Originally Posted by InTheRain

I was commuting to work on my carbon fiber cannondale synapse. I had just climbed a very short hill, coasted for a bit, and on my next pedal stroke by bike came to an immediate and abrupt complete stope. Fortunately, I was only going about 8mph and was able to click out of the pedals without crashing. Upon inspection, my rear derailluer was firmly jammed into the rear wheel and spokes as well as into the rear cassette. I thought the derailleur hanger had broken.

I took the bike to the shop where I purchased the bike (Old Town Bikes, Olympia, WA.) They were able to pry the rear wheel away and get the derailluer out of the spokes. Upon their inspection, the dearailleur hanger had not broken but had torn through the carbon fiber rear dropouts. The result... carbon fiber frame us now useless. The bike shop submitted a claim to Cannondale. Cannondale came back with their decision today and said they would offer me 20 percent off for crash replacement. I explained, there was no crash where the bike was damaged. Plus, nearly all bikes are reduced 20 percent off for the new models coming in... their "offer" was really no offer at all.

Needless to say, Cannondale gets a thumbs down from me. I won't buy a bicycle (or anything else) from a dealer that sells cannondale. There is no such thing as a lifetime warranty... this is merely a bunch of useless sales rhetoric. $3000 bike is now a door stop.