Giant Lifetime Frame Warranty claim success

[bonzobanana]

i know of 3 giant frames that have cracked belonging to guys i know so im dubious of buying one .

Surely it would depend on the bike as many bikes are designed for a long working life and others like road bikes are designed for performance and a shorter product life as stated in Giant's manual. I think if the frame has failed at or close to the welds then that would be seen as a manufacturing fault but if its just tubes failing from fatigue away from the welds that would be seen as fair wear and tear after a few years.

 

[simongt]

This does make one wonder how long is 'lifetime' in a lifetime warranty; five, ten, twenty years or more - ?
Ref. a post regarding such a warranty on a waterproof jacket I'd bought, the general consensus between the manufacturer and several responders to my post, it appears to be about ten years.
Hmm.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

This does make one wonder how long is 'lifetime' in a lifetime warranty; five, ten, twenty years or more - ?
Ref. a post regarding such a warranty on a waterproof jacket I'd bought, the general consensus between the manufacturer and several responders to my post, it appears to be about ten years.
Hmm.

Van Nicholas lifetime warranty means maximum of 25 years, which I think is reasonable.

 

[cyberknight]

Surely it would depend on the bike as many bikes are designed for a long working life and others like road bikes are designed for performance and a shorter product life as stated in Giant's manual. I think if the frame has failed at or close to the welds then that would be seen as a manufacturing fault but if its just tubes failing from fatigue away from the welds that would be seen as fair wear and tear after a few years.

View attachment 680049

this was at the seatpost/ top tube junction in all 3 cases on road bikes only used properly and not overloaded

 

[postman]

Dear God i am writing to you after reading this wonderful post about Giant's lifetime warranty.You see i have a few problems with my body work.Which you created in your likeness.Let me start from the top.Hair most of it has fallen out,one eye does not work,both ears are faulty,a few teeth have gone rotten and needed removing.Now internally gallbladder failed that was removed.hernia,prostate,abdominal swelling,faulty knee.I dont think i need to go on,so i was wondering where do i stand on a few replacements,i dont actually fancy coming up to your workshop Cycle Heaven just yet and i certainly dont fancy being boxed up either,so can you let me know where i stand with my lifetime warranty.

 

[simongt]

According to certain evolution theorists, the homo sapiens body was originally designed to last about fifty years. Problem is that with medical science, better diets, the lack of fatal / crippling diseases, big beasties that can hunt us, etc., etc., we are living well past our 'lifetime guarantee' period.
Just do your best to care for what Mother Nature gave you in the first place. It'll help.

 

[Cycleops]

Dear God i am writing to you after reading this wonderful post about Giant's lifetime warranty.You see i have a few problems with my body work.Which you created in your likeness.Let me start from the top.Hair most of it has fallen out,one eye does not work,both ears are faulty,a few teeth have gone rotten and needed removing.Now internally gallbladder failed that was removed.hernia,prostate,abdominal swelling,faulty knee.I dont think i need to go on,so i was wondering where do i stand on a few replacements,i dont actually fancy coming up to your workshop Cycle Heaven just yet and i certainly dont fancy being boxed up either,so can you let me know where i stand with my lifetime warranty.

I'm sure your misses won't have too many complaints if God decided to replace you with a younger more up to date version as part of your warranty claim.

 

[Arjimlad]

I'm sure your misses won't have too many complaints if God decided to replace you with a younger more up to date version as part of your warranty claim.

Harsh!

Hang on in there Postie!

 

[Grant Fondo]

Those naughty lot at Cannondale seem to have a different take on lifetime warranties, this snippet is from a disgruntled customer.

Cannondale declared that the “Lifetime Warranty” is in fact the lifetime of this particular model, stating that the “Lifetime Frame Warranty provided for Cannondale Quick 2016 has ended as soon as the newer model, Cannondale Quick 2017 has entered the market”, therefore rendering any claims made on their website for a Lifetime Warranty – absolutely useless.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Those naughty lot at Cannondale seem to have a different take on lifetime warranties, this snippet is from a disgruntled customer.

Cannondale declared that the “Lifetime Warranty” is in fact the lifetime of this particular model, stating that the “Lifetime Frame Warranty provided for Cannondale Quick 2016 has ended as soon as the newer model, Cannondale Quick 2017 has entered the market”, therefore rendering any claims made on their website for a Lifetime Warranty – absolutely useless.

Pretty sure that wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny

 

[Cycleops]

Does seem a bit far fetched.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Does seem a bit far fetched.

Yes, i was pretty shocked by that, although there seems to be a fair few aggrieved Cannondale customers airing their woes online, here's another one...

Just to let any potential Cannondale buyers know my experience with Cannondale's lifetime warranty.

I own a CAAD 9 (aluminium) frame which developed a crack at one of the welds at the rear brake stay after just under 4 years. The frame had never been crashed and had done about 11,000 miles, on the road and about 10 hours on a turbo (a couple of sessions a year before I remember how much I hate turbo training).

I contacted Cannondale and took it to the nearest dealer, who sent the frame off to Cannondale for assessment. The verdict from Cannondale is that the crack was caused by 'excessive use of the turbo' based upon the fact that other frames which they have received with similar cracks had been also assessed as being damaged by 'excessive use of the turbo'. As a result they will not honour the warranty, regardless of my assertion that they are wrong.

Basically, be very wary of the Cannondale 'lifetime warranty' - it is, in my experience, a sham.

 

[Arjimlad]

@Grant Fondo I've heard "Cannondale" rendered as Crack 'n Fail, so it's a shame they're not being more sympathetic to their customers!

Although I've also heard FIAT stands for Fix It Again Tomorrow...

 

[Grant Fondo]

@Grant Fondo I've heard "Cannondale" rendered as Crack 'n Fail, so it's a shame they're not being more sympathetic to their customers!

Although I've also heard FIAT stands for Fix It Again Tomorrow...

Indeed! My experience of owning a Canny for the last 28 years has been brilliant, just glad it never cracked! Those old USA made frames are fantastic imo.

 

[wafter]

A good result; although as already suggested it shouldn't have happened in the first place.

Do you recall what the setup is with the seatpost and seatpost tube? The frame on my 2004 Giant OCR failed in apparently much the same way after about 6-7k miles. I think the fact that the seatpost fitted inside the frame with a 90mm long plastic insert served to accelerate this, as well as the additional leverage afforded by the seatpost in the compact frame.. a very poor design choice IMO.

I did ask, but apparently the lifetime warranty wasn't implemented until after I'd bought this bike, so I had no comeback. Last Giant I ever own, however they don't really make anything I'd want to buy anyway so it's no great loss.

Glad you had better luck

This does make one wonder how long is 'lifetime' in a lifetime warranty; five, ten, twenty years or more - ?
Ref. a post regarding such a warranty on a waterproof jacket I'd bought, the general consensus between the manufacturer and several responders to my post, it appears to be about ten years.
Hmm.

I think typically the amount of claims will die off rapidly / exponentially with bike age given that most coverage is limited to the first owner and most punters seem to want something new and shiny after ten minutes

this was at the seatpost/ top tube junction in all 3 cases on road bikes only used properly and not overloaded

+1, as per link above.

Those naughty lot at Cannondale seem to have a different take on lifetime warranties, this snippet is from a disgruntled customer.

Cannondale declared that the “Lifetime Warranty” is in fact the lifetime of this particular model, stating that the “Lifetime Frame Warranty provided for Cannondale Quick 2016 has ended as soon as the newer model, Cannondale Quick 2017 has entered the market”, therefore rendering any claims made on their website for a Lifetime Warranty – absolutely useless.

Yet another reason to avoid this brand IMO; they've always seemed a bit shifty and let's not forget they're responsible for press-fit bottom brackets (a standard they've since binned).