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My wife's bike came with Marzocchi Z2s. They developed excessive bushing play, so I returned them to the online retailer for a warranty replacement.
The retailer has replaced them with some Pre-used Z2s that have had the bushings "repaired".
I know that the bushings on Z2s are not replaceable, and the only way that they can be "repaired" is by fitting replacement lowers. Lowers manufactured after September 2021 have tighter tolerances and should be OK.
The forks I have been sent don't have new lowers, so they haven't been replaced recently, but they could have been made after Sept 21, but they are certainly used.
The steerer has marks from being fitted, as well as headset and stem marks. Most concerning is there is a pale blue milky fluid set around the steerer/crown interface,which I take to be something like a bearing fix. I can never recall seeing anything like it on any fork that I have every used.
My biggest concern is I have been issued with a fork that will go on to develop another bushing issue as well as a creaky or loose steerer.
I'm worried about being a dick sending the replacements back, but that is definitely the course of action I am steering towards.
What do you think? Reject, or keep?
When did your wufe buy her bike?
May 2022
What does their warranty document state?
I'd ask them to explain how they've repaired them and how they will guarantee that the replacement parts will be fit for purpose.
I rejected a bike due to it falling apart/eating itself at every pivot point, them not being able to repair the bike to a satisfactory standard with the correct parts (incorrect offset forks and gold stanchions, yuk) or parts that were of a suitable quality (paint missing from a front triangle where they had ground back a weld due to it interfering with a rocker arm...)
Bikes are an expensive investment, Honda wouldn't dream of pulling the stunts the cycling industry thinks is acceptable.
That's not on in my view ... less than 6 months old and they 'warranty' faulty forks by replacing them with some scruffy seconds?!
But if they'd fixed his, he'd still have used forks. Which is the same thing?
he’d still have used forks. Which is the same thing?
not really, as he'd know the history on his used repaired forks. These, as said, are a potential bigger can of worms.
Warranty states the right to repair or replace, but doesn't specify anything about previously returned items.
I have checked with Silverfish, and I could have returned the forks to them direct, and they would have replaced the lowers. I can understand the retailer wanting to ensure a swift resolution, but i'm now worrying about the crown/steerer.
Under the Consumer Rights Act if a product becomes faulty between 30 days and 6 months from date of purchase you the have the right to repair or replacement.
Your online retailer is already in breach by using second hand parts
Your legal rights mean you are entitled to a replacement pair of new and unused forks.
You could push for a replacement bike.
Given the purchase date, don't delay - act today.
Just checked the date - 16 May. Will chase up tomorrow.
They look well shagged.
See if weeksy will give you £600 for them 😉
New lowers is the minimum, used replacements with no idea of their history is unacceptable, you need new replacement part or new forks.
Send that picture to Silverfish and ask if that is an approved repair method on a steerer. If it isn't, retailer needs to do things properly and replace.
I'm with rejection ...
Given your CSU was fine and lowers needed swapping why send you a bodged CSU ??? (unless i'm missing something here)
Have they actually told you they've sent a used replacement? If not, it's possible that they have repaired your wife's forks and accidentally sent them to another customer, and also repaired their forks and sent them to you. I would talk to them.
surely pre-used means they've not been used yet?
Semantics aside, I have been in touch with the retailer and I am going to return the forks and discuss a suitable replacement. I'll update when I have details.
That Blue residue appears to be a retaining compound that has been applied to headset crown race so nothing out of the ordinary.
Silverfish (The UK distributor and warranty centre for Fox and Marzocchi) would never issue a second hand product as a warranty replacement. They would either repair your fork, or issue a brand new replacement.
Is it actually used or just some forks that were fitted and have now been sent out?
Defo used. The marking to the steerer tube where the stem and headset make contact are from use, not assembly.
It sounds like the store you bought them from haven't sent them away for warranty. I would politely ask them to send the fork to Silverfish for an approved warranty resolution.
I have heard back from the retailer after returning the forks. They have offered me a "new" set of forks removed from a "new", unused bike.
I have replied saying if they are new, and with a manufacture date of after Sept 2021, that is fine, otherwise please return the faulty ones I originally sent in and I will send them to Silverfish. I (my wife) have been without forks for over a month at this point so this is beginning to drag a bit...
I rejected a bike due to it falling apart/eating itself at every pivot point, them not being able to repair the bike to a satisfactory standard with the correct parts (incorrect offset forks and gold stanchions, yuk) or parts that were of a suitable quality (paint missing from a front triangle where they had ground back a weld due to it interfering with a rocker arm…)
Bit fussy aren't you
@TroutWrestler - this isn't Rutland is it? I had similar issues of long delay, second hand replacement, then refusal to warranty/ fix. It transpires they were doing it all in house and the importer / actual warranty folk had no idea there was an issue on my brakes. Plus I was lied to on 3 occasions over what they were doing
My riding mate had similar, bought a brand new Spesh with SID select forks which didn’t work properly. The shop ‘repaired’ them 3 times in house, each time coming back working less well. God knows why they didn’t just send them to SRAM to sort. He just ended up getting frustrated with them, a problem easily rectified I’d have thought.
Not Rutland, but another large online seller. I would fully imagine that they are trying to get things through the process quickly, and sending them off to a 3rd party slows this down, although in this case it needs done.
Silverfish (Marzocchi warranty centre) will happily deal with the public as well as dealers. If you still have concerns just give them a call. They're super helpful 🙂
Don't accept a new set of forks taken from a bike.
I keep seeing this thread and I'm amazed its still ongoing without a resolution. Give them a bell
It's definitely a case of odd practices going on as they'll need to replace the forks on the new donor bike, they're just making more work for themselves. They're either clueless or up to something dodgy.
Could these shops choosing to try and rectify themselves be selling grey imports that aren't supported by UK distributors? I know Dave Hinde used to do this with Shimano kit, but of course he wouldn't make any attempt to rectify any problems anyway, so it didn't really matter. 🤣
My experience is probably what should happen.
Took my bike to Beyond Bikes in Cranleigh to have the forks serviced (2yrs 2 months post purchase from Beyond Bikes).
Forks went off to SRAM for service, who did a structural integrity test before servicing, and condedmned the fork as there were some issues at the crown apparently.
They were not willing to replace as out of warranty.
Nick at BeyondBikes got on the phone to Spesh, who were happy to provide a replacement fork FOC.
That is proper customer service from Beyond Bikes and Spesh.
What was wrong with the fork @susepic? Curious about the phrase structural integrity test.
Not sure of the full detail @Pauly
Apparently they test the fork for structural integrity, looking (I think) at the crown-steerer interface and the leg-crown interface. There was something in that testing that suggested the fork might fail in the future and would not be safe to ride. Can't imagine I'd been ragging it that hard (Epic Evo, and pathological fear of tyres leaving terra firma) but who knows
Good result in the end. Strange that SramTech said no as they’re usually very good.
Standard procedure for a creaky CSU from SRAM is to not do the service.
Now while I am kind of OK with that, it would be good to have some sort of cheap fix option for that problem I think. If they said we'll replace the CSU for < £100 say, I think people would be cool with that.
I have now received the 2nd, "new" replacement forks. They look brand new, with the steerer cut and SFN installed. It looks like a crown race has been fitted and removed, which I would expect. The Fox sticker that says "Scan Remove Ride" on the outside of the crown looks strangely blank of a QR code, and while the forks look brand new, there is a light splattering of dirt up inside the steerer...
I have checked the serial number on the Fox website and they pop up as OEM fit forks. TBH, they'll do, but I am unimpressed with the major online retailer.
TBH, they’ll do, but I am unimpressed with the major online retailer.
And that major online retailer is called. . ?
I'm at a loss as to why you haven't contacted Silverfish about this after all these weeks. They would give you nothing short of 1st class customer care. The store you've been dealing with have not followed (for whatever reason) the normal warranty procedure which would always be to send the fork back to Silverfish.
I have spoken to Silverfish, and I did that as soon as it became apparent that I wasn't getting either the original forks back repaired, or new replacement forks. They explained to me that I could have sent the forks directly to them, leaving the retailer totally out of the loop.
I have asked if it is possible to get the original forks back, but the retailer - CRC - have told me that they are unable to return them. My plan was to send them to Silverfish myself to shortcut the circus.
At this point, there is not anything that Silverfish can do.
Not sure I'd settle at this point. Escalate it at CRC, point out that you were promised new, unridden forks, and these are clearly ridden.
Years ago I wrote a letter to the boss at CRC after getting no joy with the usual customer services route, bypass the low level and their supervisor. Problem got dealt with.
Thats a very poor show from CRC. I can't fathom their logic as it would take all of 5 mins to book a warranty return with Silverfish and send them the fork. There's no clauses about where items are bought from either so all Fox/Marzo products have a global warranty.
I sometimes carry out minor warranty repairs in-house if it means more convenience for the customer and with approval from the supplier, but swapping out an entire fork with a second hand one would never occur.
I would stand your ground and not accept a fork that has obvious signs of use (cut steerer, crown race marks, and mud in steerer as you mentioned).
How can you or they vouch for the structural integrity of a used fork?
On a side note, your old fork will likely end up on their Ebay store called TriSportsResort.com
This is still rumbling on. Promises of a call back following LiveChat on 12/12/2022 have gone unfulfilled. A follow up email on 21/12/2022 is unanswered. I have done another LiveChat today, where they advised me to email the Warranty Team directly.
My request to them is as follows:
I will accept any of the following resolutions:
- My original forks returned to me. I will then send them to Silverfish for warranty repair. I have spoken to Silverfish about this.
- My original forks returned to me having been repaired by Silverfish, including documentation from Silverfish to confirm this.
- A new replacement Marzocchi Z2 140mm.
This has gone on too long already.