Frame crack on creme cycles - need advice

jancreighton

hi there

i'm using a Creme Holy Moly (dutch-style steel framed 3-speed) for a short work commute - the bike is less than 18 months old, well looked after and always stored indoors both at work and at home

recently I noticed a crack in the frame on the down tube just behind the lug that extends almost right round the tube

I contacted Chainreaction cycles about warranty 10 days ago but have no useful information so far - they emailed to say that they would contact Creme to see if they would honour their advertised 2 year frame warranty (http://cremecycles.com/creme_manual_warranty_eng.pdf), which kind of implies that Chainreaction themselves were not involving themselves in honouring the warranty.

Is this normal practice?

I have to say that the reason I bought a steel framed bicycle was to ensure I had a quality no nonsense bike. I feel really let down by this frame failure and also by the slow response by Creme and Chainreaction as this is my daily commuter and I don't currently have a 2nd bike to use.

I'll post pics of the bike and the crack so you can see - the crack emanates from where the tube was drilled to allow internal routing of the cables

thanks for your help

Jan

rhext

If the 2-year warranty was advertised when you bought the bike, then it's down to CRC to sort it out for you. Your contract is with them, not with Creme.

It's possible that the email from CRC is just their clumsy way of stating that they are sorting it out for you.... but if they don't get back to you I'd drop them a line reminding them of the fact that it's them who sold you the warranty!

supersonic

Be aware of the terms of the warranty though ie:

"6. The bicycle should be submitted to a mandatory check-up between the 3rd and 5th week from date of
purchase (or after 50km of riding) to an authorized bicycle dealer. The confirmation of this check-up should
be documented in the warranty card. Failure to do this will void the warranty."

Luckily warranties are in addition to your consumer rights - they don't replace them, and 18 months of use would constitute a defect in my eyes. Though you may have to prove this is the case.

The Rookie

I agree, forget warranty, sales of goods act trumps it and puts CRC as the retailer firmly in the firing line.

Having said that, the lack of an inspection would not be material in preventing the frame cracking (how could it), so under EU law, to deny a warranty claim on that basis would be illegal, they can only use deviations from T&C's as a get out where the omission would have had a material impact, so say for example a rear mech failed due to poor adjustment.

rolf_f

You'd think it shouldn't be a big issue - I've had two frames replaced (right at end of warranty periods!) and the companies (Ribble and Orange) were extremely helpful. Of course, in neither case did I have to deal with a shop (Ribble of course supplying directly and with Orange local to me I just rang them and they were didn't once try to push me back to the shop!).

I think it is too early to be getting upset by either Creme or CRCs slow action. It is annoying but these things take time to sort out. It's just one reason why one bike is never enough!