Warranty claim?

[HF2300]

I've just had a message from a colleague about his bike, obtained through the cycle to work scheme. Apparently on his way home the rear wheel came off, damaging the disc and derailleur. The quick release lever is still in the locked position; it sounds as though the nut has come off the skewer.

The bike was collected on Thursday, so he's ridden it home Thursday night, round trip commute on Friday, and into work this morning. His round trip is around 6 miles, so it's probably done around 10 - 12 miles total.

It seems to me that if the bike wasn't assembled correctly or the nut was not sufficiently tight it might conceivably take that long until a catastrophic failure, but I have limited experience with QR skewers, so before we go back to the bike shop tomorrow I'd appreciate any second opinions and thoughts anyone may have.

 

[gavintc]

In my opinion, he might struggle to prove negligence with this one. If the QR skewer was not tightened up, the shop could try to claim that he had loosened it, or some lowlife did it while he was at work. There would be a claim if the skewer has sheered or broken in any way. But, he will to convince a mechanic that he did not do up the skewer properly if it has simply unscrewed from the nut side.

 

[HF2300]

Unfortunately, we had to consider the possibility that some lowlife loosened it, which is sad in a company of ten people.

I was just trying to consider all the possibilities; I think it's a 'just one of those things', possibley as a result of the skewer nut being slightly loose to start with, who knows?

Anyway, the intention wasn't to shout the odds with the LBS; I think there's little to be gained that way if you can have a sensible discussion and reach a conclusion together. Just wanted to reach an informed conclusion.

They took the bike back in and went right through it to check all was OK and reset the wheel, derailleurs etc. FOC, even offering to drop what was in the workshop to do it immediately, which I think was good enough.

 

[Tynan]

funny that it happened to a brand new bike, then of all times

happened to me with a rear wheel once and that was the days before quick release as standard, it had only been in for a service too

ah well, no harm done and all fixed

think I'd be giving the bike a once over and thinking about not using the LBS again

 

[Amanda P]

Someone had fiddled with the QR on my bike at work the other day. It happens.

 

[Mr Pig]

We bought a car years ago and the next morning I found a cut in the side wall of a tyre. I'm pretty sure the cut came with the car but I didn't even call the dealer as there was no way I could be sure of it or prove it. Just bought a new tyre.

Bottom line is that the onus is on you to check goods before you take them away, be it a car, bike or anything else.

 

[HF2300]

funny that it happened to a brand new bike, then of all times

Yes, that's what I thought. I'd bet it wasn't quite tight enough out if the box, but there's no proving it; fortunately, since the shop were as good as gold, it doesn't matter.

think I'd be giving the bike a once over and thinking about not using the LBS again

I'm in two minds about this; there's a feeling with other things as well of a lack of attention to detail, and part of me thinks this is the sort of thing you go to an LBS to avoid; on the other hand, they did the right thing, and the bikes are still under guarantee, so perhaps we're tied in for a bit at least.

 

[mickle]

Halfords or FW by any chance

 

[HF2300]

Halfords or FW by any chance

... this is the sort of thing you go to an LBS to avoid...

That's the point (or one of them); this is a supposedly reputable LBS, not the usual cowboys.

 

[Mr Pig]

That's the point, this is a supposedly reputable LBS, not the usual cowboys.

Anyone can mess up. My bike was back at the shop on Saturday for them to replace the rebound damper in the fork. They did up the wheel's quick release but not very tightly. They've also failed to refit one of the stem spacers.

Neither of these things take away from the fact that they seem to have done a clean and tidy job, they just highlight that you need to take responsibility for checking your own bike. At the end of the day it's your safety that's at risk. In a way your colleague has been very blessed in that he's learned a valuable lesson. I'm sure he'll check his bike regularly now.

 

[Tynan]

if I was in a good mood I'd let one go, something important letting go after a service from a professional?

not really

 

[HF2300]

...they just highlight that you need to take responsibility for checking your own bike. At the end of the day it's your safety that's at risk. In a way your colleague has been very blessed in that he's learned a valuable lesson. I'm sure he'll check his bike regularly now.

I'm not sure I'd agree with that. Agreed, anyone can make a mistake, and to a certain extent the mark of a good outfit is how they rectify mistakes. Agreed, the owner has a responsibility for the safety of their bike, and it might be better if many bike owners had a level of technical knowledge.

However, one reason for going to an LBS is to avoid the sort of problems you might get from Joe Bloggs Cash & Carry. A professional has to offer a certain standard of service and has a duty of care; you can't expect everyone who goes to a bike shop to have the level of knowledge or skill necessary to check a bike over thoroughly.

Further, you're paying a professional because you either do not have the skills, time or inclination to do that job yourself - why do so if you effectively have to do it yourself again afterwards?

 

[Ivan Ardon]

They did up the wheel's quick release but not very tightly. They've also failed to refit one of the stem spacers.

Two mistakes/omissions in a single piece of work. Sounds shoddy to me.

Neither of these things take away from the fact that they seem to have done a clean and tidy job, they just highlight that you need to take responsibility for checking your own bike.

Sod that! They're offering a professional, paid for service. Missing bits off and a potentially dangerous loose wheel is just crap. Would you accept the same level of service from, for example, a car mechanic who's just replaced your brakes? Do you check his work to make sure he's done it properly?

 

[Mr Pig]

Would you accept the same level of service from a car mechanic who's just replaced your brakes? Do you check his work to make sure he's done it properly?

No. I do almost all of the work on the car myself as I realised that it was safer than letting someone else do it.

It's funny you mention checking the mechanic's work. Years ago I put my car into a mechanic just across from my work one Saturday morning to have new front brake pads fitted. When I went to collect the car at twelve he was nowhere to be seen and the only people in the garage were two teenage boys, one of whom was doing my brakes.

After collecting it I could hear a loud knocking coming from the front as I drove up the hill. I stopped at my girlfriend's house, which was just up the hill, and looking under the car I found brake fluid all over the inside of the wheel!

The brake pipe union was loose (no idea why he even removed it), the bolts holding the calliper on were loose (hence the knocking), the calliper slide pin caps had holes in them and there was virtually no brake fluid in the reservoir. I had to leave the car there until Monday morning.

When I took it back to the mechanic, that's what he said to me, "Did you not check it before you took it away?". I took the head off him!

You're quite right, we 'should' be able to trust the work done by so called professionals but in my experience, if it is possible for you to check their work then you should. When I got my bike back on Saturday I checked the quick release, which was tight but not as tight as I do it, the brake calliper bolts, which were solid, and the stem bolts. Takes two minutes, why would you not want to?