Last weekend on a mountain bike ride I traded bikes with my friend so I can test out a bigger suspension bike. He was happy to ride my cross country bike because we were riding up some grueling hills.

After the ride, we noticed that the seatpost on my friend's Specialized Enduro that I was riding had slid down and hit the rear shock. We didn't think much of it, but friday when we went on another ride his shock completely failed. He took it to the shop, and they said it was from the seatpost hitting it, and that he has to either get a new one or get it fully re-built.

I'm aware that the seatpost issue on the Enduros is a design flaw, and this year they have tried to fix it. Also, the shock was having some issues leaking air and squeaking before I ever rode it. So my question is:

Is it my responsibility to replace the shock for him, since I was riding it when the seatpost hit the shock? What I have done is looked on e-bay, and found some similar shocks for good deals, and told him I feel like I should either split the cost or pitch in $100. Is this enough or too generous considering the details?

You break it, you buy it... how good of a friend are we talking? Heh, I've had similar experiences... I think and 50/50 is good, I mean they get a new part, and that way it sucks for both of you... and really... parts are replaced so often on mountain bikes... so it's not soo bad... a shock though can be costly!

Joe

I agree, you contributed to its' demise and should therefore be responsible, at least in part. 50/50 sounds fair to me.

The question I have is, "Did you adjust the seatpost height when you rode it?" If so, then it's really your fault and 50/50 is more than fair for you!". However, if all you did was throw a leg over the bike, then more responsibility is on your friend. How much, I dunno, but more.

L8R

You don't pay anything since he let you ride the bike and he was riding yours. It was his responsibility to look forward and make sure the seatpost was adjusted. You didn't break it intentionally.

What if he knew of the shock starting to fail and arranged you to ride it right before? Would you still pay for HIS part???

Ummm... I doubt this is the case.

As for other questions-- yes, he is a very good friend, and we ride together once or twice a week. And infact I did adjust the seat before we rode, which is really weighing on my conscience. I guess what that is telling me is I indeed need to pitch in at least half the cost. I can't justify paying for all of it as it was leaking and squeaking pretty badly before I rode it. While I rode it I didn't notice it sqeaking, but I am about 25 lbs lighter than he is.

I'm coming to the conclusion that what I need to do is whatever it takes to make my conscience feel at ease.

So, I was looking on e-bay, and need to know something: would a fox vanilla rl work on the Enduro? There's some good deals on coil shocks, but haven't seen too many on air shocks....

If it's a good friend.. what's $100? That way you feel better knowing you did the right thing.

Joe

I don't understand the problem.
Especially if you consider him your friend, why should you worry about paying him for something that happened without your fault. He is heavier than you, mean it would break next ride under his weight, so HE should pay you for avoiding worse scenario.
Besides, what are you trying to get from the quote? Peoples opinions for its own sake or you really want to decide for yourself?

If you feel like you want to help him and pay - go on, it's your money.

I don't see a problem here...

I respect your efforts to make the situation right with your friend.
I cannot comment on whether you are being too generous or not, that's really your call.

It might be best to simply bite the bullet and follow through with your promise, regardless of whether it's too generous or not. That way, he'll respect your word, and that's more important than
anything else.

Example.
Customer brings a car to Jiffy lube for an oil change.
When mechanic pulls the car inside, engine blows up. Do you think Jiffy lube will be paying for a new engine just because it happened when one of their mechanics was behind the steering wheel???

Same analogy........

What does he "feel"?

I have had bikes broken in way or another by others a few times. I did not expect/let them to pay anything, even if they offered. I once had to have two wheels rebuilt and get a new seat. If I were that worried about something going wrong I would not lend things out.

If you were riding together and there were no issues at the time of the ride, I think it would fall under a regular use breakdown. Hell, it could have been on its way to being broken before you even got on it.

Since you offerd to pay, I would. But, call me what you will, but after he accepts the cash I would not consider him as close of a friend as I thought.

Hope this helps,

ehenz

Thank god you aren't my friend. It is a respect thing.

It is partially his fault and even if the shock was in the process of dying he may have helped move the death of that shock forward. Sorry but 50/50 is the minimum I would pay a friend. Crap I would evn offer to help someone I don't know if it happened to me.

Ehenz does have a point though. Because it could have been on its way out. He should refuse the 50/50 deal.

If it was my friend I'd offer to pay.

If my friend accepted my offer I'd start wondering about the value of the friendship.

We'll see how this turns out. I told him I'd at least pay half, and I have been searching for deals on new and used shocks. He seems very appreciative that I'm wanting to help out. My bet is that when it comes down to it he'll tell me to put my portion towards some disc brakes for my rig instead, and maybe help him out with installing insulation on his house or something. If he did accept my 1/2 portion, though, I wouldn't hold it against him.

I don't see any moral obligation on your part to pay anything. Different story if he had lent you the bike and something broke while you were riding, that would = 100% liability for you. When you're trading and riding together with no abuse on your part, I'd say 0% for you.
The other issue is financial - If you've got lots more cash than your friend, no problem helping him out - them that has, pays!

Ask yourself how you'd feel if it was your bike that broke while you were swapping. Would you expect him to pay?

Probably the best way to look at the situation

What's the point?
________________________
You are glad that I am not your friend because you would expect me to pay if something on your bike breakes under me?

Well, I wouldn't ride your bike in the first place...


With this kind of approach, you might want to go to insurance company and make someone sign a paper before rides, just like SHOPS do, or auto sales, which take your license. Do you call them your friends?

That's right...

I try to look at it from a different angle. If it were my bike, I wouldn't expect any help paying for the repair. If it were my friends, I would expect them to offer to pay and actually feel guilty when I refused. So my solution would be to take the actual material out of the picture. This isn't a case of liability as much as it's a case of making everyone feel okay. I would tell my friend to not worry about the shock but if he/she picked up a nice dinner that'd be great. This way the social obligations are met on more than one level.

gonesh9, I don't think you should have to pay, I feel when he let you ride his bike, he was taking a chance, something broke, but it wasn't your fault, the same as if he had broke something on your bike, you lent it to him so you should have to pay for the damage, unless it was ridden in such a way that riding it in that fashion would have knowingly broken something.

Just follow your conscience. If you put out the offer and don't feel good each time you meet him then go ahead to pay and have the peace of mind. On the other hand if the amount is going to hurt you and made you have feel silly to pay for something which you think is of no fault of yours then find a way to put out the offer without hurting your relationship. So let your feeling decide for you.

Just pay me, and feel peace of mind

After reading this I would have to agree with a2psyklnut and say the 50/50 is more than fair for you. Even if the shock was in poor working order prior to the ride it ultimately failed due to the seat post coming in contact with it according to what a professional bike mechanic told you. This in my eyes would be your fault since you failed to make sure it was properly tightened. Although, if he is a good friend as you say, then he should understand that things like this can happen and just be happy that he has a good friend to help him split the cost. Hell, I lent a buddy my bike while at school to ride to class. He left it unlocked and it got stolen. All I got was a “sorry....”

A bike and its parts are replaceable, good friendships are not. Do what YOU feel will make things right.

Even if I didn't feel responsible, I would consider splitting the cost. Would he do the same for you down the road? It sounds like he would.

Heck, he is already offering you other options to make up for it. He probably senses that is weighing on your concious. Either way, I would find a way to help him out with it. Even if its a case of beer.

Same thing here, had a brand new bike few years ago, let a friend ride it, and because she put a chain around the hndlebar, the bike was stolen...

No problem