Was it insured and packed well? I have had Fedex pay up, but you need to follow it all the way through. Like others have said, just plan on spending some time each week calling them up to follow up until you get an answer one way or the other, but be pragmatic and unemotional about your dealings with them (it's just a business transaction for them) about it and don't let it wreck the enjoyment of your bike!

You have me a bit scared.

Holiday traffic is probably not the best.

I have a "one of a kind" vintage frame listed as "in transit" with Fedex.

I'm not worried about the clearcoat, it needs touched up anyway, but if a main tube or decal was to be damaged, the frame would be toasted, and potentially another one would not show up for a very long time.

^^^^^
This

Do you have a larger photo of the box? Both sides?

Does it have a hand-hold in a "safe location"?

Is it possible that someone intentionally punched holes in the box to make it easier to carry? If so, then putting "safe holes" would help, and is something that FEDEX and the manufacturer could work out.

There was a thread... that discussed a shipper that was putting a photo of a flat screen TV on their bike boxes... and apparently it helped reduce damage.

http://www.bikeforums.net/19097142-post23.html

https://static.independent.co.uk/s3f...25/10/bike.png

Send a link to your supplier... Of course, in some neighborhoods, it might increase the risk of theft if left unattended.

+1

I bought a frame online a few years ago, and that's how it came to me. The fork blades straddled the seat tube, steerer was in the rear triangle, fork blades and steerer were covered in pipe wrap, then tie-wrapped to the frame. You couldn't see a single spot of the frame from any angle. They cut a 2x4 120mm long and used screws and washers to hold it in the dropouts, another one 100mm wide for the fork.

I could drop that from 10 feet onto a concrete floor and might not have a scratch on it.

The box is there just to protect the pipe wrap.

From then on it's the only way I've shipped frames.

I can't believe nobody noticed that the retro Reynolds decal says "853", and in French no less.

Assuming the tubing is not dented, touch up with the provided paint. Then after a few days use 6000 grit Micromesh on a rubber block to level wet with Dawn or similar soap to lubricate. Then rub it with a wet finger and rouge and follow up with carnuba wax. The chips will disappear.

I'd be pretty salty until I realized that Hey! Since FedEx took care of the first paint chips right off the bat I won't be beating myself up somewhere down the road when I give it my first chip.

Probably easier to take that point of view when you're not the one unpacking the box though...

Bummer about the paint. But AWESOME! about the new frame! (I did notice the 853.)

Playing devils advocate here. How do you know it was the carrier? Pictures of the box before it was shipped? When you received it? Easy to blame the carrier. Do you (as the shipper) take pictures of the packaging before shipping high value items? Did you (as the recipient) ask the carrier to wait while you unpacked to document any damage after seeing the puncture? How many of you here in this thread re use old bike boxes when you ship? Should the carrier refuse to accept your packaging if it is not new and void of any tears or punctures? Did you take pictures as you unpacked it? Did you or the shipper purchase insurance? Tough questions but some things you should ask yourself before getting the carriers claims adjuster on the phone.

I would say the carton was not packaged "quite well" if the contents received damage in transit.

If you want FedEx to mend their ways and take more care in the future, go after them. If you want for this to keep happening, let it go. But yes, why is this your problem to solve? Whoever shipped the frame to you should have chosen a carrier that insures for damage and loss, or it's on them (unless you specified FedEx). If you had bought a tv online and it arrived damaged, the store would be replacing it and going after the carrier themselves.

Couple of things. Go after FedEx, get written estimate from the painter. You WILL need to stay on top of Fedex or they will just blow it off. Depending on where you live they may eventually have you bring it to an inspection station or send out one of their adjusters to your house, or even an independent adjuster. MAKE sure you keeps the box!!! DON'T do any further damage to the box! You should be able to get the 200.00 from them. Then touch up the frame. Shipping the bike back and forth to the painter could get it damaged even worse, like a dented frame! Bikes are to be USED, Only wall art doesn't ever get scratched. Enjoy the ride.
P.S. I know there are lots of net stories on how bad FedEx can be, But I got them to roll over 1200.00 on a computer that got smashed. Even their own adjuster said the way it was packed it would not have survived the drop it took. But you do need to stay on top of them, multiple phone calls.

SuperLJ-

How distressing after such a long wait for such a desired frameset. The chips are there and probably should just be touched up because other courses of action extend the irritation and grief. I had a restoration done with a new paint job and when the shop offered up the wheels to check fit for me, the QRs popped off beautifully round discs of black paint on both sides of the dropouts. The shop immediately offered to re-paint but I declined, I just wanted to ride the bike. Perhaps that is where you are now?

This is very unfortunate. I would try and get some money from Fed Ex or the painter. That being said, risking boxing it back up to send it back to be repainted just opens you up for more severe damage on a double trip through the gauntlet of pimple faced kids that brake things on the docks. Touch it up and enjoy the bike. A bit of touch up is hardly noticeable unless you look for it.

Let me share this. Two things to notice in this video. The chutes where the packages are sliding down and hitting each other, and the part of the clip where the newscaster states there are 42 miles of conveyor belt. Now think about a bicycle and how it is usually packaged. It is probably not the pimple faced kid with no concern for your package (they don't last long). Like it or not, if your packaging can't handle this, there is opportunity for damage. Package well.

Can FedEx deliver record holiday season? | Watch the video - Yahoo Finance

I did, but I'm used to it on my Gitanes, so it sort of seems normal now. Is the bike 853 then? Seatpost probably isn't 26.4mm... ;)

I can't believe nobody noticed the misspelled "Brimingham".

Definitely go after FedEx...you might actually help protect others in the future (ok, so maybe I am a bit TOO optimistic). But...for something like this, I think I would take the painter up on their offer and try to get it pristine to start with. Yes, getting it built and on the road will help...but...you will always remember that you did not start from "perfect"...and...I always believe that I have the right to put the first scratch!

I totally agree with this. On an (cringe) eBay purchase for instance, you've already hit the refund button and it's up to the seller and shipper to sort it out. Same with many retailers.

As a seller, it can be harsh when a customer abuses this but that's the game.

Agreed. When you ship something valuable, it should be protected from common mishandling. Either that or you need to use a specialized art handler for the shipping. If it's really valuable you do both. It sure appears that Fed-x is at fault, but also that the packer left it exposed to a risk that could have been easily mitigated.

Long story I won't retell in its entirety, but a couple years ago we had to make a claim for an EBay-purchased cabinet that had been damaged by the shipper, a specialized furniture handler. Trouble was the shipper had gone into bankruptcy and wouldn't return our calls. Eventually we were able to figure out who their insurer was and made the claim directly. I don't know if that would work in this case but you could explore it.
Personally I would take some deep breaths, touch it up, and enjoy the beautiful new bicycle.

(Edit) but in a perfect world imho the builder should do the touch up for free and Fed-x should eat the round trip shipping charges. That part should be arranged by the builder, who probably has more leverage anyway and is more likely to get results.

Thanks again, everyone, for all of the advice, condolences, and encouragement. Everyone's collective outrage has made me feel a good bit better - thank you! Fender1's comment (above), in particular, really helped me to think about the whole thing in a sensible way.


My plan, as many of you suggested, is to touch-up the paint, build it up, and start riding it. The paint chips aren't all that bad, and I'm pretty good at stuff like that, especially when I take my time. It'll turn out fine. I've been planning this bike for over a decade, and waited 18 months for it to be built. If I sent it back the painter now, it wouldn't just be an issue of more time and more money. As SteveWhitlatch said, I'd have to deal with the anxiety of the chance that something similar (or worse) would happen.


As far as going after FedEx (based on the research about damage claims I've done), I think it would be absolutely futile. Some of you pointed out some major problems I'd have with my case:

• I signed for it without having the driver note the damage to the box.
• The box was recycled from a previous shipment so I have no way to prove when the puncture occurred.
• I've done work on the frame since I received it.

Since I'm not willing to send it back to the painter for repair, if I wanted to file a claim with FedEx I'd essentially have to freeze time, and do nothing until they were able to inspect the frame and the box, or whatever they would need to do on their end. From what I've read on the web, they're actually trained to do everything they can to deny a claim. My initial thought was to go for blood, but with the deck stacked against me from the get go, and the result almost a forgone conclusion, what's the point?


I just wanted to say that the builder, Mark Nobilette, and the painter, Ollie Cleveland, have both offered to do anything in their power to make everything right. Really fantastic and talented people to work with all the way around, both of them.


I treated the frame with Frame Saver, and had the headset installed and the BB threads chased clean. Today I'll start the touch-up work, and then the fun part starts!


https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/258/31...22c668af_c.jpg


https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/133/31...ee176504_c.jpg

What are those shifters with the brown hoods? Almost look campagnolo, but the shape isn't quite what I'm used to and I hadn't seen brown replacement hoods for them.

They're 9-speed Chorus Ergolevers. The hoods are aftermarket made by Hudz - a little more comfy than the originals. Being an old guy, I've always thought that gum colored hoods look nicer than black, and I'm going for kind of a retro vibe with this bike.

Those are real nice. I've been (sort of) looking for brown ergo replacement hoods, but it doesn't seem that Hudz makes them in brown anymore.

Dang, you're right. I did a quick internet search and apparently that color, which they called "Bordeaux" isn't anywhere to be found. I'm not even so sure the company that made them even exists anymore. Crud! I should have ordered a spare set.

That is going to be one sweet looking ride...please please please share more pics as you build and, OBVIOUSLY, when you finish!