Halfords: Carrera Virtuoso Large Road Bike 08 - opinions please....

[Hummers]

As listed here.

At £250 it is damned cheap but apart from the brakes I have never heard of the components listed.

I'm not a fan of Halfrauds but have been impressed with my son's Chris Boardman hybrid.

Anyone have any experience of the Carrera Virtuoso?

H

[Martin]

Not directly but a colleague had one he got second hand for less than £100; cost him £180 to get it working 

Like all Halfrauds offerings it boasts a few trick eye-catching components (7005 frame; Sora shifters) but keeps the price down by using no-name pretty much everything else, much of which will need replacing in the first few years.

£249 is more or less the RRP too; it keeps getting put on "sale" but you can often pick it up at that price. It was called the Valour or Valiant or something like that a couple of years ago.

YPYMAYTYC; I'd go for a £399 Ribble with at least a proper groupset over that assuming you want it for 2011. Or any of Wiggle's cheapies. I suspect they're all made in the same factory in Taiwan.

[Lucky]

The Shimano 2200 components are below Sora. Prowheel chainsets are pretty much the cheapest money can buy. Unbranded wheels are rarely a good buy. Doesn't look like great value to me.

For that money, you'd be better off buying secondhand, IMO.

[Hummers]

Thanks Martin & Lucky.

These are my thoughts too regarding Ribble or buying something half-decent second hand.

The bike's not for me but someone who has asked my opinion on it but as I have had no experience of the Carrera bikes from Halfrauds I thought it unfair to let my prejudices get in the way.

H

[richie_b]

One of my colleagues bought one of these in the summer (I'd advised him to wait a little & save, but he didn't).
I asked him yesterday how he'd got on with it & he's already spent a third of the retail price on repairs & now needs a new chainset & poss bottom bracket.
He paid £250 & got a badly set-up, badly specced bike that doesn't do the job he wants (that is, be rideable quite often).  He regrets his decision now...

[Valiant]

I've had two Halfords bikes, The Gryphon which was nicked and the Valour which I still have. It's worth noting that both of my bikes were first generation of their series, meaning they were very well spec'ed. For instance, my Valour which is essentially the same bike came with a full Sora/Tiagra groupset, Tektro brakes and some basic wheels but they were a brand I'd heard off. The saddle was a selle italia too. It cost me £240 brand new and not in a sale. Brilliant value and top bike, it's still going strong albeit with better brakes, new wheels and saddle but the rest is still stock and got plenty of life. The frame has been abused like no ones business but it's still great 5 years on. Not the comfyest, nor the fastest but it's decent enough. Sadly it seems once it got a decent rep they removed all the more expensive bits and replaced it with cheapo stuff. I probably wouldn't buy the Virtuoso.

EDIT: It's worth noting that the Valour is actually the next model up from the Virtuoso.

[Hummers]

One of my colleagues bought one of these in the summer (I'd advised him to wait a little & save, but he didn't).

Cheers Richie_B.

I had the same conversation with my son when he bought a Halfords Apollo for £99 which fell to bits in two months and to my daughter who bought a brand new Pashley Princess lookalikey for £150 on eBay and had the crank fall off on it's maiden voyage. She hasn't riden it since.

I am not someone who thinks all that glitters is gold (Sora/Tiagra and Tektro is perfectly adequate gear in my experience) but there is a balance. I can't see how £250 for a road bike (which is half of what I'd expect to pay for an entry level STI equipped roadster) is money well spent - unless it is a very well equipped, mint condition 2nd hand bike.

On the other hand, I am not surprised by Valiant's comments as not all that Halfords do is crap as I have witnessed with my lads Chris Boardman. Then again, that is using brand names that I know and trust.

H

[Martin]

speaking of Wiggle this looks pretty good; all Sora; compact chainset, and carbon forks (which alone will set you back more than the difference between it and the Virtuoso)


   Focus Summit 2008 Only £376.80

[Hummers]

speaking of Wiggle this looks pretty good; all Sora; compact chainset, and carbon forks (which alone will set you back more than the difference between it and the Virtuoso)


   Focus Summit 2008 Only £376.80

Cheers Martin.

That looks a better deal as long as he doesn't want mudguard clearance.

H

[Valiant]

You sure the Virtuaso actually has clearence? My 54cm valour said it did but only raceblades fit.

[Hummers]

You sure the Virtuaso actually has clearence? My 54cm valour said it did but only raceblades fit.

Not sure at all, just going by the spec.

Thanks for the heads-up.

H

[hammond1975]

I have had 2 Valours as training bikes, good value for money but not the greatest ride in the world and Halfords service is crap but if I am honest not bad for the money.