Frame crack - ebay dispute advice

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Frame crack - ebay dispute advice

62 posts & 33 voices | Started 1 year ago by ChrisS | Latest reply from ChrisS

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ChrisS - Member

Well it's kind of reached a stalemate with the original seller (waves in case he's reading). His description was:

This bike is over 12 months and shows signs of general use i.e cable wear, small scratches and chips. However there is no serious damage, cracks, deep scratches etc.

None of his photos showed either of these two areas of the frame.

So my motivation for posting this thread was to get some second opinions as to whether either of these two marks were serious enough to worry about and therefore whether or not they were contrary to his original description.

The seller is sticking to his guns and refuses to admit there was anything incorrect in his advert. So now I'm stuck

Posted 1 year ago #
BigJohn - Member

You're not stuck. You've got a great bike that isn't going to break.

Posted 1 year ago #
MrCrushrider - Member

i think he's out of order there mate, that second pic definately should have been shown. send it back to him recorded delivery and open up a paypal dispute.

i'd be seriously pi55ed off, may not be that deep or owt but it definately should have been shown

Posted 1 year ago #
ZaskarCarbon - Member

Personally I don't think either of them are anything to worry about.

Stick a bit of resin or nail lacquer in the mark on the downtube and it'll be fine.

*EDIT - I agree with the comment above though. The damage should really have been shown when it was listed. Perhaps you should send him a few good, detailed pics of it and request a few quid back. I don't think you need to go down the full refund route.

Posted 1 year ago #
hora - Member

None of his photos showed either of these two areas of the frame.

Thats the crux for me. Same when I bought a set of forks off of here. ALOT of photos but strangely none on where the scratches on the stanchions were.

Daffy- thats an accident you had and know how/the details of how it happened. That downtube scrape is MAJOR. NO **** way would I accept that as
"small scratches and chips."

"However there is no serious damage, cracks, deep scratches etc."

So what would you describe that on the downtube? I'd describe it as 'there is a section of carbon/coating missing with various small damage around it- in the pics you can see this'.

Open a paypal dispute unless you bought outside of Ebay/not at auction end?

Posted 1 year ago #
mdr75 - Member

(Waves back)

Posted 1 year ago #
MrCrushrider - Member

exactly. if you'd been shown, then fair enough - but to me the seller has decieved you on purpouse

Posted 1 year ago #
hora - Member

mdr75

Noted not to buy anything from you.

Posted 1 year ago #
ChrisS - Member

I did open an ebay dispute in the end just to try and get this resolved, is a paypal dispute different then?

To be quite honest the whole thing is actually a bit more complicated because I had already started servicing the bike and swapping a few bits around before I noticed that second bit of damage. So technically the bike is no longer in the condition it was when I bought it....

Ho hum.

Posted 1 year ago #
ChrisS - Member

Hora - stop pratting about. I really don't want to get into a whole mud-slinging, name and shame, load of crap on here. My original intent was merely to try to find out whether the damage was significant enough to worry about. Although I think the argument that the frame is not as described does hold a lot of weight.

Posted 1 year ago #
MrCrushrider - Member

chris - just take the bits off the frame. if youve chaged bearings/bushings then its money lost i suppose, but it shouldnt matter when it comes to getting some/all your money back...

Posted 1 year ago #
hora - Member

You've absolutely no way of knowing how bad or deep that damage goes. Really you can only take your word on how it was caused and with someones vested-interest in this they could be highly-subjective on the answer they give you.

The fact you've actually started building it up etc means you dont have much grounds IMO.

How is it mud-slinging? If that really was there before you bought the frame its misdescribed.

Posted 1 year ago #
mdr75 - Member

The buyer never once asked to view the bike or ask any questions about any previous history.
Had the buyer asked for more info on the general wear marks, i would have happily sent pictures detailing the areas.
In my opinion the overall strength of the carbon has not been compromised at all by the cosmetic damage and had i not had 2 prolasped discs in my back recently i would still be riding it..
Since taking delivery of the bike, the buyer has serviced the rear shock, front forks foam seals and replaced front chainrings whilst also removing the headset bearings in anticipation of new ones arriving.
This work was all carried without my prior knowledge.
I just thought i would add this for everyone's benefit.
Whilst it may be argued he has now enhanced the bike, any work he has carried out will be neither warrant'd nor guaranteed and should not really have been carried out if he never intended to keep the bike.

Sorry Chris but could not just sit back and be tainted as a bad seller.

Posted 1 year ago #
druidh - Member

I'm confused. If I'd just bought a 2nd hand bike or frame, the first thing I'd do would be to make sure it was "as described" and I'd be giving it a good once over before I started any work on it. I wouldn't expect to just discover something like that 2nd mark much later on.

Posted 1 year ago #
hora - Member

Was that cracked/missing-surface on the downtube there when you sent it off?

"However there is no serious damage, cracks, deep scratches etc."

So you wouldnt class that as none of the above?

A very good point:

'm confused. If I'd just bought a 2nd hand bike or frame, the first thing I'd do would be to make sure it was "as described" and I'd be giving it a good once over before I started any work on it. I wouldn't expect to just discover something like that 2nd mark much later on.

Someone either didnt check (although you sound competent to build a frame?) or....someone isnt being totally honest and it might not be the Sellers fault?

Posted 1 year ago #
mdr75 - Member

As the dispute is ongoing i won't be commenting on the matter any further until it is resolved.

Posted 1 year ago #
ChrisS - Member

Fair enough, I should have examined the frame more closely when it first arrived, my mistake - I just started sorting it out in a fit of enthusiasm. This is a mistake I won't make again.

My intention with this thread was NOT slag off the seller, nor to identify him in public, nor to go through all of the various issues raised in my dispute with him. All I wanted to do was to try to establish whether the damage was significant (and thus by inference whether or not it met the sellers original description).

To be fair the consensus on here appears to be that whilst the damage doesn't tally with the description, it probably isn't structural enough to worry about.

Posted 1 year ago #
wwaswas - Member

ChrisS - can I suggest you take it to a connondale dealer for a full inspection - just so you get peace of mind, if nothing else.

Posted 1 year ago #
ChrisS - Member

Good idea, might try that - thanks.

Posted 1 year ago #
Singlespeed_Shep - Member

I think that all that can be learn't from this is check stuff over when it arrives. In my opinion as soon as you change parts etc the bikes yours.

I was in a similar situation where i sold a bike and two months after getting positive feedback the buyer tried to claim £60 out of me because the rear brake started to leak, Its all about reasonable time. Had it been like that when i sold the box would have brake fluid on it and it would have been noticed straight away.

The damage near cannondale logo could have been done in transport or even when sat in you garage.

I've alot of experience working with carbon frames and seen alot of warrenty claims. Your frame doesn't LOOK like it would be any sort of problem the mark on the top tube is more than likely a scratch. the other damage to the paint and possibly the top layer of carbon. But thats all anyone can say from a picture on a forum, as said above take it to a Cannondale dealer and let them have a look.

I don't really think the seller has done anything wrong in this case, you could have helped him by inspecting the bike straight away which would give him the opportunity to resolve the issue fairly. So I think its an unfair representation of him as a seller.

Posted 1 year ago #
ChrisS - Member

Biggest problem at the moment is finding replacement headset bearings. The oem headset is a weird reducer (1.5 to 1 1/8) with very short insertion depth, it takes Tange Seiki 4T5-5 cartridge bearings (41mm od, both chamfers 45 degrees). Nobody seems to sell these or list them as existing. New Cane creek headset would be best part of £90. Standard 36/45 degree ones don't fit, campy 45/45 are too larger diameter <sigh>

Posted 1 year ago #
Singlespeed_Shep - Member

Have you tried a local bearing supplier? if you take your existing bearings in sure they would find you a replacement

Posted 1 year ago #
DanEvs - Member

Chris you sound like an utter tit I'm afraid.

You should've checked it over first and if you weren't happy with the bike you should've voiced your concerns before fiddling and faffing with the bike.

Posted 1 year ago #
SpokesCycles - Member

It'll be fine, just ride it. Both ares are just part of the deal.

Posted 1 year ago #
BigJohn - Member

weird reducer (1.5 to 1 1/8)

Also known as a standard Cannondale step-down headset.

Posted 1 year ago #
ChrisS - Member

weird reducer (1.5 to 1 1/8)

Weird in that it uses unusual 45/45 degree bearings and a very short cup insertion length, not just a bog standard step down headset. Apparently the version used in cannondale alloy frames won't work for this reason.

Posted 1 year ago #
ChrisS - Member

Chris you sound like an utter **** I'm afraid.

Thanks for that, does it make you feel a bigger man insulting people from behind the safety of your computer screen?

If you actually bothered to read the whole thread, some people clearly agree with me, others don't. Hardly clear cut enough to warrant this kind of abuse. Maybe you should stick to the classifieds, which judging from your posting history, seems to be your only real interest in this site.

Posted 1 year ago #