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I bought a set of pedals in April, brand new from a well known retailer. I've only just tried to fit them and the thread on the left hand pedal is knackered. The cranks are fine and take other pedals. The shop won't consider accepting a return/fixing/replacing them.
Do I have any recourse or just put it down to experience? I have, btw, contacted the manufacturer to see what they will do
if it is a maunfacturing defect they are covered by warranty. If they have a knackered thread from being badly fitted then it's your problem - maybe if this is the case someone else had them and returned them and they've been resold, however you'd never be able to prove it
If the pedals are new and unused and boxed, it seems odd that the retailer won't help, they should be in warranty.
Well that's my understanding of how the warranty should work. They are new and unused and I have fitted hundreds of pedals and don't believe it's user error. It could be as you've suggested iainc
If it's a 'well known retailer' that happens to have a few stores and a head office, then a polite 'disappointed customer' email to the HQ/Big Boss may well work wonders.
I know when I've worked in shops in the past we'd get a right rollocking passed down from head office to area manager to manager etc when this happened - even if the customer was basically being a dick in the first place.
Unfortunately no stores in this instance - should have read 'well known online retailer'. I've just emailed them again asking them about the warranty
Thing is, pedals usually thread into aluminium, so the odds of taking a steel axle and damaging it by bad fitting while going into a typical crank without also wrecking the crank are, basically, **** all. Buuuut, wee disclaimer, I've had cranks with slightly iffy threads that will take some pedals but not others, meanwhile the pedals work fine in other cranks. So it's not a totally open and shut thing. Have you tried it in other cranks? (or, from the other side of the arm on these ones?)
What is the actual damage to the axle threads? Badly cut, or some sort of impact where the thread has deformed?
What nowrthwind said
And... Your contract is with the retailer. The goods should be of merchantable quality (which if they were knackered from the start, they were not). Irrespective of what their returns policy is would be up to the retailer to sort it.
If they've suddenly become knackered (cross-threaded), then is a warranty job.
If they've suddenly become knackered (cross-threaded), then is a warranty job.
I seeeeee. I got it wrong all along.
You do know the left pedal has a reverse thread right? Someone had to ask..
I seeeeee. I got it wrong all along.
Quoi? If the thread's failed after installation then yeah it's a warranty job surely? The bike shop has to process that though as your contract is still with them. Even if they come back and reject the claim I'd still be pushing for a fix under soga given the short length of time involved.
Crossthreading wouldn't be grounds for a warranty claim.
Update - retailer is now saying that they will look at a warranty fix/replacement. Thanks for all the replies