Bike Discount customer support (Black Sin 8.0 2015 cracked frame)
ForbiSK
Posts: 5
Hello,
[I only had good experience with bike discount customer support and I could give the highest rating to the customer service, but let's see how the process will turn when we have a lot higher scale problem]
It is very difficult to find the reviews of Bike-Discount (Radon bikes) customer supportin English, also it was very difficult to find review almost two years ago, when I have purchased Radon Black Sin 8.0 (2015 model) with a hope that the frame will never crack and I won't have to deal with BD customer support, as I do not know either they are willing to help or not.
Video here (will be uploaded soon): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of6swLPKVkA
However, recently I have noticed there's a crack on the frame bellow the seatpost area (I have added the video explaining it) - I don't know when exactly did the crack appear and how, but I presume that the frame did not handle the stress during the rides or races and cracked in the stress area. As you will see in the video - there are no external impact sings, also the crack is a bit round shape - exactly how the stress applies on the frame when riding, so I believe there is no fault of the rider at that point, hopefully I am right?
Anyway, I will write and explain this issue to Bike discount customer support right now and will see how it goes. As I am located in Lithuania, sending the frame at my own costs would be a huge issue, as the sending price is as high as nearly 100-200 EUR (dhl). Of course BD could send the new frame just after the reviewing my video, but that's more like a dream
because their warranty policy clearly states, that the frame has to be inspected by their specialists, and only AFTER that they will let me know, if the crack falls under free warranty replacement conditions or not. And IF NOT - I will be 100-200 EUR in LOSS, and that's what concerns me the most at the moment.
I will keep you updated, also let me know your opinion. By the way - if BD would send a replacement frame (by any miracle) without a need for me to send the old one - I could give it to any of you as a gift, if there's a chance to dispatch the frame cheaply somehow
FAVOR NEEDED. And almost forgot to ask - is there anyone who could translate this to German (not using google translate of course)? I would really like to shed some light about BD customer support to German customers too.
[UPDATE 2016 Aug 08th]************************************************
BD were quick to reply asking for additional information, and shortly after I sent what they asked for, they have contacted me by briefly saying "this looks like external force". As I know it NOT the result of the external force, I've sent a polite reply:
"As mentioned in my first e-mail, I do not know when exactly the crack appeared - I have spotted it accidentally while cleaning the bike, so I asume the reason for such crack was general MTB riding (training, competitions etc.).
What makes me think that the crack is NOT because of external force:
- the painting is splitted from inside
- the shape of the crack matches the shape of the fork arc's shape exactly
- the location of the crack is in the stress area (stress caused by riding)
- there are no scratches in the area of the crack - the painting looks nice and clean, no signs of external damage
What made you think it looks like an external force? As far as I know the most common areas for damaging the frame by external force are: 1 - the legs of rear force (usually caused by some stick, stuck in the weel and cracking the legs); 2 - down tube of the frame (riding over rigid stick, rock or stump) and 3 - top tube (falling over the bar - rotating handlebar cracking tube, or falling into rock).
Furthermore - in case of external force damage, scratches in the crack/damage area are clearly visible (while in this case, there are no scratches except the crack itself).
So summing up all mentioned above - the rear fork arc's area is highly unlikely to be damaged by external force. Plus having the specific crack shape, exactly matching the shape of the arc, and having no signs of external force in the area of the crack makes it highly unlikely that the crack is the result of external force. Before contacing you, I was consulting with technician of my sports club who confirmed my statements and adviced to contact BD customer support.
However, hearing your opinion (what made you think it was the result of external force) would be good too."
[UPDATE 2016 AUG 10th]************************************************
Bike-Discount contacted me offering to send new replacement frame (exact the same) without the need to send them cracked frame first, and told me I will have to send them cracked frame only after I will rebuild my bike (however I will have to rebuild bike myself, although that's not an issue - more like a fun time for me).
[I only had good experience with bike discount customer support and I could give the highest rating to the customer service, but let's see how the process will turn when we have a lot higher scale problem]
It is very difficult to find the reviews of Bike-Discount (Radon bikes) customer supportin English, also it was very difficult to find review almost two years ago, when I have purchased Radon Black Sin 8.0 (2015 model) with a hope that the frame will never crack and I won't have to deal with BD customer support, as I do not know either they are willing to help or not.
Video here (will be uploaded soon): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of6swLPKVkA
However, recently I have noticed there's a crack on the frame bellow the seatpost area (I have added the video explaining it) - I don't know when exactly did the crack appear and how, but I presume that the frame did not handle the stress during the rides or races and cracked in the stress area. As you will see in the video - there are no external impact sings, also the crack is a bit round shape - exactly how the stress applies on the frame when riding, so I believe there is no fault of the rider at that point, hopefully I am right?
Anyway, I will write and explain this issue to Bike discount customer support right now and will see how it goes. As I am located in Lithuania, sending the frame at my own costs would be a huge issue, as the sending price is as high as nearly 100-200 EUR (dhl). Of course BD could send the new frame just after the reviewing my video, but that's more like a dream
because their warranty policy clearly states, that the frame has to be inspected by their specialists, and only AFTER that they will let me know, if the crack falls under free warranty replacement conditions or not. And IF NOT - I will be 100-200 EUR in LOSS, and that's what concerns me the most at the moment.I will keep you updated, also let me know your opinion. By the way - if BD would send a replacement frame (by any miracle) without a need for me to send the old one - I could give it to any of you as a gift, if there's a chance to dispatch the frame cheaply somehow
FAVOR NEEDED. And almost forgot to ask - is there anyone who could translate this to German (not using google translate of course)? I would really like to shed some light about BD customer support to German customers too.
[UPDATE 2016 Aug 08th]************************************************
BD were quick to reply asking for additional information, and shortly after I sent what they asked for, they have contacted me by briefly saying "this looks like external force". As I know it NOT the result of the external force, I've sent a polite reply:
"As mentioned in my first e-mail, I do not know when exactly the crack appeared - I have spotted it accidentally while cleaning the bike, so I asume the reason for such crack was general MTB riding (training, competitions etc.).
What makes me think that the crack is NOT because of external force:
- the painting is splitted from inside
- the shape of the crack matches the shape of the fork arc's shape exactly
- the location of the crack is in the stress area (stress caused by riding)
- there are no scratches in the area of the crack - the painting looks nice and clean, no signs of external damage
What made you think it looks like an external force? As far as I know the most common areas for damaging the frame by external force are: 1 - the legs of rear force (usually caused by some stick, stuck in the weel and cracking the legs); 2 - down tube of the frame (riding over rigid stick, rock or stump) and 3 - top tube (falling over the bar - rotating handlebar cracking tube, or falling into rock).
Furthermore - in case of external force damage, scratches in the crack/damage area are clearly visible (while in this case, there are no scratches except the crack itself).
So summing up all mentioned above - the rear fork arc's area is highly unlikely to be damaged by external force. Plus having the specific crack shape, exactly matching the shape of the arc, and having no signs of external force in the area of the crack makes it highly unlikely that the crack is the result of external force. Before contacing you, I was consulting with technician of my sports club who confirmed my statements and adviced to contact BD customer support.
However, hearing your opinion (what made you think it was the result of external force) would be good too."
[UPDATE 2016 AUG 10th]************************************************
Bike-Discount contacted me offering to send new replacement frame (exact the same) without the need to send them cracked frame first, and told me I will have to send them cracked frame only after I will rebuild my bike (however I will have to rebuild bike myself, although that's not an issue - more like a fun time for me).
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Comments
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You've got no chance of getting a replacement without sending the broken one back. Sending it back will be at your expense and the new one will be returned at their expense.
I hope your experience is better than mine with a faulty damper in my forkTransition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
They paid for my Pikes to go back for warranty work0
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Can you tell a bit more about your experience?
I've been dealing with bike-discount for several years, and my experience was really good so far. I had 2 or 3 items which had to be sent back (warranty), and in all cases BD was very friendly and refunded even my shipping expenses.
Of course sending back the frame or whole bike is a whole different story, it will cost a lot more, so if shipping expenses can not be refunded - the whole "frame warranty" thing becomes really less worth for international buyers.RockmonkeySC wrote:You've got no chance of getting a replacement without sending the broken one back. Sending it back will be at your expense and the new one will be returned at their expense.
I hope your experience is better than mine with a faulty damper in my fork0 -
The downside of buying a bike online, from another country, cheaply.
You can only win some of the time.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
cooldad wrote:The downside of buying a bike online, from another country, cheaply.
You can only win some of the time.
If their customer support will prove to be reputable, then the only downside will be delivery time
P.S.: I have updated the initial message. In order to avoid the mess, I will update the process in the first message, so it would be easier for everyone to understand, how the warranty process goes.0 -
Just to update: on 29th of August BD have notified that new frame was dispatched and I should receive it shortly. For some this might sound like disadvantage (having to rebuild bike on a new frame), but for me it is an advantage, because I still have my old bike which can be riden, no period with "no bike" at all 0
