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Ok, just eBay then - can't see it being exactly [i]snapped[/i] up on here 😉
[img] 
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Glad you're getting sorted OP, it's just a shame it took so long, tweets etc. and battling through their stinky attitude first 🙁
now, time to research 500mm seatposts? 😉
back of the net
Hi James,We didn’t write it anywhere because it seems logical to insert your seat tube that deep (deeper than the top tube). Obviously, we were wrong.
lolz, they called you stoopid
OP - the reason I asked where you were was if you were near enough we could've got on the phone to them directly.
Not backing them - but a lot of the time things like live translators really cock up the phrasing or verb layout with spanish.
So whilst your email was bang on for us reading it - trust me, google translate made no sense!
Doesn't matter now as I'm guessing either the tweets, etc worked or they took the time to translate/read it better and understood what had happened.
Result.
legend - Member
Hi James,
We didn’t write it anywhere because it seems logical to insert your seat tube that deep (deeper than the top tube). Obviously, we were wrong.lolz, they called you stoopid
May I suggest: [img] 
[/img] 😆
That's great news. I think your sensible well worded emails payed off there.
[quote=Commencal]We didn’t write it anywhere because it seems logical to insert your seat tube that deep (deeper than the top tube). Obviously, we were wrong.
It seems logical not to require a stupidly long seatpost. It seems logical to be able to use standard dropper posts. It seems logical if you're going to add a brace that it should be sufficient to support the seat-tube. Obviously I was wrong.
Glad to see the right result - I'm sure I'm not the target market for Commencal, but I'm sure some on here are, and they've doubtless lost sales through this anyway (I wouldn't be buying one now if I was the target market) which they could have avoided by handling it better in the first place. For me that is a combination of them admitting to poor frame design and poor customer service.
Make sure you get the replacement frame in medium- it'll sell quicker as 650b.
James, that is great news, really glad you got it sorted although it shouldn't have taken this much effort.It does still leave a few issues though for any current owners:
1) The fact a manufacturer thinks it's ok to say something is "logical" but the information in their literature is explicit in its contradiction
2) They openly admit to not writing it down yet feel it's ok to quibble over this point
3) My own Meta HT is an XL, my height and inseam are perfectly within the recommended measurements according to the geometry chart on their website and yet the bike came with a 350mm post, (again this was detailed in the web spec). I measured up my bike and in order to comply with their "unwritten logic" I would need a 450mm seatpost, which in 31.6mm seems somewhat difficult to come by!!
Where it needs to be, (which complies with the literature and 9cm insertion):
[URL= http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac117/warns74/IMG_20151211_183505_zpstu50uwjf.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac117/warns74/IMG_20151211_183505_zpstu50uwjf.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Where it should be according to Commencal "logic":
[URL= http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac117/warns74/IMG_20151211_183435_zpsgo1vudo4.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac117/warns74/IMG_20151211_183435_zpsgo1vudo4.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Logic.....my ar5e!
Ace. Polite persistence pays off 🙂
[i] I would need a 450mm seatpost [/i]
But as someone with long legs for my height I've always had to run/buy a longer seatpost than 'standard'. My Reverb for example has a 150mm drop and has the 420mm post.
Good work!
Is there a general consensus on these "braced seat tube" designs then?
I've got one, Saracen Kili Flyer, and the top tube joins the seatube in the same place on all sizes, with the brace being larger on the bigger sizes. Saracen didn't say anthing when i asked ("insert about 4 inches"), but i'd rather avoid the hassle of a warranty return etc..
Seems like a waste of time having the brace if you have to use a longer seatpost anyway.
But as someone with long legs for my height I've always had to run/buy a longer seatpost than 'standard'. My Reverb for example has a 150mm drop and has the 420mm post.
That's not the point. The bike was supplied with a 350mm post which I can use with the minimum insertion point inside the frame. If the reality ("logic") is that you need to run a longer one so as not to stress the frame then that's what should be supplied.
My specialized is also an XL, stock bikes in "L" or "XL" tend to have bigger rotors, thicker handlebar grips, longer cranks, longer seatpost etc. All totally "logical" but actually implemented by the manufacturer, not left for the buyer to guess after the sale.
Pleased that the OP got it sorted, but really dissapointed in the behaviour of Commencal - I don't care how great the bike is, no-way I'd buy from a company that tried that hard not to honour the warantee. I know that they "got there in the end"..... but there are plenty of other options for buyers
Obviously, we were wrong.
Nope, not a language barrier. First rate put down skills at play there.
[i]That's not the point. The bike was supplied with a 350mm post which I can use with the minimum insertion point inside the frame. If the reality ("logic") is that you need to run a longer one so as not to stress the frame then that's what should be supplied.[/i]
I'm agreeing with you, just that I've found that I've needed to buy longer ones than supplied as my legs are that bit longer (than average).
Nope, not a language barrier. First rate put down skills at play there.
Could still be a language thing - many other languages don't have the level of sarcasm we do.
Irony is that the new design drops the continuation of the top tube to the seat tube and only runs the upper 'reinforcing strut'
[img] 
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They came good in the end and it might well have been a combination of the emails and maybe even a glance or two on here . But I have to admit I don't like that new design ^^ . It's like ground hog day......
This is my Meta AM. How much seat post do I need in there, I don't even think it will go down 50mm below the top tube and if it does it'll be hitting the shock!!
[img][url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5832/23688828761_7ccd0cd7f8_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5832/23688828761_7ccd0cd7f8_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/C6iru6 ]Meta AM[/url] [/img]
[quote=fd3chris ]They came good in the end and it might well have been a combination of the emails and maybe even a glance or two on here
I suspect they've found this thread by now. Hi Max!
Irony is that the new design drops the continuation of the top tube to the seat tube and only runs the upper 'reinforcing strut'
Different forces though.
In the OP's bike the seatstays are pushing the seatube forward, in the FS version there's nothing pushing on the seatube (well, the pivot, but that's going to have far less load on it than a rigid stay).
As Brant pointed out, there's a difference between a dropped top tube and an extended seat mast.
jamesfts - MemberHOLD FIRE!!
Following a slightly shittier email last night requesting contact details for their warranty manager/customer service director I've received the following...
Hi James,
We didn’t write it anywhere because it seems logical to insert your seat tube that deep (deeper than the top tube). Obviously, we were wrong.
Think they're on thin ice there talking about being logical considering they've supplied a large sized frame with a seatpost only suitable for a manlet.
Minor update, apparently a replacement frame will be with me next week.
They want the original back for 'further analysis' and have suggested hacking the required section of by cutting through the seat tube, top tube and seat stays. Though this may be quite therapeutic it seems a bit brutal to hack up a frame I've genuinely enjoyed riding. Ah well.
This is my Meta AM. How much seat post do I need in there, I don't even think it will go down 50mm below the top tube and if it does it'll be hitting the shock!!
I had the following through from them when asking the same question - hope it shed some light for you...
About your Meta AM V3, first of all this is absolutely not the same design and you have a dropper post. So unless this frame is really too small for you, there won’t be any problem. The reverb collar has to be at 5cm maximum above the clamp. If any doubt, don’t hesitate to send me a picture of the Reverb fully deployed.
I'll update this again when/if the replacement turns up. For anyone reading this in the future who may have similar warranty problems I've now got contact details for a guy higher up with a good grasp of English who seems a bit more helpful.
Pleased that you've got to the point where they're not just dismissing your experience as numptiness and engaging in a conversation about it.
As you say, hopefully this thread will help anyone else in a similar position and maybe Commencal will adjust their initial responses too.
Great to hear James.
Went out on my Meta HT last night and for the first 15 minutes I was fully expecting some kind of loud cracking noise shortly followed by a trail-backside interface, but after that spent the rest of the ride realising what a great handling, fun to ride bike it really is!
I think I know who the OP was dealing with initially, and from my own experience, front of house go from ultra helpful to useless.
Good you've got a result, and its worth stating again, this looks a one off with their latest range of great frames in the last couple of years. Which makes me wonder why they just didn't replace it quietly to start with instead of ending up with a load of negative publicity which makes them look confused and quite frankly unprofessional.
after that spent the rest of the ride realising what a great handling, fun to ride bike it really is!
Thanks again for your help Ant, really appreciate it.
That's the thing, it's a great bike and as much as I want to get shot there is part of me that is tempted to find the longest seatpost I can and build it back up.
Its worth stating again, this looks a one off with their latest range/quote]Yup, would 100% agree, as you say makes it even dafter for them to have cocked about in the first place - specially over a €300 frame!
I have one and I think it is great fun, but I do have a long reverb with 150 drop in it.
Might just be easier to get a long reverb than trying to sell the frame.
I can't fault Commencal, they were really good to me, when I bought last years HT meta in the sale, they phoned me up to say they are only able to offer me a 2016 for the same price.
Jamesfts, as I am having similar difficulties with the customer service of commencal, may I ask you to let me know who this guy was who dealt with your warranty-issue in the end?
Many thanks!
No problem, email me 'james at fromthesticks dot co dot uk' and I'll send you his details.
Update.
Well Commencal did indeed post a frame to me on the 22nd December, unfortunately it was to the wrong address (despite them emailing me to confirm where I wanted it to go!).
They did however manage to send me some touch up paint to the correct address.
FFS.
[James] not sure whether you've noticed this or not but I see Commencal have been a bit sneaky and updated the information on their website for the HT frames.
Spec now includes: "MINIMUM SEATPOST INSERT:12 cm"
All a bit underhand and pointless given it contradicts the info they send out with their bikes but I hope you enjoy the new one, (if you keep it). I've stuck a 400mm post in mine now, just in case!
That isn't being 'sneaky' at all. That is correcting the problem of communication about it.
That isn't being 'sneaky' at all. That is correcting the problem of communication about it.
Not really, the documentation they send out with the bikes says 9cm, now the website says 12cm. Just sounds like grounds for another argument if something goes wrong.
Yeah, I did spot that, I was running over the 120mm they're now suggesting.
All a bit underhand and pointless given it contradicts the info they send out with their bikes
It also contradicts the "165mm" number they were throwing around to try to get out of honouring the warranty!
In better news the frame has turned up though a combination of a busy life and the faff it has taken I've lost the motivation to do anything with it. Has sat in the box in the shed for a week or so next to a big pile of bits ready to be built up - bit of a shame really.