How do

So, after a bit of advice. My housemate has wanted a disc brake road bike for a while now and has been through numerous CX and ‘gravel’ type affairs, none of which he really got on with.

So biting the bullet he ordered a custom ti frame from a UK ‘builder’, giving measurements and requirements as you do. Geometry was signed off along with a list of requirements (bosses for external di2 battery, internal routing, rear disc mount) and the deposit was paid. This was back in June.

The frame finally turned up on the 3rd of November (not unusual in custom frame lead times) and the build started. Firstly, the bosses for the Di2 external battery were missing. A pain in the arse but after £300 on internal battery and fittings that issue was sorted. However, on building the bike up the clearances on the chain stays between stay and crank arm is approx 2mm on one side, 3mm on the other. Under load (in fact, in the stand pressing on the crank arm) it hits the chain stays. Spacers can be used but it requires about 10mm of spacers and at this point the crank doesn’t want to play any more (crank is a Dura Ace 9000 172.5 in length)

The second issue is the rear disc mount. Standing from behind you can clearly see that the post mounts aren’t in line (even remotely) and fitting the calliper, the disc rubs heavily on the pad. Ringing the builder, he said its not uncommon to require some filing of the calliper to get it to fit (news to me!) but even having done this its miles out.

Lead times to have this fixed would be pushing a couple of months and God only knows how they’d sort the BB issue out. In light of this, would my mate have the right to just demand his money back? It’s taken 6 months so far and another two months seems to be taking the piss somewhat. Or should he accept this is all part of the joys of custom frames and suck it up?