Frame Damaged by LBS. Advice on how I should proceed?
(Note: I'll probably be cross-posting this on ST, so excuse the redundancy).
My local bike shop damaged my frame when the bike was in for service, and I would appreciate any thoughts about how to proceed with dealing with them.
The bike has this semi-integrated seatpost clamp, and when the LBS had it in for a tune-up, the mechanic put on the rear piece of the seatpost clamp upside down, causing a slight misalignment in the screw holes. When he tightened the bolts, threads in three of the four holes in the seatpost clamp were stripped.
Flash forward to me arriving at IMC and unpacking my bike to discover this. So, off to the local heroes at Bike Barn, who have to tap the holes and install longer bolts as a temporary fix to get me through the race. Problem is, this is a band-aid solution designed only to get me through the race. Because the collar is integrated with the frame, I will need to send the whole frame to American Bicycle Group in TN for repair.
Naturally, I correspond with the LBS that caused the damage, and their position is "we didn't do it, the mechanic says the seatpost was never removed." I'm 100% confident that this is untrue.
Advice on next steps? On hearing the LBS response, my most recent communication was a bit of an antagonistic shot across the bow (I'm getting a little heated).
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How much is this going to cost you? Is it worth fighting in small claims court? If not, take it as a lesson learned and take your business elsewhere.
Q: how do you strip three of four threads/bolts? Wouldn't you stop at the first one? Grrr
I'm assuing the dealio at the top is metal? If so, and you wanted to do wanted to do the work yourself vs sending it in to the frame manufacturer, you could use a HeliCoil like to install new threads into that metal collar. I've done this with stripped threads on a motorcycle engine valve cover so this is a beefy repair.
I think my next steps will be to try to reach an understanding at the shop level, though considering they are a Megabrand in the bike world, I can at least escalate things up up up if I hit any roadblocks.
I'm still waiting to hear from ABG about costs, but I can't see it coming in at less than a grand (which is roughly $1000 more than I want to pay).
Again, thanks for the input.
Dave, see my post. I'm 99% sure that this is what the frame manufacturer would do. This is a nothing repair, with the only tricky part being drilling out the old threads before installing the helicoil.
On thing I hate about bikes, and motorcycles for that matter, is a $.05 steel bolt being threaded into a $xxxx aluminum part. Trouble just waiting to a happen. Helicoil = steel on steel.
Tell me about it. The Bike Barn guys and I had the theory that once the collar and bracket holes were misaligned, it was game over. So the bolts 'took' for the LBS the first time, but then torque+misalignment chewed up the threads. (then flash- forward to me standing over a bike box a few weeks later freely spinning a bolt in a BC hotel, wondering if I could ride 112 standing up.)
Good to know the helicoil option. The seatpost clamp is an aluminum jobbie that has been factory-glued into a ti frame, so I had been envisioning that the only solution was going to be a complete replacement of the clamp, and given that it's a proprietary piece, it would have to be done onsite. Of course, I still need to hear from ABG about their recommended remedy, but if what you have provided is a viable option, that might be the route to take.
With the helicoil:
Very sure this is the method the manufacturer would use and they will have the setup and tools for #1. I'm sure a local machine shop could do it also if the manufacturer quoted you some stupid price plus shipping, etc.
I've been through something similar with my Orbea Ora seatpost clamp. Same thing integrated into the frame, it stripped. 2007, I sent it back to the American HQ, they re tapped the holes. Stripped it out a couple years later didn't want to ship it again and eventually put a larger bolt in there and tapped it myself. It looks a little weird on close examination but it does work. I didn't know about these helicoil deals they look perfect.
I have no idea where you live but it might not be too bad of an idea to take your frame to a custom motorcycle shop (fabricator) (Rich do you think these guys would be up for it?) or a machine shop if you aren't comfortable taking your 75 dollar craftsman to a 5k frame. Also, if you do it yourself use low speed and light pressure with your steady hand.
Good luck
I would go with a auto/machinist person as they do that all the time.
Helicoil repairs work very well. If they can be trusted to hold together aluminum engine blocks they will certainly hold your seatpost in.
All that said if I was convinced that the LBS destroyed my frame and the owner blew me off I would send him a letter asking them very nicely to resolve the matter amicably. If he failed to respond I would sue them. Even if I lost it would cost me very little and would cost him more to defend that they repair or even the frame is worth. If he chose to spend several thousand dollars fighting me, ok. Their word against yours does not mean that they win.
If I did not own a law firm thereby making suing people more difficult, I would still send a letter and then commence an action in small claims court if unhappy. The limits should easily cover the repair or the cost of the frame. A smalls claims case is pretty simple, cheap and easy to bring. No one likes to get sued. Even the threat might make the shop more receptive. If not, you tell your side, they tell theirs and a small claims judge decides who is right. Usually very informal.
I would for sure not just deal with it cause I do not have video evidence of them destroying it. Worst case I would tell everyone I knew that they ruined my bike and then lied about it.
Good luck.
I think Steve and Chris should make a fill in the blank .pdf letter that we can all use to put a Big Scary Lawyer to work for us
Who you calling big there speedo boy?
The key to writing threatening letters is to make sure they have a super civil tone. If not they just make you seem insane.