damage to frame in a new bike... buy anyway?

[nirusu]

Hi guys,

i ordered a bike a while ago. Now that i can finally pick it up, the dealer told me, that there is a small dent in the upper tube of the frame. Appearantly no cracks in the varnish, but still a pretty ugly dent. What is your advice, buy it anyway, or look for another one?

I have been offered a reduction of 100 Euros (120 US$) for the 1400 Euro bike (1680 US$) because of the dent. Not a lot it seems to me....

Happy for any help,

NIrusu.

 

[graf zeppelin]

Gonna be your call on that, but if it was me I'd look for another.

Note, this isnt really because of any fear of loss of structural integrity. For myself, I'd want the bike basically new when I built it. I take the utmost care of my newest bike (two years old now) and something like a dent like that would bother me right from day one unless I crashed and put it there myself.

 

[nirusu]

here is the link to the photo of the damage:

damage to frame

 

[ALAN OBRIEN]

Originally posted by nirusu
Hi guys,

i ordered a bike a while ago. Now that i can finally pick it up, the dealer told me, that there is a small dent in the upper tube of the frame. Appearantly no cracks in the varnish, but still a pretty ugly dent. What is your advice, buy it anyway, or look for another one?

I have been offered a reduction of 100 Euros (120 US$) for the 1400 Euro bike (1680 US$) because of the dent. Not a lot it seems to me....

Happy for any help,

NIrusu.

NIRUSU, it IS your call, however, if you are going to take the bike, i would ask for more than 100 euros off the asking price.
if that dent is going to stop you enjoying the bike to the fullest,
send it right back.why should you pay for something that you are only going to get 50% satisfaction for?

 

[vkhalsa]

i'm sorry but there is no way i would take it with a dent like that. there is no possible way that the structural integrity hasn't been effected. in addition, 120 bucks isn't all that much when ur spending 1600 or so. better to not be penny wise pound foolish.

 

[vkhalsa]

also isn't it under warrantee so ur lbs can send it back manufacturer since it came flawed?

 

[utahsowle]

Originally posted by nirusu
Hi guys,

i ordered a bike a while ago. Now that i can finally pick it up, the dealer told me, that there is a small dent in the upper tube of the frame. Appearantly no cracks in the varnish, but still a pretty ugly dent. What is your advice, buy it anyway, or look for another one?

I have been offered a reduction of 100 Euros (120 US$) for the 1400 Euro bike (1680 US$) because of the dent. Not a lot it seems to me....

Happy for any help,

NIrusu.

Is your LIFE worth only 100 euros??? The dealer should be sending this back to the manufacturer. I'd be looking for another REPUTABLE shop to do my shopping.

 

[Goldfishboy]

I'm sure that the dealer could have offered you that discount damaged or not, if he had wanted the bike off of his shop floor.

I wouldn't buy it, I'd be looking at the dent as I rode home from the shop and I'd feel like I'd been had over, but its your call.

Happy cycling,

Goldfishboy..

 

[DiabloScott]

It's possible the dealer himself caused the damage - no warranty would apply there. The dealer will lower the price every few months until it's sold, or maybe strip it down for parts if the price gets too low - at some point, someone WILL buy it.

 

[tanggoman]

ask the lbs how the dent got there, for curiosity sake... but if i were you, i'd get another one

 

[BIANCHI_EURO]

Very unwise idea to take that frame. Don't risk your health for $100. Ever seen the bill of a hospital?

Not that I would take it if the frame were a steel one. But I'll give you the following info anyway. Modern alu tubes are shaped in a different way from the way (kind of old fashioned) steel tubes were shaped. The reason for this different shape is that the wallthickness of alu frame tubes has decreased enormously! In the classical frame shape the modern tubes couldn't stand the forces acting on them.

Now your frame, if it's an alu one, is out of this ideal shape. Only god knows what will happen if forces are acting on the frame. I think the value of the frame is almost nothing since it looks like a serious dent on the picture.

Also consider your own weight. Some tubesets are so weak they can't take riders above 75kg at all (disencouraged by the frame tube manufacturer).

 

[fushman]

Originally posted by graf zeppelin
Gonna be your call on that, but if it was me I'd look for another.

Note, this isnt really because of any fear of loss of structural integrity.

while he could ride the bike problem free for years and years, dont be so sure about this

 

[Randybaker99]

No way, a new bike should be something to be excited and proud of. Having to look at a big dent every time you ride it is not my idea of a new bike experience. I also agree that you should be looking for another LBS, they are not handling the situation in a professional manner, in my opinion.

Good luck!