I bought a new bike and after two weeks the free hub broke (or so the bike shop said).

They could fix it under warranty but needed to send the whole back wheel to specialized, mean while they lent me a wheel.

A week later the bike shop have contacted me to say my wheel has been replaced and to bring the wheel they lent me back. When in the shop they produced a box containing two rims, both a different colour. The guy in the shop said they have sent two because they don't have the colour you want.

I told the lad in the shop that I don't want that colour and that he needed to contact specialized to sort it.

Recevied a phone call today from the bike shop and they're sticking to their guns and have said Specialized don't have any in the colour you want and can only offer to replace both rims in a different colour.

What can I do now?

freehub broke – get them to swap your rim onto the hub specialized supplied ….

Google "sale of goods act" and "consumer direct"

Your contract is with the shop not the importer or manufacturer. You rights are to have it repaired, replaced or your money back – your choice which. I'd go back to the shop and tell them that you want your money back if they cannot supply a satisfactory replacement.

Why did they not simply replace the hub in the wheel tho? What is the colour difference – are you just being fussy?

Re-build the wheel with the rim colour you want and the new hub? Doubt this would be covered under warranty but a good shop would offer a solution that suits.

Or just swap the hub internals onto your old wheel.

That would be the logical suggestion, but its likely they don't have my rim now. Specialized will have it.

The bike is a spesh fsr xc comp. Original rims black. Replacements are grey/silver.

Am I being fussy?

Its your bike and you should have what you want. That said personally I don't really care about rim colours. If you accept what they have then you could be riding this weekend. Maybe squeeze a couple of spare tubes out of the shop as a goodwill gesture.

Return the bike and ask for a refund.

Unfortunately it looks like your LBS called Specialized who just told them to send the wheel. So they did and lent you a spare. Good LBS.

Now Specialized have let them down.

So rather than wading in with Sales of Goods Acts etc, just tell them to sort it – easiest way, but that you want the same rim (either the old one back on or a new pair) as the front and an equivilent (or better hub) in the rear.

But tbh I wouldn't worry about matching wheels, anymore than I'd worry about matching tyres.

nickjb – I will be able to ride this weekend as I still have the bike shops black back wheel.

Surely all freehubs are detachable and can be replaced without having to do anything else to the wheel ?

simonfbarnes – You would of thought so. I can only assume that the whole wheel needed to be sent back so they can investigate the warranty claim.

Pisses me off when bike companies do this. If an alloy wheel failed on a car you wouldn't accept one which didn't match so why should you on a bike?

They don't have it, if something doesn't exist then it don't exist. They are trying to do the right thing.

They are offering 2 new wheels that match. I will guarantee you the bike will ride just the same with different colour rims.

Take 'em and stop being a tart.

As far as I'm concerned, if the wheels match, it's fine by me.

Says the man with different coloured rims on each end of the bike.

Tiger6791 – Specialized have stopped making black rims?

I know what you're saying and sort of agree … but then again I've just paid over a 1k on a bike, which is a lot to me. Why should I accept 2nd rate?

Somebody, somewhere can't be arsed to sort it. The service I've had from the bike has been great so far.

Tiger6791 – Specialized have stopped making black rims?

Doubt it but if there arn't any in the UK then it's good as

Do you think it's worth contacting Specialized directly?

If it's a case that there aren't any then I will have to suck it up. I just get the feeling somebody can't be arsed.

specialized must still have the old wheel? just get them to send back to lbs to do internals swap?

Can do, when I rung them in the past they have were very good to deal with.

Not the same but I had my Spesh stolen and they went through the logs to dig out the frame number by matching the model to the shop and time and rang me back. So I think they guys down there are pretty good.

I spoke to a chap called Dave 020 8391 3500

customerservice@specializeduk.com

I'd be chasing the freehub replacement but it may well be that no rims of the correct colour are available.

From my experience working in a Specialized shop, their customer service is second to none.

They really do do everything they can to keep their customers happy. So if they say they can't get the black one they probably can't, so they're doing their best to offer you a solution with two new wheels.

That said, the bike shop could probably offer to build up the new hub into your original rim, it's not a massive job and would keep you happy. We would probably offer to do that if you wanted. So that's probably your best first option.

If they can't do that for whatever reason just go with the new pair of wheels!

I had a freehub replaced on an FSR XC last year (about 6 months after I bought it). I walked into a shop (not the one I bought it from, though part of the same chain) said the freehub needed replacing and maybe they could check with Spech to see if it would be covered under warranty. Went to pick up the bike later that day, they'd phoned Spech and they had approved the claim. Walked out with new freehub fitted to the existing wheel at no cost to myself. God knows what's happened in your case!

I'd be more than happy with a new hub in my old rim.

Surely they must be able to do this.

Spoke to Specialized and they don't have any black rear wheels available.

How much would I get for two new specialized wheels?

FSR XC Spec

Trouble with wheels is shipping them, you may get £80 or so for the wheels, but then it'll cost £20 to post them, eats into profits a fair bit! They're nothing special unfortunately.

Ask your LBS to order a Hope Hoops wheelset for you at staff discount rate.

Call Specialized – they're renowned for their quality support. Just explain the situation and see what they can offer.

Its only a rim colour-does it really matter????
I'd just take and start enjoying the riding
Life's too short

I'd take the two new wheels with grey rims but ask if I could keep the undamaged black rimmed front wheel as a spare – as compensation.