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Discovered a strange scratch/scuff on my brand new carbon Emonda 5 days into ownership!

MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
edited July 2020 in Road general
Hi People,

So, I bought a brand new Emonda SL 5 last Friday and, to my surprise and dismay, just discovered a fairly large scuff in a strange location on the fork, 5 days into ownership. I was looking over the chain with a LED torch up close and then decided to go over the rest of the bike - that's when I saw the mark.

I've done about 80km on the bike so far, riding only on paved roads and concrete, in fair weather, haven't left the bike anywhere unattended and, I'm sure as hell, didn't scratch it anywhere. Being my brand new, shiny pride and joy, I've been extremely careful about where I've been putting it.

The scuff is 7cm long and only visible in very good light/up close; I could have easily missed it in the shop.

I'm not an experienced road bike owner and curious as to what my options here? What does this mark look like to you? It seems to be in a weird spot in my opinion.





Many thanks.

Cheers,
D
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Posts

  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    I can't see much there and if it takes you an LED torch and going over the bike...

    It is going to get scuffed. There will be paint chips I'm afraid but it won't affect how the bike rides.

    Enjoy the new bike and enjoy the riding.
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,021
    Your options are to continue riding it, or take it back to the shop and ask for a second opinion.

    Given that you said you can only see this 'mark' close up, with a torch, then I'd probably favour option one.
  • MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
    Both sound opinions gents, thanks, but you can imagine how it is; 5 days of ownership, paid full price for the bike and I'm very confident that I didn't cause the scratch.
  • joe2019joe2019 Posts: 1,338
    I'm afraid that bikes get scratched, in a month there will be another, in a year a few more, in 5 years you'll be looking at a respray. Your only option is not to ride it.
  • bondurantbondurant Posts: 858
    It's an odd looking mark, no idea what it could be from, looks slightly abraided.

    If you feel it was there when you bought it then your only option is taking it to the shop and trying to convince them.

    Bit of Autoglym and it could well polish out though.
  • MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
    joe2019 said:

    I'm afraid that bikes get scratched, in a month there will be another, in a year a few more, in 5 years you'll be looking at a respray. Your only option is not to ride it.

    If it was a scratch that I put on it, I'd happily accept the reality of it. I'm just confident that I didn't. I could be wrong, of course, but I just can't think of a time when I would have done it.
  • MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
    edited July 2020
    bondurant said:

    It's an odd looking mark, no idea what it could be from, looks slightly abraided.

    If you feel it was there when you bought it then your only option is taking it to the shop and trying to convince them.

    Bit of Autoglym and it could well polish out though.

    It feels slightly abraided to touch but very much on the surface.
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Looks to be a lovely colour. I don't think we get that in the UK ? We need more pics please.
  • MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
    It's stunner! Emerald/Purple flip.





  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 28,049
    Ignoring the disc brakes, it was a stunner before you scratched it... now it's a scratched bike... can you live with that? :)
    left the forum March 2023
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,021
    MelbourneRec said:

    Both sound opinions gents, thanks, but you can imagine how it is; 5 days of ownership, paid full price for the bike and I'm very confident that I didn't cause the scratch.

    I get that. But you still have the same two options.
  • me-109me-109 Posts: 1,915
    You're not going to be able to prove you didn't do it, so the shop is hardly likely to swap it out (or offer some other recompense) on the basis of a scratch that might not have been their fault.
  • MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
    For anyone who's interested in this sort of thing, I had some Scratch x 2.0 lying around which seemed to get the job done:



  • MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
    me-109 said:

    You're not going to be able to prove you didn't do it, so the shop is hardly likely to swap it out (or offer some other recompense) on the basis of a scratch that might not have been their fault.

    I agree. Nobody wants to be that guy... trying to claim the scratch was there already :sweat_smile:
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Oh that's a nice finish. Lovely bike - glad your blemish has gone.
  • monty_dogcpmonty_dogcp Posts: 382
    I got a new bike 2 months ago - second ride out and an overtaking car threw up a stone, hit the fork and took took a 4mm chip out of the paint down to the primer.
  • MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
    edited July 2020
    ugo.santalucia said:

    Ignoring the disc brakes, it was a stunner before you scratched it... now it's a scratched bike... can you live with that? :)

    No, couldn't really live with that... Nor could I without disc brakes ;)
  • MelbourneRecMelbourneRec Posts: 9
    So, Meguir's Scratch x 2.0 review:

    I used a small amount of the solution on a clean microfibre cloth, then about 20 seconds of gentle rubbing of the blemish. It appeared to come out straight away. I used another cloth that was damp and soapy to get rid of any residue. The blemish reappeared straight away!

    So, 2nd round: dry the area then back to Scratch x 2.0, this time 40 seconds of application, then buff out with a dry clean mf cloth and left it overnight (was 1am by this point). Went for it with the dish soap this morning to test the result and the scratch appears to be gone completely, the area looks brand new.

    Will wash the bike later today and cover the whole thing with either COLLINITE 885 FLEETWAX PASTE or Meg's Black Wax.

    :)
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    I think it might have been where a sticker was you know. I'm sure one of my bikes had the frame details stuck there.
  • parmosparmos Posts: 100
    i found a scratch on my brand new 2k Topstone the other week giving it a clean after my first ride which was around 40 miles and roughly 20 mile of it was on rough terrain felt gutted initially but after a few minutes thinking that's what the bike is here for it went away quickly
  • redvisionredvision Posts: 2,958
    I know we all hate finding marks on our bikes, particularly the best bike (the pride and joy), but you will get far worse than that mark.

    As it's on the fork, granted the back, put some helicopter tape on to protect the fork from chips and scrapes and it will cover this. Then you can forget about it and just enjoy riding the bike.
  • paul_smith_srccpaul_smith_srcc Posts: 247
    edited August 2020
    Deleted as duplicated below in error
    My personal cycling blog
  • paul_smith_srccpaul_smith_srcc Posts: 247
    edited July 2020
    Always a shame to discover the first scratch no matter how minor, it may well have been there from new, very few are 100% perfect; yours is hardly noticeable. If I were you I'd no doubt, swear, cry for my mum for a bit then say to myself it says 'Trek' not 'Rolex' on it, I didn't buy it to be precious with it, I bought it to use it and it's going to get scratched; I'd probably say it with my bottom lip still wobbling but I would say it ;)
    My personal cycling blog
  • imposter2.0imposter2.0 Posts: 12,021
    "it's a Trek - not a Rolex" could be the best line of 2020 so far... ;)
  • mfinmfin Posts: 6,726
    MelbourneRec said:

    So, Meguir's Scratch x 2.0 review:

    I used a small amount of the solution on a clean microfibre cloth, then about 20 seconds of gentle rubbing of the blemish. It appeared to come out straight away. I used another cloth that was damp and soapy to get rid of any residue. The blemish reappeared straight away!

    So, 2nd round: dry the area then back to Scratch x 2.0, this time 40 seconds of application, then buff out with a dry clean mf cloth and left it overnight (was 1am by this point). Went for it with the dish soap this morning to test the result and the scratch appears to be gone completely, the area looks brand new.

    Will wash the bike later today and cover the whole thing with either COLLINITE 885 FLEETWAX PASTE or Meg's Black Wax.

    :)

    You're better off spending your time copter taping key areas of the bike if you want it to stay looking good. Don't forget the crank arms either. 20 mins spent doing all this is well worth doing.
  • sw19carpenterssw19carpenters Posts: 108
    Looks to me like lacquer fade or peel that you might see on a car.
    Or is that just the shadow or shine?
  • racerexracerex Posts: 68
    Hard to tell from the picture, but to me it looks like a rather poor paint touch up. Maybe was a scratch that the dealer tried to repair.
  • cruffcruff Posts: 1,518
    What a great ad for Scratch x 2.0!

    Renoves those pesky scuffs that only show up under UV light... 🙄
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.
  • 50x1150x11 Posts: 408
    Love the frame, but the cable routing is shocking.
  • darkhairedlorddarkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    50x11 said:

    Love the frame, but the cable routing is shocking.

    It's shocking. I'd take it back to the dealer and get it done properly.
    Equally appalling is resting it upside down on the hoods.
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