tetonrider

to cut a long story short, i own an s-works roubaix SL (which i am generally thrilled with) that is being replaced with an SL2 due to a manufacturing defect. specialized seems to be fantastic with their service.

this is an "upgrade" of sorts -- although i would say i was 100% pleased with the frame, color and components (parts are remaining the same) of my current frame.

the local shop received the new frame from specialized....although it's not in the color that was requested. (i was asked for a preference and availability was verified.) an honest error may have been made either by the shop or specialized.

i know color is a minor point in the grand scheme of things, but this bike is also worth more than both vehicles owned by me and my wife, combined. i hope/intend to ride this frame, daily, for a LONG time, and it took me quite some time to save for it; i take excellent care of my belongings.

do i have a right to ask for a different color frame to be sent to me via the shop? what if the shop tells me "it is what it is -- just take this / there are no options"? how should i reply?

again, i was 100% happy with the bike i had, and i'm not sure if i'm supposed to shut up and settle for whatever i am given (by the shop or the manufacturer). a part of me says that a warranty customer is the same as a retail customer -- and that while being very polite is a given, i shouldn't feel like i must grovel since this is a manufacturing defect affecting the bike's structure. if this was a 10-year old huffy that the manufacturer was replacing as a favor, i would understand i need to accept whatever is given.

if i ask for this to be returned, i realize this might not be a high-priority for the shop, and that could (but shouldn't!) further delay matters. any advice there is welcome, too.

thanks in advance for your help as i think through what to do. i have tried to be VERY easy to work with so the shop has to exert minimal effort (e.g., offering to strip the bike & rebuild it myself); i would deal direct with specialized, but at a certain point they told me i had to go to a shop.

(i do realize this is just a possession and, in that sense, this decision is not a huge deal in the grand scheme of life.)

gabdy

Tell em to send it back and make it snappy.

Exit.

You have nothing to lose by asking them if a switch is possible.

fauxto nick

Not out of line at all, you're the customer.

TNoodles

I wouldn't get too worked up until you ask and get denied. My guess is that if they have agreed to replace the frame, and you are a good customer, they'll send you whatever color you want. You might have to wait a bit if it's out of stock, but color seems a rather small issue on their part and it is quite obviously important to you.

I also would not devalue the importance of possessions, after all this is America where "property" rights follow immediately after those of "life" and "liberty." In the grand scheme of things if you want color X and it is within their power to provide it, why settle for color Z? It's your bicycle after all, and the good folks at Specialized will surely realize that this is no mere possession, rather it is part of you.

SteelCan

If you make the request in the same gentle manner as you explained in your post, I would think the LBS would understand and be willing to accommodate.
OTOH, people often confuse courtesy for weakness, and try to bully/pressure you. If that happens, follow Gadby's advice :-)

rollin

Try and get the one you want. Their mix up not yours. Sounds like they made a genuine mistake. You're not asking too much.

brian416

It couldn't hurt to ask but when I got my new frame a month ago, it was the only frame in the color and size that the specialized had in stock. I guess they don't have many frames in stock right now as they start to switch over to next years run.

SSRI

GET the color you want, you are the costumer. Unless Specialized tells you NO I dont trust what the shop saids.
You will be looking at your frame for years to come, so get the color you want.

tetonrider

thanks for the replies and for sanity-checking my thought process.

quick update: today, the shop stepped up and confirmed (a) that they spoke with specialized about colors and availability and (b) my color selection was available at the time. there is a very nice, helpful guy at the shop who remembered all this and seems to do his best to help me out. they said they will call specialized on monday, but don't know how long it will take to get an answer.

that's the good news (except for the last bit).

when they did the stock check, it was about 10-14 days ago. i suppose specialized could have run out of stock in my color....and that would be disappointing as i would have missed out due to, perhaps, a little foot-dragging.

i was warned today that retail stock is different from warranty stock (i know this is true), but i'm also certain from an inside source that as of the time the warranty issue was identified, the warranty stock included my size & color selection.

so....i've got my fingers crossed for good news. hope things go my way. i appreciate the help i am being given by the manufacturer and shop, even if it's not always quite the way i imagine.

any additional advice is welcome (e.g., how long to wait to hear back after monday before making another contact, whether i should try to call the manufacturer direct to help things along, etc. my hope is that the shop would be fighting on my behalf. i've always heard that s-works customers are very well taken care of, and while i know everyone is very busy (and i'm just a warranty customer -- more of a problem than a prospect, apparently) i'd like to know where the breakdown is and how it can be resolved).

thanks!

markieta

I have been dealing with specialized for years,
and you should not have a problem getting the colour you want (if its in stock),
sucks that youre going to have to wait another 2 weeks or so though.

Ask for what you want, be reasonable, if the shops techs are reasonably able they will have that frame sent out and new one in, in less than 2 weeks!
Best of luck!!!

bigfred 

Titrider,

If Hoback is still the local dealer, they move a pretty high number of units given the small size of the community. That combine with the realationship they enjoy with most of their suppliers as providers to alot of athetes that are well at the top of one or more games and they get very good responses, at least when I used to live there. If you don't get the answer you desire on the first try, the best thing you can probably do, is write up a polite respectful letter, much like your explanation earlier in this thread. Make sure to address it to both the manager of the shop and whomever the shop suggest from Specialized. Such an action usually works wonders. A similiar experience and course of action years ago with Cannondale resulted in me getting my own customer ID and shop level responses as I've moved around the globe and dealt with various retailers. Be polite, professional and patient and there's an extremely good chance you can get what is a reasonable request.

bostongarden

Sounds like it is all going to work out fine...your posts suggest that the color is important enough to you, so, get that color :-) I also sense that you have pleasant and reasonable with your dealer and Specialized...ya get more with honey than with vinegar...if, in the end, you need a consumer advocate -- although, I do not believe you will -- send me a pm...best wishes!

tetonrider

thanks again for the words of advice, all. i appreciate it.

i'm hopeful that monday will bring some good news. i'm going to choose to be optimistic at this point that it was, perhaps, just an oversight on specialized's part. ground shipping from SLC to where i am is 1 day....so perhaps there could be a resolution pretty quick. (unless the warranty department simply doesn't have that frame/size/color in stock, of course.)

looks like the '09s use a braze-on FD. my 07 was a band-type/clamp-on. guess i should grab a braze-on FD in anticipation.

markieta: when you say "if it's in stock", do you find that the warranty department has access to anything in the retail stock, or is it a separate thing? is there any difference for s-works customers?

thanks so much!

bigfred: good advice. i'm hoping that the dealer and manufacturer will resolve it all just fine. being polite is a given. i can see how if dealer and manufacturer reach an impasse that a letter from a customer might help...but i suspect that would take quite a bit more time and i'd really hope it doesn't come to that.

tetonrider

well...i'm not sure i agree with all of this, but i take excellent care of my stuff with the intention of keeping it for a long, long time. it's not like i set out to get a new frame -- but i do think the manufacturer should provide me with something as close as possible, esp given the price.

noted. i'm trying to be very respectful of the shop's time, esp considering it's a holiday weekend/busy period. i hope that might be appreciated but wonder if it goes unnoticed.

i was on a ride this afternoon (getting caught in a massive downpour/hailstorm, actually -- thankfully it was short-lived), but it helped me to realize that the color is what it is. i'll pursue what i want but be reasonable in terms of accepting the reality of the situation.

nycphotography

Try for the color you want, but I think you should also consider keeping the color that was sent... after all, they did upgrade it to an SL2, which may be a $1000 upgrade (it is on the Tarmac, dunno about the Roubaix).

BTW, what color was sent?

Servo888

X2, what color was sent? If you end up keeping it, then I say it works out for both parties. You can an upgrade, and they get rid of a color they don't like.

tetonrider

the red one was sent, and i wanted the black/grey one with white on it (just because it's more subtle, less flashy and closer to what i had).

it's all personal preference, of course.

as for an "upgrade"...well, it's not my fault i have a defective frame. i am also unsure if i'll notice anything other than a placebo effect on going from SL->SL2. if they could replace my exact frame (year/size/color), i'd be psyched. otherwise, an upgrade to a new model is nice, but....

a) it's a less desirable (to me) color;
b) i have to get a new front derailleur (new frame requires a braze-on; mine is a clamp)
c) i probably have to pay the shop to install everything due to specialized's warranty coverage.

so, the "upgrade" that i didn't really want costs me time, money and leaves me with a color that isn't my first choice.

(again, while color isn't everything, i saved up a long time to afford the (now defective) bike, and i had to hunt for a while to get the right deal and the color i wanted.)

unreasonable? let me know. that's why i'm asking for advice here, as i want to be sure what i'm doing is right.

nycphotography

The shop should replace the front der as part of the warranty service, and specialized warranty definitely includes labor. No worries on that front.

The red frame is the "Black with Red accents"? Yeah, I wanted the black and silver for my Tarmac, but the team frame only came in white or black and red. At least it isn't an all red frame. I actually came to love the black and red... it looks great with the red quarq water bottles and the white specialized rib cages. ;-)

The SL2 is/was only available in black and red or black and yellow, so they won't be be able to give you what they never made.

If you want a little help coming to love the black and red, maybe umd and I can help you out with pictures of our Tarmacs (sorry, don't have pictures of Roubaix's).

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/511839-sl2-s2-antidote-warning-large-pics.html

mine:





his:

FBinNY 

Assuming that no labor had yet been put into building the bike, you're well within your rights to ask that it be switched for your preferred color if it's available in your size. I'd re-verify availability with Specialized. So far the only thing invested is some shipping cost, and that becomes a sticking point you might offer to pay or partly pay for it.

If the shop has already started building the bike, it's a bit more complicated, and you might have to discuss compensating them for what they've done so far.

One note: Factory policies vary tremendously in the Bike Biz, as to whether frame warrantees include the labor of building the bike. Some companies include it in their promise to consumers, but do not compensate their dealers at all for their labor costs in honoring factory warrantees. You might also want to consider spending a bit while it's being built for things like new cables/housings, chain, or tune-ups that wouldn't be part of the warrantee itself. Often this makes sense from a functional standpoint and becomes a nice way for you help the shop defray their uncompensated build costs.

Lastly, the fact that there was an upgrade in the replacement shouldn't enter into the equation. You didn't ask for it, and if they had a choice they wouldn't have given it to you. It's the same as if you reserved a rental car and they didn't have the compact you asked for and gave you a nicer car.

tetonrider

really? this is good to know as i was going to go out and get a new FD today (at a reasonable price), to have on-hand so things weren't further delayed.

the SL2 is available in what they call a 'gloss carbon/white' -- at least for the roubaix. sorry for the confusion -- it's not the tarmac.

i understand that folks may feel the black & red looks sharp -- i totally respect that. for me, i'd like the bike to look as low-key as possible and not attract any attention at all/blend into the background.

in this case, i had the carbon/silver before.

here's what i feel is the closest thing to it.

is that the sram s900 w/ cinqo on yours? the s900's not bb30, right? what bb are you using (are you using anapter)?

thanks fbinny. the only thing that has happened is the frame was shipped to the shop and opened/partially opened to discover it's a color different than what we had asked for.

the shop said they will call specialized on monday (but don't know when they'll hear back). specialized warranty won't speak to a customer (me). and specialized retail said the frame was in THEIR stock...but i don't know if warranty can poach that.

if shipping is an issue, i would pay for that. in fact, i'd drive from here to SLC and back (4h each way) just to resolve this directly....instead of waiting weeks.

fair enough. i had just done a full tune on my bike a few weeks prior. i do all my own wrench work because (a) i trust myself, (b) it's cheaper in the long run, (c) i can do it in the timeframe i want and (d) i like it. [e.g., i just tore my MTB down to the frame and rebuilt it.]

if specialized could have sent me the frame directly, i'd be happy with that. the only thing i'm not equipped to deal with is the proprietary BB (i'd need a special crank-puller and BB bearing remover -- and the only solution for that is a $150 tool from spec. in fact, i would buy that in order to deal with everything on my own, as i dread the thought of having to get someone else to work on the bike, e.g., to install a quarq. it would be 2 trips to the shop to remove cranks, send to quarq, then install them.)


thanks for confirming that. what i was trying to convey is that i appreciate the efforts of specialized and the shop....but i am paying for this in some way (perhaps shipping or installation; definitely with my time and energy; and, in the end, i'm not getting exactly what i wanted -- which was the frame i bought). perhaps that sounds ungrateful; it's just reality.

tetonrider

i want to add one point to my post above:
the shop has told me in no uncertain terms how busy they are -- especially this holiday week. (that's great actually -- i'm happy that there are lots of folks buying gear & using services.)

i have offered to do whatever i can to be as easy on them as possible given the above. that includes offering to tear down my bike completely (we'll be swapping parts over as specialized is only replacing frame + fork). i've also offered to rebuild it. i can do everything but the installation of cranks. (i could probably do the bb.)

so...i'm nto sure how to be "less maintenance" than i am. advice is welcome.

(i'm not sure if they'll let me rebuild it.)

logdrum

Do not return it. A bean counter at Specialized may see this upgrade as an error and give you the right color but a lesser model. make sure you have guarantee that you'll get the upgrade.

I hardly notice people's bike color or brand nowadays. And most guys don't.

Depending on who it is, black may be louder than red. It is for me. If you do not want loud try pastel blue or gray.

docjoe

I'm sure the OP would be more than happy to get his current model in the color he originally got. That's what he paid for originally. OP, I'm pretty confident you'll be able to get what you want. Please keep us posted.

tetonrider

err... well... i think they replace s-works with s-works. not sure that they can give me a "lesser" model here. thatwould be an issue i'd raise a stink about, esp having worked very hard and saved so longn for it.

i think, generally speaking, that red is louder than black/grey/white. i don't see how black/lack of color is ever louder than color.

that said, i think perhaps you did not click on the color links above. color options in this bike at that level are a bit limited, and i'm interested in the lowest of the low-key colors. (which is black (or dark grey) with some white accents).

maybe i'll just put electrical tape over the thing anyway.

thanks docjoe. i think you get it (and agree that logdrum's post above was sort of a non-sequitor).

will maybe have some news tomorrow.

need to figure out if i should be prepared and order a new FD...stat.

edit to add: off for a ride. hope everyone has had/will have great rides this fine day.