scootey

Hi Bikeforums!

I'm assembling my new Windsor Clockwork from Bikesdirect (although I'm prepared to take it to the bike shop if I run into too big of an issue).

It arrived with a dropout on the fork that was bent to a degree that I couldn't insert the front wheel; see photo. Some of the paint was chipped too, and I'm almost certain it was shipping damage.

Contacted Bikesdirect, they replied and suggested that I could bend the dropout using a wrench so the wheel will fit, and that they would refund me $25 if I was content with that. It was almost verbatim to the response this guy got with a very similar issue. I did so and it seems to work fine.

Quite honestly I don't mind if this is more or less a cosmetic issue. I paid $300 for the bike and am being offered $25 for a little bit of paint and some of my time lost (less than if I had to send the whole thing back). But here's my questions:

- Is it safe? The fork and frame are cr-mo steel, which is more resilient than aluminum or carbon. Are there any visual signs of stress or fracture that I can look for?
- How sensitive are the dropouts to correct alignment? I think I got it correct within ±2 degrees or so. Will this cause any problems?
- Should regular auto touchup paint be sufficient to protect it from rusting? It's not very visible so I don't mind.

I also noticed there's a small scuff on the front rim as well. Is this just cosmetic too, or should I not even try to ride with it on?

Thanks all!

wrk101

Cromoly should bend back OK, if you are not comfortable doing it, take it to a shop. This will consume part of the savings you got buying from BD. Part of the savings is not having a local dealer to handle such issues, and the requirement that you assemble the bike. But they sell bikes cheap, so its built into the savings.

Can't really expect local dealer type service at a BD price.

unterhausen

I thought they had spare forks.

It's a little hard to tell what is going on with the rim, but if it has the gouge that it looks like it has, it's going to crack there.

kycycler

Buy cheap, Get cheap. NExt time go to you LBS and get a REAL bike not some POS.

lostarchitect 

For the money, they are fine bikes. Issues like this seem to be more exception than rule, but as always, YMMV. Saying they are not "real bikes" because they're less expensive is pretty hyperbolic.

fietsbob

.. contact the shipper about damage in transit .. If, as you say it's applicable..

BikeWise1

Some of their offerings are decent machines.......but not this one. Welds are horrible, parts are beyond cheap....

Better to buy a used high quality bike on CL or ebay than deal with this thing.....