You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I'm currently in the middle of a warranty claim so I'll keep the details deliberately sparse. I've recently bough a carbon full suss bike from a well known online retailer. On the first ride on the first climb the rear mech decided to self destruct and take a massive chunk out the rear drive side seat stay. The retailer have been great so far and have warrantied the replacement of the rear mech and the rear end of the bike. However, the new rear triangle is a different colour to the front end of the bike. Understandably I'm not overly enthusiastic about this and believe the retailer should be providing with me with a like for like replacement. Has anyone had similar issues and come to a satisfactory resolution? Am I within my rights to demand a like for like replacement and if they can't provide that ask for a full refund?
Thanks
How recent is recent? In theory you should be able to return it for a full refund as unfit for purpose.
If the retailer cannot get a rear end in the same colour because none are available there's not much more they can offer.
I’m not sure on your rights but it’s not uncommon for bike brands to only supply spare frame parts in a limited or single colour option. It’s far too costly to have all colour options just sitting around, waiting for a frame malfunction.
I’ve no idea when Spesh decided the spare chain stays for my Enduro about 15years ago should only come in poo brown though. Maybe to highlight my shit riding
This post is not a huge help but I am literally in the middle of a warranty claim for a road bike with Giant for my Giant TCR- they have immediately agreed to replace the frame (suspected microscopic manufacturing default of some sort in the BB area) but I'm getting a 2020 white frame to replace my 2019 black/charcoal frame.
I assume it's the closest they have in stock and whilst I don't think I would choose a white bike ordinarily, I'm pretty much fine with it. I only had black in the first place as it was on offer and was a good deal.
In your case though, if the colour is an obvious mis-match and looks garbage then my guess is you can request a refund instead. I assume the manufacturer are only obligated to replace like for like *where possible* but equally you can ask for refund if its not.
@jeffl I bought the bike at the end of July, rode it first in august when it broke. Then I've been back and forth in conversation with the retailer ever since. So I'm saying no more than six weeks.
@stany that's what I assumed if I'm honest. It's just annoying that I've literally never had the chance to ride the bike properly and I'll have a different colored rear end that'll constantly remind me of the fact that there was an initial manufacturing/component issue with the bike direct from the supplier. Not to mention the fact that it'll probably kill any residual value in the bike if I ever come to sell it in the future.
In this case I would expect them to swap the whole frame if they cant colour match the rear triangle.
I'd be polite but firm and tell them that you wont be having a mismatched bike as the one you purchased wasn't mismatched, if this isn't possible then you'll have a refund.
@Duggan to be honest I bough the bike as it was a bit of a bargain at the time but the frame miss-match will drive me nuts. I would have been fine with a whole new replacement frame in an entirely different colour but I don't think they were ever going to go that far. I'll probably try to push back and see what happens.
@hooli I've emailed them back asking for clarification on why they can only supply a black rear end, so I'll see what they say before making any further decisions.
Got given a silver rear end for a black frame.. but it was about my 7th warranty claim over numerous frames (stemming from a single frame bought about 10 years before), so I didn't complain.
in your case, it sound a bit rubbish, especially on a new out of the box bike, I'd be pissed too.
but the frame miss-match will drive me nuts.
Get a grip. It's a colour. 🙂
When my Occam chainstays were warrantied I just told them to give me whatever colour they had in stock.
In the end it was the same colour but Matt finish.
Made it less stealable and a bit easier to spot if it was knicked, but really who cares.
( yes, I realise this is STW bikes forum where form is so much more important than actual cycling, so I'm sure I'm in the minority)
If that is the only spares then thats as good as they can do. The alternative is a ( partial) refund
annoying, but thats life sometimes. get some stickers/frame protection to hide it.
So. Was the damage caused by an accident (rock/stick catching in the mech, which then smashed into the frame) ... or by a fault (of the mech itself, or in how it was installed)? Not quite sure how a mech "decided to self-destruct" unless something happened to it (rock/stick) or it was incorrectly installed?
If the former, sounds like accidental damage, so this would be dealt with under crash/replacement policy (if they have one), or goodwill?
If it IS a warranty issue, and they can't match the colour, would they give you a bit of money to get it resprayed?
yes, I realise this is STW bikes forum where form is so much more important than actual cycling, so I’m sure I’m in the minority
Weird comment. The two are not mutually exclusive, are they?
OP, would you consider respraying the rear end?
TBH if it's a plain back rear triangle, that seems better than two mismatching" colours" (e.g. racing red and petrol green). In fact, some bikes are actually sold like that.
If the bike was a sale or reduced one the colour may no longer be available hence the new colour. Once covered in winter schlonk it will look reight as rain.
I think on a few month old bike if it failed I’d be expecting to get a matching part to replace the broken one or a whole new frame that matches.
If it was a few years old then maybe a bit more leeway. Although some brands in the past have gone out of their way to get a colour match - didn’t one of them do a recall but had to get a load of their spares re-painted? Maybe Cannondale with replacement forks or something like that?
If it was me and the frame cracked or had a defect only noticeable on the very first climb of the very first ride I'd be wanting a perfect match,but as its the mech that you says caused the issue I'd accept the different colour as it's your word only that the mech failed rather than the issue been a rock strike crash poor set up etc
Having seen the difficulties.thst many have getting anything replaced under warranty, I'd honestly take it and run.
Yes it's utterly shiiite that they have sent the wrong colour - and more over even more shite that the bike broke in the 1st place.
But... seeing the whole debacle on a thread from Giant, and totally ****ers warranty fob off when I had a rear end break in fatigue on a Stumpjumper full susser (**** you Specialized... ****s) I'd have the 'bird in the hand' philosophy.
I had a 5 month old carbon frame from a well known online retailer crack on the downtube, under a plastc downtube guard that wasn't damaged at all. The manufacturer wouldn't warranty it and offered a new front triangle (no mention of what colour it would be) for €1200. They got told where to go and I got it repaired for around £300, after that experience I wouldn't be bothered at all if it was a different colour as long as I wasn't paying for it
5 months old you wouldn't even have to prove it. It would be down to the shop with the sale of goods act on your side.
Whyte did it to me, orange bike, chainstays replaced with black non matching FOC.
But… it was over 5 years old and out of warranty, so I was pretty happy.
I’d be upset if it was only a couple of months old!
5 months old you wouldn’t even have to prove it. It would be down to the shop with the sale of goods act on your side
Online only company that had no actual shop to take it back to and insistedit was impact damage, it had to go back to Germany and everything was done by email, never again
Yes I know it's only a bike but the point is that I haven't owned it two months yet and a component failed (due to a manufacturing or installation defect) on the first ride which subsequently damaged the frame. I'd happily accept a new rear end under warranty that was a different colour if the bike was 1-2 years old but is expecting a rear end the same colour unreasonable on a bike 6 weeks old!!!
The damage could only have been caused by either a faulty mech or incorrect set up or installation in my opinion as it occurred the first time I put any significant load through the drive train (there was no impact). I do realise that these things are hard to prove either way and the retailer have been nothing but helpful thus far. Surely the fact that they're willing to warranty the damage in the first place means that they're accepting liability and on a bike that has literally been used once it should be either replaced like for like or refunded.
Bikes are for riding blah blah……
I ride my bikes lots, I also like them to look good, if my new bike suddenly looked like a cut and shut I’d be really unhappy.
Outside of warranty I’d take what I could, but in your position every time I rode my multicoloured bike it would nag away at me.
What mech was able to write off a brand new frame like that? 😮 I assume you were trying to shift gears under (massive) load?
This isn't the first Nukeproof we've heard of with a warranty issue. I'd be looking to get a new frame and sell it on before it goes bang - though I guess that's not an option under C2W
This isn’t the first Nukeproof we’ve heard of with a warranty issue.
When I was buying my Slayer there were 3 NPs with "new front triangle" which rang alarm bells and stopped me buying a Mega.
The chances of a rear mech having a manufacturing issue are pretty much zilch. More likely an installation error. As you bought it online the onus is on you to make sure the bike is set up properly before you ride it.
More info needed about how it happened as you don’t break a frame from just riding along changing gear.
The retailer / manufacturer must be accepting some blame to be warranteeing it at all. And on a first ride I don’t think the onus is on the consumer to have checked it’s been built properly regardless of whether it’s shop or mail order built.