Query re Warranty Replacement.
andyrr
Posts: 1,823
Would appreciate a little input here.
Late 2010 I found 2 LBS's selling Trek 2nd District SS at reduced price of £300. These were originaly a fair bit more but probably overpriced then and the model line was ending so I started commuting on this early 2011.
Ridden regularly as commuting bike from then through to now. Crack in frame along top tube discovered a couple of weeks ago near to TT/ST junction. Take bike to shop - they contact Trek and Trek, whilst saying it is very likely to NOT be frame crack itself but paint, say they will replace. This exact model is discontinued thus the frame alone cannot be replaced - they agree to replace the bike !
In my time I've replaced the front chainring, numerous rear sprockets plus new rear wheel recently fitted (rim very worn) plus sourced a longer stem.
Replacement bike I'm offered and have now seen in LBS is the Trek District with belt drive : like this one
http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m14b194s1 ... S_GB/21990
Looks like I get a great deal ! Lovely shiny bike and clean belt drive system.
BUT
1) Belt drive with no facility to change the gearing easily or to run FG. This new one runs 55x22 in place of the old bike's 44x17, ie new is 65.8" in place of old bike's 68.1" - rear cogs are supposedly available for this belt drive but they're costly and searching on-line hasn't yet thrown any in-stock.
2) Bike is flat barred - I am sure I'll want drop bars as per old bike as I'm commuting a hilly 18 miles each way and want a more aero position than the cruising pose that this new one looks like it'll force me into.
So, I've raised the issue of getting drop bars off my old bike on to this one with the shop. So far we aren't 100% clear if Trek will want the bike or the frame returned or not actually get anything sent since it's worth pennies really to them - remember I paid only £300 near 2 years ago.
Shop have said they'll clarify the situation with Trek tomorrow. As I left the shop today it was suggested to me that maybe I should just whip the bike away and not start making too much noise at Trek since they might get arsy and might say they DO want the complete bike returned - cue many weeks waiting for Trek to examine it and umm and aww about what they'll do.
So :
Do I say "Thanks for the lovely shiny bike", try it out and if I like it then I source the bits I need (maybe £50 - 70 worth) and if I don't like it then I sell it and should hope to at least get what I paid for mine 2 years ago ?
or
Do I be forceful and say that I need a drop-barred bike and either give me the parts off my old one or say Nope, I want a drop barred SS bike ?
The new one seems to sell at over £500 so I think I'm being offered a more expensive bike as there's one available in UK stock as Trek do still (or did at least fairly recently) do a chain drive/drop bar SS's after mine was discontinued and those were cheaper than the belt District (5th District is a chain drive).
Late 2010 I found 2 LBS's selling Trek 2nd District SS at reduced price of £300. These were originaly a fair bit more but probably overpriced then and the model line was ending so I started commuting on this early 2011.
Ridden regularly as commuting bike from then through to now. Crack in frame along top tube discovered a couple of weeks ago near to TT/ST junction. Take bike to shop - they contact Trek and Trek, whilst saying it is very likely to NOT be frame crack itself but paint, say they will replace. This exact model is discontinued thus the frame alone cannot be replaced - they agree to replace the bike !
In my time I've replaced the front chainring, numerous rear sprockets plus new rear wheel recently fitted (rim very worn) plus sourced a longer stem.
Replacement bike I'm offered and have now seen in LBS is the Trek District with belt drive : like this one
http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m14b194s1 ... S_GB/21990
Looks like I get a great deal ! Lovely shiny bike and clean belt drive system.
BUT
1) Belt drive with no facility to change the gearing easily or to run FG. This new one runs 55x22 in place of the old bike's 44x17, ie new is 65.8" in place of old bike's 68.1" - rear cogs are supposedly available for this belt drive but they're costly and searching on-line hasn't yet thrown any in-stock.
2) Bike is flat barred - I am sure I'll want drop bars as per old bike as I'm commuting a hilly 18 miles each way and want a more aero position than the cruising pose that this new one looks like it'll force me into.
So, I've raised the issue of getting drop bars off my old bike on to this one with the shop. So far we aren't 100% clear if Trek will want the bike or the frame returned or not actually get anything sent since it's worth pennies really to them - remember I paid only £300 near 2 years ago.
Shop have said they'll clarify the situation with Trek tomorrow. As I left the shop today it was suggested to me that maybe I should just whip the bike away and not start making too much noise at Trek since they might get arsy and might say they DO want the complete bike returned - cue many weeks waiting for Trek to examine it and umm and aww about what they'll do.
So :
Do I say "Thanks for the lovely shiny bike", try it out and if I like it then I source the bits I need (maybe £50 - 70 worth) and if I don't like it then I sell it and should hope to at least get what I paid for mine 2 years ago ?
or
Do I be forceful and say that I need a drop-barred bike and either give me the parts off my old one or say Nope, I want a drop barred SS bike ?
The new one seems to sell at over £500 so I think I'm being offered a more expensive bike as there's one available in UK stock as Trek do still (or did at least fairly recently) do a chain drive/drop bar SS's after mine was discontinued and those were cheaper than the belt District (5th District is a chain drive).
0
Comments
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Seems like quality customer care from TREK.
If the new bike doesn't quite meet your needs, then obviously you could ask if there are any alternatives that do or maybe they will let you pay a bit more to get something further up the range?0 -
I don't really have any beef with Trek so far, I had hoped for frame replacement and hadn't expected any more, thought they might even argue on that score. Really the issue is me achieving a drop-bar bike with minimal cost to me, I don't see the flat bars suiting my needs in the long run, - for a nip to the shops - fine, 18 mile each way hilly commute - no. I see that the Trek US website lists the District SS models under Town / Urban Utility whilst the UK one does not list these so I reckon they're supplying me with a bike that is available in this country - nice thatthey're prepared to provide a more expensive one (I think it's the belt-drive that whacks the price up, frame and components look to be pretty similar to the other Districts).
Hopefully I'll be able to swap parts over or, alternatively, I can see what the market for it is to sell-on at a good price and get something else.0 -
Result - shop have said that all Trek want is the frame so I can take old + new away and do a parts swap over a few days so I can acheive what I want in getting drop bars on to the new one.0
