Cracked Cannondale Frame

100Suns

I have a HiMod Cannondale SuperSix (2009 model) and noticed recently two parallel cracks on the seat tube, running from just above the bottle cage bolts along the edges of the bolts to just below them. I acquired the bike nearly new through the US. My local Cannondale dealer tells me I'm best dealing directly with Cannondale US. I've fired them off a couple of emails suggesting that a replacement frame is in order.

Has anyone had a similar structural failure (not related to a crash etc.) on a Cannondale or any carbon frame. If so, was it new or second hand, and what was your experience with the retailer/manufacturer. In particular, what if anything works in securing some form of compensation in the circumstances above?

Many thanks

TinyExplosions

100Suns wrote: »

I have a HiMod Cannondale SuperSix (2009 model) and noticed recently two parallel cracks on the seat tube, running from just above the bottle cage bolts along the edges of the bolts to just below them. I acquired the bike nearly new through the US. My local Cannondale dealer tells me I'm best dealing directly with Cannondale US. I've fired them off a couple of emails suggesting that a replacement frame is in order.

Has anyone had a similar structural failure (not related to a crash etc.) on a Cannondale or any carbon frame. If so, was it new or second hand, and what was your experience with the retailer/manufacturer. In particular, what if anything works in securing some form of compensation in the circumstances above?

Many thanks

Your part about 'nearly new' would raise some alarm bells with me -a lot of manufacturers crash replacement or warranty arrangements are nearly exclusively limited to the original owner of a frame, so you may be SOL

Hungrycol

Cannondale are pretty good at replacement frames but the lifetime warranty only covers the original purchaser from the Cannondale dealer. Because you say it nearly new I gather you bought it second hand? In this case
they may accommodate you with a replacement frame at a discounted price plus you will have to ship your frame over to the US to be assessed.

Your dale dealer is probably right to go directly to the US about this as dale Ireland go though dale UK who goes through dale Europe who go to dale US! Plava when trying to get a bike in your size and Ireland or the UK don't have it in stock.

Lettuce know if you hear back from them. Would be interested to hear what they say. Any pics of the cracks?

C3PO

Most manufacturers won't warranty stuff if you are not the original owner. Also the fact that you got it from the US means that Cycleways (Cannondale's Irish distributor) are unlikely to show much interest! Your best bet is to continue to contact Cannondale in the US and hopefully they will offer you a new frame but frankly I wouldn't be holding my breath!

100Suns

I fear you are all correct. It was bought privately through the US. AFAIK the warranty is between the purchaser and retailer.

I have dealings with Cannondale's Irish distributor and in fairness to them they were very helpful and have undertaken to do anything they can if called upon.

I'll post pictures and let you know how it proceeds.

100Suns

Update:

Off the shelf reply from Cannondale:


Thank you for contacting Cannondale UK, apologies for any delay in replying to your email. I am sorry to hear that your frame appears to have failed in this way!

Unfortunately, your warranty is held with the shop from which you bought the cycle, and as such, to be looked at under warranty it needs to be returned there, or at least to a shop in the same country. A Cannondale dealer in the UK may be able to assess the frame for you, in terms of whether it is a simple paint crack or an underlying problem, but they will of course be at liberty to charge you for any inspection, storage or work carried out.

I am sorry this is not much help to you, but unfortunately this is one of the pitfalls to purchasing goods outside of the UK. Hopefully the bike itself is safe to ride, and the crack is just paint damage from the natural flex of the carbon frame, but without seeing it I cannot state whether this is the case or not.

Lumen

****.

100Suns

Further Update:


Unfortunately, the warranty on any Cannondale is only available to the original purchaser as it is part of what you are paying for when buying a new bicycle. Contacting the US is an option, but even if the bike has failed due to a fault in manufacture you will not be automatically eligible for a replacement as you are not the original owner. I’m sorry if you feel that this is a reason to stop being a Cannondale enthusiast, but this policy is no different to any other manufacturer. I believe the only place you will find any practice to the contrary is in the motor trade, where second-hand vehicles bought from a dealer of that manufacturer may carry a limited second-ownership warranty.
Incidentally, we have seen a few carbon frames crack down the seat-tube, usually due to being clamped in either a workstand or a bike rack, and almost always it is paint splitting where the flex of the carbon tube is greater than the elasticity of the paint. It is always possible that your bike has been clamped in this way prior to your purchase, and the paint (or even the tubing itself) has finally split from the stresses naturally occurring from riding the bike.


I'm going to give the US a rattle but I bet they spin an even glossier brand of 'we love you but don't expect anything from us'.

PS I don't use a bike stand and don't have a car rack that clamps on the tubing. Then again, he was inferring that it was the previous owner.

PPS Should they not give you the option of paying for the warranty rather than levying everybody? Does this affect one's consumer rights? Presumably the cost price of any durable incorporates a cost fact for not fit for purpose/defectivce units?

dazed+confused

I know its harsh but I think they have a point here. Support your local bike shop and they in turn will hopefully will look after you. I do buy spares online but always buy the bike itself and any major modifications from Duff Cycles. As a result they're always willing to help in an emergency, or will do a "while you wait" repair for me.

Holyboy

They dont call 'em crack'n'fails for nothing!

Lumen

There are two issues here:

- Warranty non-transferrable to second owner. This is standard across the industry, and it would make no difference where the bike was purchased, "local shop" or otherwise.

- Warranty tied to country of purchase. This is complete bullshít. If Cannondale Ireland wish to make their own bike designs, logos, marketing materials, websites, and sponsor Irish teams, then they might have a case. But Cannondale is a global company, and a makes use of efficiencies of scale that comes from this globalisation, for the purposes of its own profitability. Then when it suits them, then then retreat into some alternative reality where Cannondale US and Cannondale Ireland (or whatever) are complete separate entities with discrete non-overlapping responsibilities.

Cannondale, you can shove your Liquigas up your hole.

TinyExplosions

Lumen wrote: »

There are two issues here:

- Warranty non-transferrable to second owner. This is standard across the industry, and it would make no difference where the bike was purchased, "local shop" or otherwise.

- Warranty tied to country of purchase. This is complete bullshít. If Cannondale Ireland wish to make their own bike designs, logos, marketing materials, websites, and sponsor Irish teams, then they might have a case. But Cannondale is a global company, and a makes use of efficiencies of scale that comes from this globalisation, for the purposes of its own profitability. Then when it suits them, then then retreat into some alternative reality where Cannondale US and Cannondale Ireland (or whatever) are complete separate entities with discrete non-overlapping responsibilities.

Cannondale, you can shove your Liquigas up your hole.

I suspect with enough arguing the second issue could be waived if the first issue wasn't the case (for example saying you purchased in the US and then subsequently moved over here etc)

100Suns

As an aside, the Cannondale at the top of the page is the bike I bought in January 2010:

http://www.turbochargedbikes.com/

This guy could have his own post images of beauty thread. And he literally gave the bikes away. A very interesting character and bike enthusiast. Pity he stopped after the bike I bought.

chakattack

So basicly - "we made a defective frame, someone else was lucky enough to offload it on you and now our mistake is your problem...."W*nkers is right....

The logic doesn't stand up....if you were the original owner does that give you a licence to mangle it in a workstand? If they do have the know how to distinguish between a frame failure and downight misuse it shouldn't matter if you're the first or fifth owner.

Maybe show them what great "publicity" this is getting them. Or maybe you're just putting out too many watts

smithwicks

Sorry to hear about your bike. If your warranty is not resolved you should contact this fella below. I bought a carbon surf board off him and he also does repairs on bikes. Seems pretty straight forward

http://www.aorsurfboards.com/blog/?page_id=408

dazed+confused

Is there any chance its just chipped paint like they suggested though?

100Suns

dazed+confused wrote: »

Is there any chance its just chipped paint like they suggested though?

Afraid not. The tube can be compressed between finger and thumb.