Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Enigma bikes: my tale of woe

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Enigma bikes: my tale of woe

Old 05-18-21, 11:46 AM
  #1  
905
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
905's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 262
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 33 Times in 16 Posts
Enigma bikes: my tale of woe

About 25 years ago I moved to the UK and took up cycling, but you probably don't want my life story, so I'll cut straight to the woe.







What am I looking at, you ask? That, my roadie friends, is the bad end of an Enigma, a make built not far down the road from me here in currently rainy East Sussex. It's 10 years old, and has seen a fair amount of mileage but nothing extraordinary (40k would be a stretch. I don't use a computer, so that's an educated guess.)

This was in fact the third frame failure. Last year the dropout dropped out



and four years previous, the bottom bracket first made its displeasure known (I wrote about it here).



This was sold to me with a lifetime warranty, which is now not being honoured unless I pony up the equivalent of $850 "for materials". I would be a fool to give them another dime, so that's that, I guess. They also said that 10 years is a reasonable lifespan for a high end bike, which I kind of wish they'd mentioned in the first place, as I would've gone elsewhere.

My reason for sharing these pictures is simple. If you're looking to buy an Enigma, consider this another data point. If you already happen to have one and it's given you no trouble, great: may it long continue. I wish you more luck than I've had.
905 is offline  
Likes For 905:
Old 05-18-21, 11:56 AM
  #2  
Should Be More Popular
 
datlas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Posts: 42,195

Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix

Mentioned: 556 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 21697 Post(s)
Liked 8,146 Times in 3,807 Posts
Sounds like you got good use out of it, but their refusal to honor the warranty is pretty sucky IMO.

edit: Their website now quotes a 10 year warranty. I wonder why....
__________________
Originally Posted by rjones28
Addiction is all about class.
datlas is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 12:11 PM
  #3  
905
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
905's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 262
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 33 Times in 16 Posts
Yes, they changed the terms after I bought mine. The new terms are - what's the word? - sucky. It's academic to me now anyway.

I was quite shocked by the way they treated me, though as I mentioned in the story linked above, it was clear they were angling for an out with the first crack 5 years ago. Live and learn.
905 is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 01:53 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,365
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6566 Post(s)
Liked 10,277 Times in 4,407 Posts
Is that titanium?
Koyote is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 02:02 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,853
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1067 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 259 Times in 153 Posts
Absolutely not. Can't be.
Everyone knows that Ti lasts forever.
Dean V is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 02:13 PM
  #6  
905
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
905's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 262
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 33 Times in 16 Posts
I'll happily admit I was a bit of a sucker for the ti lasts forever shtick, even while knowing it ain't so. Which is why I went for a manufacturer whom I thought I could trust to act decently should the worst happen. More fool me.
905 is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 02:14 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,410

Bikes: 2017 Specialized Allez Sprint Comp

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 850 Post(s)
Liked 344 Times in 247 Posts
Show this to anyone who tries to buy a "lifetime" bike. No such thing.
smashndash is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 03:03 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
msu2001la's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Posts: 2,823
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1425 Post(s)
Liked 1,446 Times in 853 Posts
The weld in your second photo looks a little off. Like they messed up and re-welded it. Yikes.
msu2001la is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 03:23 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
WhyFi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,505

Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo

Mentioned: 353 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20791 Post(s)
Liked 9,430 Times in 4,662 Posts
Well, they suck.
WhyFi is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 03:25 PM
  #10  
Le Crocodile
 
Erzulis Boat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Santa Barbara Calif.
Posts: 1,816
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 343 Post(s)
Liked 653 Times in 282 Posts
Originally Posted by msu2001la
The weld in your second photo looks a little off. Like they messed up and re-welded it. Yikes.
That was the repair on a previous crack. If you read his link, he outlines the history of the cracking issues.
Erzulis Boat is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 04:07 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
PeteHski's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 6,988
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3567 Post(s)
Liked 3,849 Times in 2,439 Posts
Looks like poor stress relief around the welding. 10 years lifespan for a road frame is pretty pathetic really.
PeteHski is online now  
Old 05-18-21, 05:59 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
big john's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
Posts: 24,140
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7533 Post(s)
Liked 7,934 Times in 3,990 Posts
Originally Posted by PeteHski
Looks like poor stress relief around the welding. 10 years lifespan for a road frame is pretty pathetic really.
It broke @ 5 years the first time.
big john is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 06:15 PM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Hacienda Hgts
Posts: 1,984

Bikes: 1999 Schwinn Peloton Ultegra 10, Kestrel RT-1000 Ultegra, Trek Marlin 6 Deore 29'er

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 774 Post(s)
Liked 1,835 Times in 887 Posts
Enigma will get all the negative advertisement they need here in perpetuity.
With nothing to lose, why not try to email the owners of the company?

Last edited by CAT7RDR; 05-18-21 at 06:21 PM.
CAT7RDR is online now  
Likes For CAT7RDR:
Old 05-18-21, 06:38 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Chapel Hill NC
Posts: 1,683

Bikes: 2000 Litespeed Vortex Chorus 10, 1995 DeBernardi Cromor S/S

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 645 Post(s)
Liked 795 Times in 445 Posts
I always heard that with Ti, the welding is the key, and some of the welding on this frame - especially the previous repair - is quite sloppy looking. There are differing opinions as to the mystique of titanium welding - some maintaining that it’s super technically demanding, others saying that, at the end of the day, it’s just welding. Either way, there’s something to be said for going with manufacturers like Litespeed that churn out Ti. The frames may not be ”boutique”, but the builders have their act together. IIRC the Reilly Bikes mentioned in the linked article are one of the only, if not the only, firms that draws their own 6/4 Ti tubing, as opposed to rolling and welding sheets to form tubes.
Litespud is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 06:51 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
robbyville's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Palm Desert, CA
Posts: 2,504

Bikes: Speedvagen Steel

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 429 Post(s)
Liked 245 Times in 156 Posts
I'm sorry to hear of your challenges with Enigma. I fall directly into the mentality that a lifetime warranty on anything but wear and tear if advertised should be honored. Seems a shame that given every photo looks to be on or near a weld that the warranty would not be upheld. Alas, as you mention, lessons learned, although really there are no lessons to be learned here other than a company not standing by their (initial) commitment. I believe my Speedvagen is reasonably warrantied at 10 yrs, at least they make it clear.
Sorry though that you are out a frame and now in the market.
robbyville is offline  
Old 05-18-21, 07:34 PM
  #16  
Newbie
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 34
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 56 Times in 21 Posts
No, those repeated frame cracks and failures should be a clear message to any company that's concerned about its QC that they have a real problem with their manufacturing processes.

Not honoring a lifetime warranty? Doesn't sound like Enigma is too concerned about its reputation.

=K

Last edited by KiwiDallas; 05-18-21 at 07:42 PM.
KiwiDallas is offline  
Likes For KiwiDallas:
Old 05-18-21, 11:15 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,853
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1067 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 259 Times in 153 Posts
Originally Posted by Litespud
I always heard that with Ti, the welding is the key, and some of the welding on this frame - especially the previous repair - is quite sloppy looking. There are differing opinions as to the mystique of titanium welding - some maintaining that it’s super technically demanding, others saying that, at the end of the day, it’s just welding. Either way, there’s something to be said for going with manufacturers like Litespeed that churn out Ti. The frames may not be ”boutique”, but the builders have their act together. IIRC the Reilly Bikes mentioned in the linked article are one of the only, if not the only, firms that draws their own 6/4 Ti tubing, as opposed to rolling and welding sheets to form tubes.
Litespeed make some nice frames. I even have one.
But they can crack too.
Nothing is exempt.
Dean V is offline  
Old 05-19-21, 11:37 AM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
PeteHski's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 6,988
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3567 Post(s)
Liked 3,849 Times in 2,439 Posts
Originally Posted by Litespud
I always heard that with Ti, the welding is the key, and some of the welding on this frame - especially the previous repair - is quite sloppy looking. There are differing opinions as to the mystique of titanium welding - some maintaining that it’s super technically demanding, others saying that, at the end of the day, it’s just welding. Either way, there’s something to be said for going with manufacturers like Litespeed that churn out Ti. The frames may not be ”boutique”, but the builders have their act together. IIRC the Reilly Bikes mentioned in the linked article are one of the only, if not the only, firms that draws their own 6/4 Ti tubing, as opposed to rolling and welding sheets to form tubes.
Welding definitely is a key part and it's not easy. I would guess these failures are due to stress cracks in the tubes rather than failure of the weld joint itself. Doesn't look like any shot-peening was carried out and probably not any other form of effective stress relief looking at the results! Probably just got too hot during welding. I'm a professional mechanical engineer, but welding is not my speciality so could be wrong!
PeteHski is online now  
Old 05-19-21, 11:58 AM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 582
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 374 Post(s)
Liked 232 Times in 158 Posts
Lifetime warranty. I once had a video card fail that had a lifetime warranty. I contacted the company. They agreed that it had failed, but said that the lifetime of the card was until the next version came out.
Jack Tone is offline  
Likes For Jack Tone:
Old 05-19-21, 12:20 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 2,549

Bikes: yes

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1281 Post(s)
Liked 642 Times in 328 Posts
My condolences, that's a huge bummer. I've followed Enigma on various social media because they make some drool-worthy looking bikes, or at least they do a good job making them look good on the internet, but this is just not cool.

I can be understanding that sometimes failures happen but then the refusal to honor the warranty is the part that's just not OK. I don't know what the consumer protection laws are like in the UK but it's probably worth looking into.

On the flip side I know several people who have Ti bikes from Moots and Eriksen that are well past the 10 year mark and still chewing up the miles. (Eriksen is Bingham now.) So my non-expert layperson opinion is that it's all about the welding.
ksryder is offline  
Old 05-20-21, 04:24 AM
  #21  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 855
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 348 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 130 Times in 77 Posts
It looks like the frame is toast. Time to get another bike and junk what you can off the other one.
Colorado Kid is offline  
Old 05-20-21, 04:38 AM
  #22  
Senior Member
 
PeteHski's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 6,988
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3567 Post(s)
Liked 3,849 Times in 2,439 Posts
Originally Posted by jack tone
lifetime warranty. I once had a video card fail that had a lifetime warranty. I contacted the company. They agreed that it had failed, but said that the lifetime of the card was until the next version came out.
lol!
PeteHski is online now  
Old 05-20-21, 04:40 AM
  #23  
Senior Member
 
PeteHski's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 6,988
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3567 Post(s)
Liked 3,849 Times in 2,439 Posts
Originally Posted by Colorado Kid
It looks like the frame is toast. Time to get another bike and junk what you can off the other one.
I don't think anyone is doubting that!
PeteHski is online now  
Old 05-20-21, 04:51 AM
  #24  
Zoom zoom zoom zoom bonk
 
znomit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 4,596

Bikes: Giant Defy, Trek 1.7c, BMC GF02, Fuji Tahoe, Scott Sub 35

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 543 Post(s)
Liked 705 Times in 353 Posts
Oddly this tale doesn't feature in their "owner reviews" section. You should definitely submit a review.
znomit is offline  
Old 05-20-21, 06:12 AM
  #25  
905
Full Member
Thread Starter
 
905's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 262
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 33 Times in 16 Posts
Thanks for the replies.

Originally Posted by Dean V
Litespeed make some nice frames. I even have one.
Me too. Circa '99.



It wasn't a custom build so stopped being my favourite when the Enigma arrived, but it's just moved up the pecking order.

Originally Posted by znomit
Oddly this tale doesn't feature in their "owner reviews" section. You should definitely submit a review.
I’ve had my share of rejection letters over the years, various degrees of hope dashed. Am reasonably confident any submission of mine would land straight in their circular file. I have written an open letter.
905 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -

Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.