Help: Brand new frame with stripped BB??
 

I have a brand new 2004 Bianchi Pista Concept frame/fork. This thing is brand, brand new. I watched the guy at RA Cycles cut open the original shipping box from Bianchi and pull it out. It still had tape, cardboard, and padding on it for shipping.

So, last night I get my Shimano Dura Ace 7710 BB and place it on the shell of the bike to see if it fits, and the BB slides (not screws) right on... a bit loosely as though it were of a slighly smaller diameter than the shell.

Shimano Dura Ace 7710 BB = 68mm English
Bianchi Pista Concept BB Shell = 68mm English

Right?

Am I missing something?

edit: (scroll down for pics)


C

I would guess it has Italian threads. I would check the spec sheet.

I called a local Bianchi dealer and asked him specifically. He did some research, called me back and said "68mm English". But, I guess he could be wrong.

Where can I find a spec sheet? I searched all over Bianchi.com with no luck.

That is just what I was doing. No luck. If they sold you a ruined frame, send it back. It might be possible to retap the BB to Italian threads if it is stripped, but I wouldn't mess with it. That is an expensive frame and it should be right. DON'T do much more to it before taking in it in to the dealer. You don't want them to think that you stripped trhe threads.

I took the bike to my LBS and they confirmed that the shell is stripped...by the tool that made it.

This is pretty f'ed up. It's amazing how this passed inspection.

I'm pissed. Now I have to spend $$$ to send it to NY then wait for them to send it to Bianchi, then wait for it go get back to NY, then wait for it to be delivered to me.

Anyone know if I can send it directly to Bianchi with the receipt?

if you purchased it through a bike shop, they should handle all of it for you.

+1

+50 bajillion

Oh F***. I just realized I +1'd Shants. Sh** happens.

carelton-

do you go to broadway bicycles? i am looking for bike shop around here that is fixed-gear friendly. Thanks!

goto joes in Mt Washington. good bikes. good people. although ive also heard different in this forum.

Well, the thing is. I bought the bike from a shop in Brooklyn. I live in VA. I'd rather not spend money sending it to NY for them to send it to Bianchi.

It's sort of like if I bought a Civic in NY and live in VA now. I hope that I wouldn't have to send it to NY to have warranty work done on it when there is a Honda dealership here in VA.

That's how "Official Bianchi Dealers" work, right?

The way the bike shop that I bought it from wants me to handle it is to pay money to send the frame to them.

I took it to a local official Bianchi dealer and they told me to "take it to the place you bought it." Which is pretty f'ed up considering that in the past, I've bought a bike there, my GF bought a bike there, and I've bought a crapload of accessories, tires and tubes there. Their beef is, "you didn't buy that frame and fork from us." Yeah, because they didn't have it.

So much for customer service.

So what exactly do "official dealers" do? I guess only handle stuff they sell.

yo, I work for a bianchi dealer and this is my scoop. Their customer service is pretty good. If I were in your shoes, I would call up Bianchi and firmly, but politely explain that you dropped a bunch of money for a frame that they screwed up. After a little while they *WILL* call up your local bianchi dealer and force them to take your warranty even if you bought it in a different state.

bottom line is that you won't have to send it to NY if you try hard enough w/bianchi.

Ill PM you with some more info.

i'm fairly confused -- it's possible that i'm missing something here -- but it would seem to me that the shop from which you purchased the frame sold you a defective product. given this fact, they should either refund you the money for the frame or remedy the situation without any additional cost to you. it seems pretty ****ing dicey to be told to deal with it yourself. **** that.

OK, I'm on a roll here...

So, it would take the local Bianchi dealer that I mentioned all of 10 minutes to pack up a frame and fork (not a complete bike) and use the Bianchi Corporate FedEX/UPS code to pay for shipping. That would be a very cool way to treat a regular customer.

There must a good reason why you ordered the frame from R&A, when you're in VA.

It must be something other than price. My LBS can do much better than R&A. Of course, it's not a cool place to shop.

I've found out the hard way, that, in the long run, the better way is to establish a good relationship with your LBS. Probably ends up being the cheaper route, as well.

Good Luck

I agree.

But, as it stands now, that company want's me to pay for shipping back to NY which is maybe $30 - 40. And if that's the case, I assume that they would expect me to pay to get it back from them.

I'm getting the impression that there won't be an easy solution to this.

Again, it would be sooo cool to walk in to a Bianchi dealer and get them to warranty a Bianchi product.

read my PM. Seriously, call that contact and he should take care of you. And if he's on your side, your LBS will have to be on your side by default.

R&A was the only place that had a Black 2004 Pista Concept F&F in stock size 57cm. I called and looked around for about a year. I was stoked to find it. I went to NY for a personal visit and bought it when I was there. If the LBS had it, I would have bought it a year ago.

http://static.flickr.com/44/137177017_f50cd4511b_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/54/137177015_6d915eda43_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/56/137177008_12c1ada004_o.jpg

Update: Bianchi honored the warranty, Woo hoo!!

Going to pick up the new frame/fork this afternoon.

Mad Props to Bianchi plus Mike at Big Wheel Bikes in Arlington for super fast service!!

I'll post pics of the new build soon.

Glad it worked out for you. Nice looking frame.

awesome. but it sucks it took you almost a month. +1 to bianchi, -1 to that ny bike shop.

why is it a +1 to Bianchi?
They messed up in the first place by letting this frame slide out to distribution. 0 points to Bianchi. They made a mistake (companies do that.), they took care of it under what is considered typical warranty.

Well, I got the build together. The finished product isn't what I had in mind from the start, but I'll take it.

I started a new thread to talk about it.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=2558971