Why did the Merlin thread get locked?

desweller

grimpeur wrote:

I was subscribed to updates on my thread and around the time your whole ABG debacle blew up I received an automated email indicating an update to my thread. However on clicking the link I was brought to a page saying the thread no longer existed, searching for it fails to find it either.

This happens when someone deletes a post from a thread after the updates have been sent out.

Captain Fagor

I think in the not too distant future, we can expect BR to capitulate to ABG and lock or delete this thread in its entirety.

Good luck in resolving your issues, infopete. And best of luck biting your tongue afterwards...

Captain Fagor

boblo wrote:

Serious point: Get them to confirm future warranty conditions/terms in their 'conditions'. Just to be sure....

Sound advice.

infopete

Captain Fagor wrote:

boblo wrote:

Serious point: Get them to confirm future warranty conditions/terms in their 'conditions'. Just to be sure....

Sound advice.

I don't think BR will lock this thread I just think they are being careful.

I don't want "future warranty" from ABG, after this I never want to deal with them again.

Captain Fagor

infopete wrote:

I don't want "future warranty" from ABG, after this I never want to deal with them again.

I understand why you never want to deal with them again. But if their offer of a repair is dependent upon your future silence, you'd better hope they make a good job of the repair. If anything was to go wrong with the repaired frame, you might find yourself without a warranty or a voice with which to complain.

Having said that, if anything else did go wrong with the frame, I think it would be time to walk away and find yourself another bike!!!

infopete

Captain Fagor wrote:

infopete wrote:

I don't want "future warranty" from ABG, after this I never want to deal with them again.

I understand why you never want to deal with them again. But if their offer of a repair is dependent upon your future silence, you'd better hope they make a good job of the repair. If anything was to go wrong with the repaired frame, you might find yourself without a warranty or a voice with which to complain.

Having said that, if anything else did go wrong with the frame, I think it would be time to walk away and find yourself another bike!!!

I don't need to say anything more about ABG/Litespeed/Merlin it's all on the internet and will be for years and years.

Plus, there are many, if not thousands, of followers on here and other forums who will say what is needed if the opportunity arises.

Captain Fagor

I'm not sure you've understood what I am trying to say, but I'm not going to waste any more breath saying it. Do what you want to. I'm past caring.

infopete

Captain Fagor wrote:

I'm not sure you've understood what I am trying to say, but I'm not going to waste any more breath saying it. Do what you want to. I'm past caring.

Sorry Captain

My post was a continuation from above and I agree with you, I've had enough of this too.

boblo

[oar in]

You may not wish to have any future dealings with ABG but you've still got a product covered under their 'Lifetime Warranty' and that warranty should include this repair.

One of the more periipheral reasons for getting this repaired by them under their warranty is to protect future cover.

It's important to ensure a) this future cover is unaffected and b) It can be invoked and is not affected by any new conditions imposed under this settlement.

Don't walk away from a 'Lifetime Warranty'. It may have been a pain to invoke this time but you've paid for it, you're entitled to it and the outcome of a claim under it has been good (though painful to get to).

Think about what happens if their repair fails in a similar way say a month after receipt...?
[/oar in}

rjsmith

Glad you've got a result Pete, even though it must really stick in your throat to have to agree to what they call the 'bullying'. I hope you get some sweet rides on the repaired bike to wash away some of the painful memories.

infopete

boblo wrote:

[oar in]

You may not wish to have any future dealings with ABG but you've still got a product covered under their 'Lifetime Warranty' and that warranty should include this repair.

One of the more periipheral reasons for getting this repaired by them under their warranty is to protect future cover.

It's important to ensure a) this future cover is unaffected and b) It can be invoked and is not affected by any new conditions imposed under this settlement.

Don't walk away from a 'Lifetime Warranty'. It may have been a pain to invoke this time but you've paid for it, you're entitled to it and the outcome of a claim under it has been good (though painful to get to).

Think about what happens if their repair fails in a similar way say a month after receipt...?
[/oar in}

If my Merlin falls apart again do you really think I want to chance sending it back to them?

Anyway Mrs P would kill me.

boblo

I understand and that's why the term 'Lifetime Warranty' is largely meaningless.

The obstacles to your claim would have put most people off by now mitigating ABG's liability coupled with some pretty onerous restrictions they impose (commonly first owner etc) means claims are probably rare. Add in the people who, for what ever reason, 'can't be bothered' to claim and this adds up to a situation where claims are reduced.

I'm not saying you should claim from them in the future, I'm saying you should make sure they don't impose unreasonable conditions on you now as part of this to stop you i.e. reverse 'bullying'.

dodgy

Result I suppose, and a fantastic own goal yet again for ABG.

Rather than just take it on the chin and make the best of a bad situation, they have one final pop at the Customer and I suppose, the legions of cyclists watching this and other threads online.

This proves they have learned nothing, and that future warranty issues are likely to be handled in ABG's own special way.

One for me at least to avoid in future.

peter101cycle

Great news INFOPETE - really great to see you have a resolution at last

As for the amount of time, hassle and general shit flying everywhere to get this resolved between both sides, quite frankly, ABG can go spin for any future business from me!

Bullying is a joke comment from them - this just shows the power of the internet, which they quite frankly do not understand. The amount of PR damage done to their brand is substantial I am sure.....would love to try and put a figure to it.

Anyway, let us know and post a picture when you get the repaired frame back and then lets finish this thread. I love happy stories at the end....

infopete

peter101cycle wrote:

Great news INFOPETE - really great to see you have a resolution at last

As for the amount of time, hassle and general shoot flying everywhere to get this resolved between both sides, quite frankly, ABG can go spin for any future business from me!

Bullying is a joke comment from them - this just shows the power of the internet, which they quite frankly do not understand. The amount of PR damage done to their brand is substantial I am sure.....would love to try and put a figure to it.

Anyway, let us know and post a picture when you get the repaired frame back and then lets finish this thread. I love happy stories at the end....

I've been playing with Microsoft's Deepzoom (It's a free download), so I'll certainly post a picture or two when I get it back.

giant_man

Good news infopete, the result you've been waiting for.

Manufacturers can get so fickle as to who they want to help out especially it seems with warranties. I wouldn't worry about the 'bullying' tag you have been given, but yes as previously insituated, they are 'paying' you to keep quiet. If you do after the frame has been sorted out is up to you.

I have the same thing very recently with a clothing brand, with a bad buying experience for a bespoke jersey. The fact that I was slagging them off in forums got me a similar result ie. a full refund. for which I appreciate and I will stop my crusade, it's a shame you have to do this to get satisfaction, but sometimes you do.

remy martin

I have been reading your thread initially on Roadbike review and then here like many others here for some time now.

I'm really pleased to hear that you have finally got something that resembles a 'slightly' more approprate response from ABG to at least fix your bike.

Their email to you to agree to particular terms is what I find fascinating. This thread couldn't be more of a PR disaster for them if they tried and crucially a great degree of lost sales because of their disproportionate reaction. I'm certainly not going to consider any of their products for purchase in future. As you've rightly pointed out, this will remain on the net for years to come.

In reading this thread, I can't help but keep thinking of the United Arilines screw up when they dealt with Sons of Maxwell. They broke the lead singers guitar, didn't apologise and when the group made up a song called 'United breaks guitars' that went viral, it was finally followed by a grovelling apology - surprise, surprise too late.

I guess ABG were working on the premise that most people would be scared shi$!ess if they were visited by the cops or if they received terse emails.

Anyway, I hope you receive your frame back soon and you can get back on it asap.

infopete

giant mancp wrote:

Good news infopete, the result you've been waiting for.

Manufacturers can get so fickle as to who they want to help out especially it seems with warranties. I wouldn't worry about the 'bullying' tag you have been given, but yes as previously insituated, they are 'paying' you to keep quiet. If you do after the frame has been sorted out is up to you.

I have the same thing very recently with a clothing brand, with a bad buying experience for a bespoke jersey. The fact that I was slagging them off in forums got me a similar result ie. a full refund. for which I appreciate and I will stop my crusade, it's a shame you have to do this to get satisfaction, but sometimes you do.

I haven't seen the terms yet and I can't imagine me being quiet and neither can Mrs P

Monty Dog

In terms of BR locking this thread, as NapD suggests, we'll just create a "Why did the "why did the Merlin thread got locked?" get locked? thread?

If you spend some time looking at Pete's RBR thread you will see that ABG's Lifetime Warranty no longer means "lifetime" but in fact means their interpretation of what they perceive to be the life of the product, and typically 5 years.

griffsters

I've been lurking and reading this with some interest over the last couple of months and am pleased you have got, on the face of it, an acceptable offer.

The words ABG use like 'bullying' would concern me - what a disgrace they are. Like you say, this thread and others will be on the internet for a long time to come and many many cycling enthusiasts will browse through and read this sorry tale. Hopefully, much like myself, the impression of ABG will be a bitter one. A company not worthy of my money and hopeflly many others will feel the same.

Good luck, hopefully there will be a happy ending and there are no more stings in the tail from these scheisters.

Dales1

I certainly agree. When they finally seem to be doing the right thing, they still cannot do so with good grace. Best of luck infopete.

Dales

tonye_n

Including Lightspeed and Merlin, do ABG cover any other brands of bikes? I want to know which brands to avoid, as the ONLY reason I would consider buying NEW would be for the 'peace o mind' of frame warranty.

dodgy

Quintana Roo for one?

zippypablo

Monty Dog wrote:

In terms of BR locking this thread, as NapD suggests, we'll just create a "Why did the "why did the Merlin thread got locked?" get locked? thread?

If you spend some time looking at Pete's RBR thread you will see that ABG's Lifetime Warranty no longer means "lifetime" but in fact means their interpretation of what they perceive to be the life of the product, and typically 5 years.

Then surely it should be advertised as a 5 year warranty. Calling it a lifetime is false advertising, big fine for the company? Glad you're getting your frame fixed but I'd sell it right away. I don't think I could enjoy riding it after all the hassle.

Percy Vera

Well Pete - have you got it back yet?

boblo

I suspect the terms of the 'deal' preclude further comment....

Hondated

Ok then but given the support everyone has given INFOPETE he may want to update us via an intermediary as this is the least he could do.

Percy Vera

It's probably best if we make up our own stories of the outcome ..

I reckon he got 5yrs inside for trying to claim on the warranty

ratsbeyfus

Hondated wrote:

Ok then but given the support everyone has given INFOPETE he may want to update us via an intermediary as this is the least he could do.

Are you suggesting - gulp - that we dust off the BR Ouija Board?

infopete

It's on it's way back to me

It's been repaired too.

I have a shipping number so it should be with me in a few days.