Dissapointed with Velobuild

[DIYbike]

Until recently I've been a very satisfied Velobuild customer but not anymore.

A bit more the two years ago I bought the R-041 frame. It had the BSA bottom bracket and have worked very fine until recently when the drive side cup that holds the ball bearing came off. It turned out that the cups weren’t threaded directly in the bottom bracket as it is supposed to but instead there was a threaded aluminum insert placed inside a BB30 bottom bracket fixated with glue! What had happened was that the glue failed and the BSA cup, together with the threaded insert came off.

I know that the time limit for the warranty had expired but asked for reimbursement as I consider this to be nothing else then a grave manufacturing error.

Chris at Velobuild is “sorry for that as production manager can not offer replacement as frame passed waranty ,sorry for that” and offers me a 15usd discount on a new frame (!) which I am very disappointed with.

To Velobuilds defense I must admit that the problem occurred after the warranty time expired. However, when the problem arises not from a mistake but from a cheat in the manufacturing process I had expected more from Velobuild as a company.

[1415chris]

I don't want to sound sarcastic, but you got what you had paid for.
Having said that, the excuse that frame is out of warrant is just purely laughable.

[spud]

I understand you are disappointed, but don't chuck the frameset - do a thorough prep and rebond the insert. Nothing to lose by doing it.

[DIYbike]

I don't want to sound sarcastic, but you got what you had paid for.

I wish I could argue with you, but I cant...

Having said that, the excuse that frame is out of warrant is just purely laughable.

Yes, that is sad.

[nickf]

Outside of warranty I don't blame them at all. Hardly and margins in a $400 frame like that. Thats the reason cannondale, trek, ect can charge more. They come with a lifetime warranty, thats all built into the price.

[themidge]

Damn, that's pretty bad. Shame they won't replace it, but I suppose if it's out of warranty and you agreed to whatever terms and conditions then...
On a more positive note, if you don't want to re-bond the insert, you could use a normal BB30-BSA adapter on one side to create a sort of franken BSA BB.

[ms6073]

However, Chris at Velobuild is “sorry for that as production manager can not offer replacement as frame passed warranty ,sorry for that”

Instead of re-bonding the existing adapter that has already failed once, I would suggest you consider one of the thread-together adapter BB such as Enduro Torqtite or Wheels Manufacturing

[DIYbike]

On a more positive note, if you don't want to re-bond the insert, you could use a normal BB30-BSA adapter on one side to create a sort of franken BSA BB.

That is an idea I haven't thought of or maybe I can knock the other BSA cup holder out and fit a new BB30 crank instead?

[DIYbike]

Instead of re-bonding the existing adapter that has already failed once, I would suggest you consider one of the thread-together adapter BB such as Enduro Torqtite or Wheels Manufacturing

That is really an interesting alternative. Thanks!

[themidge]

On a more positive note, if you don't want to re-bond the insert, you could use a normal BB30-BSA adapter on one side to create a sort of franken BSA BB.

That is an idea I haven't thought of or maybe I can knock the other BSA cup holder out and fit a new BB30 crank instead?

Yes, I thought about that but I reckon it would be pretty difficult to get it out on purpose seeing as it's bonded in (rather than pressed like an adapter or BB30 bearing, unless it isn't? I don't know), but if you could get it out, BB30 would be lighter and stiffer .
Although it has to be said, with the level of build quality you've already experienced, don't expect BB30 to be creak-free (probably quite loose tolerances, especially with them using BSA inserts anyway).

[Bogan]

I have used a Wheels Manufacturing thread together BB to overcome an issue I was having with a worn pressfit shell in a frame. It has worked brilliantly. It does not move or creak.

[mattr]

I know that the time limit for the warranty had expired but asked for reimbursement as I consider this to be nothing else then a grave manufacturing error.

Nah, that just looks like trying to cover as many bases as possible with one set of moulds.
Cheaping out, definitely, grave manufacturing error, not so much.

If you've got good access to the other bonded cup, you should be able to remove it (dremel, heat, care) then clean up the frame and put one of the BB30 adaptor that everyone else has linked in.

If the first one has broken free in normal use, i *doubt* their bonding process is the best (either choice of materials, or process control) so it's fairly likely to come out without too many issues.......

[alcatraz]

I'd try to fix it too and just keep riding. First by bonding it back using some serious branded bonding agents and secondly by trying to convert the frame to bb30.

Get a glue that can withstand a wider range of temperatures and forces.

If you do it right you could maybe even get some of the paint job recovered all in one go.

/a

[Svetty]

..... It turned out that the cups weren’t threaded directly in the bottom bracket as it is supposed to but instead there was a threaded aluminum insert placed inside a BB30 bottom bracket fixated with glue! What had happened was that the glue failed and the BSA cup, together with the threaded insert came off......

Reading the OPs initial post it reads as if he was expecting the BB cups to directly thread into carbon. A moment's reflection should be enough to realise that any screw in BB cup must thread into a metal insert of some sort with a carbon frame. Not sure why this is a surprise. Any bonded insert might come loose over time so with a sample size of n=1 I don't see that this is a reason to denigrate the supplier. If this is a common fault then perhaps it's different but otherwise it's out of warranty and so just bad luck.

[DIYbike]

..... It turned out that the cups weren’t threaded directly in the bottom bracket as it is supposed to but instead there was a threaded aluminum insert placed inside a BB30 bottom bracket fixated with glue! What had happened was that the glue failed and the BSA cup, together with the threaded insert came off......

Reading the OPs initial post it reads as if he was expecting the BB cups to directly thread into carbon.

I have to blame that on my lacking skills in English. I understand that the BSA cups must be threaded into a metal insert in the frame. I assumed that it was implicitly understood.