Cube Stereo 2012 issues

ian.p

Hi Guys this is my first post here, but I wanted people to know my issues with Cube and their warranty.

11 weeks ago after a lot of test riding and viewing of mountain bikes I decided on the 2012 Cube Stereo SL, I ordered from Leisures Lakes just outside Southport, and picked up my first full sus bike. I got it home and covered it in helicopter tape across the top bar, and various other parts too.

Off we went to Grizedale over the next 7 weekends, which was a great starting trail for us as beginners, with its short North Face sections. Upon arriving home I would spend hours cleaning my bike everytime, after spending over £2400 with VIP members discount I wanted to look after it. The more we went the more I noticed paint was coming away from the frame, everywhere I hadn't put helicopter tape, what was starting as small chips was coming away in large chunks, leaving bare alloy on show, when the bike was due its first service at 6 weeks I took it in and mentioned this while handing it over.

The next I heard was a few days later when i got a phone call to say Cube were replacing the frame under warranty, and a new frame was on its way. When that arrived I got another phone call to say it had arrived but had a scratch, I went and had a look and there were three scratch lines along the top bar which stood out like a sore thumb. I refused having that one and Leisure Lakes contacted Cube to send another, a week goes by and I get a phone call, Cube have NO 2012 frames left, but can offer me a AMS Pro instead, which I refused.
Cube say that they warrant their frames for 5 years, but have none left at the end of this build year, makes me wonder have they had that many warranty claims or just not even had any available at all. One friend even said he wondered whether the frame they sent could have been a warranty return already.

So at the moment I am still waiting for a final decision, Cube want to supply a 2013 frame, but this is now a totally different bike, with different wheels sizing, and geometry also. I cant fault the dealer, they have been really helpful, and I am now deciding whether to just ask for a full refund as I really dont want a hotch potch of a bike, built up to keep a customer quiet.

Would I buy a Cube again?? Probably not sadly.

cooldad

So take the refund. Sh1t happens.

supersonic

Your basic consumer rights prevail here - go for the refund, they obviously cannot remedy the situation.

andhr

Refund and get the Stereo 2013; or something totally different. Just got an AMS Pro, so I'll wait to see what happens to that by it's 6 week service.

MountainMonster

Refund. No point slaying a company for nothing basically. Welcome to life, shart happens!

Also, I can't really see why you are complaining about a 2013 frame, newer model, and the only thing really needing to be switched are the forks and wheels, everything else will probably transfer over no problems. Sounds like a decent offering to me!

cat_with_no_tail

MountainMonster wrote:

Refund. No point slaying a company for nothing basically. Welcome to life, shart happens!

Also, I can't really see why you are complaining about a 2013 frame, newer model, and the only thing really needing to be switched are the forks and wheels, everything else will probably transfer over no problems. Sounds like a decent offering to me!

+ potato

To be fair, they tried to offer a like-for-like replacement, but if there are none left there are none left. Offering the nearest frame in the current line up was the logical thing to do, but if you refuse that too, they can only offer to replace it with a newer version.

Sounds to me like they have done everything they can to keep you happy.

The fact the new bikes use slightly different standards is not something they've done on purpose, it's just one of those things.

As said above, if you're still not happy with that, then simply ask for a refund. It's not something you really have any grounds to complain about imho.

RevellRider

ian.p wrote:

Cube say that they warrant their frames for 5 years, but have none left at the end of this build year, makes me wonder have they had that many warranty claims or just not even had any available at all. One friend even said he wondered whether the frame they sent could have been a warranty return already.

The reason why Cubes are such good value is they have a very efficient system when it comes to manufacturing bikes. They don't have many spare frames and when it comes to the year end, any warranty issues are dealt with by supplying the current frame. Unfortunately, the model has evolved and is a different bike. I personally would of gone for the 2013 bike and got Cube to supply any parts to convert it to the current spec as it is a much better frame.

As for the replacement frame being a warranty returned frame, this is highly unlikely. Replacements come from Holland and are returned to the UK

cooldad

Hasn't been back since the day of the first post, so probably a waste of virtual breath.

mattyg2004

The OP is a mate of mine.

Just to update he's asked for a refund to be told " I doubt that'll happen..You'll probably have to sue us and then we'll have to sue cube"

I've advised him to speak to trading standards on monday then contact LLB's head office.

mattyg2004

RevellRider wrote:

ian.p wrote:

Cube say that they warrant their frames for 5 years, but have none left at the end of this build year, makes me wonder have they had that many warranty claims or just not even had any available at all. One friend even said he wondered whether the frame they sent could have been a warranty return already.

The reason why Cubes are such good value is they have a very efficient system when it comes to manufacturing bikes. They don't have many spare frames and when it comes to the year end, any warranty issues are dealt with by supplying the current frame. Unfortunately, the model has evolved and is a different bike. I personally would have gone for the 2013 bike and got Cube to supply any parts to convert it to the current spec as it is a much better frame.

As for the replacement frame being a warranty returned frame, this is highly unlikely. Replacements come from Holland and are returned to the UK

He'd gladly take a 2013 bike. Just not a mash up of a 2013 bike with 2012 parts. LBS have said they will only change the bare minimum.

RevellRider

mattyg2004 wrote:

LBS have said they will only change the bare minimum.

Legally, that's all Leisure Lakes have to do. I personally would be very happy with a vastly upgraded frame set

mattyg2004

RevellRider wrote:

mattyg2004 wrote:

LBS have said they will only change the bare minimum.

Legally, that's all Leisure Lakes have to do. I personally would be very happy with a vastly upgraded frame set

Really. He didnt buy it in bits he bought a complete bike. His 7 week old 2012 stereo is faulty and cant be repaired or replaced.

angry_bird

If it was the 2012 model he had wouldn't that be a 26 inch wheel bike? Aren't the 2013 models of the stereo 29ers and 650b.

Tell the bike shop to give you a refund.

MountainMonster

mattyg2004 wrote:

RevellRider wrote:

ian.p wrote:

Cube say that they warrant their frames for 5 years, but have none left at the end of this build year, makes me wonder have they had that many warranty claims or just not even had any available at all. One friend even said he wondered whether the frame they sent could have been a warranty return already.

The reason why Cubes are such good value is they have a very efficient system when it comes to manufacturing bikes. They don't have many spare frames and when it comes to the year end, any warranty issues are dealt with by supplying the current frame. Unfortunately, the model has evolved and is a different bike. I personally would have gone for the 2013 bike and got Cube to supply any parts to convert it to the current spec as it is a much better frame.

As for the replacement frame being a warranty returned frame, this is highly unlikely. Replacements come from Holland and are returned to the UK

He'd gladly take a 2013 bike. Just not a mash up of a 2013 bike with 2012 parts. LBS have said they will only change the bare minimum.

He paid for a 12 bike, so I don't see where the problem is with having a set of 2012 parts on a BRAND NEW 2013 frame.

Briggo

mattyg2004 wrote:

RevellRider wrote:

mattyg2004 wrote:

LBS have said they will only change the bare minimum.

Legally, that's all Leisure Lakes have to do. I personally would be very happy with a vastly upgraded frame set

Really. He didnt buy it in bits he bought a complete bike. His 7 week old 2012 stereo is faulty and cant be repaired or replaced.

Yes it can.

angry_bird

MountainMonster wrote:

mattyg2004 wrote:

RevellRider wrote:

ian.p wrote:

Cube say that they warrant their frames for 5 years, but have none left at the end of this build year, makes me wonder have they had that many warranty claims or just not even had any available at all. One friend even said he wondered whether the frame they sent could have been a warranty return already.

The reason why Cubes are such good value is they have a very efficient system when it comes to manufacturing bikes. They don't have many spare frames and when it comes to the year end, any warranty issues are dealt with by supplying the current frame. Unfortunately, the model has evolved and is a different bike. I personally would have gone for the 2013 bike and got Cube to supply any parts to convert it to the current spec as it is a much better frame.

As for the replacement frame being a warranty returned frame, this is highly unlikely. Replacements come from Holland and are returned to the UK

He'd gladly take a 2013 bike. Just not a mash up of a 2013 bike with 2012 parts. LBS have said they will only change the bare minimum.

He paid for a 12 bike, so I don't see where the problem is with having a set of 2012 parts on a BRAND NEW 2013 frame.

Except he'd have bought a 26 inch wheeled bike, and be getting a 650b or 29er frame surely.

bails87

mountainmonster: From the OP:

Cube want to supply a 2013 frame, but this is now a totally different bike, with different wheels sizing,

I wouldn't be happy with that. A replacement bike, maybe, but a frame based around a different wheel size, with different geo to the one you've bought. especially as he bought a whole bike, not the frame.

MountainMonster

As he said above, they have offered to also replace all parts that would need to be replaced, meaning this will be no problem at all. If he doesn't want a 29er or 650b then he should say that, not that he deserves the same bike when he agreed to their warranty terms. I would personally be very happy if I ended up getting a newer frame with a few newer parts.

bails87

MountainMonster wrote:

As he said above, they have offered to also replace all parts that would need to be replaced, meaning this will be no problem at all. If he doesn't want a 29er or 650b then he should say that, not that he deserves the same bike when he agreed to their warranty terms. I would personally be very happy if I ended up getting a newer frame with a few newer parts.

I can't see where he's said the bit in bold.

If they're doing that then he'd still be right, IMO, to go for a refund instead. It's a different bike after all. It might have the same name, but the wheel size (,travel?) and geo is different.

If, as I've read it, they want to give him a 650b frame to go with his 26" kit then that's not right.

Eranu

He could try speaking to Cube directly. They're pretty helpful when you ring them, think the number is on their website.

I kinda of agree with the OP about a 2013 bike, its very different. He may not like 650b/29ers, so it's a big risk.

ian.p

Thanks for your replies,

The situation is, as of yesterday (Tuesday) there are currently now NO offers on the table from Cube, I have confirmed this with LLBS and the Cube call centre for the UK in Holland. All UK warranty frames are sent from the factory in Germany to the distributor in Holland, they have confirmed there are no 2012 Stereo frames with them or in Germany.

I went to LLBS the other day to request a refund, of which the answer is already written above, I am of the opinion that they dont understand the SOGA 1979, as they feel that Cube wont give me a refund, they seemed shocked when I told them that my contract is with them not Cube. So it looks like we will be going to court.

My point that was also made earlier is that I bought a complete bike, if I had spent £800 or £900 on a hardtail bike I probably wouldn't mind a bike built with the 2013 frame. But, and this is my personal choice spending nearly £2500 I didn't want to feel like I am riding a bike thats been built up to suit to make a warranty claim go away.

Some of the differences between the bikes are

2012 bike is a 26" wheelset, 2013 is either 650b or 29er
2012 straight head fox talas fork 120/150mm, 2013 fox talas tapered head fork 120/160mm
2012 has an external cabled rockshox reverb, 2013 has shorter drop and internal cabling
2012 has 190x51mm rear shock, 2013 has 216x64mm rear shock

The 2012 Stereo SL was priced at £2699 the 2013 Stereo SL is priced at £3999.99 its now a carbon frame.

Thanks for reading.

mattzzzzzz

So you would get a 2013 650b frame to replace yours but no rear shock and as has been said new forks and new wheelset would be required, the new carbon frame would be nice but the sticking issue is the OP would have to shell out at least another 1200 to buy forks rear shock and wheelset plus tyres
My first thought was take the frame but on second thoughts replacing the parts is going to push the price up to near RRP of the new 2013 bike
My conclusion? Take them to court and ask for a full replacement

You wouldnt accept a focus engine for an escort without ancilleries and drivetrain would you as it wouldnt fit properly

I reckon the best case will be a refund then go and spend your 2500 on a Canyon Nerve

Eranu

There is an alloy 26" Stereo for 2013 I believe, but I imagine that will also have tapered head tube etc.

The shop seem to be cock blocking you, maybe try getting CAB to ring them?

warpcow

You need to clear up whether when you say "they've offered a 2013 frame" if this includes suitable wheels and fork.

If yes, I'd say you haven't got a leg to stand on with regards to a refund. SOGA would, to me, seem a bit vague for the situation you're in; stuck between two models, that are quite different, yet similar according to Cube. They've offered what they consider is the current equivalent of the product you bought, and it's probably gone a little too long to invoke your right to reject the product. If, however, they don't plan to give you 650b fork and wheels you could be able to claim them as costs incurred due to the failure of their original product.

Would/could an AMS 150 be an option, as it seems to be the only 26er that's similar now?

ian.p

Thanks again for the replies,
Cube stated yesterday there are no Alloy frame Stereo for 2013, CAB informed me that under the SOGA 1979, the options are repair, replace, or refund. Repair not an option, Replace is like for like, again it seems this is not going to be an option due to additional costs to put into a working bike. Refund will be the only option under these circumstances. And it is the consumers choice whether they are willing to accept the first two options. Refund is the option I am heading for now.
The bike is still with the dealer, it has never been collected due to these issues.

bails87

If it was me, I'd either take a full replacement 2013 bike, and accept that it was 650b/29 if I was happy to. Or I'd get a full refund.

It may have the same name, but it's a different bike. If you had a car and there was a 'warranty' issue with a body panel it would be no good for the company to say "oh, we've changed the design so here's a panel that won't fit properly, and also it's a different colour. Enjoy."

warpcow

I still don't see a refund as being the only option open to them, but I agree it would just seem to be the right thing to do in this circumstance. Good luck with it.

RevellRider

I'm sorry, but I still haven't seen the point in the post where Leisure Lakes/Cube have said that they won't replace the non compatible parts

appy

I had a similar issue with a Cube bought from Certini. The frame cracked after 2 rides and I had a full refund within days of them not being able to provide me with a like for like replacement. Dig your heels in and g for a full refund.

martingt40

Do a deal? Get a refund then buy back your old bike at a reduced price and ride the arse of it!

cat_with_no_tail

As he's not been back in 3 months, was there a particular reason you felt the need to sign-up just to resurrect this thread?