[Closed] Santa Cruz repainting last year's frames?

I'd imagine the paint was stripped for failing to meet QC. There ain't many SC frames lie about unsold, the demand is massive.

Seems quite likely yes. This is in the comments of that article:

Hey PB folks, Scott Turner from Santa Cruz here to answer some of these questions and clear up some misinformation we are seeing in the comments. This is our first recall in our 26 years of existence, so it's been a bit of a learning experience every step of the way.
First off, the recall press releases you see and wording you see on our website are all run through the United States CPSC. We realize it's not always in the most conversationally clear tone, so sorry if there is some confusion there.
I'd blame the lawyers, but our SCB lawyer is both bigger in the brain department, and goes bigger on a bike than me, so I have nothing but love for him.

The Aluminum frames in question are listed above, and the number of bikes we are looking for in this recall are less than 300 frame components (front triangles and/or swingarms). The frames in question were sent to a paint vendor for repaint and they apparently used heat to help strip the frames and some were exposed to a temperature in excess of what is required to keep the frames correctly heat treated. This will leave those specific frame components weakened and unsafe to ride.
Unfortunately we need to test ALL the frames from that Aluminum production batch to find these specific frame components, so everyone with one of the frames listed will need to take their bike to their dealer (Or contact us direct, but dealer will be way quicker) and sent in for a non-destructive test. More than 90% of those frames are expected to pass testing and be returned ready to ride.

It goes without saying, but still important to state that our riders safety is our top priority, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

I also apologize for the wall of text here in the comments.
I'll try and stick around for a bit and answer any specific questions here in this post thread.

Scott Turner
Santa Cruz Bicycles

And re tracking the frames in question:

Usually yes, all the frames are tracked through each production process so you catch things out of the norm before they get any further. That's where the "non-standard" wording comes in, as a repaint is never part of our standard manufacturing process.
Since it's something we not usually do, these specific frames were already in the 100% completed stage which requires no more production tracking. Just shipping. The frames were grabbed out of finished product warehouse and sent out for repaint just for the color change. Definitely that should have also been tracked in hindsight, but there was no standard operating procedure for that process.

Flawed frames get repainted all the time, it's not that unusual.

Odd they thought it viable to manage 150 frames over 5 models to swap colour though. Seems like a PITA to me for small numbers.

Surely the only explanation is taking old stock and adding a ‘next year’s’ colour?

Shouldn't really matter if the bike you received is the same spec as what you paid for.

Fair point thols2, and I had made assumptions.

I'll wind my neck in.

They explain that it was frames which were still at the fabrication plant, and they wanted to change the colour.

I must admit I did have a cheeky dig on Pinkbike...

"Expensive, heavy, fragile - pick three"

Fragile? Expensive? Heavy? from someone who rides an Orange? Bravo sir!

That's very unfair, Oranges aren't heavy.

The funny thing I thought was their colours were awful last year, they’d have been better off selling them as they were painted.

Some of the colours have been horrendous!

In breaking new. . . Orange frames aren't heavy ............

stevedoc
Free Member

In breaking new. . . Orange frames aren’t heavy

True, less worky bits means lighter in general, single pivots need less parts than more complex designs.

But also, the recent models have had some good weight savings, and PURELY COINCIDENTALLY Orange are going through a golden age of cracked frames...

Northwind .. Myself, and four others who all rode together have had the above issue and between 2016 and 2018.

I think they have handled this incredibly well. Found an issue. Open about it. Will test, replace or refund any with issues. What more could you want? Manufacturing problems can just happen. Its how you respond which makes the difference.

Also as much as an orange frame isnt complex, all those big welds must add a lot of weight......;)

As Stevedoc suggests, they've resolved that with some design revisions introduced around 2018.

It was pretty bad, but they handled it well via warranty for the people I know who were affected.

And they didn't even need to ban owners from using different shocks.

Also as much as an orange frame isnt complex, all those big welds must add a lot of weight……;)

Yeah but they've started to take all the old paper work out before sale now so they're much lighter.

Also as much as an orange frame isnt complex,

Have a look at one close up. It's like metal origami.

Way more complex than welding a few bent pipes together.

I wonder how many Bronson and 5010 Ali owners who get fault found with their 2020 frames get offered Carbon versions as from the 2021 line up they seem to be moving away from Ali frames..