We took my DD's bike into Halfords (Basildon branch before you ask me to name and shame)last Sunday to get a tyre changed as she was doing a "Bike-ability" cycling proficiency course (starting on Monday)and we noticed the back tyre was cracked.
When we got home the gears didn't work and the nuts on the back wheel were so loose the wheel could have fallen off. By this time the store had closed.
Luckily she only rode around the drive way before realising the gears were buggered and my DH discovered the loose nuts whilst looking at the gears. I shudder to think what could have happened if she had ridden it elsewhere and the wheel had fallen off.
Although DH did his best he couldn't really work out the gears and the next day the cycling proficiency instructors said it wasn't safe. Luckily she managed to borrow a bike from her friend or she would not have been allowed to do the course (which was excellent BTW should any of your DCs be offered the chance to do it.)
I have sent Halfords a very snotty e-mail and am waiting for a reply (but would not set foot in their stores again even if they paid me- I would rather a trained monkey serviced her bike- I'm sure they can be trained to tighten nuts at the very least!)
The cycling instructor said he had heard of endless horror stories about Halfords' cycle repair service and that it was referred to as the "H" word in the cycling world (in the manner of the "F" word I presume.
Both our DDs need new bikes very soon. Guess where I will not be buying them.
I BEG YOU DO NOT USE HALFORDS!!!
Let's have an MN boycott!