Steve_sr

These guys claim to build your dream bike but for me it has been an ongoing 2 year NIGHTMARE! Forget what you knew of DEAN, Merlin, or any other company under the Janus Cycle Works umbrella as the company was bought out by Phil Joseph in early-mid 2021. From my view just about all of the original employees either left on their own, or were eventually fired, including DEAN founder, John Siegrist.

In July 2021 I began conversations with Janus Cycle Group dba Merlin Metalworks, DEAN Bikes, and others for a custom Merlin Sandstone that I was hoping to be able to ride on a cross-country tour beginning mid–May 2022.

On 8/4/21 I paid a $1500 deposit to start the build process. This included a frame, fork, and a complete build kit to make a rideable bike less wheels. I opted for my own wheels as I wanted a hub generator on the front and other components that they didn’t normally use. I was told that they could still build the bike with a surrogate set of wheels to make sure that everything fit correctly.

During the fall of 2021 email conversations continued to finalize the frame design and some missing pieces of the build kit. Then there was radio silence for several months.

At the end of January 2022 I was notified that they had gathered all of the components and would start the build pending the final payment, which I made.

The bike arrived at the end of April, less than 2 weeks from the start of my cross-country tour. I immediately noticed a couple of issues. The steerer tube on the fork had been cut against my explicit and (Janus documented) instructions. I also found weld splatter on the down tube.

After conversations with the new owner, Phil Joseph, where I was blamed for the problems and being “too picky” we finally came to an agreement. I would return the unused fork for full credit (which they could use on another build) and the frame for refinishing at Merlin’s expense. I would then have to source a replacement fork on my own as he didn’t want to deal with it. Since there was not enough time to do this before my tour it had to wait for my return in August.

When I returned in August I basically had to disassemble the bike to extract the frame to return it. Since this was a GRX groupo this meant undoing all of the brake hydraulics and then buying the special Shimano tools to be able to put everything back together. I also had to source (and wait for) another front fork. To add insult to injury Phil reneged on his promise of full credit for the fork (which they screwed up) and charged me a 25% restocking fee!

In the process of taking the bike apart I found some issues with missing and incorrect brake hardware. I figured out what was wrong/missing and worked with Peter Olivetti, the new GM to get the correct parts. I finally had all of the parts collected by the end of October 2022 and started to put everything back together.

On November 16th while assembling the bike I installed the seatpost, which until now was still in the box, and that the seatpost was loose in the frame to the point that the supplied clamp would barely tighten it. I contacted Peter who said that this was “within tolerance” but that he would send a better clamp.

I continued with the rest of the assembly only to find that the chain that was supplied was 4 links too short and had never been installed on the bike as should have been done when it was first built.

I finally received the longer chain and the supposedly better seatpost clamp at the end of January 2023, right in the dead of winter. It stopped raining long enough to go for a couple of test rides and I almost immediately noticed some new knee problems. Knee problems are usually caused by saddle height issues So for my next test ride I reset the saddle height and stuck a piece of masking tape at the seatpost/frame junction to look for any movement. I went for a 30 mile ride and when I returned found that the seatpost had sunk into the frame almost 1/4”.

So I put this news into an email to Peter that the bike was basically unrideable in its current condition due to a defective frame. I never got a response and have apparently been “ghosted” as a “problem” customer. So now I am left with a $7000 custom Merlin Sandstone bike that is unfit for its intended purpose hanging on the wall. So once again the builder’s problems have become mine.

I have considered financial redress with the builder but this gets complicated. Small Claims court might be an option if I wasn’t located 2000 miles from the builder. Court is always in the jurisdiction of the business, outcome is not guaranteed and the costs involved in being there can be significant. Credit card chargeback is useless as they won’t get involved in a dispute over “the quality of a good or service”.

So if you have managed to read this far you have been warned to stay away from these folks and spread the word.

Atlas Shrugged

This should get you back on the road.
https://www.parktool.com/en-us/produ...compound-sac-2

Was the fork used for your cross country tour? If yes it was not unused as per your agreement.

Did you do the cross country tour with the chain to short by 4 links? Or did they send you a replacements chain?

They sound like they gave it a try at least.

smd4

I’m glad you quoted the entire first post so I’d know what you were referring to.

TiHabanero

Our shop sold a lot of Serotta and Guru custom frames and full bikes and never had any issues with either of them. Sounds to me as if the new owner(s) and new work crew have a lot to learn about, well, everything. Bummer you are stuck with a seemingly useless frame, however there is an option that might be available to you. A significantly smaller diameter seat post and a shim to size it out to the seat tube. Works quite well from my experience. Take the frame to a shop that has a seat post sizing tool that drops into the tube and it will give you an accurate ID of the tube. Then using a 25.4 post get a shim or have one made to fit to 0.

Russ Roth

As TiHabanero mentioned, a good shop should be able to drop a gauge in the seattube and tell you the actual size. Easy solution might be a 27.4mm thomson post to make up the difference, see what their tool says.

shelbyfv

This is often done intentionally to spotlight bloviage. I agree 25% restocking doesn't seem unreasonable for a fork that has been used. Nevertheless, bummer that OP's not happy with his bike.

Mackers

So you rode a different bike on your tour?

smd4

Mission accomplished x 2.

smd4

This is the second thread I've seen recently where a customer has come here with a massive description of perceived poor customer service or product by large manufacturers. On first reading these (and I admit it may not be merited at all), my default setting is to side right with the manufacturers. I understand that in some or even many cases, it's exactly as the customer described. But right off the bat, my spidey senses start to tingle. Maybe because I used to work in shops, and have seen irrational customers and their demands first-hand.

Maybe if the OP had started out with something like, "I had some problems recently (which I can go into later) with Merlin/DEAN/Janus Cycle Group. Has anyone else had problems dealing with them?"

But to come out with the topic "BEWARE - ..." just kind of puts me on the defensive right away.

base2 

Here is a 7 page thread about it.

The OP basically had to fix the issue himself after being told to go pound sand. Here is the thread on the fix.

smd4

Ah. So he's been posting about this since at least May. Still, feeling like we're getting only one side of the story.

base2 

Actually, he finally gave us the name of the mystery builder he wouldn't speak ill of. The builder live & dies by his reputation. I thought full context in the way he was treated was appropriate. This is one case where the OP is wholly justified & was legitimately done wrong by DEAN/Merlin/Janus.

smd4

You may very well be correct. It's not like people don't get screwed over. But do we really have "full context?" I haven't followed this saga except for this thread. Did Merlin/DEAN/Janus ever respond? (Not that I would expect they would, but I have seen such responses occasionally). Or do we just have the OP's side of things?

I think at this point it might just be best to sell the frame and contract with a different builder. It wouldn't be worth this much spilled ink/electrons for me. If it's been going on as long as the OP suggests, the several years of frustration just aren't worth it for a bike.

Out of curiosity, I went to a tattoo convention here in town. I asked one of the tattoo artists about my biggest fear if I was an artist: "Do you ever make mistakes?" The answer was "yes, it happens. Part of the job. Not much you can do except accept the bad reviews and carry on." That appears to be what happened here.

I spent $3,000 on a concrete patio. Wanted it level to set up a ping-pong table. The contractor poured the concrete on one of the hottest days of the year. It set up too fast. It wasn't level. It had seams where I didn't want them. Contractor poured again and made it worse. Said he lost money on the job. I gave up, accepted what was there, and refused to give him a positive review. We both lost. I moved on.

Some things in life just don't work out for either side. You realize this and move on. Two years is enough.

Andrew R Stewart 

Like smd4 I tend to see these types of threads as being too one sided to really understand the full picture. But I also think the best path for Janus Cycle Group is to say nothing. In this forum, and most others, they likely would only come off sounding worse regardless of what is actually said.

One point I note is the request for full payment before a tube is even mitered. Sounds very much like a company which is under funded and reaching for $ not yet earned, to keep going on. But like I said, we really don't know much of anything beyond what Steve told us. Andy

smd4

Both good points, especially about not responding. Anything they say might be construed here as just "making excuses."

dedhed

Concrete flatwork should always have some pitch. contraction jointing is based on slab thickness and square footage to control shrinkage cracking which is a fact of concrete's properties.
Joint pattern should have been agreed upon. Not saying contractor is absolved as he should have used ******er when pouring on hot days or had a big enough crew on hand.

smd4

Why?

dedhed

to direct water away from structures/foundations or to desired drainage areas.
Outdoor flatwork not indoors. Lots of foundation issues are solved by proper drainage and grading

smd4

Then I should have been told I couldn't have a level patio before he took my money and poured.

shelbyfv

Three separate threads about the same issue can't help.

smd4

It starts to seem a little obsessive at some point. Two years in…

dedhed

Yes you should have, as well as discussing joint pattern and finish (soft/hard broom,stamped, exposed agg etc). He also should have used set reducing admixture in hot dry conditions. Licensed, insurance, and bonded as well.
Typical slope required by many codes is 2% or 1/4"/ft, but you can get away with 1/32" if needed.

trailangel

Why would you need a flat floor for a pin-pong table? Just level the table. OMG

smd4

Then one person is always standing over a taller or shorter end of the table. Giving one person an advantage.

Have you even played ping pong? OMG!

Steve_sr

This stuff is designed for carbon and not aluminum interfaces

The fork that they screwed up was never used and the bike was not ridden until all of the correct parts (including the chain) showed up.

You got to be kidding!