[Closed] Does a top tube dent devalue a bike ?

Yes it does and yes he should be seeking recompense. Item not as described.

If I put a dent in a too tube, I'd still ride it but this sounds like it's been wrongly advertised. Id be seeking a refund

IMHO a dent in any tube is not excellent condition and it is certainly not excellent condition for a 2 month old bike its pretty poor i would say given the age it should be "like new" if "excellent" rather than battled scarred at such a young age

Re-check the rear wheel quick release is done up tight and the axle is sitting right in the hanger, this is fairly common.

I helped him unbox the bike and I'm not sure if it is where the handlebars had been taken off the stem and wedged into the box that's done it.

Not as described, I'd happily ride a dented TT bike but do negotiate a discount (how much is tough to know). I'd check the rear wheel as above, there may be nothing wrong with it

Depending on how big the dent is, the frame could be dead. Alot of modern frames have the strength in the shape of the tubing. If the frame is steel then it will probably be fine. If its aluminum then I'd be popping it down to my local bike shop to get a second opinion.

Don't get me wrong it's not a big dent and it only just caught my eye.

The chain was also routed through the rear mechanism incorrectly too.

Seller is possibly refusing a partial refund and has told my mate to send the bike back. He doesn't really want to do this as he likes the bike otherwise.

Can he push for a partial refund.

If it's not large then you should be fine. I used to ride BMX before coming back to monutain bikes. Rode bikes with all sorts of dents!
I think you can only get a partial if both parties agree. I'd still push for one, the seller will have to refund the postage aswell as the full amount. Then they'll have to relist it too.

What has your 'friend' bought Renton? 🙂

Can he push for a partial refund.

No. Tell him to suck it up, or send it back.

I rode a 5 with a dented top tube for years, but I made the dent! I wouldn't expect that on a bike advertised as excellent condition though.

I have a massive dent in the top tube of my bike - think scaffold pole hitting top tube at 90 degrees and leaving the dent

been OK for the last 8 years like this.
NO way would i expect anyone to trust it though but it has been fine - Ally frame FWIW

The cheeky ****er is now insinuating it may have been done taking the bike out of the box.

It may have been, how does he know. How does he know it didn't get dropped by the buyer wheeling it out if the door or even during its first ride.

That's the tricky thing with stuff like this, getting proof. There's enough threads in here with stws sending items they know as described but the buyer apparently trying to pull a fast one.

Google it. You never know keyword search the seller may have asked the same questions pre sale.

I sold a 08 Enduro frame in 2011 for £175 with a downtube dent. The same price I paid for it. Under BB dings = OK. Anything else YES. If you do it its no biggie to a new owner though yes. Open a PP dispute or get the seller to claim on his post insurance. His problem as arrived not described. On the pics did he send any with that part showing? That's telling if loads and that's concealed..possibly

It was unpacked in my kitchen. It hasn't been outside yet.

I'd love to know how you dent a frame taking it out of a box.

Send it back. Plenty more bikes out there.

It was unpacked in my kitchen. It hasn't been outside yet.

how does the seller know that?

Cp....don't point out what we all know 😀

Metal frames are often deliberately dented in order to accommodate wheels, chainrings and mechs:

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See the chainstay, above.

As long as it's a smooth indent without any sharp bits that could act as stress risers (the same as when you nick a piece of sellotape with a tooth to start a tear) it will be fine. However if your pal feels the bike wasn't described properly he should tell the seller he's unhappy, staying cool and business-like. I expect the seller was glad to sell the bike and will be willing to give a partial refund just to get shot of it. Honour will be satisfied. Everything is negotiable.

The cheeky ****er is now insinuating it may have been done taking the bike out of the box

Agree with some of the comments above re: defending the seller. In the past I'd usually have trusted the buyer and come to an arrangement but it's getting far more common for buyers to try it on so these days I'd want proof that it happened in transit before entertaining them.

Happened to me when selling an electric hospital style bed. The bloke came to collect it at which point I insisted on showing it working even though he wasn't bothered and invited him to inspect it in detail. He then rammed it in his car/van which was too small and went on his merry way. A few days later he contacted me saying it had stopped working and one of the connectors had snapped off which he expected me to pay to repair! 🙄

We sold a road bike, which I took lots of trouble to pack in a bike box. The buyer emailed me to say that it was wrecked - when he sent pictures I saw that TNT had damaged it badly but unfortunately the buyer's idiot wife had signed for it "in good condition" despite the carton being crushed and having a huge hole through it. Ebay being heavily biased in favour of the buyer and this buyer spitting mad, I agreed to refund him and got it collected. I managed to get about half the cost of the repairs out of TNT by being persistent and bloody-minded then I re-sold it. Would you believe, the new buyer called me to say that the hanger was bent! I do think he bent it by dropping the frame on the floor but I ended up buying him a new hanger - anything to get rid of the accursed bike.