How crucial is a warranty on a carbon frame?
04-27-17, 04:30 PM
#26
Senior Member
Depends on how much you're paying for it, how much your saving over a new bike, and how much it would hurt you to replace it if it failed outside warranty.
Realistically the odds that any good frame is going to fail in the first 5 years of use, other than in a crash (not covered by warranty) is pretty low.
Assume your frame costs $2000 to replace, and there's a 5% chance that it will fail, then the value of a warranty to replace it would be less than $100. (the reason that it is less than $100 is you have to apply a discount rate to the timeperiod between you pay for the bike, and the time of the average warranty claim, to get a present value figure.)
Thus I'd say if you save more than $100 on a $2000 frame, it would make economic sense to not worry about the warranty.
Realistically the odds that any good frame is going to fail in the first 5 years of use, other than in a crash (not covered by warranty) is pretty low.
Assume your frame costs $2000 to replace, and there's a 5% chance that it will fail, then the value of a warranty to replace it would be less than $100. (the reason that it is less than $100 is you have to apply a discount rate to the timeperiod between you pay for the bike, and the time of the average warranty claim, to get a present value figure.)
Thus I'd say if you save more than $100 on a $2000 frame, it would make economic sense to not worry about the warranty.
04-27-17, 07:50 PM
#29
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If replacing a bike frame is material to your financial situation, you really should consider buying a cheaper bike.
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04-28-17, 01:30 PM
#30
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The rear dropout on my original Synapse failed. Cannondale provided me with a new frame, fork, and seatpost. My LBS transferred all salvageable components to new bike. The transaction was accomplished in a reasonable period of time.
I was very pleased with the response from Cannondale and the timing.
I was very pleased with the response from Cannondale and the timing.
04-28-17, 03:09 PM
#31
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04-28-17, 03:27 PM
#32
Senior Member
I bought my bike new because I wanted a new bike, not because it made any financial sense at all. Just go on ebay and look at prices for one year old bikes. They seem to lose 25% as soon as you walk out the door (more when you consider sales tax) and by the 1 year mark you're at around 35-40% off the new price. Once you go past $4k on a bike it's more like 50%+ at the 1 year mark.
04-28-17, 04:40 PM
#33
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04-28-17, 05:46 PM
#34
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Risk vs reward. Frames rarely break. I know there are stories out there but it is pretty uncommon. If you buy a used bike you should be paying a small percentage of a new one. Do your homework and check the frame over well prior to purchasing it.
04-28-17, 09:15 PM
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04-28-17, 10:00 PM
#36
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One of the reasons I went with Cervelo rather than BMC is that Cervelo had a lifetime warranty.
04-29-17, 04:39 AM
#37
Full Member
I was in your same situation a couple months ago looking for a bike. I was on a budget of under 2000 dollars and wanted carbon and 105 at least. I ended up with a new 2015 leftover Super six Evo from my LBS, not only did I end up with a new bike and warranty I received 20% everything I've purchased since buying the bike. Being new to the game warranty was important to me.
04-29-17, 01:24 PM
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Depends on how much you're paying for it, how much your saving over a new bike, and how much it would hurt you to replace it if it failed outside warranty.
Realistically the odds that any good frame is going to fail in the first 5 years of use, other than in a crash (not covered by warranty) is pretty low.
Assume your frame costs $2000 to replace, and there's a 5% chance that it will fail, then the value of a warranty to replace it would be less than $100. (the reason that it is less than $100 is you have to apply a discount rate to the timeperiod between you pay for the bike, and the time of the average warranty claim, to get a present value figure.)
Thus I'd say if you save more than $100 on a $2000 frame, it would make economic sense to not worry about the warranty.
Realistically the odds that any good frame is going to fail in the first 5 years of use, other than in a crash (not covered by warranty) is pretty low.
Assume your frame costs $2000 to replace, and there's a 5% chance that it will fail, then the value of a warranty to replace it would be less than $100. (the reason that it is less than $100 is you have to apply a discount rate to the timeperiod between you pay for the bike, and the time of the average warranty claim, to get a present value figure.)
Thus I'd say if you save more than $100 on a $2000 frame, it would make economic sense to not worry about the warranty.
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