Seems like a decent budget commuter bike. I honestly would not spend more than that for biking through a big city, too high a risk of theft and damage. Anyways, I too am not a fan of rat-trap pedals, they tend to nick your ankles when you don't pay attention carrying the thing.
Just a note, adding information about the drive-train and shifters would be helpful for users of this review.
This puffter is typical of the cycling community. get your mate to toss you off over the seat. For fucks sake gayboy its a fucking bike what a sad puffter., get off the fucking roads you low IQ, poor education, leg shaving, box wearing, paranoid ( Ive got a camera) fucking moron
Just a quick update- did over a thousand miles on this going to work and overall very pleased with the bike. Nothing broke except lots of punctures to the rear tyre. Unfortunately since I posted this video someone stole the bike, cutting through the lock with bolt cutters. I've now bought a Boardman Hybrid which I'll review soon! I should add that despite the bad reputation I've had no problem with Halfords and both bikes have been set up very well. I've not needed any aftercare
@chalenger42 The service was good. At my local Halfords the bike hut staff know their stuff and were helpful when choosing a new bike. Once I got it home I just had to tighten up a few bolts but I'd expect that from any new bike.
@brunanburh Thats what I expected to hear, thank you. I dont understand where Halfords got such a bad reputation in terms of cycle building and repair quality.
Carrera is not a great make and not very well know. i would not recommend this bike as if you needed a spare You would not easly find the part you are looking for made buy carrera to mach tour bike. Instead get a cheap Boardman from halfords or even better do what i did and by a top of the range specialized at a sale. Mine should have been £650 to £700 i got it for £450
@Polycarpides1 Each to their own! I've also got a Boardman and it is lovely but I was very happy with the Carrera for the money. Overtaking people on more expensive bikes is good fun!
i work at Halfords for all my sins and i think for the price these are pretty decent bikes the only issue i know with them is the brakes seem to stiffen up over time there is a nylon washer which seems to lock the brake up over time its an easy fix though with a bit of grease and some minor mechanical knowledge :)
Thanks for this. Pedals it comes with are a nightmare, still deciding what to replace them with. Would you say that the value of the bike is worth putting expensive pedals on?
@bigmouth89 the better quality pedals the better the ride and it will also be lighter. i got Shimano R540 SPD SL Road Pedals for £35 really good . from evans cycles. upto you but
the pedals dont make a bike any better its the bike its self and the rider
Im thinking to get one of these i saw ur one on Halfords web site for 300 would u think the bike would be good for me because i dont know to ride a bike never got on one in my life im 18 ? is it a good learners bike
@Ryanr75rc a road bike is not the best learners bike. if i was you i would learn on a cheap mountain bike second hand or from a friend. a mountain bike has thicker tyres and so you would have more balance. whereas a road bike has thin tyres and dropped handle bars.
I am 13 and learnt on a mountain bike but now have a specialized allez road bike. i love cycling and bikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know the original pedals on these get a lot of bad rep, but when I first got mine I didn't like them either. Probably because I was mainly used to MTB pedals, so I took off the toe clip parts and the pedals were fine. After a while reading around about how you can get more power with the toeclips I re-attached and will never go back! Took a while to get used to, but well worth it. Pedalling in circles instead of just pushing down really helps you get the best out of this wonderful bike.
@jbdtaylor Thanks, I'm interested in your response. I did try SPDs but found that when commuting I was having to clip and unclip so often at traffic lights etc it actually slowed me down. I do however like the idea of more power and speed! I might give the original pedals another go. How quickly can you get your feet in and out the toeclips?
@brunanburh At first it was quite hard to pick it up if I'm completely honest. I spent around 20-30 minutes outside practising getting in and out of them and it did get a little frustrating at times. But now I can pop them in and out in just a couple of seconds. I am not sure what kind of area you usually go cycling in, but I live in quite a rural area, so I'm not stopping and starting a lot. Although I have had no problem when in more built up areas at junctions, roundabouts and lights etc..
i bought a halfords vanguish one month ago for £500.pound, one up from the one you are doing the review on ,and it is a fantastic bike ,really pleased with it ,very fast ,brakes are good ,and the wheels are very strong. good bike for the price ,only problem with halfords they need to let people have a go on them to see if they are okay ,,,,my only gripe
Yes!!! I finally brought the 2011 version of this bike! The service in halfords wasn't great (I ended up waiting for 2 hours) but, the bike was! It hasn't taken long to get used to, an hour of tweaking was all it needed. The ride is awsome. I woundn't doubt a halfords bike now, before I was trying my best to stay away from them. I'll post a video review tommorow.
mate what you should do is get a bike on the "bike to work scheme." my uncle got a specialized road bike worth more than 1000 quid for free because he used the scheme
I want to get this bike but have to save up for it. I'm probably looking to afford it by the end of summer but do you think they'll have it still in stock by then?
Im £100 away from getting the new 2011 version of this bike! :) It looks like its exactly the same as this but with newer logos... I'll post a ride/review when I get it.
This is the model up from the virtuoso so to speak. I personally have tried both bikes and this came out on top. It is 1 or 2kg lighter if I remember correctly which makes it better for going up hills and faster at accelerating. This has aerodynamic rims also which cuts down on the air resistance too.
Thank you for this it is on sale in Halfords in Ireland for 350 euro at the minute but with the bike to work scheme it will work out very cheap for a decent spec bike for beginners. Again thank you.
thankgod for this review ! , im seriosly considering purchacing this bike, like you im upgrading from a mountain bike which i put road tyres on but the gears still limit me to 30mph pushing it.
id like to know whats it like to use the gears ? :)
@TDUTOM gears are fine and feel more natural than mountain bike gears after a week or so. The gears on this will take you past 30mph! I got fed up of running out of gears going downhill on my mountain bike
im going to look stupid here but how on earth do you change back up the gears? i can finger the lever to the toughest gears but cant get them to change when i get to a bloody hill? help please im a moron!
I purchased this today and minor warning to anyone looking to purchase it . The instore price is 359 pounds , but if you reserve online and then go into the store and pay for it its only 299 pounds. Which is very strange !
@ahs2015 , as I said IN STORE its 359 , I almost purchased it at that price ,but luckily they were out of stock,so I came home to reserve it at another store to find out that prices differ between store and online . When I called to check they said that even though its 359 , you get it at the price at which you reserve it .
i want to buy this bike, but i gotta get a refund from a bike store that i bought a road bike from, they gave me a wrong size and now they arent giving my money back
Seems like a decent budget commuter bike. I honestly would not spend more than that for biking through a big city, too high a risk of theft and damage. Anyways, I too am not a fan of rat-trap pedals, they tend to nick your ankles when you don't pay attention carrying the thing.
Just a note, adding information about the drive-train and shifters would be helpful for users of this review.
Cheers.
Ammoniummetavanadate 3 days ago
Ordered this bike earlier. Picking it up tomorrow. Also my first road bike, CANNOT WAIT! Good review :)
charlesrydec 3 days ago
This puffter is typical of the cycling community. get your mate to toss you off over the seat. For fucks sake gayboy its a fucking bike what a sad puffter., get off the fucking roads you low IQ, poor education, leg shaving, box wearing, paranoid ( Ive got a camera) fucking moron
labyonnette 3 weeks ago
@labyonnette Oh bless. I think someone didn't get that shiny new bike they'd always wanted for Christmas
brunanburh 2 weeks ago 2
Am I right in saying, Halfords actually put the forks on the right way round this time?
SamEveryDayHD 1 month ago
@SamEveryDayHD Yep!
brunanburh 2 weeks ago
Just a quick update- did over a thousand miles on this going to work and overall very pleased with the bike. Nothing broke except lots of punctures to the rear tyre. Unfortunately since I posted this video someone stole the bike, cutting through the lock with bolt cutters. I've now bought a Boardman Hybrid which I'll review soon! I should add that despite the bad reputation I've had no problem with Halfords and both bikes have been set up very well. I've not needed any aftercare
brunanburh 1 month ago
1:02 LOL I thought you said 'the big cock'. Anyway good review and Im getting this bike very soon to do the Lap the Lough event around lough neagh:)
IrishAssasinator 2 months ago
@IrishAssasinator No, the big cocks drive the transit vans that try to kill me when I cycle to work! Enjoy the bike
brunanburh 1 month ago 3
@brunanburh Thanks
IrishAssasinator 1 month ago
Its obvious your happy with your purchase.
How would you rate the service you received?
chalenger42 2 months ago
@chalenger42 The service was good. At my local Halfords the bike hut staff know their stuff and were helpful when choosing a new bike. Once I got it home I just had to tighten up a few bolts but I'd expect that from any new bike.
brunanburh 1 month ago
@brunanburh Thats what I expected to hear, thank you. I dont understand where Halfords got such a bad reputation in terms of cycle building and repair quality.
TrangKaze 1 month ago
Carrera is not a great make and not very well know. i would not recommend this bike as if you needed a spare You would not easly find the part you are looking for made buy carrera to mach tour bike. Instead get a cheap Boardman from halfords or even better do what i did and by a top of the range specialized at a sale. Mine should have been £650 to £700 i got it for £450
so glad i did not get a carrera
Polycarpides1 2 months ago
@Polycarpides1 Each to their own! I've also got a Boardman and it is lovely but I was very happy with the Carrera for the money. Overtaking people on more expensive bikes is good fun!
brunanburh 1 month ago
Got one off eBay for £80, Changed the bearings and wheels it doesn't run to bad for something that was designed for Halfords audience.
AnyonHD 2 months ago
i work at Halfords for all my sins and i think for the price these are pretty decent bikes the only issue i know with them is the brakes seem to stiffen up over time there is a nylon washer which seems to lock the brake up over time its an easy fix though with a bit of grease and some minor mechanical knowledge :)
wigma 2 months ago
I did, I put 105 spd's on.
LEEGOSLEARNERS 2 months ago
Thanks for this. Pedals it comes with are a nightmare, still deciding what to replace them with. Would you say that the value of the bike is worth putting expensive pedals on?
bigmouth89 2 months ago
@bigmouth89 the better quality pedals the better the ride and it will also be lighter. i got Shimano R540 SPD SL Road Pedals for £35 really good . from evans cycles. upto you but
the pedals dont make a bike any better its the bike its self and the rider
Polycarpides1 2 months ago
@bigmouth89 I put cheap flat pedals on and that was fine for me- spds were no good for commuting through a city!
brunanburh 1 month ago
@bigmouth89 I put Shimano PD-M520 on it and can't be happier.
kotpierdzibonk 1 month ago
@kotpierdzibonk thanks
bigmouth89 1 month ago
Have just cycled the length of the UK on this bike. Brilliant bike for the money.
LEEGOSLEARNERS 5 months ago
To let people know, the new 2011 Carrera TDF is now available at the same sort of price, at the £300 pound mark.
SparkeyMarkey92 6 months ago
Lools just got this bike for 300 pound from Halfords because they are not making it any more
Ryanr75rc 6 months ago
Im thinking to get one of these i saw ur one on Halfords web site for 300 would u think the bike would be good for me because i dont know to ride a bike never got on one in my life im 18 ? is it a good learners bike
Ryanr75rc 6 months ago
@Ryanr75rc a road bike is not the best learners bike. if i was you i would learn on a cheap mountain bike second hand or from a friend. a mountain bike has thicker tyres and so you would have more balance. whereas a road bike has thin tyres and dropped handle bars.
I am 13 and learnt on a mountain bike but now have a specialized allez road bike. i love cycling and bikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Polycarpides1 2 months ago
i took out the strap off the pedals and cut some of the plastic and now their fine..
Airssoftt 6 months ago
I know the original pedals on these get a lot of bad rep, but when I first got mine I didn't like them either. Probably because I was mainly used to MTB pedals, so I took off the toe clip parts and the pedals were fine. After a while reading around about how you can get more power with the toeclips I re-attached and will never go back! Took a while to get used to, but well worth it. Pedalling in circles instead of just pushing down really helps you get the best out of this wonderful bike.
jbdtaylor 6 months ago
@jbdtaylor Thanks, I'm interested in your response. I did try SPDs but found that when commuting I was having to clip and unclip so often at traffic lights etc it actually slowed me down. I do however like the idea of more power and speed! I might give the original pedals another go. How quickly can you get your feet in and out the toeclips?
brunanburh 6 months ago
@brunanburh At first it was quite hard to pick it up if I'm completely honest. I spent around 20-30 minutes outside practising getting in and out of them and it did get a little frustrating at times. But now I can pop them in and out in just a couple of seconds. I am not sure what kind of area you usually go cycling in, but I live in quite a rural area, so I'm not stopping and starting a lot. Although I have had no problem when in more built up areas at junctions, roundabouts and lights etc..
jbdtaylor 6 months ago
Thanks for the review, was looking at one of these today, and as you say the halfords website was the only place with a review. Thanks man!
777MrJoe 6 months ago
nice microwave!
joehillion 6 months ago
@joehillion Ha ha, I got this in the early 90's. Still going strong!
brunanburh 6 months ago
i bought a halfords vanguish one month ago for £500.pound, one up from the one you are doing the review on ,and it is a fantastic bike ,really pleased with it ,very fast ,brakes are good ,and the wheels are very strong. good bike for the price ,only problem with halfords they need to let people have a go on them to see if they are okay ,,,,my only gripe
redrock1965 7 months ago
Yes!!! I finally brought the 2011 version of this bike! The service in halfords wasn't great (I ended up waiting for 2 hours) but, the bike was! It hasn't taken long to get used to, an hour of tweaking was all it needed. The ride is awsome. I woundn't doubt a halfords bike now, before I was trying my best to stay away from them. I'll post a video review tommorow.
johnomi 7 months ago
@johnomi i got the carrera virtuoso 2011 version
its f**kin awesome
miniman631 7 months ago
mate what you should do is get a bike on the "bike to work scheme." my uncle got a specialized road bike worth more than 1000 quid for free because he used the scheme
i would look into it if i were you mate
miniman631 7 months ago
I want to get this bike but have to save up for it. I'm probably looking to afford it by the end of summer but do you think they'll have it still in stock by then?
atalayapark 7 months ago
Im £100 away from getting the new 2011 version of this bike! :) It looks like its exactly the same as this but with newer logos... I'll post a ride/review when I get it.
johnomi 7 months ago
How long do they have these in stores? I've heard that they only get them in for the Tour de France...
gavmcguinness8024 7 months ago
@gavmcguinness8024 As far as I know all year. I got mine in Spring!
brunanburh 7 months ago
@smshdchrb
This is the model up from the virtuoso so to speak. I personally have tried both bikes and this came out on top. It is 1 or 2kg lighter if I remember correctly which makes it better for going up hills and faster at accelerating. This has aerodynamic rims also which cuts down on the air resistance too.
RibFan74 7 months ago
nearly fell off mine on the first ride. went up a steep path and wasnt used to the gears so i kept them too high and couldnt pedal up it!
iDigitalMediia 8 months ago
Which is better, this or the virtuoso? I know this is currently cheaper but its RRP is higher?! I don't know enough to distinguish between the specs.
smshdchrb 8 months ago
Thank you for this it is on sale in Halfords in Ireland for 350 euro at the minute but with the bike to work scheme it will work out very cheap for a decent spec bike for beginners. Again thank you.
Rinty83 8 months ago
@Rinty83 I am also looking for a road bike for college in Ireland... Have you bought it yet? Is it just as good as this gentleman here says it is?
gavmcguinness8024 7 months ago
thankgod for this review ! , im seriosly considering purchacing this bike, like you im upgrading from a mountain bike which i put road tyres on but the gears still limit me to 30mph pushing it.
id like to know whats it like to use the gears ? :)
TDUTOM 8 months ago
@TDUTOM order on the halfords site and use code NUSJUN11 to get it for £269.99 im collecting mine tomorow
TheLastManAlive 8 months ago
@TheLastManAlive Thanks very much , much appreciated :)
TDUTOM 8 months ago
@TheLastManAlive For July use NUSJUL11
johnomi 7 months ago
@TDUTOM gears are fine and feel more natural than mountain bike gears after a week or so. The gears on this will take you past 30mph! I got fed up of running out of gears going downhill on my mountain bike
brunanburh 8 months ago
Bought my tdf today. Very happy but did get a puncture on my first outing, fortunately I had a spare tube and pump. Paid £300
shapalando1982 8 months ago
im going to look stupid here but how on earth do you change back up the gears? i can finger the lever to the toughest gears but cant get them to change when i get to a bloody hill? help please im a moron!
fstars77 8 months ago
@fstars77 You need to push the brake lever in towards the front wheel in a twisting motion.
LEEGOSLEARNERS 8 months ago
@fstars77 Agree with fstars77. Doesn't take long to get used to after using mountain bike gear levers
brunanburh 8 months ago
I've just ordered one for home delivery - is it hard to assemble? Does it come with all the tools required or am I in for alot of head scratching?
SuperSkragg 8 months ago
@SuperSkragg Can't comment sorry, Halfords built mine. I just changed the saddle and bar position after a few rides
brunanburh 8 months ago
I purchased this today and minor warning to anyone looking to purchase it . The instore price is 359 pounds , but if you reserve online and then go into the store and pay for it its only 299 pounds. Which is very strange !
hamidbahraini1234 9 months ago
@hamidbahraini1234 thats because it is £300, look online
ahs2015 9 months ago
@ahs2015 , as I said IN STORE its 359 , I almost purchased it at that price ,but luckily they were out of stock,so I came home to reserve it at another store to find out that prices differ between store and online . When I called to check they said that even though its 359 , you get it at the price at which you reserve it .
hamidbahraini1234 9 months ago
@hamidbahraini1234 yep, it does seem to be in the sale a lot! I got it through the cycle to work scheme so saved around 40%. Enjoy the bike!
brunanburh 9 months ago
i want to buy this bike, but i gotta get a refund from a bike store that i bought a road bike from, they gave me a wrong size and now they arent giving my money back
fIRsTRATmAN 9 months ago