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Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm

The Carrera TDF Road Bike features a full Shimano drivetrain with 16-speed ST-2300 shift and brake levers on a road with an all round great spec.
Average Customer Rating:
4.377 out of 5
4.4
 out of 
5
(53 Reviews) 53
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot (53 reviews)
5 stars
26
4 stars
22
3 stars
4
2 stars
1
1 star
0
50 of 53(94%)customers would recommend this product to a friend 
Customer Questions & Answers:
39 Questions | 54 Answers
Customer Reviews for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Review 1 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
AMAZING BIKE!!!!!!!,
March 29, 2013
By josh2000
from milton keynes
Quality 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Pros: everything
Cons: nothing
"a lovely bike witch is very cool and a colourful. I show it off to my friends than wiz past them!!!!!!!!
it is such good value for money
BEST BIKE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
Other hobbies: Cycling
How many bikes: 3
Which Store did you visit? MILTON KEYNES
-5points
0out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 2 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Mellow yellow,
March 18, 2013
By seanoloonatic
from Cornwall
Quality 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Value 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Performance 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Pros: colour, speed, gears
Cons: poor finnish on mechs, pedals
"My wife bought me a TDF for Christmas,its a bit of a quantum leap for me as my other bikes are 1960's 3 speeds.This leaves the problem of having nothing to compare it to,so it'll be judged on its own merrits.We'll start with the not so good points,firstly and worstly are the pedals,321 in the bin and replaced with some MKS quills,loads better.Lots of people say the gearing is a little 'tall'but for me a good spread of 16 gears is just fantastic,i'm undecided about the seat,i may just need to get used to it but i go a bit numb after an hour or so.Another issue i have found is the shimano mechs dont like rock salt very much,after a couple of rides on frosty mornings after the gritters have been out both mechs have nasty black patches and the nuts and bolts on the brake calipers have gone rusty,i'm a bit dissappointed about this as i look after my bikes with lots of gt85 and polish.Right then good points,firstly it just looks gorgeous,yellow and black a classic combo.The brakes,i was a bit surprised just how good they work,we've got some pretty steep hills in Cornwall and i haven't scared myself in the stopping dept yet.The gears worked very smoothly after i spent a few minutes making adjustments,i'm sure Halfords would have done this if i had taken it back but as i said it was just a few adjustments.I did take advantage of the 6 week check over,the staff were very helpfull and capable,they gave the wheels a true and made other adjustments and checks.Overall i find the TDF Fast,good looking and well built and would recommend it to anyone starting out in road riding."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 35 - 44
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Just for fun
Other hobbies: Cycling
How many bikes: More than 3
Which Store did you visit? CAMBORNE
+7points
7out of 7found this review helpful.
Review 3 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
First road bike but no without its floors.,
March 09, 2013
By afro888
from Newcastle
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Performance 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Pros: price, quality of build, availability of parts
Cons: brakes, seat, gearing
"I bought the tdf as my first road bike to move up from a ten year old full suspension mountain bike.
First thoughts were pretty good, built up easily and went for the first ride.
Now I live in Northumberland so we have lovely flat rides, up hill and rough roads, so the first thing I changed was the seat! To a charge, which helped no end!
Secondly the brakes are atrocious in standard form. Once you get this thing would up to 40mph downhill, don't expect to stop quickly! I replaced these for a better brand of brake pads, which transformed the brakes, much sharper and fill you with confidence!
Up hill steep sections are a problem if your not used to the high gears on this bike and even seasonal cyclists have complained about the awkward gearing. I eventually changed the main sprocket for a compact gear set which has helped no end!
The next thing on the list is to replace the handle bar tape with something more comfortable, maybe a prologo set.
Generally I think this bike is very good , but to make it a decent long distance bike you need to make a few sensible changes!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 25 - 34
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - No Children
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
Other hobbies: Camping
How many bikes: More than 3
Which Store did you visit? GATESHEAD
+4points
5out of 6found this review helpful.
Review 4 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Seems like a good starter bike,
March 04, 2013
By LloydG
from London, UK
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
"I bought this to start to get into road biking so can't profess to be an expert on how good or otherwise the bike stacks up on specs, can only give my review on riding it.
I really like riding the bike, its very smooth and comfortable. Obviously will require fiddling to get the right angle to the seat, handlebars and pedals overall very good.
The bike is heavy for a road bike (even I know this) but its an entry level model so can't be too surprised by that, its not as though is an absolute tank though, I've managed to get it up plenty of hills without issues at least.
Overall really really pleased."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - No Children
Type of Cyclist: Just for fun
Other hobbies: Cycling
How many bikes: 2
Which Store did you visit? MAIDSTONE
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 5 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Very nice Bike,
February 24, 2013
By Nabeel11
from Leytonstone, London
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Pros: the look speed weight
Cons: handle bar hurts pedals
"This is my first road bike. Decided to buy a road bike to travel to/from work (8 miles per side). I had a mountain bike before.
This bike is very light, really stylish and perfect for a starting road biking.
So far it has delivered, It is pretty fast. Had to change the pedals though. I read reviews about wheels that they need changing but I haven't changed them yet, but I am always scared they might get punctured just because they are so thin.
Seat is fine doesnt hurt too much, its all about getting used to. The worst thing I noticed which I think is worth mentioning, The handle bar is very hard so it hurts my palm a lot. I keep on shifting my grip. You either need to get more padding on it or get gloved with extra padding for your palm."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Value for Money - I like things to be as cheap as possible
Family: I'm Single - With No Children
Type of Cyclist: Commuting
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 6 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
starting bike,
February 20, 2013
By Tom92
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Performance 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Pros: the quality
Cons: the price, the weight, the service you get from halfords
"this product is a good starting bike but if you are getting serious then you would need a more expensive bike. this is because the bike is quite heavy and the gears need attending to after you have done some miles. but it is generally a good quality bike."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
How many bikes: 2
0points
2out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 7 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Great bike,
February 17, 2013
By chrisJ71
from Lincolnshire
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
"I bought the TDF as a good alternative to fitness equipment. I only bought it last week and already the quality is shinning through. Smooth gears and brakes and when I picked it up out the shop it ras ready to roll. A fantastic way to get out and about, get some air and feel great about yourself"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 35 - 44
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
Other hobbies: Camping
How many bikes: 2
+2points
3out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 8 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Solid piece of bike,
February 17, 2013
By Sylvest
from London
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
"I have decided to go for Carrera TDF as my Allez got stolen and I quickly needed replacement. My first impression was how good this bike looks and how solid is being build. Before you ride it you need to change your pedals to SPD ones and pump up your tyres. Bike is very well equipped for the price you pay. To be honest I did not see any difference to my previous Specialized Allez. how smooth and fast it changes gears or brakes. The bike might be slightly too heavy and chainset is overgeared (52), therefore acceleration is a bit slow, but when you are up to speed it goes very fast. Overall I'm positively surprised and really happy with this buy. For the price you pay, solid of build, quality of materials and equipment there is nothing better on the market. Well done Halfords."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 35 - 44
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Commuting
Other hobbies: Cycling
How many bikes: 3
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 9 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
My Favorite bike (Carrera TDF),
February 01, 2013
By Adey7569
from Surrey,UK
Quality 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
"I am a cyclist that has been riding for many years. From steel frames to aluminium to carbon fibre. At the moment i own 3 road bikes, a high end carbon bike, a steel frame and the aluminium Carrera TDF. The Carrera is my Favourite out of all of them because it is the most reliable,most comfortable and was the cheapest. I can leave it anywhere without worrying that if it gets stolen ive lost a lot of money. the bike is as fast as my carbon bike as well. I do around 800 to a 1000 miles month cycling and use the carrera 80 percent of the time. when new i changed the rubbish peddles for spd's and the rubbish tyres for the great vittoria rabino tyres. The bike has just come up to the 14000 miles and is till going strong and all that i have replaced is a new chain,new cassette and derailleur and break pads...This is one fantastic bike,infact the best i have ever had and i have had bikes costing thousands of pounds.Well done Carrera and halfords for knocking up a great bike..."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 45 - 54
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
How many bikes: More than 3
+24points
24out of 24found this review helpful.
Review 10 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Fab bike!!,
January 28, 2013
By Morsey
from South Wales
Quality 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
"Brilliant for someone who is starting road cycling, very strong and firm bike. I've had mine about 2 years without anything major breaking on it or faults. Fantastic bike if you want convert it to cycle-cross as i have done :)."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Single - With No Children
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
Other hobbies: Camping
How many bikes: 3
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 11 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
this product was a bargain!,
January 23, 2013
By Anonymous
from driffield
Quality 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Pros: pretty light., smooth and comfy ride., great for long or short rides.
Cons: pedals are a bit faffy.
"the carrera tdf is my first road bike and i love it, i didn't buy it for quality, i bought it for the price(before Xmas.) but i really am impressed with what i have got. i certainly recommend this bike for someone who is looking for a great ride and a quality piece of kit!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Value for Money - I like things to be as cheap as possible
Type of Cyclist: Just for fun
Other hobbies: Camping
How many bikes: 2
+3points
4out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 12 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Great bike for the price when on sale (can't mention the price due to halfords website t&c's),
January 21, 2013
By Shorehambeach
from Shoreham By Sea
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Pros: look and feel of the bike
Cons: pedals and poor gear ratios
"This is a great bike for the price I paid in the 50% off Xmas sale (this comment does not break the Halfords t&c's)
I decided to get back into cycling and this was the perfect machine - looks and handles great.
As all reviews the pedals and gear range are pretty poor but - once i get back to 50 + mile rides - I'll upgrade.
I only bought this bike as it was such a good offer. (this does not break the halfords t&c's)"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 35 - 44
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Just for fun
Other hobbies: Camping
How many bikes: 2
+8points
9out of 10found this review helpful.
Review 13 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Very good ratio quality price!!,
January 19, 2013
By jon78
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
"I have bought this bicycle a month ago and so far I can be only happy about it. Very good ratio quality/price (before Xmas was for half price!!!)"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
+2points
4out of 6found this review helpful.
Review 14 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Good value entry level road bike,
January 14, 2013
By grantyboy
from Fife
Quality 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Value 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Pros: price, colour, gears, brakes
Cons: pedals, combined gear and brake levers
"Nice entry level road bike on sale at good price. Rides well and looks good! Be sure to change the pedals though as it comes with flimsy plastic ones with fabric straps. I found these difficult to get my feet in and out of and fell off the bike doing so!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 45 - 54
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Just for fun
Other hobbies: Running / Athletics
How many bikes: 3
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 15 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Carrera TDF Road Bike,
January 12, 2013
By dolly01
from Swansea
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
"I felt compelled to review this bike after reading some of the other reviews. I bought this product in July 2011 and have had very little problems.
I do agree with the selection of pedals - they are not great and up graded to SPD clip pedals.
I do agree with the change in tyres to armoured - but thats more for the prevention of punctures rather than rubbish tyres. continental armoured or gorilla tyes are great.
I managed to move from complete (long distance) novice and managed to site on this bike for 100miles in a day with no (real) issues. It did the job. .. and back on the bike the next day!!
As for punctures .... Yep ... had a real puncture due to riding with the type pressure too low and suffered a compression puncture .... then had several punctures on every ride. Every one was in the same region - around the valve stem ... latter found that its called a 'snake bite' puncture ... lots of information on the internet. But basically - its not the bike its the user !!
to help in this problem - dont use tyre levers to refit and make sure that the inner tube is not fitted between the tyre and the rim !! Its very likely that the wheel is less susceptible to poor fitting (of a tyre)...
but if you fit it properly !! you will have a great ride."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 35 - 44
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Value for Money - I like things to be as cheap as possible
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Commuting
Other hobbies: Running / Athletics
How many bikes: 2
+9points
9out of 9found this review helpful.
Review 16 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
nice bike,
January 12, 2013
By Wang
from London, UK
Quality 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Value 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
"I had this bike for over three months and I really liked it. I commute to work everyday."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: 35 - 44
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - No Children
Type of Cyclist: Commuting
Other hobbies: Running / Athletics
How many bikes: 3
0points
2out of 4found this review helpful.
Review 17 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
First road bike - desperate to upgrade after 4 months,
January 02, 2013
By Mcsw
from Birmingham
Quality 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Value 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Performance 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Cons: gear ratios, poor ride quality, pedals, tyres, weight
"After my first ride, I realised the pedals had to go. I feel much safer now with clipless pedals. The next issue was the tyres - I punctured at least once every 100 miles. I upgraded to Continental tyres now and have had no such problems. The one other component I have changed is the saddle, which was far too narrow for me and caused a lot of discomfort.
I find the range of gears is inadequate for climbing steep hills and I am often forced to pedal at a very low cadence. Surely a compact chainset would have been more appropriate for a bike clearly aimed at beginners.
The frame is heavy, and the vibrations from a rough road surface can be horrific at times. But this is to be expected from an entry level bike.
Despite all of these complaints, this bike has allowed me to get in road biking and massively improve my fitness, for a low initial cost. I now know what I am looking for in a new bike."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? No
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Family: I'm Single - With No Children
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
Other hobbies: Running / Athletics
How many bikes: 2
+10points
11out of 12found this review helpful.
Review 18 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
2 out of 5
2 out of 5
Great Bike awful wheels,
December 29, 2012
By daveyt1981
from Redcar
Quality 
2 out of 5
2 out of 5
Value 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Performance 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
"Having Purchased this bike in august i have left it a while to write a review so as to give a more accurate one.
I had this bike 6 weeks without any problems and absolutely loved it. Riding ten miles every day to work on it. Then i got my first puncture, which is fair enough. Since then however i have had nothing but problems with punctures. And im talking like 2 punctures a day, one on the way to work, one on the way home. I took it upon myself to try different inner tubes to see if that helped and have tried numerous different brands, and even got different people to check them to see if it was something i was doing wrong. None of these helped. I took it back to the shop to see what they could do about it. I was told it must be something i was doing wrong, but that i should expect punctures on a road bike. fair comment but not 2 every ten miles covered. My local branch fitted me a new inner. That burst on the first journey out. I have had a sababtical while i waited for some new tyres i had ordered for christmas. If these dont do the job i will be taking the matter further to demand action. I know the bike is only the base level but i should not be having the problems ive had even at that price. It is a real shame as this problem aside i absolutely love the bike and everything about road racing i have got into.
"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? No
Age Group: 25 - 34
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Value for Money - I like things to be as cheap as possible
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - With Children
Type of Cyclist: Commuting
Other hobbies: Camping
How many bikes: 2
-17points
5out of 27found this review helpful.
Review 19 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
carrera TDF,
December 28, 2012
By Anonymous
from loughborough
Quality 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
"ive had this bike 4 days now. the bikes a joy to ride well put together by halfords and runs smoothly and very well. the bik is very fast and is great for going up hills ive recently changed from a mountain bike to a road bike and found the road bike much more better for long hilly bike rides the only down side is its uncomfortable to ride on poor roads so if riding a road bike try sticking to smooth roads. ive got no complaints great bike! BUY IT!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Value for Money - I like things to be as cheap as possible
Family: I'm Living with Partner/Spouse - No Children
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
Other hobbies: Running / Athletics
How many bikes: 3
+10points
11out of 12found this review helpful.
Review 20 for Carrera TDF Road Bike 2011/2012 - Large 58cm
Overall Rating 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
this product is awsome,
December 26, 2012
By adboy2001
from HULL,EAST YORKSHIRE
Quality 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Value 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Performance 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Pros: love it all, great gears
"the gears are great and easy to use and also has great grip and lets u ride at your own pace"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Group: Under 25
Gender: Male
Attitude to Shopping: Quality Seeker - I'd rather spend a little extra on something if I know its going to last
Type of Cyclist: Serious Cyclist
Other hobbies: Running / Athletics
How many bikes: More than 3
+9points
10out of 11found this review helpful.
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