bike frame warranty

bice

I have a Trek 700 hybrid that I bought in 1996, and have used as a commuter for 8 years. A month ago the frame broke at the crossbar-handlebar weld.

I thought, 'fair enough', but then saw Trek offered lifetime warranties on frames (except carbon). Miraculously I still had the receipt from Evans Cycles Wandsworth and took it down to them.

They said they would contact Trek and would get a bnew frame as I had proof of purchase (and was still on their computer records anyway). But a month later, still no frame. Also, I have been called up twice and told I will have to produce proof of purchase. I have already shown them this.

I am getting the impression they are deeply pissed off that I still have the receipt and they will have to - grudgingly - honour the warranty. At at time that suits them, clearly.

Has anyone else had difficulties of this sort? And anyone know how I can contact Trek UK? Not available info on the web, so far as I can find. It's Trek after all who made this lifetime warranty a marketing ploy, after all.

redvee

Trek Bicycle Corporation Ltd
Maidstone Rd, Kingstone, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK10 0BE
Tel: 01908 282626

Found with a combo of yell.com and website about STD codes.

HTH.

bice

thanks for the address

1892

Good luck

megilleland

I too had a cracked frame with a Ridgeback Velocity and received excellent service. Not only did they honour their life time warranty on the frame, but replaced the complete bike. All in a matter of weeks.

Down the Road

ALL trek frames have alifetime warranty.

Your problem is Evans not Trek.

Hassle them as it is their legal obligation to sort it out.

Stocks of a replacement should be available at what is the peak of sumer

natrix

I had a dynatech road bike (raleigh in disguise) with a titanium frame which snapped. They agreed to honour their frame guarantee but then wanted paying to strip the bike down to the frame (I got it back from them, and stripped it myself).

They then sent me a steel frame as a replacement, saying that titanium was now a lot more expensive than when I bought the bike. My original seat post and front mech didn't fit the new frame so I had to hassle them to pay for new replacements. I've not gone back to the LBS or bought from Raleigh since.

Frame guarantees would seem to be a bit of a lottery.................

STEFANOS4784

Down the Road wrote:

ALL trek frames have alifetime warranty.

Your problem is Evans not Trek.

Hassle them as it is their legal obligation to sort it out.

Stocks of a replacement should be available at what is the peak of sumer

I think you're wrong actually it's Trek offering the warranty not Evans, it is not there "legal obligation" if they are sorting it out then this is good service but not required by law :roll:

spen666

STEFANOS4784 wrote:

Down the Road wrote:

ALL trek frames have alifetime warranty.

Your problem is Evans not Trek.

Hassle them as it is their legal obligation to sort it out.

Stocks of a replacement should be available at what is the peak of sumer

I think you're wrong actually it's Trek offering the warranty not Evans, it is not there "legal obligation" if they are sorting it out then this is good service but not required by law :roll:

A warranty is a different thing from your rights under the Sale of Goods Act etc


Consumer rights come from law- a warranty is a contract and is governed by the terms of that warranty

idaviesmoore

[quote="spen666


Consumer rights come from law- a warranty is a contract and is governed by the terms of that warranty[/quote]

So, does that mean if Trek doesn't sort it out, they are in breach of that contract? (sorry for being slow) :roll:

spen666

idaviesmoore wrote:

[quote="spen666


Consumer rights come from law- a warranty is a contract and is governed by the terms of that warranty

So, does that mean if Trek doesn't sort it out, they are in breach of that contract? (sorry for being slow) :roll:[/quote]

Without knowing the terms of the contract, I cannot answer that.

STEFANOS4784

IMHO that contract isn't worth the paper it's written on :P 8)

FullFrameRob

Although dont Trek actually call it a limited lifetime warranty on frames ( not sure if that all frames or just carbon ones ). Isnt that a good way of saying look your frame has a lifetime warranty but should you need to claim against your warranty we can decide its not really covered after all.

1892

bice wrote:

I have a Trek 700 hybrid that I bought in 1996, and have used as a commuter for 8 years. A month ago the frame broke at the crossbar-handlebar weld.

I thought, 'fair enough', but then saw Trek offered lifetime warranties on frames (except carbon). Miraculously I still had the receipt from Evans Cycles Wandsworth and took it down to them.

They said they would contact Trek and would get a bnew frame as I had proof of purchase (and was still on their computer records anyway). But a month later, still no frame. Also, I have been called up twice and told I will have to produce proof of purchase. I have already shown them this.

I am getting the impression they are deeply pissed off that I still have the receipt and they will have to - grudgingly - honour the warranty. At at time that suits them, clearly.


Have you got it sorted yet

Has anyone else had difficulties of this sort? And anyone know how I can contact Trek UK? Not available info on the web, so far as I can find. It's Trek after all who made this lifetime warranty a marketing ploy, after all.

Have you got it sorted yet

bice

Yes, I got it sorted after contacting Trek. Evans Wandsworth were useless: dragged heals, felt they were doing me a favour, thought I was trying it on. But it is Trek which issues this guarantee as part of its marketing policy. I got in touch with them and they kicked Evans butt.

So since the summer I have had a hybrid which sits in the cellar unused (my wife says she might use it one day).

But I was so impressed with Trek that I bought 1.7 road bike. I was reassured by the company and it also was by far the best of all the bikes I tried. I am really enjoying it. I was tempted by Focus and Boardmans, but I was off the map knowledge wise with road bikes so stuck to an established brand.

The irony was I bought it on a C2W scheme and so had to buy it ... from Evans!

flybywire

I purchased a Trek 4500 18" mtb in July 2001 from Evans Woking - great bike in bright red 8) ..

Unfortunately in June 2005 it developed a crack on the drive side chain stay just behind the BB. :shock:

Took it into Evans, Woking with receipt and they accepted that is was a manufacturing defect. They processed a claim to Trek. Trek UK said no 4500 equivalent frames available at that time but only SLR alpha + tubed 6700's.

Evans & Trek upgraded me to a 6700 in a 17.5" which I was more than pleased with - it took approx. 3weeks to supply which was fine.

Warranties do make you seriously consider buying particular brands even for piece of mind - haven't had any other faults with Treks though so far now have a ZR tubed 8500.

bice

That's great news Flybie. And although Evans can be exasperating, there are good people and I can't fault the Spittalfields branch where I bought the 1.7. Wandsworth lot were almost all useless, however.

1892

Glad to hear it worked out well.
Makes a nice change that a big company actually does what it says it does.

flybywire

Yeah thanks.. Even though I was given good customer service it dosn't mean it's easy for the retailers sometimes. Behind the scenes the retailer has likely strict processes for claiming with detailed paperwork and labelling/describing defect to the manufacturer. The dealer probably is charged for the replacement until the returned part is accepted (effects cashflow) . If Wandsworth store didn't have the knowhow or specialist staff then it would have been difficult for them or they may have just been unwilling. Either way if accept that it's a fault & covered then they should be effective with delivering their promise.

Therefore better to deal with retailer who is more customer focussed, glad other branch received your business - I agree Evans are a good bike shop chain.

flybywire

Bice, You made a good choice with another Trek .. Nothing against the Boardman's but they had been having problems with supply of certain frames/sizes according to my local Halfords for new bikes last qtr 08 (09 range).. Wonder what warranty replacement supply would be like? :roll: