” I simply gave a possible reason they could be left loose intentially.
“I inspected the bike”. Not when the bike left Halfords so so he doesn’t even know if there was enough friction to hold it in place.
All sounds like bull s*** to me.
You didn’t bother reading the
You didn’t bother reading the article properly then?
I did, I just think he’s full
I did, I just think he’s full of s***
On two occasions I’ve stopped
On two occasions I’ve stopped cyclists on the Bristol to Bath Railway Path because their forks were the wrong way round, and corrected them for them. Where did they buy their bikes from? That’s right, you guessed it.
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All of which goes to prove that you should get friendly with your LBS, and buy from them – the extra cost is well worth it in terms of safety, reassurance, and just plain fun in talking bikes with them as know!
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I’m with you on this one, Flintshire! Straight to the
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Is everything alright fella.
Is everything alright fella. Your post isn’t triple spaced.
Like flying the Union Flag
Like flying the Union Flag upside-down?
Should’ve used self-sealing
Should’ve used self-sealing stem bolts ?♂️
About ten years ago, when I
About ten years ago, when I was a bike mechanic, I had a series of three bikes in a couple of weeks with the front brake cable wrapped around the head tube, so that when turning the handlebars, the brake was applied: yes, Halfords. One customer said he’d taken the bike back but was assured that was how the brake cable was supposed to be. I saw three, but it’s anyone’s guess how many there really were.
Some great bikes but some not
Some great bikes but some not so great mechanics.
I picked up my Boardman Adv 9.0 from Halfords and took it on my bike carrier directly to the local LBS.
To be fair, the guy who checked it over found only one slightly loose bolt (stem, I think it was).
This is halfords. I mean what
This is halfords. I mean what do we expect. I bought some brake pads from them and when I actually looked at the pack it was covered in grease smears. Opened the pack and same on the inside paper envelope and the pad had some scores on them. Took them back and explained this and that I wanted a replacement pair.
Guy tried to convince me that pads come with grease on them and that its completely normal…
mctrials23 wrote:
That’s just for disc brakes though. Stops them squeaking
Not just bikes….
Not just bikes….
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/apr/13/halfords-service-car-owner-alfa-romeo-insurance
A family member bought a new
A family member bought a new Giant bike for their daughter, who complained the brakes were rubbing; I offered to check the brakes to save them a trip back to the dealer, but it wasn’t the brakes needing adjustment, so much as both wheels were out of true; the Chinese Giant factory had packed up machine built wheels without doing the necessary hand truing and the Giant shop had just bolted on the wheels without checking/fixing the buckles. Really bad from both factory and shop.
My wheels are held on with
My wheels are held on with locking skewers, not buckles 😉
Hmm, pretty sure mine has? I
Hmm, pretty sure mine has? I’ll put my glasses on and go check once it comes back out of the stable.
I seem to recall one of those
I seem to recall one of those motorway programmes a few years back attended reported bikes on the motorway – turned out someone had got Halfords to fit a bike rack for them that day and it had come off (damaging the cars roof) dumping the two bikes at speed on the motorway at night.
Slightly off topic, but my
Slightly off topic, but my last few bikes [EDIT – not from Halfords] have arrived by courier in a box. I’m amazed at how few of them included proper instructions on how to complete the set up safely.
I did a Cytech 2 course some
I did a Cytech 2 course some years back with a mechanic from Wiggle who told me that he’d seen bikes in Halfords with the forks mounted back to front.