Hi, i've got a new model Dahon Vitesse D7 bought used online. It's a Chinese made frame as opposed to the old Macau frames. The bottom lug of the frame folding hinge blew off as i went round a left turn, wipeout! After i'd returned home, applied a few bandages and took a good look at the damage i discovered a y shaped crack on the front fork butt of the frame, man. I checked into the Dahon website and they state that the frame warranty is two years plus an upgrade to five if bike is registered to them, so i registered. Anyhow the bike is less than a year old. Only Dahon states that the warrranty is only applicable to the original owner and is not transferable. Ok, bummer.

Kinda feel that the frame should be covered during the warranty time whoever owns the bike, original owner or used buyer. Okay so i don't need help in having a try with Dahon and if there is direct experience out there of winning a frame warranty issue please feel free to let me know and those in furure who may pick up this thread. Thing is my old Vitesse had a 5 year warranty decal, not a cheap holographic factory sticker. There was never any word before Raleigh took over of a 2year frame warranty (plus upgrade) Simply a proud declaration that these old Macau build frames were good for 5 years. And i can see why, not just because the frame has broken on me but the ease with which the frame has cracked and the split on the front fork butt has arisen through no miss use at all and if the serial number hadn't successfully registered the bike with Dahon i'd not have been surprise it wasn't a fake! I genuinely feel the quality is not as my old very strong and sturdy Macau frame.

I have no idea wheather it'll be winter again before i get any joy out of Dahon but in the mean time i want to put this bike back on the road and hoe it was just a bad batch of poor quality frames, a hiccup. I want to find a front end of a Vitesse D7 frame either new or old and have got no response yet from Dahon. Does anyone have any idea where i can source a front end and fixing pins. I can't imagine how anyone would seperate these frames ordinarily as the drive pin is only accessed via one hole i.e. you can't drag it back out and clearly can't drive it through as there is only one access. I guess it's gonna have to be a factory part as even if you had a dud rear end you wouldn't be able to seperate them without drill through the top of the frame (?!) or drilling out the pin and risk damage to the frame. Seems like Dahon Macau builders never expected anyone to be able to break the old tank strong frames. I tell ya folks these new Chinese frames are a sad copy of a quality strength renound frame that stood out among Dahon's as thee durable of the range. I wouldn't have bought a modern Chinese frame Dahon if i knew they were a low grade quality Aluminem. This is a 2012 Bike and i don't know if anyone can tell me when they stopped making the older stronger frames in Macau but it's a bench mark year in Dahon quality.

I'd sure appreciate any leads on sourcing a front Vitesse frame end folks with fixing pins .

Stay on, stay safe and smile