Trek Fuel EX 9.8 Carbon Frame failure

bails87

ddraver wrote:

KitsuneAndy wrote:

On Trek's website it even says that the frame itself has a lifetime warranty, but the swingarm is not included. So they're doing exactly as they say they'll do up front. Replacing the warrantied part.

.....Well that changes everything.....

Ah, yeah....

Scaymo

Thanks for the replies, some negative some more positive, its only a forum and I am not too distraught. Clearly some people feel a little offended I dare question Trek and their decision making process or come on a forum and use stong words to express my frustration, and to those people I'm sorry I'm sure the Multinational corporation are going to be pulling their hair out over this one. But sometimes even the largest faceless corporations get it wrong. And sorry I thought this was a Mountain Biking forum not Trek reunited. However some people agree that having spent a large sum of money for a bike to fail and then get half a replacement is a tough pill to swallow, bearing in mind if you buy this frame from a shop it comes as with all frames the rear swing arm. This means someone at Trek had to take it apart to fit my old swingarm to the new front end just for the new swing arm to sit in the corner gathering dust. To be fair they have said I can buy one side or the other at £100 each. Sorry just read that last sentence back and it made me smile again. As I said before Trek your my Hero's.

Andy B

You are making far too many assumptions and not enough paragraphs

Scaymo

You are making far too many assumptions and not enough paragraphs

Thanks Andy B, any more useful tiips on grammer? Or do you have something more constructive to say? Any more quality comments or just a lack of paragraphs?

It seems the negative comments are from the same people, maybe you share an office at Trek HQ?

Northwind

nicklouse wrote:

Bikes nope. Colour is not really and "option".

Of course it is :? It's one of the things that influences buying decisions for lots of people. Lots of companies offer colour choices, others just offer you the choice "Like this/don't care, or buy something else". This guy chose a bike he liked the colour of, he didn't chose an ugly frankenstein's monster of a bike.

And it's not an act of charity, it's something you pay for up front. Warranties shouldn't leave you worse off than you were before the part failed. If Trek choose not to keep warranty stock of their old colours, then that's their call but they shouldn't expect customers to pay the price of it.

Having said that, I'm beginning to suspect the OP is a tool.

Scaymo

Sorry about the above I was making an assumption!

supersonic

Some comments are 'negative', some perhaps a bit rude (I'd ask these people just to keep things in check please!) but some simply disagree with what you think Trek should do.

Legally you don't have a position. Morally, well this is what your argument is about I guess. Maybe a politely worded letter to Trek UK about the matter might get you a result (especially if you put in you are thinking about buying another Trek ;-))

paulbox

Northwind wrote:

Having said that, I'm beginning to suspect the OP is a tool.

And comments like that make you what exactly... :roll:

supersonic

Play nice people!

paul.skibum

I think the argument is the legal stand point vs the moral as Supersonic says.

If you get to the guy in Trek who actually thinks about the company image he will probably do the right thing as, to forum users and everyone else, the nice thing to hear is - I got a complete frame replacement, it all matches and I am happy, thanks Trek.

The guy who is just checking warranty claims is doing the check box test - carbon front triangle damaged, we'll replace it as warrantied. No cover for rear triangle, budget doesnt cover freebies, charge customer. You have to get past that guy to get what is needed.

Write tot he head of Trek UK and I bet you will get a bit more help. Not the guy on the shop floors fault he's doing what he is told.

In many cases frame failure is pretty prompt so the replacement will be same year and colour match issues not such a big deal.

benpinnick

I'd understand if Trek said they couldn't replace the bike like for like colour so here's a whole new frame in a different colour - but to only offer half is really very crap. Thats a bit like sending out a frame with no paint at all. Paint is not a requirement on an carbon bike, so why bother painting them at all? Cable guides too, works with zip ties, so why not send it out with out them as well? Bearings? Well they would be on the old bike, so dont bother about them either.

When a friend got his specialized frame replaced (for a paint defect after warranty was out I might add) they not only sent him the frame, but also included the parts needed to switch from old to new as some had changed. That is a proper warranty.

Trek should sort this out.

Northwind

PaulBox wrote:

And comments like that make you what exactly... :roll:

I am a keen observer of the human condition in all its many forms.

.Brucey.

Scaymo wrote:

You are making far too many assumptions and not enough paragraphs

Thanks Andy B, any more useful tiips on grammer? Or do you have something more constructive to say? Any more quality comments or just a lack of paragraphs?

It seems the negative comments are from the same people, maybe you share an office at Trek HQ?

Tips only has one ''i'' and Grammar has an ''a'' not an ''e''

Only joking!

paul.skibum

benpinnick wrote:

I'd understand if Trek said they couldn't replace the bike like for like colour so here's a whole new frame in a different colour - but to only offer half is really very crap. Thats a bit like sending out a frame with no paint at all. Paint is not a requirement on an carbon bike, so why bother painting them at all? Cable guides too, works with zip ties, so why not send it out with out them as well? Bearings? Well they would be on the old bike, so dont bother about them either.

When a friend got his specialized frame replaced (for a paint defect after warranty was out I might add) they not only sent him the frame, but also included the parts needed to switch from old to new as some had changed. That is a proper warranty.

Trek should sort this out.

Specialized are reknown for their warranty and as the biggest bike co out there you can argue they should lead the field. But Trek and Giant should be looking to match them. I still say you gotta chat to the right person.

Kaise

I would want a full bike, i know i would. as this is a forum you will get random views from people but you need to read between the lines and get the real information from people, and dont let it get to you!

Lets look at the facts;
a) the frame has a lifetime warranty but does not include the swing arm - they are complying with their warranty to the letter and nothing more.
b) You are not a happy customer - have you contacted customer services and not just the warranty department?

After doing a bit of a Google on this;

According to the Milton Keynes & North Bucks Chamber of Commerce Directory 2011/2012
Trek Bike UK Manager - Nigel Roberts

with the effect of the 3rd May 2011 Trek Bikes UK is based at;

TREK BICYCLE CORPORATION LTD
9 SHERBOURNE DRIVE

TILBROOK

MILTON KEYNES

MK7 8HX

01908 360 160.

Why dont you write him a nicely worded letter with any pictures of the frame/damage and explain your position. Appeal to his better nature as a business man and you might get a better response, at the very least you will get a reply.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

K

njee20

Trek are known for doing this, doesn't make it any better, but it's something they regularly do, be worth writing a letter, for the 10 minutes it'll take.

paulbox

paul.skibum wrote:

Specialized are reknown for their warranty and as the biggest bike co out there you can argue they should lead the field. But Trek and Giant should be looking to match them. I still say you gotta chat to the right person.

I think, but am happy to be corrected, that Giant are about 4x the size of Spesh... And to be fair to them, when my frame (main triangle) cracked earlier this year they replaced the whole thing including a new upgraded rear shock. They also covered the labour of my lbs for swapping the components over.

dubmodder

Strange one this.

I had a 2009 Trek EX8 and the paint around the head tube started cracking. I took it back to a Trek dealer (not the one I brought it from) and they sent it off to Trek. About a week later they phoned me and said the paint was defected but structurally the frame was fine. They said they would replace it with a 2010 EX9 frame for no extra charge.

And yes, Giant is the world's largest bicycle manufacturer, they make frames for loads of people, including Trek and Specialized.

bails87

Hypothetical situation.....

The front triangle is covered under the lifetime warranty, the rear and everything else is a few months out of warranty.

The front fails, no question that it's a warranty job.

They replace the front triangle, but the new one uses a press fit BB and a tapered headtube, whereas the old one was a standard BB and straight 1.125" headtube. Should they give you a new BB/crankset and headset?

benpinnick

bails87 wrote:

Hypothetical situation.....

The front triangle is covered under the lifetime warranty, the rear and everything else is a few months out of warranty.

The front fails, no question that it's a warranty job.

They replace the front triangle, but the new one uses a press fit BB and a tapered headtube, whereas the old one was a standard BB and straight 1.125" headtube. Should they give you a new BB/crankset and headset?

Spec did, they provided a new headset to fit the older 1 1/8th forks.

SlowNerveAction

I happen to agree with the OP. I can't imagine anybody choosing to buy a frame with different coloured rear triangle to the rest of the bike. If the frame is covered under warranty, why should the OP accept something substandard that he would not originally have chosen if given the option? If a bike shop tried to sell you a bike like that you would expect a bit of money off because it is not up to scratch.

I also think that keeping a bike looking good gives you a sense of pride in it. If mine gets scratched while riding, what they hey! But i would be gutted if it got scratched because it fell over or simply because I didn't look after it. Ultimately, I wouldn't be happy with what Trek are offering. If you pay £3000 for a bike with warranty, you don't really expect them to start messing you around like this over what must be pennies to them. the swingarm might not have failed but the main frame has and I am sure there must be some negotiation to be had over whether the existing swingarm is compatible in colour. At the end of the day, the OP will be worse off through no fault of his own. Are they not going to have to go out of their way to remove the swing arm off the new frame anyway?

Trek also obviously does think that colour is important because they do offer different colour options on their most popular bikes. The Fuel EX 8 is usually available in two colours within any one manufacturing year.

I would agree that a letter or quick chat with the customer service people may yield some results. If you get no joy then a quick call to consumer advice might establish if they think that is is acceptable from Trek.

Squarepants

^^ Agreed.

If you have Contents Insurance with Home Legal Expenses on it they may well pick up this case for you (if they feel you have a case)

Worth a shot..

KitsuneAndy

SlowNerveAction wrote:

I would agree that a letter or quick chat with the customer service people may yield some results. If you get no joy then a quick call to consumer advice might establish if they think that is is acceptable from Trek.

I'd imagine that they would as the bike is 2 years old and only the front triangle is covered by the lifetime warranty, not the swingarm. Plus the swingarm isn't damaged anyway.

It'd be nice if they would replace it, and talking nicely to their customer service area may well work. But they've already offered to do more than they *have* to in offering a reduced price for the swingarm.

supersonic

But they've already offered to do more than they *have* to in offering a reduced price for the swingarm.

This is correct. Warranties are in ADDITION to your statutory rights. There is no legal case to be had I am afraid. The OP is not worse off because companies do not even have to offer a warranty.

It comes down to Trek.

The other avenue, which I think will fail, is to use your SOGA rights and claim to the retailer that you would reasonably expect a front triangle to last longer than this and that the colour scheme is an integral part of the package and a reason you bought the bike.

angry_bird

I'd go with what Sonic suggested and write a polite letter to trek putting forward your opinion, seeing as they're under no obligation to do it for you.

schlepcycling

I blame Wiggle.

Scaymo

Can I say thanks to eveyone who gave advice and view points, positive or negative, although the negative people were wrong. (joke). And thanks to Kaiser83, thats the sort of reply I was looking for and some really useful information I can use. clearly legal action is out the window but try to appeal to the human side of Trek and see what happens, seems to be the way forward. Again thanks for all the replies. I'll see where it goes and hopefully I'll have an update telling every one that Trek really are my Hero's.

Kaise

No worries, let me know how you get on!

milfredo

Forget the fact it was a £3K bike... and I can understand that a miss-matching frame is not appealing.

A positive way to look at the situation is that most bike shops would charge you somewhere in the region of £200 to replace some 2009 bearings and bushings. So even though the 2009 model failed after light use, you'll be getting a brand new 2011 model (call it an upgrade) for £200... I probably swap my 2009 frame for a 2011 for £200 if I was given the chance but that's just me.

Will

chick0

If you do decide to pay for the new swingarm, ask that Trek also returns your original one (demand it, as its still yours since your paying for a new one).

You then have the option to recover some, if not all of the costs, by selling the old swingarm on.

It may take a while to sell, but im sure you will find somebody around the world in need of a swingarm.

You also could just keep it as a spare.


It might also be worth posting on the Trek section of the Mtbr.com and seeing if anyone has been handed the same situation in the USA.

http://forums.mtbr.com/trek/