Commencal Super 4.3 frame crack... nightmare.

weeksy59

Looks exactly like this but in white.

bunch of censored and nightmare. Seems from the Commencal forum this isn't uncommon on the 09 frames, far from it actually.

Usually swapped out for a 2010 and improved welding frame, but does mean a certain ammount of time without a bike...

Not inspired

pdid

I don`t mean to be rude mate but the problems with 09 Commencals and cracked frames have been well documented. Being a regular forum user I`m sure you were made aware of the possibility that the frame may crack before you bought it.

The good news for you is that you will get a 2010 replacement with far superior build quality so get it back to the shop you bought it from ASAP

weeksy59

pdid wrote:

I don`t mean to be rude mate but the problems with 09 Commencals and cracked frames have been well documented. Being a regular forum user I`m sure you were made aware of the possibility that the frame may crack before you bought it.

TBH no i wasn't. However not long after i bought it and joined the Commencal forum i became aware of the issue, which is why i've kept an eye on it and noticed the split starting after a ride this weekend.

Any thoughts from people as to seding back with aftermarket parts fitted ? I have crabon bars, different stem, new grips also an e-thirteen SRS single chainring with bash.

I won't be swapping the e-thriteen bits back to standard... but should i swap bars/grips/stem ?

pdid

weeksy59 wrote:

TBH no i wasn't. However not long after i bought it and joined the Commencal forum i became aware of the issue.

Mmmm, are you sure?

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/forums/vie ... highlight=

As far as upgrades are concerned, as long as you`ve not fitted anything outside the manufacturers specifications ie longer forks then it shouldn`t be a problem. Commencal are good with warranties, just not the quickest.

weeksy59

LOL looks like your memory is better than mine... you have me. :oops:

pdid

weeksy59 wrote:

LOL looks like your memory is better than mine... you have me. :oops:

No worries mate, I know it`s a PITA but at least you`ll get a nice shiny new one and believe me the 2010 frames are in a different league.

weeksy59

Yeah it's not the end of the world for me, as long as Evans don't mess me about on swapping the componentry off it, or any issues fitting the e-thirteen etc, but to be honest, as long as i get the frame in a reasonable timeframe i'll be happy.

Dropping the bike into Evans on Weds, we'll see what happens from there.

weeksy59

Well that's the bike dropped off with Evans Cycles. They were excellent, checked the seat post height etc and were all happy with it. Straight on the phone to Madison and it's being stripped today and shipped back to Madison tomorrow.

We'll see what happens from here.

pdid

Good luck mate

hyperman

i took my meta 5 back to evans with a cracked frame, after reading on other forums that people had been waiting over 6 weeks for a replacement frame i was really suprised to get mine back within 2 weeks. evans were great about it, they built the bike back up the same day they got the frame so i was really impressed....

weeksy59

Ahhhh sodding hell. Now i'm a little unhappy... this is going to take forever. Bike is now sitting in Evans waiting to go to head office on the van which is picking it up Friday.... Then it goes to head office before they look at it and decide who to send it to, likely to be directly to Commencal. So it's going to be Tues i rekon before anyone even speaks to Commencal/MAdison.

I asked why they couldn't courier it there today, apparently that's not how it works...

Hmmmmmm

trip

I had the same problem, stripped it down myself except for the headset and sent it to merlin. Three weeks later I got a new one delivered back.

weeksy59

Time will tell if it's quite that simple for me... There seems a little lack of 'knowledge of correct procedure' i'm thinking.

weeksy59

Spoke to Evans. Due to bank holiday etc the bike won't be looked at until Tuesday.

I just can't understand how they have qualified mechanics on-site who are not allowed to asses this themselves. All the mechanics in the shop were pretty happy that it was cracked and needed replacing, it wasn't open to debate in any of their minds....

lock1981

Is it all welds that are prone to cracks? Or just the seat post weld?


I don't tend to check my meta 5 but I know one cracked the other day on another site I'm a member of

GUnna check today!

lock1981

What colour is the 2010 frame?

pdid

lock1981 wrote:

What colour is the 2010 frame?

Prob white, check seatpost weld and all shock mount welds.

weeksy59

lock1981 wrote:

Is it all welds that are prone to cracks? Or just the seat post weld?


I don't tend to check my meta 5 but I know one cracked the other day on another site I'm a member of

GUnna check today!

On a meta i think it's more the shock mount welds. THe Supers seem to have more issues with the seatpost. Although i think the green one i saw was a Meta.

lock1981

aaarrggghhhh checked mine today!!

exactly the same maybe thinner crack slightly but i dentical place.

god dam it!!!

do you have to send it back to the shop you purchased it from?

i got mine from merlin but it was mail order.

lock1981

difficult to photograph because of the colour

http://mtbguisborough.ning.com/photo/ds ... ntext=user

weeksy59

lock1981 wrote:

aaarrggghhhh checked mine today!!

exactly the same maybe thinner crack slightly but i dentical place.

god dam it!!!

do you have to send it back to the shop you purchased it from?

i got mine from merlin but it was mail order.

I feel your pain mate. Mine was pretty much the same as above.

Reading a recent post on Commie owners club they rekon you can take it back to any Commie dealer for replacement.

Merlin seem pretty good according to reports on CoC.

lock1981

see better on this

http://mtbguisborough.ning.com/photo/dscf1035-1

stubs

Fluck just been cleaning my super 4 and its cracked and its the 2nd frame. Email sent to Merlin.

I bought the bike last feb hope the warranty is still good

weeksy59

Either they're getting worse or people are now just starting to notice more.

I'll be giving the warranty process a fair chance, but if it cracks again i think i'll be taking it to a pro welder and getting a proper job done next time.

Been out on the Carerra fury HT today.... it will do for Skyline next week,but i must admit, i wouldn't want to ride it forever. Nice machine though, verysmooth considering it's an old beast

lock1981

How long does the warranty run for? Mines just over or about a year old

If Its a know fault there shouldn't be any issues

stubs

Just been looking on Commencal site and they dont do a black super 4 apart from the carbon frame. I loathe white bikes so I can only hope they replace it with a red frame. If its a white replacement then its getting resprayed straight away.

weeksy59

lock1981 wrote:

How long does the warranty run for? Mines just over or about a year old

If Its a know fault there shouldn't be any issues

to the best of my knowledge it's 12 months mate.

weeksy59

stubs wrote:

Just been looking on Commencal site and they dont do a black super 4 apart from the carbon frame. I loathe white bikes so I can only hope they replace it with a red frame. If its a white replacement then its getting resprayed straight away.

I had white already so my wheels/pedals/stem etc are white. I'll be happy with either white or red.

stubs

weeksy59 wrote:

lock1981 wrote:

How long does the warranty run for? Mines just over or about a year old

If Its a know fault there shouldn't be any issues

to the best of my knowledge it's 12 months mate.

According to Commencal site its 2 years

http://www.commencal.com/news/bicycles/warranty/warranty_en.pdf

stubs

A pic of the crack its only a hairline at the moment but its exactly how the first frame started cracking



This is how the first frame looked after a ride round the Peak District

weeksy59

stubs wrote:

weeksy59 wrote:

lock1981 wrote:

How long does the warranty run for? Mines just over or about a year old

If Its a know fault there shouldn't be any issues

to the best of my knowledge it's 12 months mate.

According to Commencal site its 2 years

http://www.commencal.com/news/bicycles/warranty/warranty_en.pdf

Excellent news