cycle17

My next bike will be some other brand of bike... due to poor customer service on Treks part.

My history as a Trek customer is the in the last 15 years I've bought 10 Trek bikes. 3 mountain bikes new, and 5 new road bikes (1 aluminum and 4 carbon). Also a couple used OCLVS. One of my new bikes is a Project One Madone with yellow and gray custom paint scheme ridden 4,300 miles.

About six weeks ago I noticed a crack around the down tube where the bike is painted yellow on this bike. Two weeks ago I'm cleaning the bike and find the crack has grown from 1/4 inch to about 1 1/2 inches. I take the bike to my LBS and ask them to look at it. They comment on how well kept my bike is and agree to have the Trek rep look at the bike when he stops in that week. A couple days later the shop calls and says I can come get the bike. I go to pick it up and ask what the results are. The shop says the Trek rep looked at the bike and said it's a paint issue, not structural and nothing further would be done since Trek only warranties paint for one year and my bike is over two years old.

While I knew that Trek warranties there frames for life I honestly didn't know that paint was only covered for one year even on a custom painted frame. (Probably because none of my other OCLVs have cracks in the paint! One is white, two have half silver paint btw...I never had an issue until now.)

The rep said that paint cracking around the joints is very common on all their carbon frames and is present to some degree in almost all their carbon bikes, it's just more visible on the lighter colors like white yellow and silver. This is directly from the Trek rep. At this point I ask the shop if they were the customer, would they be happy with a high end Project One bike with a paint scheme they paid extra for having a crack in the paint? Both owners said, 'Probably not, were can certainly see your point." They recommended I contact John Burke the president of Trek directly, since his email and a note saying "If your not completely satisfied, contact me directly." is on the owners manual of every new bike. They believe this is one of those situations where customer satisfaction should likely override the standard warranty terms.

So I send a very nice, polite email to Mr Burke and explain my situation, I list all the bikes I've purchased and that I currently own 5 carbon road bikes and a new Trek commuter. I state the local bike shop's response and ask if there is any recourse for my bike's paint issue. I added that had i known that my bike would likely develop cracks in the paint, I would have: A. Bought a darker color B. Not paid extra for a P1 paint job and C. Might not have bought another Trek, since this problem has not occurred on my other OCLVs with many more miles on them than this bike.

A couple days later I get an email from a customer support representive saying that it's very common for many of the carbon framed Treks to develop paint cracks at some or all of the joints, that it's just visible on the lighter colors and that structurally my bike should be just fine. He states that lighter brighter colors often show these cracks more visibly, which of course is a no brainer. He goes on to say that even if they repainted the frame the cracks would likely come back. Since Trek only warranties paint and finish for 1 year they consider the matter closed.

Now before anyone re-states the Trek warranty policy on paint to me, let me say... I understand they are under no legal obligation to offer me anything, because my bike is more than a year old, but from a service standpoint and as a long-time customer with many high end bikes purchased from them, I honestly thought they might offer some option, and other than the LBS Trek did not at any time say were sorry you're unhappy with your bike/paintjob. They didn't offer to repaint the bike a darker color if I shipped it back, they just said basically "Case Closed".

So I replied that since I bought the wrong color bike, I'm stuck with cracked paint. Next time I buy a bike in the near future I'll make sure I buy a different brand.

Bottom Line for me; This is just poor customer service on Treks part. My LBS...still great people and they were disappointed in Trek's response to the situation. They even stated that they could see were goodwill towards the customer should probably trump the warranty in a case like this, but Trek themselves are refusing to do anything, so the LBS is mostly powerless to do anything more.

If you are thinking about buying a carbon Trek or a Project One bike... you might take what you just read above into consideration before you buy.

Me...I've bought my last Trek. I think I see a Tarmac in my future.

cshell

cycle17

Exactly...

RiderC

Yep, new brand next time. Finger nail polish for now. Finger nail polish comes in about a million colors. You should be able to find a close match.

Quel

All that and no pics of the crack? For shame.

Hunt-man

+1 We need pics to determine if this is bad or if you are nitpicking.

cycle17

I'm nitpicking...how's that. It's a crack that is getting bigger on a custom painted bike. :-)

jrobe

10 Treks in 15 years. Wow. They got a live one when you walked through the door . The LBS should have repainted it themselves just to keep the cash register rolling.

mayukawa

It seems if they're aware of such a problem, shouldn't they use different paint or perhaps strengthen the joints to minimize flex so it doesn't crack in the first place?

Atol

Way to stand behind your product, Trek.

RoboCheme

They should have offered to repaint it. I was curious why you bought four carbon road bikes. Were they all for you?

Nachoman

It's amazing to me that they didn't even offer you a free mini bottle of touch up paint.

BengeBoy 

Would love to see them update their website with this information: "Choose any color you want; please be advise some colors colors are subject to cracking."

One of the really disappointing things about your experience is this: how do I, as a customer, tell the difference between a paint crack and crack in the frame that might be structural? I guess I'm supposed to wait for the paint to crack, and then take it in for inspection by the dealer? What if the crack gets worse -- do you keep getting inspections to put your mind at ease that it's still "just paint"?

cycle17

I'm a bike addict. I like cycling and previously I had a lot more disposable income, nowadays...not so much!

tagaproject6

That type of brand loyalty should be worth something. Have you been buying from the same LBS all these years?

Phil85207

I have to agree. There are paints out there that flex a great deal. Most car bumpers are now plastic and very flexible. I don't see them cracking. There is no excuse for them to not address this problem in a satisfactory way.

Phantoj

It's very common for the carbon Treks to develop cracks in the paint at some of the lug locations. I wouldn't worry about it; it's only cosmetic, not structural. Apparently, this is more of a problem on the lighter-colored frames.

Hunt-man

It really is disappointing that they did not offer to at least touch it up but then maybe it would crack again.... Nice that the president (Ha ha) of Trek got back in touch with you personally! (Oh thats right, he must have been at the TDF hanging with Lance and drinking champagne)

Emptei

Ouch, what a way to end such a profitable relationship. Those morons.

cycle17

This is my second shop, I moved from the east coast to west coast. I do deal with my local shop for most things and they agree with my position on this. My old shop would have been extremely P.O.d since I was a customer there for many years. The mountain bikes were 2 of my own and 1 for my ex. The road bikes....I just liked them so I started 'Collecting" them shall we say. You can never have enough bikes!

bdcheung

Over the past few months I've heard more bad experiences with Trek- and Trek-owned bikes (Gary Fisher) than I can keep track of.

Steerer tubes snapping--Trek says "user error".
Manufacturing errors--Trek says "user error".

Trek seems to genuinely not care about their consumers any more.

Mr. Beanz

When purchasing ANY new item or product, there is a reason I read and purchase according to their warranty. I'd never buy a bike that had a $1000 frame replacement fee. I had a frame break on a Trek and it was replaced free, no charge according to the warrranty as expected no hassles. I bought the bike knowing it had a lifetime warranty on the frame. Knowing it has a one year on the paint, why should I expect something more than anyone else that spends their money?

I have 4 Trek bikes. Maybe I'll call Trek and ask for a steak dinner for two at my favorite restaraunt!

Blackdays

What? Beans, you're usually a pretty smart guy, but I smell a brain fart here.

He PAID extra for a custom painted project one Trek. He PAID for that paint! And Trek turns around and tells him (after his purchase) that: "Oh yeah, the paint cracks on this bike and we're not going to take any responsibility for it!"

That is horrendous customer service. I could see your argument if it was just an off the shelf 6.9, but on a Project one bike? Nope.

Trek has really been going downhill lately. None of this would be half as bad if they would just man up, and take responsibility for their mistakes.

igomez70

They should, I have a project one (white by the way) and it's not a quality paint, it comes right of at contact points like cages bolt holes and dropouts when you tight the skewers.

SpongeDad

Do all CF bikes actually have this issue? I remember Giant touting their clear coat a few years ago.

Either way, man that bites.