Faulty Frame?

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schnorb

Regular
Hi all

Im trying to avoid a big arguement and basically I dont want to fall out with my lbs, whom as a family we are generally very happy with they have sold us good bikes and provided a great service to us.

My son bought a Giant Defy Advanced 1 2015 modal from them just 2 weeks ago. It was set up by the shop and taken home, but on its first outing the seat post came loose enough to allow the seat to drop by about 50mm, it did not drop enough to allow the saddle to contact the frame and he stopped riding it and arranged me to come out and pick him up, he had traveled about 2 miles.

When i checked the fixing bolt it appeared tight but i noticed one small crack running from top of seat post down the frame, about 8mm long, its a white coloured frame and is easy to see. I took the bike straight back to the shop and was told its uncommon but they said leave the bike there and they would contact the manufacturer.

My question is this, should i wait on there reply or seek refund? Im of the opinion that is this a one off fault or am i going to be stuck with the feeling that this frame type is unsafe?
I understand this model is new but anyone had any experience with Giants after sales< warrenties

Thankyou all Schnorb
 

Tom B

Guru
Location
Lancashire
Cracks occasionally happen... I run a fleet upto 20 of bikes and twelve of which are the same make and model. they are now over 7yrs old.

We had two fail with cracks, one around the headset and the frame was replaced under warranty. Another cracked around the seatpost weld, but the lad using it was well over the weight and size limit so we didn't claim, just got him the bigger size.

Never had another problem. Early failures will always happen its just life. I think one of our giants suffered a failed greening under warranty which was replaced no quibble.

I wouldn't panic, talk to them explain your concerns and ask them their views.
 
OP
OP
schnorb

schnorb

Regular
Thankyou Tom B and 400bhp
Have expressed my concerns to lbs but its more about my faith in the bike.
When frames are replaced under warrenty do the parts get swapped over from old frame or is the whole bike replaced? silly question but im trying to find out the normal practice when these sort of things happen.
The owner of the shop concerned is away on holiday for a week or so and i dont want to lose track of this matter awaiting his return.

Schnorb
 

mrbikerboy73

Über Member
Location
Worthing, UK
Giant bike frames have a lifetime warranty if you are the owner from new. If your lbs set it up and they've over tightened the bolt causing the frame to crack, then they should get it sorted out for you.
 
Its a known issue since 2010 . Seems to be near the seat tube or seatpost. Just google. Is suspect it has to do with the design.
 

Cuchilo

Prize winning member X2
Location
London
Last time I had a problem with goods from a company I sent this email . It seemed to work .

Dear Mr Jackson ,
Thank you for your fast reply and your kind offer of £10 or the option of leaving it with you to " chase up "
I'm afraid i will have to decline both offers as I feel i have given you enough time to do any chasing and as it will cost me £98.85 to replace the three clamps from yourselves ten pounds isn't really a good offer is it .
Having said that if you sent me the ten pounds in fifty pence pieces i could use them to balance the end of the clamp on those and get over the problem of not using the plastic feet . Although this will cause other problems as every time i move the clamps the 50p's would fall over and some would roll on the floor , probably , and then get sucked up by the hoover and break the fan in the hoover . O how i laugh thinking about those days before clamps came undamaged and with usable plastic feet . That's why i bought three boxes of them ! Had i known that only three quarters of them wouldn't have been damaged maybe i would have gone back to the old days of 50p balancing .
Anyway that's enough about the old days . We have plastic feet . Well at least we should have .
So . I am willing to agree to the first offer i had from your company . You can send replacement clamps and arrange to have the damaged ones collected .
If it was me i would just take three plastic feet from some clamps i had in stock and replace them when the new ones came in but i understand that may sound bonkers to you Mr Jackson .

Best regards ,
Mr Fisher .


P.S i hope you had a good weekend and enjoyed the fireworks . I bought three boxes and they all went off but then i didn't buy them from Rutlands .

Regards .
Mr Fisher .
 
OP
OP
schnorb

schnorb

Regular
Its a known issue since 2010 . Seems to be near the seat tube or seatpost. Just google. Is suspect it has to do with the design.
Oh wish i didnt look!! or more to the point i wish i had looked before my son bought it:smile:
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
It may not have been apparent, possibly hiding under paint, or not there at point of sale, but developed directly after, due to manufacturing faults. In the electronics business, we had early failure of products, and sort of expected a certain number of things could fail under use. We could repair or replace. I remember a certain big screen television, an early flat screen, had diodes which failed. Once they were replaced, the telly gave good service. It was a known problem, and people just returned them, and got a new one, and the old tellys were sold on as reconditioned and we claimed against the manufacturer for any losses, which were minimal.
 

Dirk

If 6 Was 9
Location
Watchet
From my experience, Giant customer service is excellent.
I had a problem with the forks on my Defy 5. Took it in to the shop for repair. 2 days later I had a phone call to come and pick the bike up. Giant had replaced the complete bike under warranty.
Can't fault that.:okay:
 

sidevalve

Über Member
Seems only fair to give them a chance to sort the problem out. I don't see as you can demand anything without giving them a reasonable chance to deal with it. After all if you made a mistake at work you might think it a bit unreasonable if the boss just sacked you without giving you any chance to correct your error.
 

accountantpete

Brexiteer
Oh wish i didnt look!! or more to the point i wish i had looked before my son bought it:smile:

A quick google reveals one or two problems when there have been thousand of these bikes sold - and many of the problems were of a completely different nature and related to usage rather than build quality or design.

The "cracks" may be a one-off issue or even just cracks in the clear-coat or paint - I am sure that the dealer will be able to replace the frame and build a new bike if it is cracked.

Giant are a well established frame maker under their own name and if you get another brand of bike it is not impossible that that frame is also made by Giant.

When you get the bike back (new or not) ask for the seatpost to be coated with a non-slip compound and then tightened up to the correct pressure using a torque wrench.
 
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fatboy123cycling

Well-Known Member
Location
Wirral
Your contract is with the LBS - they should replace if not fit for purpose - they should be the main contact with Giant - basically they stood do all the work.
 
OP
OP
schnorb

schnorb

Regular
Hi all
Quick update... so Giant contacted the LBS on monday ( week after bike was returned to LBS) asking for frame number and inquiring as to what had happened to seat, ie did it contact the frame. The cracks in frame are visable from outside but dont go all the way through so as accountantpete said on his post it seems a paint issue. There is an issue with these seat posts coming loose and the top of seat post cracking the frame due to it being curved at top and acting like a wedge and cracking frame, this is a known issue dating back to 2010 on certain frames.
 
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