spokedB

I was going to take this on myself, having assembled a few bikes, but I read on Kestrel's website it will void the warranty if it's not professionally assembled.

1. Is that something to be concerned with?

2. I might actually feel better having a pro torque everything down properly and safely.

3. I'd like the bike to be properly setup for me.

Suggestions please. I'm in North Attleboro, MA but I commute almost daily to the Reading/Wilmington MA area so anywhere in between is OK.

Thanks

10 Wheels

Call your local shops for a price.

spokedB

Thanks, I found out the owner of a shop in Bedford is friend of a friend. They're going to handle it.

I was hesitant to call local shops as I figured some might have an attitude against assembling something purchased elsewhere.

deacon mark

I would do myself regardless and I do not think there would be a problem. But if Kestral said it in person then I would buy another brand.

TimothyH

Nothing surprising here.

Installation by certified or accredited installers as a requirement for maintaining warranty is pretty standard across many industries. Just about any company can deny a warranty claim if they think poor installation by someone who is not accredited contributed to the failure.

Going further, no matter how skilled an installer might have been, an insurance company can deny a claim based on installation by non-certified individual. This is the case with home HVAC equipment in particular and is the reason why homeowner's can't just go out and buy a new furnace retail.

I'm not saying that the practice is right or wrong or that certification guarantees an installer's skill. All I'm saying is that the practice shouldn't shock anyone in the slightest.


-Tim-

hairnet

How realistic is this in the bicycle industry? There isn't a solid standard that all mechanics must meet before being able to work in a shop. There are schools like UBI and Barnett but how many shops, aside from the largest and well-to-do like REI, can and will send people out on their dime? It's expensive and in my experience people don't go to bike shops for real long term jobs because the pay sucks. It is a risk to send someone to school without some contractual employment period to recover the investment. I'm all for a standard if someone can come up with something that proves competence, but do half the mechanics out there laid off? I worked in shop for several years and met some less than stellar mechanics and made plenty of money redoing the crap work put out by other shops . Hell, and I'm not the most knowledgeable guy out there.

deacon mark

Yes Tim I am aware of the problem but still I trust myself more than any mechanics I have seen at the local shops. Not that they are incompetent or I am great just know the story. For one thing it is a bike and nothing complicated to deal with. As a guitar repairman myself I repair guitars and do work them and nothing really from any manufacture makes a difference. Unless you are some high profile music store with an industry standard reputation then all work is just you and the customer. I might add I repair guitars that make bikes seem pretty cheap or at least not that important.

It would seem that manufactures want you to buy a bike from a shop and then rely on them for everything you need. Sounds great but it is still a bike...........a simple machine to be used and when needed replaced. For myself the great thing about a bike is I can buy one and completely maintain it to the end.

Just try that with a car.......................

Also I really like tinkering with bikes. Tinkering with guitars can be another animal if your prized Gibson Super 400 needs a fret job......that guitar may actually hold it value but a bike........get a new one.

Andrew R Stewart 

Well, one difference between guitars and bikes is the liability factor. A guitar that fails during use usually doesn't impact personal health...


There are a few reasons that bicycle manufactures wish their products are assembled by a pro. One biggie is that every brand makes mistakes sometimes. having the last QC check being an experienced pro who has their own ass on the line helps insure that if there is a problem it isn't passed along to the consumer (who has been found by many courts to have no contributing negligence often). Another is that even with every part (frame/fork included) properly made and functional a poorly assembled bike will reflect on the brand, EVEN THOUGH the brand is not the one responsible for tuning or assembling the bike correctly. Guilt by association rules in today's interweb society where spending money gets one no contributory responsibility.


I completely agree that many people out there who have never drawn a pay check from the bike industry can and do assemble/tune/maintain a bike very well. This forum has some who post. But when push comes to shove the credentials and insurance policy rules. I'm not saying this is a good thing but it is the way life goes. Andy

spokedB

Funny you mention that, I've built a couple of guitars and would still never mess with an authentic 62 jaguar. lol

regardless of the warranty issue, i'[m at the point in my life where i'm honest about my abilities lol. I'm gonna get a pro on this, and only because i've had 2 recommendations from guys I trust regarding the same shop.

Currmudge

Unless they require/provide a document from said assembler...how would they KNOW?

But then, since I AM an experienced professional assembler...no problem.

TimothyH

Something's not right.

Kestrals FAQ says that the bike has to be professionally assembled in order to be covered under warranty...
But the warranty policy at the parent company's website says absolutely nothing about that.
Something doesn't jive.


-Tim-

Andrew R Stewart 

Talk to a lawyer about published statements before you assume much. Andy

Feldman

Have a pro do it and don't complain if they charge extra because of Kestrel's derailleur cable routing--be grateful that any shop is willing to do it at any price.

wheelreason

Really, cause I recently had a Goodman 4 ton 18 SEER split system HVAC drop shipped. The whole thing with all the bits and pieces (including electric emergency heat coil) was a bit over $3K. One of the guys in our bike club is a HVAC professional, and he loves his new Tarmac. Win/win.

Steve B.

Of course you can. Home Depot sells dozens of home furnace models and they state "Equipment should be sized/installed by a qualified professional".

Should you be installing it yourself ?, probably not and it likely would not meet local building code to do so, but there's nothing stopping a consumer from buying direct. Same with HVAC, you can but it likely needs it professionally installed.

Of course the installers that do this stuff are licensed. Bike mechanics are not. Thus Kestral's (and others) policies are BS.

drlogik 

I question how many local shops have an actual "certified" mechanic from one of those schools. I may ask at my local shops just out of curiosity.

I looked at that link posted above and here is what they state:
The term "professional bike mechanic" I think is a somewhat loose term. They do not mention a "certified" mechanic but they do say a, "professional mechanic at a bicycle shop". If they are that worried about it, why wouldn't they require a certified mechanic?

Weird.