Boardman fork snapped what should I do?
- Thread starter Randommoose
- Start date
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Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
The sellers original contract is with retailer (if he was the first owner) so that’s the only way you’re going to get any satisfaction. Is it out of warranty ? Don’t think you'll get very far. Just be thankful you weren’t hurt.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
That was a waste of an email to the servicing shop. They had no way of knowing that was on the horizon, because Park don't sell crystal balls.
Randommoose
Guru
I have emailed Boardman so will see what they say. As I'm the second owner I know they have no liability to me. If the seller returns my email I might see if he will help me out. But I suppose it is bad luck, just not what I expected from a bicycle a few years old, little ridden, excellent condition. This is the 'best' bicycle I've ever bought so I wasn't expecting structural failure. I bought this based on so many reviews raving about the quality of the Boardman bicycles so it is a pity to have this experience.
If Boardman don't do anything then I will have to buy forks. Thank you @Afnug for the information about the crown race. Frankly if they need replacing I'll get a bike shop to do it for me if there is anything technical or time consuming as I am so busy at the moment and don't want to make a mistake or order the wrong thing.
On the good side, at least it happened now before our year away and was in a flat garden at slow speed rather than a fast descent with a trailer behind!
If Boardman don't do anything then I will have to buy forks. Thank you @Afnug for the information about the crown race. Frankly if they need replacing I'll get a bike shop to do it for me if there is anything technical or time consuming as I am so busy at the moment and don't want to make a mistake or order the wrong thing.
On the good side, at least it happened now before our year away and was in a flat garden at slow speed rather than a fast descent with a trailer behind!
Randy Butternubs
Über Member
~£600 all in for a £1000 bike seems like a good deal to me if the condition is almost as new. The fork breakage is just bad luck; unforseen expenses happen.
I don't know about Boardman in particular but it isn't unusual for manufacturers to offer replacements out of warranty for this kind of thing. If they don't the seller might well be willing to help.
Yellow Saddle
Guru
- Location
- Loch side.
It appears to be the case. Either way, it is very poorly designed and executed, as the perils of such a materials transition are well known. In another current thread someone is bemoaning the fact that his bike was only British-designed and not British-manufactured. This one is probably British-designed but the design was never scrutinized by a competent engineer. Just two anecdotal cases of such a failure would be cause for an investigation and perhaps a recall. I would prefer to reward a company of whatever nationality, for supplying me with a safe, fit-for-purpose product than rewarding someone because of their nationality. I am not saying it is the case here at all. I am saying that misplaced patriotism doesn't give us the best product.
Globalti
Legendary Member
That's a worrying failure and I can completely understand your distress! The seller wouldn't have been able to predict that failure; as Yellow Saddle and others have written it's due to inadequate strength at the vital area of high stress. I would simply send the fork back to Boardman with a letter asking them to send you the redesigned fork when it becomes available and until then asking what they are going to do about supplying you with a fork that's safe. If they won't help and you want to keep the bike, have a look at the aftermarket forks sold on this website: http://www.carboncycles.cc/ They are affordable and I've never heard of one breaking, I had one on my mountain bike and it was strong and smooth-riding.
Randommoose
Guru
Thank you for all your replies.
Price wise they all seemed to be of a similar price when I was looking at ones for sale. I had another I was considering for £50 less but it was much more used (chain ring teeth going shark toothed etc). So I was happy with the price of this. I hadn't seen any at £350.
I'll have to wait until I hear back from Boardman to see what (if anything) they will do. According to my husband the crack is where the different metals join from the brake mount to the fork. I'm not knowledgeable about bikes and have only had cheap ones before so went for the highest recommended bicycle in my price range that I could find a second hand one in travelling distance. I can see why it is tempting just to buy a cheap bike for £100-£200 when an expensive one like this can fail structurally. At least on a cheap one it isn't as much money to lose.
I'm trying to get back into cycling having had nearly a decade of not really cycling at all having done lots of cycle commuting before that on a cheap internet bike. Maybe I should just take the hint and not bother! Unfortunately for our year of travelling we will have to get around on bicycles so I have to have something to use.
Price wise they all seemed to be of a similar price when I was looking at ones for sale. I had another I was considering for £50 less but it was much more used (chain ring teeth going shark toothed etc). So I was happy with the price of this. I hadn't seen any at £350.
I'll have to wait until I hear back from Boardman to see what (if anything) they will do. According to my husband the crack is where the different metals join from the brake mount to the fork. I'm not knowledgeable about bikes and have only had cheap ones before so went for the highest recommended bicycle in my price range that I could find a second hand one in travelling distance. I can see why it is tempting just to buy a cheap bike for £100-£200 when an expensive one like this can fail structurally. At least on a cheap one it isn't as much money to lose.
I'm trying to get back into cycling having had nearly a decade of not really cycling at all having done lots of cycle commuting before that on a cheap internet bike. Maybe I should just take the hint and not bother! Unfortunately for our year of travelling we will have to get around on bicycles so I have to have something to use.
Randommoose
Guru
Oh and the seller has replied. He estimates it has a few hundred miles of riding with him, never dropped or crashed. He owned it from new. It was still original spec (even tyres) when I got it, though I have changed the tyres, saddle and pedals since.
Globalti
Legendary Member
I sold my little-used Tricross to a colleague who is quite portly and on his first commute he broke a spoke on the front wheel by braking hard while hitting a pothole. Since he's a nice chap and a colleague I repaired the wheel for him but I warned him that a road bike is not as robust as his old mountain bike and he was exchanging strength for speed. In a year of commuting he hasn't had any more problems despite having completely neglected the bike, which is now in a shocking condition. (I once had a look at it in the bike shed and both brakes were severely contaminated with oil - when I quizzed him he admitted that he was in the habit of spraying the hubs and brakes with WD40 every weekend!)
But your seller can't be blamed; there's no way he could have predicted that break. If I was you I'd be 'phoning Boardman and kicking up a fuss about the failure.
But your seller can't be blamed; there's no way he could have predicted that break. If I was you I'd be 'phoning Boardman and kicking up a fuss about the failure.
Johnno260
Guru
- Location
- East Sussex
Contact Boardman, try not to be too confrontational, they may offer you a replacement they may not, but say you wanted to make them aware of any potential issues.
You could try and google it to see if there are similar issues?
EDIT: The break is where there is a material change? CF to Alum? that to me sounds insane if it's the case, that's a high stress area that's ludicrous! I would rather have forks all one material with nothing bonded/attached.
You could try and google it to see if there are similar issues?
EDIT: The break is where there is a material change? CF to Alum? that to me sounds insane if it's the case, that's a high stress area that's ludicrous! I would rather have forks all one material with nothing bonded/attached.
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Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
Quoted post removed by moderators.
Agreed, politely try and get Boardman on board (!) and if not buy a new fork. Sounds like really bad luck. I have not heard of anyone I know having a break of that type
Agreed, politely try and get Boardman on board (!) and if not buy a new fork. Sounds like really bad luck. I have not heard of anyone I know having a break of that type
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- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Mod note: We do not want to see any more posts regarding the amount the OP paid for the bike. It is not relevant to the failure and looks like revelling in their misfortune.
Mod hat off: @Randommoose I hope that Boardman will come back to you with a sensible response. I concur with those who have said it looks like a manufacturing defect so I'm hopeful they won't just dismiss it.
Even if they wouldn't pay for the whole cost of repair it would still be reasonable to ask about a goodwill contribution towards it as that is not the kind of failure to be expected on any bike.
Mod hat off: @Randommoose I hope that Boardman will come back to you with a sensible response. I concur with those who have said it looks like a manufacturing defect so I'm hopeful they won't just dismiss it.
Even if they wouldn't pay for the whole cost of repair it would still be reasonable to ask about a goodwill contribution towards it as that is not the kind of failure to be expected on any bike.
