Experiences with buying a new frame
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Eastern VA
Posts: 1,703
Bikes: 2022 Fuel EX 8, 2021 Domane SL6, Black Beta (Nashbar frame), 2004 Trek 1000C for the trainer
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 260 Post(s)
Liked 443 Times
in
262 Posts
So go talk to the dealer.
#27
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 7,291
Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,910 Times
in
1,884 Posts
I was also considering the procloset route for a cert used frame. However, the price is the hang-up. buy a new frame from Trek for not much more, but if the warranty is =/= with both options, why spend more bread in the end?
__________________
-Oh Hey!
-Oh Hey!
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Eastern VA
Posts: 1,703
Bikes: 2022 Fuel EX 8, 2021 Domane SL6, Black Beta (Nashbar frame), 2004 Trek 1000C for the trainer
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 260 Post(s)
Liked 443 Times
in
262 Posts
Trek’s warranty is to the original owner. It does not transfer.
Likes For biker128pedal:
#29
Full Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 201
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 77 Post(s)
Liked 88 Times
in
57 Posts
Recently I built a gravel bike from a new Surly Straggler frame and the process was easy due to old bike parts in the garage and ebay. I seriously doubt that Surly would repair and or replace a frame due to the current environment. If you buy a new frame from a good trek dealer I believe that they would stand behind behind it but that is also significantly dependent on the LBS’s willingness to go to bat for you. A friend is a trek dealer and works miracles getting damaged frames repaired or replaced.
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: South Shore of Long Island
Posts: 2,762
Bikes: 2010 Carrera Volans, 2015 C-Dale Trail 2sl, 2017 Raleigh Rush Hour, 2017 Blue Proseccio, 1992 Giant Perigee, 80s Gitane Rallye Tandem
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1073 Post(s)
Liked 999 Times
in
710 Posts
I have had two Habanero frames and communications with Mark, the owner, was excellent. The frames are excellent and reasonably priced. Check them out at habcycles.com.
The first Habby frame I got was the classic road model. Very quick bike, and a lively sprinter.
The current Habby is being raced by my son in crits and cyclocross since his aluminum frames he all cracked. The frame is the cyclocross model, but is working out in crits, just not a perfect sprinter. No worries, he is getting a crit frame soon.
The first Habby frame I got was the classic road model. Very quick bike, and a lively sprinter.
The current Habby is being raced by my son in crits and cyclocross since his aluminum frames he all cracked. The frame is the cyclocross model, but is working out in crits, just not a perfect sprinter. No worries, he is getting a crit frame soon.
I ask, because you mention budget, and building a bike from new or nearly-new components (to OE spec) typically comes out 30%-50% more expensive than buying the complete bike "off the rack"
While it's not hard to find deals on major items like wheels and drive components, the little things likeBB, headset, seatpost, cables, and all the little pieces of finishing kit can add hundreds of dollars on to the build cost, especially if you're buying new, at retail.
While it's not hard to find deals on major items like wheels and drive components, the little things likeBB, headset, seatpost, cables, and all the little pieces of finishing kit can add hundreds of dollars on to the build cost, especially if you're buying new, at retail.
Likes For Russ Roth:
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 3,804
Bikes: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 3, Soma Fog Cutter, Focus Mares AL, Detroit Bikes Sparrow FG, Volae Team, Nimbus MUni
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 878 Post(s)
Liked 2,019 Times
in
1,055 Posts
In the last year I built up a Soma Fog Cutter; I bought the frame new from Universal Cycles in Portland. Both Universal and Soma were helpful in answering questions I had, since this was my first bike build. I didn't have any quality issues so I can't say how that would have gone. I did read about other people having problems with Soma frame braze-ons being positioned incorrectly, but mine were perfect.
I know there's a warranty, but honestly I don't know how long. If it breaks in a way that looks like materials or workmanship (as opposed to abuse), I'd pursue it. But at this point I'm confident it's a sold frame. If anything goes wrong, it will probably be because I didn't use a torque wrench.
I'd read the fine print from Trek (or ask). If it says to have assembly done by a professional mechanic, that might be necessary for the warranty to be valid.
I know there's a warranty, but honestly I don't know how long. If it breaks in a way that looks like materials or workmanship (as opposed to abuse), I'd pursue it. But at this point I'm confident it's a sold frame. If anything goes wrong, it will probably be because I didn't use a torque wrench.
I'd read the fine print from Trek (or ask). If it says to have assembly done by a professional mechanic, that might be necessary for the warranty to be valid.
#32
Junior Member
Recently purchased a Sonder Camino frame from Alpkit in the UK. Haven't built it up yet, but their service dept was prompt in answering my questions prior to sale and the shipping and tracking (DHL) to the US was quick and accurate.
#33
Newbie
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Kona Sutra
Like you, I had a bunch of parts and decided to buy a frame and do a custom build. Bought a Kona Sutra steel frame on EBay from California Bike Pickers. Frame came with a headset, but was sold without a fork. On arrival the headset was damaged. They promptly sent me another one.
#34
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Colleyville, Texas
Posts: 133
Bikes: 1988 Gitane Team Replica, 2022 Trek Top Fuel 9.8
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 67 Post(s)
Liked 58 Times
in
35 Posts
Trek is pretty good about warranty issues from what I've seen from the mountain bike group that I'm in on Facebook. You do have to be the original owner and the frame must be purchased from an authorized retailer. Their frames are pretty solid though. A while ago, Nasa had to lay off many of their materials engineers because they were outsourcing that stuff. Trek hired a few of those guys to work on their carbon layups.
#35
Member
I have no personal experience to report on this front, but a fair amount of hearsay that Trek's frame replacement policy is pretty solid. YMMV.
#36
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 7,291
Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,910 Times
in
1,884 Posts
is calling Trek the only way to contact them these days? I would like to email them, but that seems to not be listed on there website.
__________________
-Oh Hey!
-Oh Hey!
#37
Senior Member
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Paradise, TX
Posts: 2,087
Bikes: Soma Pescadero, Surly Pugsley, Salsa Fargo, Schwinn Klunker, Gravity SS 27.5, Monocog 29er
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 186 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times
in
166 Posts
I rode a 52cm Surly Cross Check for many years as a do it all bike. Got fat and didn't like the race fit anymore, stacking headset spacers shortened the reach too much and made it ugly. I had my wife buy me a Soma Pescadero frame for christmas a couple years ago. I transfered all the parts from my Cross Check except the brakes and seatpost, and decided the new bike should get a new Brooks saddle after the abuse the old one had been through.
#39
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 7,291
Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,910 Times
in
1,884 Posts
After getting in touch with Trek, the support for frame damage makes my decision more comfortable going with a new frameset vs preowned.
Given what my options are, I have some thinking to do as for which I would go with. It's going to be a new Checkpoint SL or new Domane SLR Disc Frameset. Going with a complete bicycle would make sense if I didn't already have parts or just wanted a cookie cutter production bicycle. I'd save a few hundred (maybe even over a grand) after all said & done building a frame.
Given what my options are, I have some thinking to do as for which I would go with. It's going to be a new Checkpoint SL or new Domane SLR Disc Frameset. Going with a complete bicycle would make sense if I didn't already have parts or just wanted a cookie cutter production bicycle. I'd save a few hundred (maybe even over a grand) after all said & done building a frame.
__________________
-Oh Hey!
-Oh Hey!