bike that ds should be able to ride!

[mumbar]

Ds is 6 towrds the end of August and mum and dad will be away. He needs a new bike so they bought him one early so he would actually be able to ride it over the summer.

After 1 week the free wheel broke so I took it back and was told leave it here and we'll replace the free wheel part and you can collect it later.

After another week the front brakes have gone tight so that they are touching the front wheel so I'm going to have to take it back again.

AIBU when I take it back to complain to the manager because I shouldn't really have to be spending my holiday going back and forth to a reputable shop or is this normal when bikes have been bought - this have never happened before but I'm willing to accept I've been lucky

So wise MNers WWYD???

Sounds pants to me, bit unlucky. How much did you pay and where did you buy it?

Brakes are easy to adjust yourself, look in the instruction manual.

Brakes are a swine for me to adjust!
I break out in a sweat thinking about it...
but you have to weigh up which is less trouble -- reading unfamiliar manual or dragging bike back to shop.

For me its the idea that following a manual is tricky and if I don't do it properly ds could have an accident. (we live in a hilly area)

I just think getting it done properly would be best.

Would you say something about this to manager?

Paid £90 from Halfords btw.

In that case, yes take it back and get the brakes re-adjusted. Ask them to show you how to do it yourself. They build the bikes in store, don't they so it should only take a few minutes.

Halfords are not considered to be a reputable bike shop by cyclists!

Halfords is a car accessories you wouldn't buy a car from a bike shop. Bikes should be bought from bike shops where you get proper service a advice. Not toy shops of car bit shops. Take it to a bike shop and they will service the bike for you and set it up properly. Bikes also need a check after about 6 weeks just like a new car. You need to think of it like a vehicle and not a child's toy

yanbu to expect a big company like that to provide a decent quality bike for £90 for a 6 year old. They should hang their heads!!

Yes I have got the piece of paper saying I get a free 6 week week check - but its only week 2 and problem 2!!

The Halfords near me has a bike section with people who fit and fix them I actually didn't realise they weren't specialists.

Perhaps I should take it in and tell them if anything else goes wrong I'll take it to a bike shop for a service and send them the bill

Ill pop it in tomorrow and insist they do it then as I don't really want to go back again later in the day to collect it.

Well I took the bike in today and luckily I was polite and just pointed out the breaks were too tight around the wheel and I was unable to adjust them. The guy then told me ds had managed to twist the handle bars 360degs so untwisted them and all fixed.