Chain stay crack advise needed

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

tjvirden
Posts: 540
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2020 9:21 pm

by tjvirden

survivor wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 5:06 pm
pdlpsher1 wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 5:01 pm
After looking at the second set of images there's no doubt this is a warranty item. It might be worth a try to convince the shop and Wilier to have them send you a new frame without having you to send the bad frame back at your expense. Some companies will ask you to destroy the defective item yourself and show them proof of it with some pictures. I have done it in the past but not on a bike frame.
That's a good suggestion and I will definitely propose it to the bike shop to see whether it is possible. The bike shop has reached out to Wilier about the crack and I have sent photos from multiple angles for them to forward to Wilier for a close assessment. Hopefully I will hear back from the bike shop in a day or two on the outcome.
I have to take a pessimistic view I'm afraid. My money is on no warranty replacement being offered; a "crash" replacement perhaps. To be clear, I don't think the bike has been crashed, but I really don't see that the chainstay/BB can break there, in that way, from a manufacturing error. It's obvious compression damage; the way in which the paint has failed shows that.

If you're sure the bike can't have experienced any unusual loading since you've had it, then the most likely explanation, to me, is that it happened at the shop before you had it. I hope that I'm wrong on this and that Wilier do send a replacement - they can afford to.

kode54
Posts: 3748
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

With a crash many years ago, I had a crack on the headtube on a Parlee Z5 SL. Parlee asked me to send it to them at my expense and when they received it...let me know it can't be repaired. I was not offered a crash replacement, so I moved on.
- Factor Ostro VAM Disc
- Factor LS Disc
- Specialized Aethos Disc
- Sturdy Ti Allroad Disc
- Guru Praemio R Disc

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
pdlpsher1
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:09 pm
Location: CO

by pdlpsher1

It's also possible that the damage was caused by transit or handling. That frame likely travelled around the world with many stops before it came to the OP.

survivor
Posts: 557
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 5:08 pm

by survivor

kode54 wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:01 pm
With a crash many years ago, I had a crack on the headtube on a Parlee Z5 SL. Parlee asked me to send it to them at my expense and when they received it...let me know it can't be repaired. I was not offered a crash replacement, so I moved on.
I could understand if it involves a crash, but mine is not. I have only ridden it roughly 60 miles on smooth pavement road. I will be very pissed if they didn't honor the warranty for the frame.

alexmcm09
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 11:02 am

by alexmcm09

survivor wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:15 pm
kode54 wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:01 pm
With a crash many years ago, I had a crack on the headtube on a Parlee Z5 SL. Parlee asked me to send it to them at my expense and when they received it...let me know it can't be repaired. I was not offered a crash replacement, so I moved on.
I could understand if it involves a crash, but mine is not. I have only ridden it roughly 60 miles on smooth pavement road. I will be very pissed if they didn't honor the warranty for the frame.
Would be a very odd place to damage in a crash anyhow so I don't think that will be an issue.

kode54
Posts: 3748
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

survivor wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:15 pm
kode54 wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:01 pm
With a crash many years ago, I had a crack on the headtube on a Parlee Z5 SL. Parlee asked me to send it to them at my expense and when they received it...let me know it can't be repaired. I was not offered a crash replacement, so I moved on.
I could understand if it involves a crash, but mine is not. I have only ridden it roughly 60 miles on smooth pavement road. I will be very pissed if they didn't honor the warranty for the frame.
Yeah, that sucks. I hope they warranty the frame for you. I was responding to another post regarding the return of a damaged frame or keep the damaged one. On the other hand, I did have a crash with my Factor and was given crash replacement and was told to keep the damaged frame, which I had repaired.
- Factor Ostro VAM Disc
- Factor LS Disc
- Specialized Aethos Disc
- Sturdy Ti Allroad Disc
- Guru Praemio R Disc

survivor
Posts: 557
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 5:08 pm

by survivor

kode54 wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 8:56 pm
Yeah, that sucks. I hope they warranty the frame for you. I was responding to another post regarding the return of a damaged frame or keep the damaged one. On the other hand, I did have a crash with my Factor and was given crash replacement and was told to keep the damaged frame, which I had repaired.
Fingers crossed. Bike shop mentioned it typically takes the manufacturer several days to feedback on claims. So I guess I won't hear back anything until sometime next week.

tjvirden
Posts: 540
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2020 9:21 pm

by tjvirden

One thing I think is worth mentioning; if you do get a negative response to start with, try to be calm and keep the shop on your side; I have no idea, but perhaps the shop has a good relationship with their Wilier (distributor?) contact and with some persuasion, positions can change. Hopefully it won't get to that.

Butcher
Shop Owner
Posts: 1924
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

I agree. Nobody likes to work with a person that is cussing and acting like a baby that does not get their way. It is tough when the evidence is clearly in your favor but there is a time to escalate the problem but let the system work. Most of the time, it does work well. Except for AliExpress but that is a different story.

survivor
Posts: 557
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 5:08 pm

by survivor

tjvirden wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:55 pm
One thing I think is worth mentioning; if you do get a negative response to start with, try to be calm and keep the shop on your side; I have no idea, but perhaps the shop has a good relationship with their Wilier (distributor?) contact and with some persuasion, positions can change. Hopefully it won't get to that.
Butcher wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 3:49 pm
I agree. Nobody likes to work with a person that is cussing and acting like a baby that does not get their way. It is tough when the evidence is clearly in your favor but there is a time to escalate the problem but let the system work. Most of the time, it does work well. Except for AliExpress but that is a different story.
Yup. The bike shop is great to work with. They were very accomodating to my request when building up the bike. Ultimately I guess Wilier gets to make the final call of whether it is a warranty claim or not. Fingers crossed everything would work out ok.

User avatar
wheelsONfire
Posts: 6283
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:15 am
Location: NorthEU

by wheelsONfire

The best warranty i've had was/ is Ax Lightness. Many companies are pure shit when it comes to warranty.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

kode54
Posts: 3748
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

AX Lightness was good.
Factor was great.
Parlee not so good.
Moots probably my best experience in customer service.
- Factor Ostro VAM Disc
- Factor LS Disc
- Specialized Aethos Disc
- Sturdy Ti Allroad Disc
- Guru Praemio R Disc

survivor
Posts: 557
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 5:08 pm

by survivor

It's been 10 days since I reported the crack. The bike shop is doing everything they can to help follow up with Wilier rep. I just didn't feel the sense of urgency from Wilier side. Wilier has asked for the photos of the cracked chainstay from various angles, which I sent. They came a week later asking for more photos from different angles, which I also sent. Still no feedback from Wilier so far. Does it usually take this long for the manufacturer to assess the crack? I'm obviously frustrated as I'm without a rideable bike right now.

10/19/2021: Reported crack to bike shop, bike shop reported to Wilier. Cracked chainstay photos sent.
10/20/2021: Wilier rep came back asking for more photos. More photos sent.
10/20/2021 - 10/26/20201: Nothing from Wilier. Bike shop helped to follow up.
10/27/2021: Wilier rep came back asking for more photos from different angles. More photos sent.
10/27/2021 - 10/29/2021: Still nothing from Wilier.

User avatar
wheelsONfire
Posts: 6283
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:15 am
Location: NorthEU

by wheelsONfire

survivor wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 10:33 pm
It's been 10 days since I reported the crack. The bike shop is doing everything they can to help follow up with Wilier rep. I just didn't feel the sense of urgency from Wilier side. Wilier has asked for the photos of the cracked chainstay from various angles, which I sent. They came a week later asking for more photos from different angles, which I also sent. Still no feedback from Wilier so far. Does it usually take this long for the manufacturer to assess the crack? I'm obviously frustrated as I'm without a rideable bike right now.

10/19/2021: Reported crack to bike shop, bike shop reported to Wilier. Cracked chainstay photos sent.
10/20/2021: Wilier rep came back asking for more photos. More photos sent.
10/20/2021 - 10/26/20201: Nothing from Wilier. Bike shop helped to follow up.
10/27/2021: Wilier rep came back asking for more photos from different angles. More photos sent.
10/27/2021 - 10/29/2021: Still nothing from Wilier.
They should have the frame returned to them and sent you a new frame. That's the only right way. Now i know i will not buy Wilier.
Your bike is basically only test ridden, so i don't understand why they need to hassle and delay this.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

PoorCyclist
Posts: 783
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:26 am
Location: California's country side

by PoorCyclist

I bought this bike (not a Wilier, but a brand under a "group" umbrella) 10 years ago and found this crack after a month.

At the time I wanted to put some grease on the BB30 (was the newest thing back then but tend to creak) I brought it to a knuckle head mechanic who used a steel pipe to hammer out the bearings (inner race!) while clamped to the workstand. Used a headset press to install, but the bearings became rough after that quickly.

Wasn't sure if that caused it but when I noticed the crack reported within the month, they have replaced the frame not problem.

You can see it's pretty minor and the manufacturer took back and sent me a new frame, a newer 2012 year model, I'm still riding that frame today.

I hope Wilier make it right for you, not sure why they would not, what would the reason be?

Today bikes are moving out the door so much more I think shops and manufacturers are not as good customer service as they used to be, I notice, lots of pointing fingers and excuses.
Attachments
DSC_4155.JPG

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply