GorgeRider

I'm having trouble with Cervelo stepping up and doing the right thing, and was wondering if others had similar experiences and could get them resolved fairly.

I bought one of the first R3's in 2006 from Competitive Cyclist, which is no longer a dealer since Cervelo killed online retailers in 2010. I rode it for 3 months, put 500 miles on it, then kept it on the wall as a spare since. I've gone through a LOT of carbon bikes since then, including 3 other Cervelos. Then one day this summer I went for a ride on my spare. I get out of the driveway, go up the first hill at like 6mph, and the right chainstay fails. The location was just about 1 inch further back than edge of large chainring; it is a spot you would have a really hard time hitting on purpose or by accident, even if you tried from whichever direction.

Cervelo claims they have a lifetime warranty for any bike sold after 2004. So I went to LBS and they sent pictures to Cervelo. Cervelo said it wasn't their problem. So we sent the frame to them so they could see in person how the bike was in mint condition (despite the age) and no sign of crash, etc. The engineers at Cervelo repeated that it wasn't their problem; they don't know what happened, but they're sure it couldn't have been their fault. I talked to Cervelo directly and they won't budge. Im really, really frustrated with them. They offered a crash replacement, but I'm wondering why I'd want to ever ride a Cervelo again, if the product fails, and the company won't step up to made it good.

Anyone have any thoughts on how else to approach them?

roadwarrior

Have you contacted Competitive Cyclist, the shop from which you bought it?

If this is exactly what they are doing, I'd wonder why I'd ever want to do business with them again, myself.

But I do suggest talking to Competitive Cyclist about this.

gaucho777 

Can you post pictures of the damage, for my own curiosity?

Personally, I don't get buying a ~$4k bike to hang on the wall as a spare, but your means must obviously be different than mine. Strange that the chain stay would suddenly fail after such a long period of inactivity. Are you certain nothing happened to it while it sat idly for the better part of a decade?

bconneraz

I'd be interested in seeing pictures of the effected area as well.

GorgeRider

I'm sure there was no visible damage before it failed. I've had a very similar carbon failure on brand new a Fiberspar windsurfing boom.

rpenmanparker 

I can't say for sure, but I would be very surprised if this problem wouldn't respond to a suit in small claims court. Limits vary by jurisdiction I'm sure, but it seems like a reasonable thing for OP to investigate. I bet just the threat of having a small claims suit filed would bring about a resolution. Then there is also the do-good public service wonk on the nightly local news program who publicizes problems and solutions that citizens have with merchants and manufacturers. Cervelo can't want such publicity.

Bob Dopolina 

Not their problem?

Was that really their response or are you paraphrasing? What did they ACTUALLY say?

Also, can you post a better picture?

Johnny Rad

Are you sure it wasn't hit by something while hanging on your garage wall for years?

Does it look like the impact occurred from the side rather then the top or bottom?

Maybe an errant smack by a shovel, ladder, etc.?

surgeonstone

Here we go again.

bt

have you tried to sue somebody? that's what I'd do, sue somebody.

gregf83 

Is it cracked right though? Seems like an odd failure to happen just riding along without an impact.

I agree this is an issue with Competitive Cyclist. It's irrelevant that they no longer carry Cervelo.

Afdica

I disagree.The warranty is provided by the manufacturer regardless of who the authorized dealer was. The dealer is merely the conduit to the manufacturer who my have some influence, but the warranty issue rests with Cervelo. What's Competitive Cycle going to do? They no longer have any leverage with Cervelo and certainly cannot be liable for the warranty.

Nachoman

Depending on the circumstances, most warranties can be enforced against the seller, distributor or manufacturer.

gregf83 

The customer contact point is normally the retailer though. Competitive cyclist has an excellent track record with their customers and I suspect they would take care of this issue even though they no longer handle Cervelo.

I expect that Cervelo would be familiar with the possible failure modes of their bikes and where the potential weak spots are. It's also quite possible they evaluated this failure and concluded it was due to something other than a manufacturing defect.

Deiph

Effing Canadians. Sheesh.

But seriously, a warranty claim after 8+ years? More details, please.

rpenmanparker 

Lifetime warranty is lifetime warranty, no? OP didn't say he damaged the bike then waited 8 years to report it. He said he didn't ride the bike for 8 years, then damaged it on the first ride after the layoff. Completely different.

bt

I'd be way too embarrassed to ask for a warranty after all these years.

let it go man.

chalk it up to a learning experience.

Elvo

Maybe your wife or kid banged something against the chain stay?

gregf83 

Like all bike warranties it's a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. It sounds like Cervelo doesn't believe this was a manufacturing defect.

dalava

If OP has bought multiple Cervelo bikes over the years, I would expect Cervelo to treat him better. I've have several Cervelo also over the years and they have always been good to me, but I never made frame replacement claim though.

rpenmanparker 

That could be, but in response to your earlier comment, it hS nothing to do with the passage of time. If Cervelo didn't believe manufacturing defects (which include design errors) couldn't show up years after purchase, they should have made the warranty for a limited time.

gregf83 

That was someone else's comment on the passage of time. I just think Cervelo believes this isn't a warranty issue. Cervelo doesn't have a reputation for denying legitimate claims.

joejack951

8 years = an embarrassing amount of time to own a bike?

Kids these days

rpenmanparker 

What's wrong with you? Your advising OP to just bend over and take a reaming. The warranty is a contract without time limit. Why would you be loathe to get what you deserve?

Would your attitude be different if OP had ridden the bike every day for the 8 years? Lifetime means lifetime.

bt

not an embarrassing amount of time to own a bike, just an embarrassing amount of time to snivel about a warranty.

don't be childish