Cannondale refuses to replace broken frame (lifetime warranty)
08-28-15 | 10:52 AM
#51
If it helps, I had a good experience replacing a Fuji frame (through Performance) on a warranty claim. Those are not far from the OP.
__________________
"The older you do get, the more rules they're gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin', man, L-I-V-I-N." - Wooderson
'14 carbon Synapse - '12 CAAD 10 5 - '99 Gary Fisher Big Sur
"The older you do get, the more rules they're gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin', man, L-I-V-I-N." - Wooderson
'14 carbon Synapse - '12 CAAD 10 5 - '99 Gary Fisher Big Sur
08-28-15 | 10:52 AM
#52
no, he's answered that previously (here or somewhere else).
__________________
"The older you do get, the more rules they're gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin', man, L-I-V-I-N." - Wooderson
'14 carbon Synapse - '12 CAAD 10 5 - '99 Gary Fisher Big Sur
"The older you do get, the more rules they're gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin', man, L-I-V-I-N." - Wooderson
'14 carbon Synapse - '12 CAAD 10 5 - '99 Gary Fisher Big Sur
08-28-15 | 11:15 AM
#53
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 791
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, WA
Bikes: Many bikes in three states and two countries, mainly riding Moots Vamoots, Lynskey R265 disc and a Spot Denver Zephyr nowadays
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.
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.
Cannondale went bankrupt in 2003 and was sold to a capital investment company which then sold them in 2008 or so to Dorel Industries.
So to boycott Cannondale corporate, you really should boycott all Dorel Industries brands.
That means you also need to boycott all Pacific Cycle products, including Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, Sugoi, Iron Horse, Caloi, Dyno, RoadMaster, PowerLite, Fabric and InStep brands.
In other words, if this bike is 8 years old, meaning a 2007 model, the company you bought it from doesn't really exist any more, it's just a name brand for a corporate conglomerate when it comes to who makes the decisions about honoring warranties and such, even if the exact same designers and engineers are still with the company.
08-28-15 | 11:43 AM
#54
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,643
Likes: 68
From: Portland OR
Bikes: 61 Bianchi Specialissima 71 Peugeot G50 7? P'geot PX10 74 Raleigh GranSport 75 P'geot UO8 78? Raleigh Team Pro 82 P'geot PSV 86 P'geot PX 91 Bridgestone MB0 92 B'stone XO1 97 Rans VRex 92 Cannondale R1000 94 B'stone MB5 97 Vitus 997
Derailleur shifting into spokes and breaking frame is not a frame defect and not Cannondale's problem. Misadjustment, wear, damage to a derailleur on a bike that is eight years old is not Cannondale's problem. Misadjustment might be the bike shop's problem if they adjusted the derailleur immediately before the incident, but as weeks or months pass, it stops being their problem, and wear or damage was never their problem anyway. Finally, by removing the spoke protector and riding the bike without it, the OP invited a derailleur-into-spokes incident. I remove the dork disc from my bikes, but I leave them on other people's bikes.
I don't think Cannondale owes the OP anything.
Furthermore, 20% of a new Cannondale frame is about equivalent to the value of an eight year old Cannondale frame. So that offer is generous and OP should stop whining and accept it.
And don't call it a "$3000 bike". It is a $500 bike, maybe (check Craigslist prices for eight year old Synapses) including a $250 frame, at best.
I don't think Cannondale owes the OP anything.
Furthermore, 20% of a new Cannondale frame is about equivalent to the value of an eight year old Cannondale frame. So that offer is generous and OP should stop whining and accept it.
And don't call it a "$3000 bike". It is a $500 bike, maybe (check Craigslist prices for eight year old Synapses) including a $250 frame, at best.
Last edited by jyl; 08-28-15 at 11:57 AM.
08-28-15 | 11:50 AM
#55
I think the OP said his bike never came with a spoke protector...so maybe the shop removed it (years ago).
Otherwise, I don't disagree with any of that post. In fact, I said something very similar. Within 6 months of purchase (or 1 month of a tune-up), the OP would have a decent case at getting some LBS support. If they haven't touched it in months, how do they know what happened to it? Maybe the owner tried to adjust it himself. Maybe one of the owner's kids banged the rear derailleur really hard in the garage and didn't tell anyone. I don't suspect either in this case...but I'm saying from the shop's perspective 'who knows'?
I don't think Cannondale is really on the hook here. 'Crash' isn't the right word exactly...but I sense that human error of some kind (rather than carbon/frame structural) caused the problem. The fact that it's a Cannondale dealer doesn't mean a whole lot. Is Cannondale training LBS mechanics?
Otherwise, I don't disagree with any of that post. In fact, I said something very similar. Within 6 months of purchase (or 1 month of a tune-up), the OP would have a decent case at getting some LBS support. If they haven't touched it in months, how do they know what happened to it? Maybe the owner tried to adjust it himself. Maybe one of the owner's kids banged the rear derailleur really hard in the garage and didn't tell anyone. I don't suspect either in this case...but I'm saying from the shop's perspective 'who knows'?
I don't think Cannondale is really on the hook here. 'Crash' isn't the right word exactly...but I sense that human error of some kind (rather than carbon/frame structural) caused the problem. The fact that it's a Cannondale dealer doesn't mean a whole lot. Is Cannondale training LBS mechanics?
__________________
"The older you do get, the more rules they're gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin', man, L-I-V-I-N." - Wooderson
'14 carbon Synapse - '12 CAAD 10 5 - '99 Gary Fisher Big Sur
"The older you do get, the more rules they're gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin', man, L-I-V-I-N." - Wooderson
'14 carbon Synapse - '12 CAAD 10 5 - '99 Gary Fisher Big Sur
Last edited by dtrain; 08-28-15 at 12:05 PM.
08-28-15 | 11:55 AM
#56
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Vienna, VA
Bikes: Cervelo P3 (retired), Habanero Road, Novara Safari, Batavus Personal Delivery Bike
If you don’t know enough about bikes to keep your derailleur out of your spokes you really need to leave the spoke protector in place. If the shop did remove the spoke protector I can only imagine they would have done so at the request/demand of the owner. Either way, no spoke protector = owner has full responsibility.
FWIW – after breaking two carbon frames in about three years I bought a beastly titanium bike – my Habanero. It’s not as nice as my carbon rides but it’s less subject to damage. I’ll buy more carbon when the kids finish college.
08-28-15 | 12:00 PM
#57
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,643
Likes: 68
From: Portland OR
Bikes: 61 Bianchi Specialissima 71 Peugeot G50 7? P'geot PX10 74 Raleigh GranSport 75 P'geot UO8 78? Raleigh Team Pro 82 P'geot PSV 86 P'geot PX 91 Bridgestone MB0 92 B'stone XO1 97 Rans VRex 92 Cannondale R1000 94 B'stone MB5 97 Vitus 997
Shops don't usually remove the protectors unless the customer requests. And the absence of a protector is obvious to the customer.
08-28-15 | 01:48 PM
#58
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,982
Likes: 11
From: Puget Sound
Bikes: 2007 Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 (bionx), 2015 Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra
You got 8 or so years out of that doorstop. Silver lining, it try to take that into account.
Yes it's terrible to hear your bike frame is toast.
But you probably got a lot of miles and time out of it, correct?
Swap all the components onto a frame and you are out just the frame cost. More silver lining.
Yes it's terrible to hear your bike frame is toast.
But you probably got a lot of miles and time out of it, correct?
Swap all the components onto a frame and you are out just the frame cost. More silver lining.
08-28-15 | 01:52 PM
#59
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,103
Likes: 4,737
From: Beaverton, OR
Bikes: Yes
I'd go back to Cannondale and argue this as a derailleur hanger failure.
__________________
My Bikes
My Bikes
08-28-15 | 01:56 PM
#60
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,982
Likes: 11
From: Puget Sound
Bikes: 2007 Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 (bionx), 2015 Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra
+1
If you don’t know enough about bikes to keep your derailleur out of your spokes you really need to leave the spoke protector in place. If the shop did remove the spoke protector I can only imagine they would have done so at the request/demand of the owner. Either way, no spoke protector = owner has full responsibility.
FWIW – after breaking two carbon frames in about three years I bought a beastly titanium bike – my Habanero. It’s not as nice as my carbon rides but it’s less subject to damage. I’ll buy more carbon when the kids finish college.
If you don’t know enough about bikes to keep your derailleur out of your spokes you really need to leave the spoke protector in place. If the shop did remove the spoke protector I can only imagine they would have done so at the request/demand of the owner. Either way, no spoke protector = owner has full responsibility.
FWIW – after breaking two carbon frames in about three years I bought a beastly titanium bike – my Habanero. It’s not as nice as my carbon rides but it’s less subject to damage. I’ll buy more carbon when the kids finish college.
08-28-15 | 01:56 PM
#61
Seņor Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,070
Likes: 306
If (as you seem to think) the derailleur going into the spokes was a result of the frame breaking, then there would have been little or no damage to the rear wheel - the derailleur would have been free to flop around. But your description of the damage is totally consistent with the common event of the derailleur going into the spokes and causing damage to the frame.
09-10-15 | 04:18 PM
#62
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
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.
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.
09-10-15 | 04:29 PM
#63
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,924
Likes: 589
From: San Jose, CA
Bikes: Too many bikes, too little time to ride
Assuming the limit screws were properly set and functioning properly, if I tried to shift and the area of the frame onto which my rear derailleur (or hanger) was mounted broke, causing my derailleur to go into my spokes, I would put that on the frame manufacturer. This sounds like the frame failed under normal riding conditions and was not due to mechanical or user error.
09-10-15 | 04:53 PM
#64
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 410
Likes: 1
If I were to buy a carbon framed bike (I've considered it, C-dale test ride and all) Part of the justification would be the lifetime frame warranty. If in ADDITION to this I bought a lifetime service contract and had this sort of failure I would fully expect the LBS to do the right thing, if not I would hope C-dale would step in. NEITHER have helped the OP and most here are blaming this poor guy, calling him a liar and worse? You've got to be kidding.
09-14-15 | 02:02 PM
#65
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,982
Likes: 11
From: Puget Sound
Bikes: 2007 Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 (bionx), 2015 Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra
For all those that continue to believe that a spoke protector would have prevented this damage, you are completely wrong. If the spoke protector were on the bike, the exact same damage would have occurred and the spoke protector would have remained untouched and unaffected.
09-14-15 | 02:16 PM
#66
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 340
Likes: 2
From: Nashville, Tennessee
I have a 2014 Cannondale Scalpel. I noticed two weeks ago there were several small cracks in the carbon around the BB. Talked to my local Cannondale shop and they were able to easily get it warranted. New frame is already here and the shop is building it back up right now. Couldn't be happier with Cannondale service.
09-14-15 | 02:25 PM
#67
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,982
Likes: 11
From: Puget Sound
Bikes: 2007 Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 (bionx), 2015 Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra
I have a 2014 Cannondale Scalpel. I noticed two weeks ago there were several small cracks in the carbon around the BB. Talked to my local Cannondale shop and they were able to easily get it warranted. New frame is already here and the shop is building it back up right now. Couldn't be happier with Cannondale service.
09-14-15 | 06:06 PM
#68
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 7,391
Likes: 13
From: Memphis TN area
Bikes: 2011 Felt Z85 (road/commuter), 2006 Marin Pine Mountain (utility/commuter E-bike), 1995 KHS Alite 1000 (gravel grinder)
Interesting comments in here against cross chaining, meanwhile in this thread many people say cross chaining on a modern compact groupset is not a problem at all: https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...g-roadies.html
09-14-15 | 07:15 PM
#69
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Vienna, VA
Bikes: Cervelo P3 (retired), Habanero Road, Novara Safari, Batavus Personal Delivery Bike
For all those that continue to believe that a spoke protector would have prevented this damage, you are completely wrong. If the spoke protector were on the bike, the exact same damage would have occurred and the spoke protector would have remained untouched and unaffected.
I can't see it.
09-14-15 | 08:01 PM
#70
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 7,391
Likes: 13
From: Memphis TN area
Bikes: 2011 Felt Z85 (road/commuter), 2006 Marin Pine Mountain (utility/commuter E-bike), 1995 KHS Alite 1000 (gravel grinder)
09-15-15 | 07:17 AM
#71
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 4,123
From: Phx, AZ
Bikes: Trek Mtn Bike
I had a similar experience a couple of years ago. The rear rim on my Trek hybrid split. Was expecting to buy a new one when I went to the shop. But they said Trek had a lifetime warranty on the rims. I had bought the bike brand new a few years before.
When I came back to pick up the bike they told me Trek refused to back up the warranty. Forget why. However they backed it up and there was no charge for the new rim. I told them I could pay but they said no. Bothered me a little but I buy stuff and have them fix the bike so hopefully it works out for both of us.
When I came back to pick up the bike they told me Trek refused to back up the warranty. Forget why. However they backed it up and there was no charge for the new rim. I told them I could pay but they said no. Bothered me a little but I buy stuff and have them fix the bike so hopefully it works out for both of us.
09-15-15 | 07:27 AM
#72
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 8,101
Likes: 17
From: Minneapolis
I had a similar experience a couple of years ago. The rear rim on my Trek hybrid split. Was expecting to buy a new one when I went to the shop. But they said Trek had a lifetime warranty on the rims. I had bought the bike brand new a few years before.
When I came back to pick up the bike they told me Trek refused to back up the warranty. Forget why. However they backed it up and there was no charge for the new rim. I told them I could pay but they said no. Bothered me a little but I buy stuff and have them fix the bike so hopefully it works out for both of us.
When I came back to pick up the bike they told me Trek refused to back up the warranty. Forget why. However they backed it up and there was no charge for the new rim. I told them I could pay but they said no. Bothered me a little but I buy stuff and have them fix the bike so hopefully it works out for both of us.
09-15-15 | 07:35 AM
#73
Seņor Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,070
Likes: 306
I had a similar experience a couple of years ago. The rear rim on my Trek hybrid split. Was expecting to buy a new one when I went to the shop. But they said Trek had a lifetime warranty on the rims. I had bought the bike brand new a few years before.
When I came back to pick up the bike they told me Trek refused to back up the warranty. Forget why. However they backed it up and there was no charge for the new rim. I told them I could pay but they said no. Bothered me a little but I buy stuff and have them fix the bike so hopefully it works out for both of us.
When I came back to pick up the bike they told me Trek refused to back up the warranty. Forget why. However they backed it up and there was no charge for the new rim. I told them I could pay but they said no. Bothered me a little but I buy stuff and have them fix the bike so hopefully it works out for both of us.
It is likely that the shop misrepresented (probably accidentally) the Trek component warranty when you purchased the bike - I don't think they ever claimed a lifetime warranty on rims or any other part, aside from the frame. Component warranty is generally one or, more rarely, two years.
09-15-15 | 07:39 AM
#74
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 4,123
From: Phx, AZ
Bikes: Trek Mtn Bike
It is likely that the shop misrepresented (probably accidentally) the Trek component warranty when you purchased the bike - I don't think they ever claimed a lifetime warranty on rims or any other part, aside from the frame. Component warranty is generally one or, more rarely, two years.
09-15-15 | 08:13 AM
#75
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 2
From: SW Ohio
Bikes: 3 good used ones
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.
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.