Last week I headed to the Cotswolds to attend Halfords’ press meeting to address the recently published news that their profit had fallen to £71m this year, which, apparently, is very low. (Whoever said that would have a fit if they saw my bank account.)

What do people normally associate with Halfords? The answer would probably lie somewhere around family cycling, budget bikes, and Apollo, in recent times at least. There was a time when the chain store was promoted by its downhill team, but lately, I think it’s fair to say, the big H has lost its way in the MTB world somewhat. Apparently that’s all about to change though, as they’re in the process of “re-vamping Halfords”. The key points are as follows.

Massive product range expansion

This focuses mainly on “PACs”, or Parts, Accessories and Clothing if you don’t speak the management lingo. Halfords now stock 15,000 product lines in cycling, with 13,000 of those online. This involves clothing (Gore, Adidas, Craft, primal, Sportful, Altura), eyewear (Adidas and Oakley), and general bike parts (SRAM, Shimano, Easton, Continental, fi’zi:k, Lezyne, Hope, Crank Brothers), etc. Needless to say, there are a lot more brands than I listed there. Halfords stores are now stocking products we’re interested in then.

Online ordering

While the normal idea of having products sent to your house remains the territory of CRC and others, Halfords think that a large number of people will choose to take them up on their new idea, which is as follows: Sselecting and purchasing a product online (before 3pm) and then having it sent to your nearest store first thing the next day. I say “their new idea” but it’s been around for a while, however this is the first time it’s reached into cycling. Apparently 90% of the UK population lives within 25 minutes of a Halfords store – there are 460-odd in the country – and they think that the order-and-collect system is much better than the usual arrive-at-your-door. The idea is that it’s online shopping with over the counter customer service. You can try things on and see them, and then pay in store. Returns, if needs be, work in the same way. The website has also had a re-design.

In-store issues

The main customer for Halfords is still the “family cyclist”, and they don’t want their new ideas to alienate them, so a lot of the store will still be dedicated to them. However, as the range expands they’re moving things around to make it easier to work out where you should be. There will be the kids’ section, ‘mass-market adult’ section (below £400), and the premium market section, for bikes over £400. The new product lines will also be added (though obviously not all 15,000 of them). It’s an in-store redesign on a massive scale, and will happen over the next three years.

Bike servicing also gets attention

Halfords are having their staff trained up (possibly by Cytec, though it’s not certain yet) over the next few months. Between that and making sure recruiting is better, they hope to make your local Halfords just as good as any other bike mechanic, and win back the market of keen cyclists.

What do you think? Will you give your local Halfords a go? Personally I was surprised that most of us live so close to a Halfords, and as a result I think a well stocked, well trained and knowledgeable chain as wide-reaching as Halfords can only be a good thing for cycling.