Jazzy Hands

I recently received a warranty frame from BMC. My 2011 TeamMachine is being replaced with the 2014 model (yay).

However. I am told the crank is incompatible with the new frame. The old frame is BB30 while the new frame is BB86. From what I understand, the BB30 spindle is physically too short for BB86, and I will be needing a new crank.

Should I be expected to foot the bill for the crank? BMC seems to think so.

Elvo

Some cranks such as SRAM are compatible with both bb30 and bb86. You just have to remove that NDS adjustment ring and stick in the appropriate spacers and wavy washers.

Jazzy Hands

My LBS has both frames on hand. I was not planning on working on the bike myself due to the time it would take, but can if absolutely necessary. My current crank is the BB30 version of 2012 SRAM Force.

My understanding is that the adapters only work when you want to use a standard crank (Shimano or GXP) on a BB30 frame, but not the other way around.

Campag4life

No your BB30 crank won't fit the new frame but have to say if you are grumbling about getting a brand new warranty frame and have to change the crank...I say so what. Be lucky they warrantied your frame. Deal with it. Ebay your Force crank and buy a longer spindle crank. You even get fresh chainrings in the deal with a new BB. Some guys want the moon.

Jazzy Hands

I am plenty happy with a new frame. BMC did me a solid and the only negative being the extremely slow turn around time.

I grumble a little because BMC sent me the frame/fork combo, but didn't send a headset as well. Apparently, the headset in my current bike is also incompatible with the new frame. So now, instead of paying the LBS to rebuild the frame (as per any usual warranty experience), I will also be forced to purchase a crank and headset as well.

kleng

Yes, you should definitely have to pay for a new crank, not BMC's responsibility.

rpenmanparker 

Not if the crank spindle is only long enough to reach across a BB30.

Elvo

Some cranks have spindles that are 86mm long and use spacers and adjustment rings to fit narrower BB's.

rpenmanparker 

I can't agree completely. Sure it is somewhat unreasonable for BMC to foot the bill for the crank, but OP is likely to be out enough dough on the whole deal to have just bought a frame that was compatible. I dunno. I don't see any fair resolution. I guess I was just trying to express frustrstion for OP. I suppose one way to look at it is the costs are offset against depreciation of the old frame. It's like the warranty only covers "used" value like an insuurance policy. Just an approximation, of course.

jkcrowell

I'm wondering what qualifies as an "extremely slow turn around time." I'm dealing with a warranty issue from Trek and I'm curious how the other manufacturers compare time wise.

On topic, it would be fantastic if they also gave you a new crank and headset, but I can understand why they didn't. I suppose though it does seem a bit unfair, it's exactly what I would expect. In the end I'd still be satisfied and look at it as a chance to upgrade.

Campag4life

Like I said, some guys don't know a good deal. Just added you to the list.

rpenmanparker 

I hear ya, but the problem is the deal is not as good as OP thought it would be in case of a mishap on the day the bought the bike. Maybe all this was in the warranty fine print. Cavest emptor I guess. Gotta say I feel a lot better about buying frames about one season old and used off ebay for 1/3 MSRP. No warranty, but no hassles either. That is what I call a good deal.

rpenmanparker 

That's right, but that is not a BB30 crank which is what the OP has.

metz1295

i once had the moon, then it got a crack in it. not covered underwear-anty. such as my luck.

i'm with you. if i had a new frame coming that i didn't pay for, a new crank would be easy to justify. sell the old one to offset the cost. easy peezy.

on the path

I'm not in agreement with everybody here. It's not clear to me whether or not the OP originally bought a frame or a complete bike. Also, I don't know how the warrantee reads or why the OP is getting his frame replaced. If the frame failed due to a defect in design and/or manufacturing, and the frame is warranteed against such failures, AND the frame was bought as part of a complete bike, it seems to me that the frame should be replaced and the bike brought back to ride-ability at the expense of the company warrantee-ing the frame.

"Gee, you're getting a new frame" doesn't cut it with me. If it were me, I'd want what I paid for, meaning a ride-able bike and the warrantee. Kind of defeats a main feature of buying brand new as opposed to saving a bundle by buying used..

rpenmanparker 

That's what I said. Would be fun to see the warrantee including fine print. I'm sure BMC left lots of back door escape hatches. And don't forget, I am not a big corp hater.

TheSame

buy a new crank, sell the old one. I'd just be excited to get a brand new frame.

topflightpro

A crankset is not a piece of the frame. It's an accessory to the frame, and the warranty only covers the frame. Manufacturers frequently change designs and switch BB types. It can be a real PIA, but it's not their responsibility to replace your now incompatible accessories.

As a side note, I went through something similar.

Many years ago, my Cannondale Six-13 cracked and was being replaced under warranty. My Six-13 was a BB30 frame, but the newer ones were not - Cannondale went to BSA on the Six-13 when they rolled out the System-6, which was BB30.

Cannondale gave me the option of a new Six-13 frame or a System-6 frame - but not a frame set, i.e. no new fork. That was the catch. The System-6 had a 1.25-1.5 fork crown. My Six-13 fork was 1.25 only. Cannnondale said if I wanted the System-6, they would send me an adapter to fit my fork on it or I could buy a new System-6 fork for $450.

So my options were to take the Six-13 frame and buy a new crankset or take the System-6 frame and use an adapter or buy a new fork.

I chose to pay the $450 to get what at the time was Cannondale's newest, top-of-the-line frame and fork. And that fork from my Six-13 ended up on a Speciazlied S-Works E5 frameset for a little while.

rpenmanparker 

While it is understandable from their perspective that the bike companies act this way, such shenanigans do devalue the frame warranty. Rather than just accept the idea of warranty at face value, it would seem to behoove the buyer to study it carefully and look for advantages in one brand's coverage over another. It could matter in the final purchase choice, especially if all other aspects and the choices being considered were about equal.

motorthings

cervelo gave me a new crank when it warrantied my r3 to an r5, because the BB was different...so it is not unheard of.

rpenmanparker 

See, that's what I'm talkin' about.

roadwarrior

Retail? I sincerely doubt it.

I had a warranty deal, it was cosmetic but the company did not want the bike being used the way it looked. Since the new frame was different, I had to buy a new front derailleur and seat post. Even in the biz you have to pony up.

Leinster

The more of these warranty stories I read, the less convinced I am by frame manufacturers warranties. If I buy a complete bike from a manufacturer, and the frame fails due to manufacturing fault, I figure it's on the manufacturer to make that right. I find extras like the customer paying the shop to swap parts out, though the frame's failure is no fault of his own, to be bad enough. To give him a frame that isn't compatible with the parts on his 2 year old frame, and tell him he's on the hook for updating those parts, is a slap in the face.

What if my CAAD10 snaps a chainstay in a couple of years time, and when I go to Cannondale for a replacement they say "well all we have to give you is the CAAD12 frame, and they're not back-compatible with mechanical shifting. You have to buy a whole new electronic group. 13 speed. And new wheels to accommodate the 135mm rear spacing and disc brakes. So basically you can keep your bars, saddle and tires, which are all aftermarket upgrades anyway. Thank you for taking advantage of our lifetime frameset warranty, you now owe your LBS double the retail value of the latest version of your bike."

hueyhoolihan

warranties, shwaranties, i couldn't care less about them. waste of time even reading them. it's like having a warranty on a sofa or barbeque. who needs the grief? never had a frame fail in 30+ years of adult riding.

now, ARGUING about them is a different matter altogether...

RoadGuy

I'm with you. What good is a frame warranty that requires you to pay the bike shop to change the parts over, and pay out of pocket for parts that because the new frame is not compatible with the parts from your not really old 2-year old bike? By the time you finish paying the fees, for the in-warranty repair of your bike, you're a good way towards paying for a new bike.

Sounds like the worthless prorate warranty scheme used by Tire and Battery Sellers. Sure you get a warranty, but you have to pay for the time and mileage you used on the failed parts/battery, plus labor to change out the defective in-warranty part/s, AND buy a new battery or tire at the full current retail selling price. You could end up paying more for the in-warranty replacement than you paid for the failed part/s. Might as well chuck the thing/s, and just buy replacement/s (from another company).

If you bought a complete bike from the bike shop, and it suffers an in-warranty failure, through no-fault of yours, you deserve a complete bike back. Not just incompatible parts. If the bike manufacturer cannot supply the correct parts to fix your bike properly, then they should supply replacement parts that will make a complete bike, OR give you a complete bike. The bike shop that sold you the bike made a profit on the bike, and if they gave you lifetime tuneups they should also supply you with warranty repair labor as part of the deal.