Wrong crank length on new bike

cld531c

blueturtle wrote:

Hi all, thanks for all the input re. crank length . I have decided with much deliberation to send the De Rosa back to Wiggle. Yes I could have kept it and swapped out the chainset ,but why spend £3.5k+ on something that was not right in the first place.I don't mind changing the stem length or the saddle if needs be but I had to draw the line somewhere and changing the crankset was a step to far. Incidently I e-mailed Wiggle and the came back with the reply,quote " I can advise that the length of the cranks is not set by the frame size rather it takes into account the geometry of the frame as a whole" unquote. That's a new one on me! Methinks after this episode there is something to be said about going to your local bike shop,cost you more but at least you can see what you are buying before handing over cash.Thanks again for all your advice.

Good luck with whatever you end up buying!

cougie

It's really not much more hassle to change the chainset than it is the stem but it's your bike and other shops do sell it.
Have you priced it up elsewhere ?

svetty

blueturtle wrote:

Hi all, thanks for all the input re. crank length . I have decided with much deliberation to send the De Rosa back to Wiggle. Yes I could have kept it and swapped out the chainset ,but why spend £3.5k+ on something that was not right in the first place.I don't mind changing the stem length or the saddle if needs be but I had to draw the line somewhere and changing the crankset was a step to far. Incidently I e-mailed Wiggle and the came back with the reply,quote " I can advise that the length of the cranks is not set by the frame size rather it takes into account the geometry of the frame as a whole" unquote. That's a new one on me! Methinks after this episode there is something to be said about going to your local bike shop,cost you more but at least you can see what you are buying before handing over cash.Thanks again for all your advice.

It's easier swapping a Shimano Hollowtech chainset than to swap a stem or a saddle TBH........

blueturtle

Its not how easy or difficult the job is .For goodness sake I have built up many bikes from scratch.I have been an engineer all my life.Its the principle involved here.If you are willing to spend a large sum of money then start stripping things out,well that is up to you . Personally if Wiggle would have exchanged the cranks then I would have been happy.Whatever happened to customer satisfaction? Seems I must be getting long in the tooth to remember those sort of things.

fenix

Entirely up to you of course - but what are you going to do now ? Buy a bike that you previously didn't want but has the right crank length ?

What did you like about the De Rosa in the first place ? Just seems odd to buy an off the shelf bike and then send it back due to something thats easy to fix.

daniel_b

If I was in your position, and it was my dream bike, the price was good, or very good (?), and I had the technical nous to make the change, then I would have stuck with the bike. Sourced a chainset to my liking, and sold on the far more saleable 172.5mm cranks for likely minimal loss.

I'm all for principals, but I can bypass them to some degree if it means I end up getting a better deal as a result.

I know of someone who bought an Ultegra bike that had several issues, and they managed to talk the retailer into providing a free upgrade of a Di2 replacement model, as effective compensation - rather than just returning it for a refund.

If the price was neither here nor there, I wasn't worried about the paint job, and it wasn't a bike I overly desired above any others, then yes I would send it back for a refund.

blueturtle

Daniel B, it was never going to be my dream bike. I already have a more expensive and better specced Cervelo.I just fancied an aero bike to use as an alternative from time to time.Also the De Rosa while being a classy looking bike is not the be all and end all of bikes.There are plenty of other bikes just as stylish. It is no great loss. I had two choices, take it or leave it. I chose to leave it .

veronese68

blueturtle wrote:

Methinks after this episode there is something to be said about going to your local bike shop, cost you more but at least you can see what you are buying before handing over cash.

I agree with this, and your decision if that's how you feel. I have also built my own bikes and whilst I am happy to buy a lot of stuff mail order I have collected frames locally. I've negotiated a price close to or matching web prices so not all bad. It's something that strikes me every time I see someone on here with a problem with a Rose, Canyon or something complaining about having to send stuff to and fro. That's the compromise with buying online and it's worse if it has to be shipped overseas. There are plus sides to buying online, plenty of downsides too.
Also agree with Dan B, my principles have a price. You don't want to cut your nose off to spite your face, you have to weigh up the pros and cons and everyone will have a slightly different take on the levels.

Steve-XcT

blueturtle wrote:

Hi all, thanks for all the input re. crank length . I have decided with much deliberation to send the De Rosa back to Wiggle. Yes I could have kept it and swapped out the chainset ,but why spend £3.5k+ on something that was not right in the first place.I don't mind changing the stem length or the saddle if needs be but I had to draw the line somewhere and changing the crankset was a step to far. Incidently I e-mailed Wiggle and the came back with the reply,quote " I can advise that the length of the cranks is not set by the frame size rather it takes into account the geometry of the frame as a whole" unquote. That's a new one on me! Methinks after this episode there is something to be said about going to your local bike shop,cost you more but at least you can see what you are buying before handing over cash.Thanks again for all your advice.

In terms of principals I feel more strongly about supporting the LBS than changing the crank.

Lack of flexibility by retailers is the price you pay for .. well the price you pay at checkout...
Right at the other end its easy to get dragged into buying a frame you didn't REALLY want because someone is flexible on components.