I have a Trek Top Fuel 9.8 which was going through suspension bearing every few weeks. Bearings fitted by Trek dealer. I started to suspect ovalised link arm bolt holes so I asked my local Trek dealer to ask Trek warranty. Now I know that this was a long shot, but it does not hurt to ask and I have owned 8 Trek bikes from new including just ordering a Project One SC.

The answer I got was not a warranty claim, but will sell you a new rear link arm and rocker link at a reduced price (still hundreds of pounds). When I went to pick up the bike I found the link arm and rocker looked like they were from a 9.9 although they were badged 9.8 . The rocker was bright white and the rear was a much darker colour.

So on one hand I have a frame that I can use or sell (but it looks a bit crap), but on the other I cannot help feeling like my loyalty deserved a little more.

I am interested what peoples views are so I can just forget about it.

is it old or something? presume the shop hasn’t been replacing these FOC, not that i expect them to work for free.

Sounds fair enough assuming the bike wasn’t brand new. A lightweight plastic frame won’t last forever. How do you feel your dealer handled the claim as its them you have the warranty with?

How do you feel your dealer handled the claim as its them you have the warranty with?

I have had a good relationship with them for a long time and they have acted in a normal fashion here. Trek will charge them for the parts and they will pass this on to me.

I don’t have anything to complain about. I knew before I asked that ovalised bolt holes can be caused by waiting too long to change the bearings. I just feel a little empty that Trek could have done a better job on the price and accuracy of the parts for a loyal customer.

I remember many moons ago having some frame issues when I worked in the LBS, enquired with trek and the crash replacement price for an aluminium frame was £££s…
I guess the question is are you happy with how it rides? If so, would £20 on a rattle can and an evening getting high on the fumes make you happy 🙂

I was offered a discounted rearend from Trek for my Fuel Ex as the paint bubbled, but it didn’t qualify as a warranty replacement. I was told up front that the rear end colour wouldn’t match, which I ca understand when you take into account all the various colourways. Perhaps manufacturers should consider just keeping raw frame spares to get round this problem. But I don’t think that they should pay for the paint job to get them to match in such circumstances.

They simply won’t keep spares food every type/colour of frame, so don’t moan about that.

Trek are really really infamous for replacing part of a frame with a totally different colour. Technically they’ve fulfilled their duty, but plenty of disgruntled customers with red seat stays on a totally white bike and so on!

That said, bike’s been obsolete a few years, and you can’t expect them to hold every permutation of colour.