Just wanted to get some opinions, being new to biking I'm not sure how normal this situation is when it comes to repairs under warranty and LBS's policies.
Long story short, brand new 2013 Cannondale Synapse 105 bought 3rd of May, developed creaking noise on the saddle end and brought back to LBS for investigation. Questionable service / maintenance since it didn't eliminate the creak despite assurances and tests by LBS.
The visit however revealed a small defect down the seat tube which badly scratched the seat post. LBS wrote on the receipt that a new seat post (Cannondale C3 Alloy 27.2 x 300mm) was ordered under warranty.
So far so good, as long as it is taken care of, I can understand small defects can happen from time to time. Reading in the installation manual, the seat tube should have been inspected before seat post insertion and any small defects corrected with appropriate tools to avoid this very problem.
Back from holidays 2 weeks later, LBS let me know the saddle has been fixed and I can come and collect. It was only when I got home that I realise they replaced the seat post with a different, fairly generic model, unbranded, scratched and cut to size with a hacksaw. This is when I started to get angry because it was clearly not what I expected as a replacement under warranty.
Staff at LBS was confused too so I got a call from the owner who insisted that was a genuine replacement under warranty from Cannondale and that it fixes the problem (creaking noise) and that's pretty much all they can do. Despite my protests, he wouldn't negotiate and kept his position.
I felt that I was being cheated since the situation has gotten worse from creaking to damaged seat post to unbranded scratched and cut to size seat post and this is for a brand new bike that I just paid a little over a grand. I wrote a harsher letter of complaint threatening that I will return the bike for a refund if the don't fix it properly with genuine parts according to original specifications. It might have worked since I received asking me to bring the bike to the shop so they can re-inspect the seat tube and install an original C3 seatpost that they managed to source from Cannondale.
Got the bike back to LBS today, I did see the wrapped package from Cannondale and the head mechanic also showed me the receipt that came with it. They looked friendly despite the tensions created by the letter, replaced the tube in no time and I was on my way back in less than 20 minutes. I though this was the end of it and it felt like a lot of trouble for a £25 seat post but glad it was over. Or was it?
At home I did take the seat post out to have a look and there were more surprises left for me. The original seat post was 300mm, the one installed was a 350mm but cut down to about 265mm with a hacksaw. My frustration is back ... I just don't get it why it is so difficult to get this thing right??!?
Safety wise, I'm not sure if this poses a threat, and neither aesthetically since half of it is inserted. Not sure it's impact on future warranty claims? What if the frame cracks and they refuse warranty based on using an improper seat post?
My instinct is to get it back to them and force them to honour the warranty. My relationship with them is damaged anyway and in honesty I would feel comfortable with them servicing my bike in the future neither.
Would you accept an inferior part as a replacement under warranty for a manufacturer's defect that shouldn't have been there in the first place? Is this LBS's fault for fitting it or Cannondale's for supplying it? Shall I get in touch directly with Cannondale? Or maybe take the wiser route and I just accept it and move on.
Thanks for reading and your advice!
Long story short, brand new 2013 Cannondale Synapse 105 bought 3rd of May, developed creaking noise on the saddle end and brought back to LBS for investigation. Questionable service / maintenance since it didn't eliminate the creak despite assurances and tests by LBS.
The visit however revealed a small defect down the seat tube which badly scratched the seat post. LBS wrote on the receipt that a new seat post (Cannondale C3 Alloy 27.2 x 300mm) was ordered under warranty.
So far so good, as long as it is taken care of, I can understand small defects can happen from time to time. Reading in the installation manual, the seat tube should have been inspected before seat post insertion and any small defects corrected with appropriate tools to avoid this very problem.
Back from holidays 2 weeks later, LBS let me know the saddle has been fixed and I can come and collect. It was only when I got home that I realise they replaced the seat post with a different, fairly generic model, unbranded, scratched and cut to size with a hacksaw. This is when I started to get angry because it was clearly not what I expected as a replacement under warranty.
Staff at LBS was confused too so I got a call from the owner who insisted that was a genuine replacement under warranty from Cannondale and that it fixes the problem (creaking noise) and that's pretty much all they can do. Despite my protests, he wouldn't negotiate and kept his position.
I felt that I was being cheated since the situation has gotten worse from creaking to damaged seat post to unbranded scratched and cut to size seat post and this is for a brand new bike that I just paid a little over a grand. I wrote a harsher letter of complaint threatening that I will return the bike for a refund if the don't fix it properly with genuine parts according to original specifications. It might have worked since I received asking me to bring the bike to the shop so they can re-inspect the seat tube and install an original C3 seatpost that they managed to source from Cannondale.
Got the bike back to LBS today, I did see the wrapped package from Cannondale and the head mechanic also showed me the receipt that came with it. They looked friendly despite the tensions created by the letter, replaced the tube in no time and I was on my way back in less than 20 minutes. I though this was the end of it and it felt like a lot of trouble for a £25 seat post but glad it was over. Or was it?
At home I did take the seat post out to have a look and there were more surprises left for me. The original seat post was 300mm, the one installed was a 350mm but cut down to about 265mm with a hacksaw. My frustration is back ... I just don't get it why it is so difficult to get this thing right??!?
Safety wise, I'm not sure if this poses a threat, and neither aesthetically since half of it is inserted. Not sure it's impact on future warranty claims? What if the frame cracks and they refuse warranty based on using an improper seat post?
My instinct is to get it back to them and force them to honour the warranty. My relationship with them is damaged anyway and in honesty I would feel comfortable with them servicing my bike in the future neither.
Would you accept an inferior part as a replacement under warranty for a manufacturer's defect that shouldn't have been there in the first place? Is this LBS's fault for fitting it or Cannondale's for supplying it? Shall I get in touch directly with Cannondale? Or maybe take the wiser route and I just accept it and move on.
Thanks for reading and your advice!
