[Closed] Specialized bomb proof warranty?? My arse, war about to commence, I need help!!

Wear and tear surely! Did you ask for new brake pads too?

Surely bearings are consumables, I wouldn't expect them to be covered by a warranty

I'm with bagstard - bearings are wear and tear.

Bearings are consumables, very few manufacturers cover them, off the top of my head Marin do for free, and Trek did for 1p (stock controll apparently) but I'm not sure anyone else does?

You've neglected to look after your bike properly. Why should that be covered under warrenty?

I can sort of feel his pain. It's only 11 months old and Marin and Whyte offer lifetime on bearings.

Yes I have had similiar issues parts do in fact wear out with use
You are being unrealistic in what you expect a warranty to cover.

They shouldn't be on the ****ing bike if they can't stand up to the warranty surely?? Improve the quality, it's not like I ride the ****ing thing every day!!

santa cruz cover bearings on the vpp frames don't they? but yeah agreed, why would you even begin to think that bearings are covered by warranty?

Ow the **** can you maintain swing arm bearings??

well, they're not covered by the warranty so why would they make them any better?

and, tbh, making seals and bearings on bikes last indefinetly would add so much weight and friction you wouldn;t be able to ride the thing.

Bagstard - Member

Wear and tear surely! Did you ask for new brake pads too?

^this. Did you ask for a new chain and gear cables as well?

I'd say the rear hub bearings is a service/maintenance issue - how did they get '****ed'??

And it depends on how much use you've had out of the frame, as to whether you'd expect the swing arm bearings to be knackered or not....I would be miffed if mine went in a year, but mine gets ridden once or maybe twice a week and I don't really hammer my bike (as I'm a big girls' blouse)......

They may not be covered by the warranty but they will be by the sale of goods act

You would have to show that it was not reasonable for the bearings to fail this quickly tho to have a claim under SOGA

It's creaking because there is grit around the pivots probably. Whip back end off, clean it up and put some fresh grease on all mating surfaces. My Pitch creaked a bit so I did this and it's sorted.
Learn how to maintain a bike if you are going to buy an expensive and complex one.

Sorry to jump on the bandwagon - but they are just not warranty issues. Learn to do some maintenance.

you people with you claims man 🙄
you can destroy bearings in a week if your unlucky, its no ones fault it's just how it is.

maybe you shouldnt have a mountain bike.

If it's the M475 Shimano hub like on my bike then they have crap sealing. Proper maintenance should ensure they last a while but I just ran it until it failed and got sone Hopes. Only regressed the hub once and it was good after that but didn't want to have to keep doing it.

Dumb Specialized owner [s]bomb proof warranty[/s]??[s] My arse, war about to commence, [/s]I need help!!(16 posts) (13 voices)

Fixed it for you.

Wheel and suspension bearings on a car are covered by the manufacturers warranty, why should a bike be different?

Warranty is what the manufacturer says it is

Sale of goods act rights are different.

votchy - if you're prepared to accept the weight and stiction of car bearings on your bike I'm sure they'd be happy to oblige.

**** you robdob!! ****

Your tyres are looking a bit worn. How many inner tubes have you been through in the past 11 months?

🙄 Ask them to stick some new grips on under warranty too, they are probably a bit worn by now.......

If you'd cracked it, or the bearings had worn out in a month, or they'd worn out quickly due to frame misalignment (as was common on the 2002 Enduro) you'd have a valid warranty claim.

As it is, you've ridden your bike and things you'd expect to wear out have worn out. Bearings are like tyres, chains and grips. They wear with use, and as a result you'll have to pay to replace them.

Hub bearings are nothing to do with Specialized, that's Shimano you want to be talking to. Or you could learn to service the hub.

Frame bearings - I can kind of sympathise with you cos a year isn't *that* long in the lifetime of a bike but it's still a cheap disposable item that requires maintenance.

Any shop will tell you exactly the same, that's not a warranty claim, it's normal wear and tear.

****in piss is boiling!

They shouldn't be on the * bike if they can't stand up to the warranty surely?? Improve the quality, it's not like I ride the * thing every day!!

Ow the * can you maintain swing arm bearings??

* you robdob!! ****

TBH with an attitude like yours, your more likely to be removed form the premisis by the police for verbal assault than make a successfull warrenty claim!

I once got a new chain and cassette after 6 months out of halfords, being polite works wonders 🙂

right, so.. the hub which is oem crapola would cost 20 quid to change like for like, bearings will cost say 14 quid if you get them off ebay.
Just pay for it. Thats what everyone else has to do. Also, Specialized don't hide what the warranty covers. It's available to read online or in your local dealer.

I'll ask again, how do you clean it?

I'll ask again, how do you clean it?

With either boiling piss or a sand blaster

Looks like I'll be paying then!!! Can totally understand the hub, but the swing Arm bearings just seems ridiculous, on a suss bike it's surely something that's going to be moving through every single pedal stroke, in fact they even move when your at the top of a hill, not moving, dying for breath leaning against a tree. I just assumed they'd be up to a bit more! Would this be the same scenario if I'd spent more money originally??

I think bearings are hit and miss really. Some could last for ages, or go to the alps for a couple of weeks and come back and your bearings are ****ed.

There only cheap from ebay anyway.

You've neglected to look after your bike properly.

could you explain how one would set about "looking after" a swing arm pivot ? IME they're quite inaccessible and the only service option available is replacement.

Oh jet wash of course!! Always warm soapy water and then a rinse off with just the hose end! Refuse to buy a jet wash in all honesty because I know I'd use it on my car, and the old wheels wouldn't like it!!

would this be the same scenario if I'd spent more money originally??

Yes you would still be at the top of the hill "dying" for breath leaning against a tree.

People have been groomed to accept poor service. You will get no sympathy here.

[i]Always warm soapy water and then a rinse off with just the hose end![/i]

That would still do it for bearings TBH. Water tends to sit there in the bearing indent, it's a pretty inaccessible place for proper cleaning so easier for it to start rusting almost unnoticed.
I don't mind the occasional jetwash but I'm quite anal about bike maintenance (I actually enjoy it!) and I also treat bearings as disposable items. Not really something to maintain, just take the hit whenever they need replacing. Sometimes you're lucky and they'll last 2-3 years, other times you might only get 6 months out of them.

Make sure when you replace them that you use the best quality ones you can get and fit them carefully with coppaslip or waterproof grease, it'll help minimise creaking/wear etc.

11 months for bearings ain't amazing, but it's not too bad, is it? but i probably missed the post where you described how they ended up wrecked, how it was a manufacturing defect... is it only that they have play?

EDIT: there's a reason i haven't had a full sus since 2000!

people expect the moon on a stick.

could you explain how one would set about "looking after" a swing arm pivot ? IME they're quite inaccessible and the only service option available is replacement.

Good job you ride a hardtail!

The best/easiest method is to do it before you need to, everyone knows sealed bearings contain poor grease. The best thing to do is remove the swing arm once you get the bike, then prise the seals off the bearings. Next, you need to use some degreaser and a compressed air gun to remove all the old grease from the bearings. Once done, repack them with whale oil. You should do this after every ride really.

greasing bearings after every ride? why only the suspension bearings? why not the hubs, pedals, bottom bracket, headset too? seems odd to expect [i]that[/i] little from suspension bearings!

Right. As others have said, Shimano hubs have cup and cone bearings which require regular maintenence. It could be that you may have been over enthusiastic with a hose and inadventantly blasted the grease out of the hubs - which might also explain the early death of the swingarm bearings too.

There may also be an issue with the swingarm alignment which might kill those bearings early, if I were you I'd ask you Spesh dealer to check this out.

You won't get very far with a confrontational attitude. I've had a Spesh for a very long time and have very positive experience of their customer service. That said, I've let them investigate any issues and have been prepared to take it on the nose in event that my hamfistedness has contributed to a problem.

You hear that sound MrK mkII?
That was the sound of the irony wooshing over your head...

🙂 @ crazy-legs

this is what a fox guy said to my mate when he was at Crankworks. "your from the UK, you have that proper mud there, eats our part". So claim down as it is wear and tear and when fixed give you bike a service every 3 months or so. i have a Santa Cruz bullit. now 2 and a half years old on the same bearing. it has a full service every 3months. stripped to the bearings.

everyone knows sealed bearings contain poor grease.

so it IS a warranty issue! If this were needed it should be done in the factory.

Once done, repack them with whale oil. You should do this after every ride really.

oh, it's a joke ? Har har.

To be honest, if sealed pivot bearings made by whoever and loose bearings from shimano have both died in the same time frame, then the only common factors are your maintenance and the conditions you are subjecting them to. I'd be worried about the whole rear hub to be honest (as i'm assuming the bearings are rusty and marbled) and the headset is likely the next thing to go...

The OP did not say the bearings were loose or worn out, he said it was creaking. No need to replace the bearings, this is the famous FSR creak. Repeated bouts of mud pasting and subsequent cleaning and GT85 squirting don't clear out all the special UK grit and the grease around the mating surfaces gets washed away. Unless the bearings are loose there is nothing wrong with them, just clean and regrease like any other moving part. Ok I don't ride my Spesh that often but it's always in the Peaks gritstone. I've had to take the back end off and regrease the surfaces once in nearly 2 years. More regular use might mean this needs doing every 6 months or so, which is reasonable IMO for a complex suspension pivot regularly swamped with cack.
Mind you, the OP's attitude about the whole thing stinks and makes it very clear he has no idea about how to maintain a bike or even care to find out. If you effed like that to my staff in any of my shops you'd be out on your butt never to darken my door again, you obnoxious little prat.

DEar SiR

I LefT mY Bik in tHe SheD, An KNoW iT HAs gON RuSTy

Is iT a WaRanTTy IsHuE ?

KinD rEgaRDs

WrigHtYSoN

Unless the bearings are loose there is nothing wrong with them, just clean and regrease like any other moving part.

except the manufacturers (who should know) insist that this should not be done ?

Orange single pivot.

Orange single pivot.

May aswell buy a hardtail, cheaper and they work pretty much the same over bumpy ground.

WrightySon, you have been proved wrong my son 😉

Consumer is king eh robdob. You know the script, I mentioned it to you before. Which shop by the way? Funny tho how spesh have now agreed to cover the cost of all the labour, I've got plenty of idea when it comes to maintenance, yeah I'm guilty for the hub but as I said the swing arm bearings just don't seem fit for purpose. Must be something in my telephone manner to have sorted it, the guy who I spoke to is a top man and not once did I raise my voice or swear. I save that for the ****s on here!

I save that for the **** on here!

of which you are king...

Funny tho how spesh have now agreed to cover the cost of all the labour

That's called 'goodwill' - I'm surprised you don't feel guilty about being such a tit about it in the first place now.

You hear that sound MrK mkII?
That was the sound of the irony wooshing over your head...

yeah, but it gives great lift! 🙂

Rigid SS is the way to go. 😀

That's why I wont buy another Spesh FS - My stumpies went after 1.5 years and my shock bushing every 6 months - Orange warranty their pivot bearings for Five years! If they are not warrantied then you have to ask why ?

Stay clear of Muc-off!

Which shop? Until 18 months ago I was a manager in retail, lastly in Homebase. Escorted plenty of people off the premises for abusive behaviour/swearing at staff. My last week there I had to call the police to remove someone (sofa was taking a while to arrive, tried to compensate and offered refunds but they threatened me with verbal and physical abuse). It seems no matter how much you try to help people and be polite and courteous they still want it out with you to get what they "think" they deserve, no matter how wrong they might be.
Pity the bike shop you got your "faulty" bike from. 😉

i wish this was a troll but sadly i think its real 😕

Its like people who expect mech hangers ot be covered under warranty. Even after you calmly and clearly explain to them why they are there and that they are designed to fail they dont believe you. Whats even funnier is when they start to say they are a engineer and can see the part isn't built correctly because of x y z reasons.

We ride stuff. It wears out. Sometimes it breaks. Folk don't really expect bearings to be warranteed do they? Not given the horrid environments we put them through?

Shimano M575 hubs are cack. It might have done the OP a favour and now it's time for some decent wheels.

My 2010 Stumpy is 12 months old:

- forks fixed/serviced under warranty (stopped working)
- new main shock under warranty (blew through whatever when dropping off in pro-pedal)
- new rear hub bearings (wear and tear)
- half a dozen new spokes (wear and tear)
- replacement drive train (wear and tear)
- new Hope Hoop rear wheel (wear and tear)
- new break pads +++ (wear and tear)
- just going in for new headset today...

...try not to use jet washers and do not use Muc Off.

Gets ridden 2 - 3 times a week.

Reasonable??

Paul

PS I wish it was as easy to replace knackered parts of my body!!

I'll try and avoid all the abuse thats being thrown about here (although i might be a bit sarcastic myself)as this thread does seem to be getting out of hand no thanks of course to the OP(please don't take offense to this but you do come across as a bit rough). I'm a Mechanical Technician and before that a marine engineer (ooooh cool as f&ck, i know) and i can verify that most people before me are right, bearings are counted as just wear and tear on a bike. That said if its only creaking then its not buggered. Does your seatpost creak sometimes? what do you do? take it out, give it a clean, clean the inside of the seat tube and stick it back in with fresh grease and hey presto problem solved. Same thing with the bearings just pop the seals off and wash out with GT85 or something like it. Allow the bearings to dry thoroughly and then push some fresh grease in whilst you rotate the bearing to ensure you get as much in as possible. Now its totally different if you remove the shock and find that the bearings are rough to move, the same way you do with your crank when you remove the chain to check the bb bearings, if this is the case then you need new bearings. A bike is like a car and needs regular servicing. Remember where your riding your bike.......up and down a mountain in wind rain and mud at great speed!

Here's a big tip for you though, don't leave it until something breaks before taking it to get fixed. This is called breakdown maintenance and is baaaad! What you want to do is preventative maintenance where you maintain things (by this i mean bearings on your hubs, headset, suspension etc)on the bike not necessarily after everytime you ride it but every 2-3 months but of course this also depends on how much you ride the thing. If your bike has been ridden 20 miles offroad every second day for 11 months then service times should vary 😀 There are articles on this forum and others that will tell you exactly how to maintain your bike if you're unsure.

Hope i don't sound to patronising but its late for me as i'm on nightshift and stuck on an oil rig 140 miles off of Dundee for 3 weeks

Fair enough they arn't covered and if they arn't then you can't grumble really but I still stand by the fact that if a company do not warranty bearings at all (even 1 year!!!) you do have to ask the question why?

Foxy: Bearings are not covered by warranty as u could be using the bike once every month to ride 5 miles or every day to ride 40 miles. This kind of thing is common practice in the automotive industry so why not in the bicycle industry?

But again just to mention there's nothing wrong with his bearings if they're just creaking, they just need lubed like your chain does every so often

The big problem with using cartridge bearings in pivots is that they only move through a minute range of motion, so water gets in and they seize in no time. Using bushes gets around this, but they can have more stiction, and as 99% of people never do any maintenance you can really trash the frame.

This kind of thing is common practice in the automotive industry so why not in the bicycle industry?

As mentioned previously, wheel bearings on bikes are designed to be very light and free rolling, if you wanted heavy bearings with terrible drag, which last longer, you could use car wheel bearings, or buy Chris King hubs. Using car analogies for virtually anything on a bike just doesn't work!

Here's a big tip for you though, don't leave it until something breaks before taking it to get fixed.

Ideally you would replace the component the day before it breaks for minimum faff factor. With cartridge bearings I replace them as soon as the play is above some illdefined amount where I feel the wear will start to rapidly increase, as it's important to get them out before the races collapse

But again just to mention there's nothing wrong with his bearings if they're just creaking, they just need lubed like your chain does every so often

except the bearing manufacturers insist you should never do this and that the parts are sealed and self lubricating...

and as 99% of people never do any maintenance you can really trash the frame

since the bearings are an interference fit, and there is no movement relative to the frame, how can it be trashed ? Surely one of the points of cartridge bearings is that all the wear takes place within them and replacing them returns to as-new function ?

Unless the warranty says 'lifetime bearings' then your out of luck. A year can mean alot of riding/use especially over winter that we've just had.

Some UK locations have horrific sand-like grit that wears kit as well.

Do Marin actually warranty them?

Trek don't, they just replace them for free (or 1p as said previously!), it's different. They're not saying they won't wear out, and you're liable for labour, they'll just give you the parts free.

And in this instance, a call to Specialized has resulted in the same outcome, them meeting the cost of labour. It's not an admission of fault, it's called GOODWILL and surprisingly, in spite of the best efforts of some customers, it does still exist in the bike industry.

Specialized are fantastic to deal with - if anything this thread has highlighted this fact above the "my bearings failed, the bike isn't fit for purpose" rant.

since the bearings are an interference fit, and there is no movement relative to the frame, how can it be trashed ? Surely one of the points of cartridge bearings is that all the wear takes place within them and replacing them returns to as-new function ?

Right up to the point when the bearing siezes solid and rotates in the seat. Now that will make a mess....

As far as I see it. The better you are with warranty/what you offer the more people will expect from you. I bet all manufacturers receive idiot-calls and ambulance-chasers for issues/rider-faults etc on a fairly regular basis.

Wrightysons 4rse, after a good flamming:

[img] [/img]

😉

Foxy: Bearings are not covered by warranty as u could be using the bike once every month to ride 5 miles or every day to ride 40 miles. This kind of thing is common practice in the automotive industry so why not in the bicycle industry?

Not on the Spesh but they are covered on other brands are they not - that was my point!!

Group hug anyone? 😆

Orange Pivot bearings: 5 Years - [url= http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/support/warranty/ ]link[/url]
Marin Pivot Bearings: Lifetime - [url= http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/mountain/product/mount-vision-58-09-32586 ]Link[/url]
Trek Pivot bearings: Lifetime for original owner [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/trek-bearing-warranty ]Link[/url]
Whyte Pivot Bearings: Lifetime for original owner [url= http://www.cyclistno1.co.uk/gear/bikes/mountain/whyte-e-120-xt.htm ]Link[/url]

And - Huuuuuuug 😉

ATB sales bikes do indeed have bombproof warranties IME, which is why i'd always put one of their products towards the top of my shopping list even if my "brand new" mount vision came with a crack already in the frame!! On hindsight I kicked off a bit about that one!!

Not fashionable or "niche" (whatever that is) but they make sound bikes which they sort quickly for you when things do go wrong.

However i would see the above issues as fair wear and tear.

There was an idiot who wrote to octobers what MTB complaining that Evans and Trek wouldnt replace a broken spoke under warranty after 3 months, and demanded a new wheel after, and the went on to complain they fitted a "different spec" inner tube in the new wheel.

I think we all need to apply a bit of common sense here. If we are going to throw our own bikes down rocky hillsides and ride through all manner of gloop and mud then some things will break/get worn out. Obviously if frames fail then it's reasonable to discuss a replacement but for items like rims/spokes/hubs/bottom brackets and pivot bearings these are consumables like tyres and disc/pads on your car. MTBing is an expensive hobby and things do wear out. If you want less wear and tear get a road bike and become a roadie as i never have to replace anything on my road bike!!