[Closed] Should I return my London Road frame_is this defective?

Well, I would like to have it replaced/get a refund

The thread linked by timba above has me concerned, as it seems a guy with a very similar problem was told "too bad, within our tolerances" and they held the frame for over a month.

I can't seem to find a 31.8 seatpost that doesn't cost $100

I can't find any sort of shim from 31.6 to 31.8

I put a beer can around the post on three sides, and that seems to hold the post in place without the clamp....

So, my choices are down to:
1. Buy a 27.2 seatpost and shim and hope that works
2. Build up a brand new bike with a beer can in it or
3. Return and pray they are timely and honest, which by the thread above doesn't seem to be the case.

4, tell px that they can make the situation good by sending you a 31.8 seat post

psycorp - Member

How crap is their manufacturing partner/comms with manufacturing partner/warranty team and managment communicating the problem, that they have had this issue for over a year and multiple production runs and still haven't fixed it???

Misdiagnosis, this. The problem isn't bad comms, it's that they've not bothered to fix it. And why would they? They didn't bother making it right in the first place. This isn't an unforseen or out of character failing, from On One, this is what they do.

This isn't an unforseen or out of character failing, from On One, this is what they do.

Ouch. But yes, this is exactly why I buy nice things from nice people for proper money, infrequently.

🙂

mikewsmith - Member
4, tell px that they can make the situation good by sending you a 31.8 seat post

Tried that, they don't (and don't plan on) any.

OP out of curiosity, did they say that the oversized seat tube was a first for them? 😈

I'm not buying the what do you expect for the money comments.

You can buy a complete bike for the price of a London road frame. The seat post would be in a hole of the correct size.

That's exactly my point, a frame retailing around £200 will have been made at a far lower cost. That lower cost will mean lower tolerances and, a lower margin product.

This isn't an unforseen or out of character failing, from On One, this is what they do.

I think its disgusting business practice, I'd strongly recommend people stop buying from them.

Maybe STW go investigate?

Failing that I suggest ST Towers organise one of these

[img] [/img]

I have a couple of bikes from them, including a London Road without the wizards sleeve seat tube. That being said their customer service is awful. I can't honestly recommend them to anyone. I only live 30 minutes down the road from them so can go into the showroom and annoy them in person if there are any issues.

Took them 2 months to replace a leaking deore brake calliper after first trying to argue that it wasn't warranted for more than 12 months even though Shimano warranty it for 24 months!

Regards the quality, what do you seriously expect for the price?

A seat tube the correct size isn't too much to ask surely?

I can't seem to find a 31.8 seatpost that doesn't cost $100

$15 plus postage.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ritchey-Bike-Seatpost-31-8-350-mm-NEW-/222173013748?hash=item33ba8b26f4:g:p6cAAOSwdWBXPBbS

Regards the quality, what do you seriously expect for the price?

A seat tube the correct size isn't too much to ask surely?

I can't seem to find a 31.8 seatpost that doesn't cost $100

$15 plus postage.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ritchey-Bike-Seatpost-31-8-350-mm-NEW-/222173013748?hash=item33ba8b26f4:g:p6cAAOSwdWBXPBbS

buckster - Member

That's exactly my point, a frame retailing around £200 will have been made at a far lower cost. That lower cost will mean lower tolerances and, a lower margin product.

Nonsense.
Planet X 'designed' the frame, specced the tubes, found a supplier, decided on a price point. They should be able to supply a 'fit for purpose' frame for that price that meets their own spec.

If they can't, then they shouldn't be selling the frame for that price.
The tube ID isn't even close in most of the pictures I have seen. It's like the wrong tube has been used.

We use a lot of tubing at work for gas flow/water cooling circuits & they are always spot on. Making tubes is an established process & it shouldn't be that difficult for them to get tubes in the right size.

It would be interesting to know how they specced the tube; maybe they were sloppy on their tolerances on the drawings & the supplier is now holding them to that.
If you say, I want 5000 of these made to this tolerance & your tolerances aren't adequate, then you can't really complain when stuff starts coming in 'to spec' but not fit for purpose. Which is maybe the position they are in?

I could accept the 'built to a low price' argument if the paint was perhaps a bit thin, or the BB hadn't been faced.
But the seat tube diameter is of critical importance to a working bike frame & should be correct.

Nonsense.
Planet X 'designed' the frame, specced the tubes, found a supplier, decided on a price point. They should be able to supply a 'fit for purpose' frame for that price that meets their own spec.

If they can't, then they shouldn't be selling the frame for that price.
The tube ID isn't even close in most of the pictures I have seen. It's like the wrong tube has been used.

We use a lot of tubing at work for gas flow/water cooling circuits & they are always spot on. Making tubes is an established process & it shouldn't be that difficult for them to get tubes in the right size.

It would be interesting to know how they specced the tube; maybe they were sloppy on their tolerances on the drawings & the supplier is now holding them to that.
If you say, I want 5000 of these made to this tolerance & your tolerances aren't adequate, then you can't really complain when stuff starts coming in 'to spec' but not fit for purpose. Which is maybe the position they are in?

I could accept the 'built to a low price' argument if the paint was perhaps a bit thin, or the BB hadn't been faced.
But the seat tube diameter is of critical importance to a working bike frame & should be correct.

Hang on, its not nonsense, I agree with you, my points was to say that the cost of this frame to build is low, the sale price is low ergo the margin is low, too low to support long term warranty etc. Its quite obvious that if the tube is the correct ID then the seat tube would fit! It appears it does not which suggests to me lax QC in Asia and no desire to check these things as product appears in the UK, otherwise, this frame would have been rejected on entry and returned to the manufacturer, surely?

buckster - Member
I'm not buying the what do you expect for the money comments.
You can buy a complete bike for the price of a London road frame. The seat post would be in a hole of the correct size.

That's exactly my point, a frame retailing around £200 will have been made at a far lower cost. That lower cost will mean lower tolerances and, a lower margin product.

thats crap - you've totally missed the point of that post buckster... if a 200gbp whole bike can have the frame seatpost correct why the f can planet X not get it right on a frame costing 200gbp?

totally inacceptable. OP demand a seatpost to fit (get them to send a few if needs be) at their cost.

$15 plus postage.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ritchey-Bike-Seatpost-31-8-350-mm-NEW-/222173013748?hash=item33ba8b26f4:g:p6cAAOSwdWBXPBbS

I suspect it's a mistake. Do Ritchey make 31.8mm seatposts? none are listed on their website.

FWIW, I use this 100mm long USE shim and a 27.2 seatpost:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ultimate-use-sx-seat-post-shim/

I suspect it's a mistake. Do Ritchey make 31.8mm seatposts? none are listed on their website.

Wife says I should just eat the cost of my undersized seatpost

You already have the answer. If you send it back, you'll be fighting a war on two fronts 😉

Seriously, I'm in the UK and would send it back. If I'd sourced a US frame withe the same failings then I'd do my best to rectify with a 27.2 seatpost myself. It will still be a good bike for what you need. Just not quite as cheap as you hoped.

thats crap - you've totally missed the point of that post buckster... if a 200gbp whole bike can have the frame seatpost correct why the f can planet X not get it right on a frame costing 200gbp?

totally inacceptable. OP demand a seatpost to fit (get them to send a few if needs be) at their cost.

Because the margins are too low to be bothered to check on every frame the tolerances etc. It is shit, I agree.

Buckster I'm glad your coming round on this as you've confused me. If the marginds are low that means more money for the frame, not less

When Halfords sell a Carrera zealous for £250 the amount left over for a frame must be less than the London frame. But some how the seat post goes in the correct size hole

the bright side, I am learning all sorts of new British idioms, e.g.
"flogging them off"/"bobbins"

Here's another word "cockwombles"

Update: Found a 31.8 seatpost....still too big. Got some digital calipers and measured seattube at 31.87.

Have been transferred from customer service to warranty at Planet X. At first they were going to arrange for a collection until they realized the shipping cost from the U.S. Sent pics to the warranty team and now waiting.

gap with 31.8 seatpost[url=[URL= http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z459/biking_tim/Planet%20X%20London%20Road%20Frame/20160713_000433_zps5c0g3t7u.jp g" target="_blank">http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z459/biking_tim/Planet%20X%20London%20Road%20Frame/20160713_000433_zps5c0g3t7u.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]]null

Is that seat tube round?

Misdiagnosis, this. The problem isn't bad comms, it's that they've not bothered to fix it. And why would they? They didn't bother making it right in the first place. This isn't an unforseen or out of character failing, from On One, this is what they do.

If that actually is the case NW then it's a very sad attitude and culture for a company the size of OO/PlanetX.

Hope you get the outcome you want OP.

matt_outandabout - Member
Is that seat tube round?

Thats a good point. I kept getting inconsistent measurements on my calipers and thought they were just nit calibrated correctly. Not being round would indeed make sense.

Seems like you have a few options.

1. Shim it with a can of ale and ride the **** thing up hill and down dale (and an ale can shim is pretty on brand for on-one, let's face it).

2. On-one confound their Yorkshire roots and sort you out a replacement or refund. Properly, free of any charges, because it's the right thing to do.

3. You have the time and income for this to be not about the money - buy a real CX bike for this season, and in the meantime pursue on-on for full recompense, from 2000 miles away.

Sounds like you'll get a clear answer soon on whether #2 is on the cards - could happen, there is a first time for everything, afterall. Only you can say whether #3 is realistic, but from the sound of things, it isn't. So that leaves #1.
Good luck with the cross season - starting to think about it myself.

I am now getting the full run-around. They have requested my order number 3 times, profess to have not received any of the photos I have sent multiple times to three different addresses and keep responding to me from different email addresses and acting is as previous communications have not occurred.

When you send them the order no again link them to this thread

Get on their twitter and Facebook pages as well.

If you paid on credit card do a chargeback, That'll soon get them moving and you'll get your money back.

This is proper poor form from Planet X to be honest !!

I had two orders 'dissapear' last month and the only way I got any resolution from them was by moaning on their Facebook page.
Won't use them again, was deduced by cheap prices in the past but the customer service was as bad as anyone who has experienced it will tell you. Being ignored, fobbed off, etc...
Good luck op.

dave@planet-x-bikes.com? I think for Dave Loughran.

Simon Clarke (sq225917 on here), is comms director or something at P-X- there's an email in his profile

[quote=renton ]This is [s]proper poor[/s] normal form from Planet X to be honest !!FTFY

Dave from PX once came on here to say that I was being too nice to his CS staff. Apparently, if you're not getting angry at them on the phone, you'll never get anything resolved.

@vinnyeh

Thanks. I have e-mailed both individuals.

Buckster I'm glad your coming round on this as you've confused me. If the marginds are low that means more money for the frame, not less

When Halfords sell a Carrera zealous for £250 the amount left over for a frame must be less than the London frame. But some how the seat post goes in the correct size hole

Nope, Halfords have far higher volumes of sale and better purchasing power and support 'lines' i.e. hundreds of shops, I understand the comparison but it doesnt work.

Is the seattube too large all the way down or has it just flared out a bit where the slot is cut.

I mean if you push the seatpost in 5" then is there still slop? If so that is a problem, albeit one which can be fixed by making a simple shim out of an aluminium soda can.

If there isn't slop when the seatpost is pushed in 5", and it is just the top has flared then this will fix itself when the seatpost is actually clamped!

Planet-x do make mistakes but they are very cheap. The last time they messed me around I just wrote them a simple email telling them the issues in a straightforward manner and then a week later I received an unexplained planet-x carbon bottle holder which I assume was my compensation.

It's not a 'mistake'.

As has been said, they are selling items not as described.
They know some of these frames are defective.
They don't seem to care.

Have bought lots from them as a family, bikes, frames etc.
Before the London Road debacle I'd still buy bits and bobs from them, but not anymore.

The OP says he's just going to buy a suitable shim or seatpost. Based on that, and the other folk prepared to accept it, why would OO/PX bother to change their business model?

Maybe because every time there's a thread like this a few more of us add them to the "not with a bargepole" list.

But probably not.

Oops I didn't realise this seat tube thing was a widespread problem. I've had a quick look at the other thread now. Clearly Planet-X have dealt with this in a completely cretinous way. Aside from the obvious ethical/safety concern. There are so many easy things they could have done to manage this issue that would have stopped their rep. from being degraded and actually make more margins on the frames too, silly.

On One & Planet-X are one & the same, aren't they?

I bought an Inbred frame from them several years ago and since then have only dabbled in buying cheap jerseys/components.

But, screw that. Yeah, they don't get much money from me so probably couldn't give two hoots, but I'd rather spend a few more quid in the future & get stuff from a company that seems to give at least a bit of a shit.....

This is proper poor form from Planet X to be honest

Not in my experience it isn't. Pretty standard PX service. 🙄

I wonder if Dave Hinde works there now? Imagine that combo !

Quick update here:

Thanks Vinnyeh for giving me Dave Loughran's e-mail. He has helped sort me out.

I tried using the beer can shim and that didn't work. So, I re-examined and re-measured the seattube and discovered it was ovalized. Even with a shim, I would get fore/aft movement (but not left/right). The seattube measurement was 31.86 left/right but 32.1 front back.

Once we realized the tube was ovalized, Dave arranged to have a replacement frame dispatched to me. They say they are going to measure the replacement to make sure it is to spec before sending it out.

Assuming the new frame arrives in a timely manner and is as described, I will have reached a satisfactory conclusion on this.

As much as this has been a hassle, Dave was very reasonable and timely responded to my e-mails.

Thanks everyone here for their responses and suggestions.

I will report back when the replacement arrives, hopefully with pics of a completed bike at cyclocross practice.

--Cheers

I admire your Hutzpah!I bet in falls in half first time out. (Not really)

skankingbiker - Member
They say they are going to measure the replacement to make sure it is to spec before sending it out.

This should be standard practice at PX, particularly on this frame, would take 30 seconds for someone to measure before a frame is dispatched. This versus the time/cost to sort out the frames would surely be cost beneficial for them (not to mention a discount from the manufacturer for faulty goods)?

I had Dave's email address as a backup, I didn't use it as I wanted nothing further to do with that company.. even if it was just advertising their brand while out cycling....