meditationride

Hello, longtime lurker/reader and finally a first time poster. My recent experiences I hope will aid or add to the body of knowledge.

I wrote off cycling after having each and everyone of my bikes stolen. Fast forward to university, my roommate was into triathlons and I thought I'd get into cycling again. Using part of my scholarship money (shhh), I bought a old used Cervelo One tri-bike that had been abandoned at a local bike shop. It was instant joy and happiness. I didn't have many possessions or much money but I took that bike everywhere I moved to. Eventually I saved enough to buy a R3 demo bike. Wowzers, it was such a great time. I rode that bike on the west coast mountains, windy flats of the praries, the rolling hills of ontario, and various cancer/charity rides. There was a lot of good memories and experiences in that bicycle. Although it had to be warrantied twice, both times were smooth and it was never a concern.
Well into my career and my 20's getting further away, I replaced the R3 with a C3. To me it gave me the same great feeling while being much more comfortable. Two seasons in (riding season is 5-6 months for sane people here), a crack developed in the fork. Ok, no big deal, warranty. At this point, I've been riding cervelo for 15 years.
The warranty process was started at the local bike shop and as expected there were no replacement forks and they likely would not make one. I was fully aware of the current situation and that the C series had been discontinued. I responded that's fine and requested to replace the fork/frame with whatever the successor/analogue they're making now. I will pay the difference and wait until whenever. My position was that this was a win/win solution for this odd time.
Cervelo rejected the request and instead offered a mismatching and downgraded fork from a C2 model. They then took the position that it was a "good will gesture". I replied, that offering a mismatching downgraded fork is not an appropriate outcome. I reiterated that this is a legitimate warranty claim and that I can pay for the difference and will wait until whenever. That was two months ago and there have been no further replies from cervelo.
In addition to starting out with cervelo, and them making what I felt was well suited for me, a strong consideration was their warranty policy. However, this event has been a big turnoff. I am left with the option of repairing the fork at a carbon specialist at my expense or taking the mismatched downgrade. Perhaps more importantly, it is introducing headaches for my almost therapeutic activity.
For any prospective shoppers, cervelo's warranty perhaps should not be a big consideration.

burnthesheep

For most of these brands, until you break from one model set to the "superbikes" frames and forks are interchangeable and the same. The difference is in groupset buildup.

Do you have proof the C2 fork is any different than the C3?

Their build specs on the current Caledonias list the same fork for each build, from 105 on up.

I would check to make sure, I highly doubt the C3 had a different fork. Once you get from their "2 and 3" models to the "5" is usually when the change in frameset carbon layup, forks, bars happens.

meditationride

good point. Aside from the paintjob, I have not been able to find any technical information to determine whether they're same or not. I will admit there's vanity going on with not wanting the harlequin parts bin look

shelbyfv

I wonder if there is a difference in their view of the damage and yours. The phrases "good will gesture" and "legitimate warranty claim" seem to indicate some disconnect. Maybe post Cervelo's responses?

meditationride

That could be possible. I am unable to post pictures yet as an under 10 poster but here is the word for word reply;
“this type of damage is most definitely not common. For that reason we are prepared to offer a good will replacement front fork.”. -- insert serial of mismatching fork --
"we are not open to negotiating this further, if they would like their fork replaced, please let me know if we are in agreement and I will go ahead and send the fork over"

Iride01 

I'm sure that no matter what the bike brand is, someone somewhere has has a similar experience with the warranty's of those brands.

tomato coupe

If you don't know, then why did you state that they "offered a mismatching and downgraded fork from a C2"?

MidTNBrad

I bought my R3 in 2016 and at that time the lineup was R2 - R3 - R5. I'm pretty sure that one of the differences between the R2 and R3 (maybe the only difference) was the fork. It could be that the C2 and C3 differed that way too.

meditationride

tomato; the manufacture themselves placed it on a different model with a different part serial number.
From a consumer standpoint, the manufacturer differentiated the part and made the assertion. it is up to them to prove otherwise.
why should the consumer be left with mismatching esthetics at best and lower quality fork at worst?

tomato coupe

Cervelo said the fork was "mismatched and downgraded"?

meditationride

no, it is not in their interest to do so. The available facts are that it is original equipment on a model named and positioned lower along with a different part serial number and paint scheme.

burnthesheep

The current spec on their website is identical on forks, if there is a difference they aren't advertising it for what is sold now. The difference in R2 and R3 could not have "only" been a fork. Most likely the 2 had 105 and "mix" components then the 3's usually had all Ultegra and none of the sub-105 "mix" parts. I almost bought an S3 in 2015. But got a Propel. At that time for the S's in the shop, that's the difference I saw from a 2 to a 3. The 2 had 105 shifters, an RS500 crank and rings, 105 FD and RD, and pretty basic wheels. The 3 had Ultegra everything, crank included. Sometimes they paint the forks on the nicer model different, but same underneath.

It wouldn't make sense to have the halo model 5's share a frame or fork with lower models and wind up having three different carbon layups for forks. Usually there are two layups on frames and forks........lower models, and uppers. Propel or Trinity advanced, versus pro for Giant. Cervelo, somewhere with the 2/3 then the 5. Etc.... Too costly to make 3 different carbon layups.

Without proof the layup is different, I doubt the thing is different other than color.

The sympathy I have with the OP is if the fork offered is the wrong color. If that's the case, I'd ask them to paint it to my colorway to match. That would be annoying.

WhyFi

I'm not sure what else you're expecting. You're going to get an aesthetically mismatched fork regardless, and you'd rather that it's from a current, but different, model (the Caledonia is the most direct replacement) and you're under the assumption that it'll be better even if it's not made for your frame?

Reading between the lines on their comment of the "not common" nature of the damage, I think that I'd take what I can get.

curbtender

I would take the replacement fork they offered. Unless the fork came damaged I don't think it would be covered.
https://www.cervelo.com/en/warranty

GhostRider62

You've had three warranty claims with Cervelo?

Something isn't right.

grizzly59

The best you're going to get ... take the fork. Maybe they have an acceptable color. Or you need a friend at an autobody shop who can paint it. Anymore, companies might imply there is a different C2 and C3 fork to make the C3 seem more better, but it's the same part as the C2, pulled out of the bin with the left hand instead of the right.

tomato coupe

Yeah. We're almost certainly getting a very biased (and inaccurate?) account of the situation.

GhostRider62

I sort of felt like OP when Zipp did a recall for the hubs on my 404 hubs, I asked them to warranty the rims due to cracks and offered to pay any differential. They did not even respond. They just replaced the hubs using the old spokes. In OP's case, the fork is not subject to a recall and it seems Cervelo is of the opinion that the damage is not a warranty issue.

He has no recourse. Take what you can get and maybe be thankful. Post a picture when you hit 10 posts. I bet it is damage from misuse

bampilot06

What cracked on the C3 fork?
I own a C2, just wondering if there is something else I should be concerned about, other than the persistent BB creak.

jrobe

I bet Cervelo would prefer that he buys another brand next time after 2 bikes and 3 warranty claims.

RChung

I bought a 2016 S2. It has the same frame but a different fork than the S3. Damon Rinard said that they'd figured out how to make the S2 fork cheaper and just as aero as the S3 fork, and I trust Damon so I bought the S2.

burnthesheep

Well there we have it!

I never would have imagined. I assumed wrong.

Price was why I got the Propel. Locally it was about $400 less than the S2. And nowadays by the magic of scarcity is worth the same used I paid new for it.

Koyote

I love it when someone joins bf just to slam a company.

tomato coupe

I did that to Chrysler. I would have destroyed them if the government hadn’t jumped in to save them.

mprince

Where did the fork crack? Up by the stem, or closer to the dropouts?