Originally Posted by
FBinNY
Pardon, but I'm struggling to connect the dots here.
As you describe the event, it seems like a straightforward shifting issue.
How did you get to a frame stiffness issue, and how exactly did the frame break (if it did).?
Without very detailed and specific descriptions, we're shooting blindly on a dark foggy night.
I agree, I think that the OP is pretty vague about the actual failures they have encountered with shifting and how they happened. Bike dealers can sometimes be quite conciliatory to customers if they think that the manufacturer will approve a warranty claim even if they might believe that the customer was at fault. If they can pass the problem up the line they will do so to satisfy their customer. If the ultimate suggestion of the retailer is a "better" bike I would be very suspicious.