WTF?! They drilled holes in my Kona frame! Warranty void?

[GrubNut]

Ok a short story here,

I gots an 02 Kona Roast and i need to ride it to work during the week. I wanted to mount paneer bags, but the roast does not have fitting for a rack of course. So i figured i could just have something made up that would not harm the frame and would be easy to take off on the weekend.

So i checked out the good bike shops in Melbourne over a few weeks and talked to them to seee what the could do. Finally went to this place (i'll refrain from putting the name here right now) and had a lengthy conversation with one of their mechaincs who explained that they could make something rool good, and i felt convinced that they knew what they were talking about.

So i czech my bike in, but... WTF?!.. when i got it back the butchers had drilled holes in the frame and put braze-on fittings!! :evil: Must have been some kind of communication breakdown. I guess my warranty is totally void now.. I just makes me sad every time i look at the frame. :cry:

The "work" was actually not bad and i doubt it compromises the strength of the frame. But I reckon I'd just get rejected out of hand if i made a legit warranty claim. I've heard of dudes getting knocked back from Kona because of putting paint on their bike. I consdiered suing the shop or going to the small claims tribunal, but then again lifes a bit too goddam short. I tried to get info about it but Kona have not replied to any of my letters. Any thoughts? :?

 

[Jordy]

maybe have a talk to the shop guys, how long is warranty on kona's anyway ? i doubt it will break and if it brakes and you cant get warranty get onto the shop

 

[dugfast]

haha thats crazy! what did you say to them to inspire them to drill holes?

 

[junior]

your frame warranty in definatley void. thats just bloodly stupid drilling holes in the frame :roll:

 

[Simo]

don't sue ffs.
I know you are pissed off but people sueing over everything is the reason for all the insurance hikes and thus the risk of many DH trails.

I know your pissed but beofre you go and and scream lawsuit in their face go talk to them properly and specificaly to the manager and mechanic involved.

 

[Tomas]

thats screwed....that really is wack...

 

[GrubNut]

haha thats crazy! what did you say to them to inspire them to drill holes?

hell, i said nothing to give them such inspiration.... I didn't say much when i picked it up either cause all i could do was stand there with my mouth open.

 

[shmity]

Instead of suing, play the naming game....i think most people here would like to be informed of a shop that goes drilling holes in peoples frames, warranted or not....stupidist thing ive heard in a while for a melbourne shop.

 

[S.]

Instead of suing, play the naming game....i think most people here would like to be informed of a shop that goes drilling holes in peoples frames, warranted or not....stupidist thing ive heard in a while for a melbourne shop.

Yeah, but only AFTER you let the shop know that...

 

[GrubNut]

don't sue ffs.
I know you are pissed off but people sueing over everything is the reason for all the insurance hikes and thus the risk of many DH trails.

I know your pissed but beofre you go and and scream lawsuit in their face go talk to them properly and specificaly to the manager and mechanic involved.

Yep I hear you. And I agree. I was just saying it crossed my mind.

 

[shmity]

Hmm, good point, courtesy is always a good idea. I still dont see what possesed them to drill holes...option a) modify a panier of around 70 dollars, option b) drill holes in a couple hundred dollar frame. :s

 

[oz-freerider]

seems rather stupid i cant see it being that hard or costing that much to make up a clamp to go around where they drilled holes or somthing along them lines

 

[GrubNut]

seems rather stupid i cant see it being that hard or costing that much to make up a clamp to go around where they drilled holes or somthing along them lines

Well, no I can't either... The mechanic actually explianed that that's what they could do in their workshop out the back - and even put nice rubber inserts so as to not scratch up too much. :roll:

 

[Wattsy]

this is pretty f'ed up but that dont mean to suit, have a talk 2 em, see what they can do if anything does happen to the frame, g'luck

 

[Dane]

seems rather stupid i cant see it being that hard or costing that much to make up a clamp to go around where they drilled holes or somthing along them lines

Well, no I can't either... The mechanic actually explianed that that's what they could do in their workshop out the back - and even put nice rubber inserts so as to not scratch up too much. :roll:

thc in highett had some in their workshop. they just gave them to me when i bought a pannier for my roadie. seems ridiculous to me to drill a hole when i'm sure you can get these clamps fairly easily. And it was easy installation, just clip the clamps over the seat stays and bingo...

i think you should go and have a talk with this bike shop.

 

[Rik]

Where are these holes? How big are they? And did you think of asking what they planned on doing to the bike before you handed it over?

 

[MUNGUS]

yeah i ahve put those clamps on man y bikes before. its easy as and works well. they come with the pannier racks we sell n e way so i'm not sure y the shop wouldn't have had n e. gotta suck for u n e way and i guess all of this isn't helping u now n e way.

 

[GrubNut]

Where are these holes? How big are they? And did you think of asking what they planned on doing to the bike before you handed it over?

Holes are on the seat stays - or whatever you call the tubes going from the rear hub up to the top of the seatpost tube.

And, ah...yes i had a long conversation with them about before i handed it over and the person I talked to seemed to fully understand that the frame was a precious thing not to be unescessarily fucked with, and said they could make clips in such a way as to not interfere with it. When I described the bike he said he "knew the tubing intimately". That is why i had the work done here.

All i can guess is that when they came to do the job there was some kind of communcation breakdown between the staff when the work was done.

 

[Tomac Boy]

I wouldn't worry about it too much mate, as one of the following scenarios will happen...

1. Your frame doesn't break and you live happily ever after...
2. Your frame will break in a spot which is clearly unaffected by the holes, eg a crack at the headtube join - when they drilled the rear end, in which case WILL not effect warranty, as the holes clearly had nothing to do with the break.
3. Your frame will crack next to the holes - at which time you take the frame back to shop that drilled the holes. Any self-respecting shop would offer a replacement frame free of charge as the break was clearly their fault.

 

[Mahoney_007]

This may seem a bit rude of me but Why The Fuck did you leave the shop with your bike, that kinda says to me you were happy with the result. I would of gone off my nut, in a civilised manner (no swearing or name calling) until I got some kinda respose as to why the fuck holes were drilled into my frame.
Now Ive never pretended to know alot about MTB's but JESUS CHRIST there is no way in hell I'd even put a drill anywhere near any part of my bike let alone the frame.

All this aside, you really cant do anything about it now except for complain loudly and maybe get your money back from such a dodgy job. I'd so be posting the name of this shop "IF" I couldnt get some satisfaction outta my (well your) complaint.