Last week I placed a deposit on a brand new Super 4 2009 in my size for less than half price (£885) from my local Edinburgh Co-Op.

Literally a few hours later (on BR) I hear that Madison drop Commencal, which leads me to some digging which leads me to the word “crack” – only on 09 Supers afaik. No new distributer has been announced.

So now I’ve got the jitters. I know any mtb can and does fail (its not happened to me yet). But the backup is important.

From the interweb – the good news is that if it does fail it’s when it’s newish and they appear to be non-catastrophic fails (in what appears to be a smallish % of frames – 3% according to the owners club) and that Madison have been good (if slow) with replacing them with 2010 frames (no crack issues) foc. Also all Commie owners appear paranoid checking their frames? Commencal warranty is 2 years – I’m not sure if thats with the shop / Madison etc.

However, Madison are splitting – so am I daft to go ahead or just paranoid? The shop are happy to refund the deposit for any reason if I dont like it (they have it in another branch already) even colour / size etc. But once I walk out the door with it – then it’s mine.

Any pointers appeciated.

Your warranty will continue with your dealer and Commencal are so popular that I cannot see no other disty picking them up. But it is your money that you’ll have to lay down. What is your relationship with the shop like? That will count for a lot should you go ahead and the worst happen a year down the line.

I presume that Madison had run out of space to store all the returned frames/swing-arms.

Cheers guy: the usual stw helpful / unhelpful split!

ask the shop about the warranty, IIRC it’s their problem to sort out if the bike fails

they probably weren’t paying Madison enough to deal with the warranty issues

up side is a potential 2011/2 frame!

Did you buy it from the Edinburgh store? If so, give me a call there tomorrow and I can answer any questions that you might have about any future Warranties and how they will work with Commencal and Madison etc.
Martin

Soooooooooooooooo Atherton on Saracen next year?

Did you buy it from the Edinburgh store?

Yep – I think so I phoned 0131 something – and well I’m collecting it from the Meadows tomorrow or Friday afaik.

Thanks Martin. Very much appreciated. btw I hope the above nervous flutter doesnt paint you chaps in a bad way or anything!

No problem, ask for me when you come in to see the bike.

Thanks Martin. I feel truly bad now that I didnt just ring you up and ask 🙁

Anyways see you Thu / Fri hopefully.

Soooooooooooooooo Atherton on Saracen next year?

That rather depends on whether it’s Madison or Commencal who pays them…

Commencal’s their main sponsor.

‘xactly.

So Panic- what does that mean to humble customers like me?

3% according to the owners club

Where did you read that figure?

Soooooooooooooooo Atherton on Saracen next year?

Nope but Saracen should be announcing a downhill team shortly

I also understand that another ditributor has possibly already stepped in to distribute Commie but thats all Ive heard at the moment, just a rumour
The Madison split nothing to do with the cracking issues, just them wanting to concentrate more on own brands like Saracen etc

Hey Iain1775 how many people on the forum reported cracks, also are there any reports of 2010/2011 frames cracking?

Do not fear on the Commencal distribution front, better things are in the pipeline and a new distributor is already talking to Max on taking over 8)

Given the Paligap/Kona split it might be that they are looking for a new brand?

8)

Hey Iain1775 how many people on the forum reported cracks, also are there any reports of 2010/2011 frames cracking?

Not that many in the grand scheme of things. I’d hazard a guess at asmewhere between 20 and 30 on the forum.
The cracks weren’t really the main issue though, it was how the warranty replacements were dealt with, and the fact some replacements took several months, leading those with cracked frames to be very vocal about the problem.

As for 2010/11 frames, the only problem I’ve heard of is a Meta Carbon cracking at the shock mount.

Always keep in mind, that on the internet, you very rarely hear about the large percentage who never have any problems, you usually just hear the minority who have had problems.

I had/have an 09 Super 4 which predictably cracked at the seat tube, just where the top tube meets it, after about a year. The 2010 frame which replaced it under warranty seems sturdier but of course you have no idea how sturdy until it actually breaks. The good news is it’s a really good bike but if it breaks again I have decided to take the hit and buy something different and transfer the bits not because I can’t get a warranty replacement but because I would never trust it again. As it is I keep getting visions of me flying through the air when hitting things hard!

Madison should honour warranty until the new distributor is up to scratch.

I hear that there’s another reasonably major UK distributor potentially lined up, but as it’s not yet (apparently) common knowledge, I shan’t comment.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out who though. 😉

Paligap?

I hear that there’s another reasonably major UK distributor potentially lined up, but as it’s not yet (apparently) common knowledge, I shan’t comment.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out who though.

Superstar? 😉

I have a 2009 Super 4. The frame is a warranty replacement as the first one snapped at the swing arm after 6 months. No problems with the replacement which has been running fine for close to 18 months.

Took nearly 3 months for the replacement to arrive from maddison, wasn’t very impressed. To be honest even though I love how it rides I can’t really recommend a bike frame that cost close to a grand and snapped after 6 months.

Hopefully a distributor will emerge soon, I need a new rear mech hanger.

couldashouldawoulda – Member
So Panic- what does that mean to humble customers like me?

Sorry, What does what mean?
The Athertons still being sponsored by Commencal or the new distro?

If you’ve already got a Commie in warranty then it should make no difference to you. Your warranty is still with the shop you bought it from. If you’re unlucky enough to need to claim then I guess how efficient the new distro is will affect how quickly your replacement comes through. None of us can know about that until more details emerge

Whilst Madison (and various shops) have in some cases been slow to get replacement frames out it should be noted that they have been very good in accepting claims for even really minor cracks.

really minor cracks

Pah, these whiners with these minor little cracks in their £2000+ mountainbikes 🙄

Bloody Talk Talk.
I re-read the thread, removed my entire post and replaced it with something more helpful and then the line dropped and it was all lost. And now too late to change. SO annoyed….

1. As you might imagine (clearly not) I didn’t mean to imply that anyone with minor cracks shouldn’t have the product replaced. Of course they should. Just that I’ve seen no problems with Madison accepting claims. Just the speed the replacements take to come in. (Waits for someone to post their horrendous problems with Madison …. )

2. As for the OP. I regularly ride with three mates all on Meta 5’s. Two of them have had replacement frames (I think both were actually 2008 frames). The third has a black frame – harder to spot the cracks. My 2009 frame is just now (after about 20 months use) starting to crack at the seat tube / top tube join. It’s really hard to see, but it is there and will grow. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there with 2008 & 2009 frames that haven’t cracked, but they’re not going to complain – are they?

You should be more concerned about the frame you’re getting than the change of distro. If I was after a Commencal now I’d be looking at a 2010 or 2011 frame.