Trying to work out the best way to sort out this situation…

– I bought a fork, brand new from a business seller (140mm travel)
– Fork arrived, I was gleeful, and duly cut the steerer down to fit my frame
– I *then* noticed I’d been sent the wrong model (120mm version)

I’ve contacted the seller already and explained what’s happened and I’m waiting for a reply, but obviously returning it is a bit awkward now and not sure best way to resolve, I appreciate that the steerer cutting is entirely my fault, and I should have checked it over more carefully first.

A large part of me thinks should just suck it up, buy another one and either sell or use the 120mm version, but I’m kinda annoyed cos I got sent the wrong model in the first place!

So mount up your STW moral high horse and feel free to advise/berate as you see fit…

What fork? Some are easily converted

Difficult. I’m going to go with you should have been provided with the correct model and weren’t necessarily to know.
Seller should replace with correct model, you should buy them a pint.

Conversion was my other thought…DT Swiss FWIW

too late, suck it up.

Suck it up dude! Ebay will tell you the same.

Too late – once you cut the steerer then thats it – its yours

I would agree that by cutting the steerer you have accepted the goods and they are now yours.

Possibly the seller will be charitable and sort you out though, but I’d be fairly sure they don’t have to (legally)

I’d say it depends on how easy it was/is to identify the model. If there are big **** off labels on it saying 120 or 140 travel and then it’s clearly your fault. If you can only work it out by fitting the fork or looking at the small print in the documentation then the fault is with the seller. I’m guessing your experience is somewhere in the middle of these two extremes – and where lawyers make their money.

what they said above in that it depends how easy it was to know it was 120mm and not 140 mm

I have never checked the travel on a fork but I will be doing now

Damn eBay sellers, I got a crankset with a raceface cinch chainring should have been 32t, after it being fitted and ridden it was actually a 34T , tough call we should have both checked but the seller should have checked too.
Lose lose

depends how easy it was to know it was 120mm and not 140 mm

small sticker on the back of the fork leg, small enough to miss, big enough to find…

you’re right, I should have checked, but they should have sent the correct ones, ah well, my other bike could do with some new forks too so I’ll chalk this one up to experience 🙂

I’d politely contact the seller and basically hope they show a bit of good will.

Gutted for you, sort of thing I would do!

Sellers don’t like negative feedback so worth a courteous phone call mate. Nothing to lose.

I would phone them if possible. Even if initially you use eBay to let them know.

Good luck either way.

I’d politely contact the seller and basically hope they show a bit of good will.

I have politely contacted them, I’m actually thinking about just offering to buy another one from them and asking if they’ll waive the postage fee on the new one as a goodwill gesture, might work and seems fair to me, what do you think?

Sellers don’t like negative feedback

No risk of that, there’s no way I’d leave them bad feedback for my mistake!

I’d offer to pay cost price plus postage for the 140’s

Costs them nothing really, and keeps a customer happy.

You both made mistakes, but it seems like a fairly good compromise.

Can’t hurt to ask.

Have they responded yet mate?
Sorry if I missed that detail.

I would still try for a fork swap in the knowledge it’s only if they want to do that to show good will. Worth a shot.

Id certainly look to see if possible and how much it is to convert them to the length you need?

Just as back up.