Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged

My understanding is these frames came with an aluminum sleeve. In this case, the sleeve is not installed and not sure why. The purchaser did not use a sleeve, or the manufacturer assembled the bike without a sleeve. I doubt that the manufacturer shipped the bike with the post installed, so that is on the person assembling the bike. Perhaps the post is the wrong size? My recent new steel adventure bike, which I had built required a sleeve to fit a standard 27.2 post, this sleeve came with the bike. Something just doesn't seem right about all this.

Originally Posted by Black wallnut

Oversize seat tube you could have one custom manufactured by a local machine shop if the size isn't available elsewhere. No matter what a distasteful and expensive proposition. I can understand the desire to soil a reputation.

Originally Posted by base2

SNIP
Now that his bike is fixed, the problem resolved,

Originally Posted by base2

and the statute of limitations has passed,

Originally Posted by base2

he is well within his right to enlighten others about his experience. I always thought DEAN et,al, was reputable. Now, I know otherwise.

Originally Posted by Black wallnut

what statute of limitations? AFAIK does not exist in a civil suit.

Originally Posted by Black wallnut

op didn't mention closure, problem not resolved
what statute of limitations? AFAIK does not exist in a civil suit.

Ya think?

Things are often more complicated. Only simpletons assume that they are not. Can a machine shop make a workable solution? My point is that no matter what the issues are with the interface between the seatpost and seat tube a local machine shop likely can figure a solution. Well unless local is middle of nowhere.

Originally Posted by base2

The frame did come with an aluminum sleeve. It was poorly installed and reamed in a negligent fashion, larger than a standardly available size & uncorrectable with out complete replacement.


It was more complicated than that. The bore was tapered, among other problems.

Seriously, this is the one and only thread where he named the builder after being called to do so several times in the other threads. It's like you guys don't even read the links in the first few posts of this thread for background and context.

Now that his bike is fixed, the problem resolved, and the statute of limitations has passed, he is well within his right to enlighten others about his experience. I always thought DEAN et,al, was reputable. Now, I know otherwise.

Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged

One unsubstantiated screed about a brand which has been around for decades would not deter me if this was a bike I was interested in.

Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged

My understanding is these frames came with an aluminum sleeve. In this case, the sleeve is not installed and not sure why. The purchaser did not use a sleeve, or the manufacturer assembled the bike without a sleeve. I doubt that the manufacturer shipped the bike with the post installed, so that is on the person assembling the bike. Perhaps the post is the wrong size? My recent new steel adventure bike, which I had built required a sleeve to fit a standard 27.2 post, this sleeve came with the bike. Something just doesn't seem right about all this.

Originally Posted by himespau

A brand name that has been around for decades but which has recently been consolidated and is under new ownership with an entirely new workforce so that the only thing that's the same is the name (and the price), is a different story.

Originally Posted by base2

Now that his bike is fixed, the problem resolved, and the statute of limitations has passed, he is well within his right to enlighten others about his experience. I always thought DEAN et,al, was reputable. Now, I know otherwise.

Originally Posted by base2

Now that his bike is fixed, the problem resolved

Originally Posted by base2

he is well within his right to enlighten others about his experience. I always thought DEAN et,al, was reputable. Now, I know otherwise.

Originally Posted by smd4

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.

Originally Posted by wheelreason

Table tennis needs to be level, ping pong, not so much...

Originally Posted by wheelreason

Table tennis needs to be level, ping pong, not so much...

Originally Posted by smd4

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

Originally Posted by Steel Charlie

Flat and level are two quite different things

Originally Posted by 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.

Originally Posted by MMWDT

It is unfortunate that this is your take on the situation. Also understand that your frame was made by John Seigrist and his build team which is now Sanitas Cycles in Durango. He help sell on Janus Cycle Group to Phil Joseph. Phil Joseph and the current team at Janus Cycle Group have nothing to do with the fabrication quality of your frame and in fact worked very hard to fix as many of the issues as possible with it at no charge. Timing on the build was based on Pandemic supply chain whoas.

TO BE VERY CLEAR: ALL THE QC ISSUES STEVE HAS HAD WITH HIS FRAME CAME FROM JOHN SEIGRIST'S TEAM. THE CURRENT TEAM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE QUALITY OF HIS FRAME.
Secondarily, to salaciously say that everyone in the company either left or was fired by the new owner is completely false. John, gaslit every one of the employees that left until he quit himself when his son had completed setting up their new business in Durango. The only employee that stayed on was the one that told Phil that the team was being told falsehoods by John.
100% the team and quality of the products from BOTH Dean and Merlin currently are the best quality bikes they have every produced. The welds are better the they were in 90's, The engineering and design is above current standards of what other top tier titanium companies are doing.

Steve's experience is the result of john's short comings.

Component issues Steve had are as follows: Fork. Fork was NOT CUT BY JANUS. It was received that way from Enve. upon install it was in perfect compliance with Enve's recommendation to no use more than 40mm of spacers in Steve's frame. Chain length. The chain was installed and test ridden before being sent out. Janus sent among other things a new chain to remedy.

Steve requested Janus send him new seat tube shims. Janus did so
Steve noticed a ground arc mark in the finish. Janus (the new team) refinished the frame for him at no charge.

These are all the truths should anyone want to consider them before making comment.

Please check out the Radavist, MADE and other outlets to see what the NEW version of this company is doing, It is entirely focused on quality and service and has made the design and tooling changes to do so.

Originally Posted by base2

Then it is John Seigrist and his build team which is now Sanitas Cycles in Durango that should be boycotted.

Originally Posted by Kontact

Why? They aren't the ones who have the responsibility to fix a production issue on a Merlin.

Originally Posted by base2

Because he was the unskilled hack who made the error and lied about the quality standard it was built to. It is out of spec. He made it out of spec, then lied about it & moved on leaving someone else to make good on his ephup. Business practices related to a complete and total absence of integrity deserve to follow the con-artist around for as long as it takes.

A pox be upon Sanitas Cycles and anything John touches.

Originally Posted by MMWDT

It is unfortunate that this is your take on the situation. Also understand that your frame was made by John Seigrist and his build team which is now Sanitas Cycles in Durango. He help sell on Janus Cycle Group to Phil Joseph. Phil Joseph and the current team at Janus Cycle Group have nothing to do with the fabrication quality of your frame and in fact worked very hard to fix as many of the issues as possible with it at no charge. Timing on the build was based on Pandemic supply chain whoas.

Originally Posted by MMWDT

Phil Joseph and the current team at Janus Cycle Group have nothing to do with the fabrication quality of your frame and in fact worked very hard to fix as many of the issues as possible with it at no charge. Timing on the build was based on Pandemic supply chain whoas.

Originally Posted by unterhausen

Are you connected with anyone in this sad story?

I'm curious why John Seigrist is still pictured on the Janus Cycle Group webpage.

Originally Posted by Kontact

While interesting, the truth of the matter is that the new owners of a company have the same responsibility for the products whether they were from before or after the sale. That's what buying a company is - you get the name, the facilities, the staff and the warranty responsibilities.


Assigning blame correctly is absolutely not correcting mechanical issues or fulfilling the warranty:

Is Merlin actively engaged in correcting the obvious seat tube problem or not?

Originally Posted by Russ Roth

Comes down to fault vs responsibility. It might not be the current team's fault the issues are there, but it the current team bought the company and this product was a new item with several glaring defects, making it their responsibility to make things right. Trying to make it sound as though they were gracious in taking care of it is disingenuous, I'd expect nothing less then all the problems fixed at no charge and from the posts I've read on what seemed to be wrong, really the frame should have just been replaced. Company screw ups, regardless of who made them, should not be customer problems.


Gonna guess company PR, not doing a great job of it spending his time passing the buck and making it seem like the company is the victim in it all. Nothing about his reply would make me suddenly want to jump on the Merlin bandwagon.