Specialized bad after sale service.

[Patchelicious]

I'm pretty sure the bike wasn't just exposed to plain old water?

What if the OP washed his bike with acid, paint stripper or even lava? Would the resultant damage be considered paint or frame corrosion? Did he leave his frame soaked in Coke over a long weekend, as we often advise....

Look, no matter how you paint this picture (da dum tish) the OP failed to act when he saw the defect, so it's his lack of action that is responsible for this situation.

[(Deon)]

I'm pretty sure the bike wasn't just exposed to plain old water?

 

What if the OP washed his bike with acid, paint stripper or even lava? Would the resultant damage be considered paint or frame corrosion? Did he leave his frame soaked in Coke over a lon weekend, as we often advise....

 

Look, no matter how you paint this picture (da dum tish) the OP failed to act when he saw the defect, so it's his lack of action that is responsible for this situation.

That spez warranty doc is an interesting read. This issue could also be stretched to lay blame with the Spez bike shop (assuming OP used them as his lbs) for not performing their routine checks for exactly such issues.

 

If not his regular bikeshop, then just an interesting point. 

 

ALL SPECIALIZED BICYCLES AND FRAMESETS SHOULD BE PERIODICALLY CHECKED BY AN AUTHORISED SPECIALIZED DEALER for indicators of stress and/or potential failure.

[Skinnyone]

The previous post about water treatment chemicals causing corrosion is BS. The small amount of chlorine in drinking water is the only potentially corrosive compound and is not present in sufficient quantity to cause noticeable damage but other components can, particularly salts. If your bike gets covered in sea spray you can wash salts into the frame. If you wash your bike with dishwashing liquid, this stuff is thickened by adding salts and so on. If you live inland, the water tends to be more mineralised (salty). All these factors can increase corrosion of a susceptible part. This paragraph is kinda contradictory? Normal tap water not being able to start corrosion because chemicals are in small quantities but the water is mineralised and therefore able to corrode? I bet if you put a piece of alu in a bucket of tap water with no other additives it will corrode given time...

 

All that said, when corrosion is noticed ( discolouration, bubbling under paint etc) take action immediately. Waiting two years is negligent and even if a warranty still applied it makes the repair more expensive. Agree fully THAT is the point here, not whether or not a latent defect was present.

 

I'm not surprised the manufacturer is refusing to replace this frame, due to time elapsed between first observing the problem and then taking action. I also agree that the manufacturer's representative may have misinterpreted the root cause. This corrosion at the joint should not be occurring in a properly manufactured and maintained frame. Again, Latent defect or negligence on the OP's behalf? this can be argued till the cows come home fact of the matter is that it is OUTSIDE the allotted warranty period. Its not nice saying to someone that their product is now useless and I can't help because it is outside the warranty period...I have done it twice already this week.

 

The best route to go now is to approach a third party specialist for repair (and we happen to know of a good one here on the Hub). Certainly the R23000 outlay on the bike is not lost or worthless.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

The fact remains that Specialized (or ANY OTHER BRAND) is not going to be out of pocket just because the OP waited almost 4 years (nov 2012 - present)  to report a problem that may have been dealt with sufficiently by Specialized within the given period.

 

Personal story - I own a Specialized and know most of the people at head office (I used to  work at a concept store) , I noticed that my bike has paint cracks on it (alu frame) I spoke to the warranties manager and he said "sure send it in with proof of ownership etc and we'll replace it for you", because its within the 2 year paint warranty period....I didn't bother because there is no need really and it doesn't phase me that I have an older colored frame...My point here is that I acted within the given period and the response was very helpful - OP would have probably had the same response had he acted in time. Pity he didn't...

[Skinnyone]

This whole story is the same as someone bringing their bike in for a minor service, then 8 months later complaining that the service wasn't done correctly because the gears don't shift properly...then coming with the weak excuse of "oh I haven't ridden this bike since the service, first ride was on the weekend"

[(Deon)]

The fact remains that Specialized (or ANY OTHER BRAND) is not going to be out of pocket just because the OP waited almost 4 years (nov 2012 - present)  to report a problem that may have been dealt with sufficiently by Specialized within the given period.

 

Personal story - I own a Specialized and know most of the people at head office (I used to  work at a concept store) , I noticed that my bike has paint cracks on it (alu frame) I spoke to the warranties manager and he said "sure send it in with proof of ownership etc and we'll replace it for you", because its within the 2 year paint warranty period....I didn't bother because there is no need really and it doesn't phase me that I have an older colored frame...My point here is that I acted within the given period and the response was very helpful - OP would have probably had the same response had he acted in time. Pity he didn't...

The given period for frame defect is lifetime, is it not? Maybe then, just maybe he did act in time. 

 

Your personal story is paint related. I think your story and the OP's differ somewhat, unless Spez is saying the paint is to blame for the frame join separation. (??)

 

This whole story is the same as someone bringing their bike in for a minor service, then 8 months later complaining that the service wasn't done correctly because the gears don't shift properly...then coming with the weak excuse of "oh I haven't ridden this bike since the service, first ride was on the weekend"

No it does not.

[arendoog]

[Skinnyone]

The given period for frame defect is lifetime, is it not? Maybe then, just maybe he did act in time. 

 

Your personal story is paint related. I think your story and the OP's differ somewhat, unless Spez is saying the paint is to blame for the frame join separation. (??)

The given time frame (Limited Lifetime - safe useable life of a frame) is 5 years for a manufacturing defect (again this can, and it seems will be, argued till the cows come home whether or not this is a manufacturing defect) - read the whole warranty policy I posted previously, corrosion is not covered.

 

The OP has not mentioned the frame has separated, On another thread he implies that he is still riding the bike - he made mention that he noticed a bump or the way I interpret it as a paint blemish...OP seems to have disappeared with the pics that have been requested so can't tell.

[needleshy]

Maybe the best route would be to get his dealer to remove the distorted paint and hope for frame seperation/damage.

 

I am sure the bike company would warranty that?

[Skinnyone]

Maybe the best route would be to get his dealer to remove the distorted paint and hope for frame seperation/damage.

 

I am sure the bike company would warranty that?

Any signs of paint removal would consitute tampering and would void any warranty...

[Spez247]

And still not a single image of the damaged area....

['Dale]

No pic = conjecture = loose imagination = no evidence = blah blah blah

[Fat fish]

I am sorry guys. tried to down load the report Specialized issued me, unsuccessful. The bike is at the bike shop and will ask them to send me a pic. I like some of the discussion on the causes of corrosion and have learnt alot. I might agree will some of the guys that I should have taken the frame earlier to them, but did not expect corrosion to appear so quickly and did not even know corrosion can take place between the 2 material (carbon and aluminium). I am just so shock and the infected area only got worst after the 2 year warranty was expired. It's like what happened when i had to buy 3 Willards batteries for the some vehicle just after the warranty period expired. The frame is infected where the aluminium and the carbon are joint and there is no damage or any paint that was peeled or removed in that area. So no water could have enter the raw surface or any dampness The whole concept around the paint warranty does not get to me, as the paint is very much on the frame only the bubbles is forming under the paint. To all the Specialized guys, I think the product is not a bad one, but this kind of issue what the brand needs to look into better the product to avoid corrosion future problems, because it could happen to any one of us. Murphy's law it could happen after the year warranty expires. Guys firstly, as I mention previously, I am not look for a new frame and I'll except if they can fix the problem or provide me with a 2013 Specialized Tarmac Pro frameset just to put me the same position. I must admit that I did my faster Argus on this bike, but now I am afraid to ride it hard, as don't know what to expect coming down Suikerbossie.

[Rudi Pollard]

Without the report and photos we cannot possibly comment on whether they should or shouldnt replace the frame after you left it for 2 years.

[Fat fish]

Question Hubber. How can I drag a PDF file on the forum.

[Fat fish]

Give me your email address and I'll provide you with the pics and the report from Specialized.

[Fat fish]

I find the report with the pics. Can you provide me with your email address.