Fat Birds - anyone had any problems?

veggiechris

just wondered if anyone else has had a problem with Fat Birds in Hunstanton, Norfolk.

Bough an expensive Lynskey Titanium frame from them. Turned out to be faulty (BB faces not quite parallel), but not found out before LBS has spent some time building whole bike etc. Fat Birds offering me only £25 , despite LBS spending over 5 hours...!! Not exactly generous. For more details see my post in the road workshop section.

So anyone else had any problems with Fat Birds??

nunowoolmez

jeez, too many jokes!

Ber Nard

What exactly do you mean by "not quite parallel"? It's commonly accepted that bottom bracket shells may need facing to ensure a good fit when installing external bottom brackets.

I'd have expected your LBS to have picked up on the need for facing the BB shell and done it as part of the install.

From reading your other post, I'd be inclined to think your LBS are incompetent rather than the frame is faulty.

Rob

kwi

Agreed with the above, the installer of the BB should check the facings/face as needed. In fact it's quite a quick job. Some LBS will supply a frame with the facing already done for the home builder as the tools aren't the cheapest to buy for a single job.

Beatmaker

I would expect a reputable retailer to face an expensive frame they had sold before shipping it. Equally, I wouldn't expect to have to face a Lynskey at all, I would think they would leave the factory faced.

kwi

Beatmaker wrote:

I would expect a reputable retailer to face an expensive frame they had sold before shipping it..

I know a few that offer it as a free service, if requested.

Beatmaker wrote:

Equally, I wouldn't expect to have to face a Lynskey at all, I would think they would leave the factory faced.

Equally I would expect anyone building a bike to check this one thing amongst others.

topdude

I think all this talk of "facing the BB" is a load of nonsense :?
We are talking about a frame component that has to be accurately machined to size and shape.
Have internal threads cut, and be welded into a frame.
It is not cut off with a hacksaw in a backstreet garage.
If a manufacturer cannot get that simple component right then they should not be in the business !!
I've never had a BB faced and never needed to and never will :roll:

ugo.santalucia

topdude wrote:

I think all this talk of "facing the BB" is a load of nonsense :?
We are talking about a frame component that has to be accurately machined to size and shape.
Have internal threads cut, and be welded into a frame.
It is not cut off with a hacksaw in a backstreet garage.
If a manufacturer cannot get that simple component right then they should not be in the business !!
I've never had a BB faced and never needed to and never will :roll:

That's pretty much my thought too... BB manufacturers tend to blame installation for the poor performance of their components, but it's the design of the device which is flawed

diy

Never bothered facing frames myself either.

flasher

5 hours to face a BB,someones have a laugh.

giant_man

No, fat birds are a fine retailer imo. always good service.

nellieskygod

topdude wrote:

I think all this talk of "facing the BB" is a load of nonsense :?
We are talking about a frame component that has to be accurately machined to size and shape.
Have internal threads cut, and be welded into a frame.
It is not cut off with a hacksaw in a backstreet garage.
If a manufacturer cannot get that simple component right then they should not be in the business !!
I've never had a BB faced and never needed to and never will :roll:

Blaming it on the manufacturer is a bit harsh. INTERNAL BB units (square taper / ISIS) never did have to have the frame faces because they are a self contained unit - so why waste extra time in the workshop facing something up that may not need it. With the 'welded in to frame' aspect of the frame build it is not uncommon to have some (very slight) deformation - which would need to be 'faced' out. Also if the frame has had any additional 'treatment' (paint / lacquer) that has run / contaminated the faces this would need to be 'faced' off.
It is the person building up the frame that should check these things (otherwise why would a mechanic ever need these tools?)- Seat tube reaming, head tube reaming and facing should also be done to a 'virgin frame'.

barrie h

I bought a Lynskey Titanium Cooper CX frame from Fat Birds, I ordered a ML frame but when it came it was a S, Fat Birds got the courier to deliver the size I wanted and pick up the wrong frame the next day
There where no size markings on ether frames so they had to rely on the box markings, Lynskey got it wrong

Barrie

sungod

can't see that it's fat birds' fault

lynksey made the frame, they're not a low-end outfit, i'd expect them to ship it faced

otherwise it's down to the lbs

but did you ask lynksey if it should need facing? if they say "no" then it needs investigating

Nairnster

And if it takes the LBS 5 hours to build a bike, I would be taking it somewhere else for a second opinion anyway, as it sounds like they arent that great themselves.