My replacement frame has finally come through after over four months. This seems to be thanks to intervention on the part of Upgrade themselves. The factory in Taiwan just don’t seem to care much about communicating with Dirt Works, their client in Australia. Weird.

Dirt Works (via my lbs) are giving me one they had in stock. Apparently they wouldn’t act until the factory acknowledged the warranty. I’m pretty sure this is in contravention of consumer law here in Oz but I’m only learning this now so there’s not much I can do about it.

I’m disappointed I’m getting the exact same frame. The tech at Dirt Works told me today that 3 out of 20 of these frames have been returned but that’s not enough to issue a recall. He doesn’t reckon the seat tube problem is to do with the gauge of the bore at the top of the tube but also didn’t sound completely confident the same seat tube crack wont occur again in about 12 months time. If that happens I may have to get my money back and try a brand that’s better supported here. It appears international trade is a small world in some respects and impenetrably divided in others.

Holy thread resurection Batman!!!!

Has anyone actually tried cutting and reslotting one of these frames?

Mine has gone but I bought it secondhand and I’m sure its over 3 years old.

Lots of frame builders would do a less destructive repair for fairly cheap

Try Upgrade as its a common problem. On my third frame in just over 2 years at the moment.

I’m on my third but the new frame seems to be strong in all the right places now. Only gripe is that I’m sure the geometry is slightly changed as I swapped over all the parts from the old one but it definitely rides differently now. Have got used to it but I preffered the old one…. Still a nice bike though.

I’ve just discovered the same crack on the replacement frame I received in December 2011. It seems in constant use this design only lasts a little over a year. It took me 4 months to resolve the matter last time through Dirtworks, the distributor in here in Australia. And that was only after some intervention from the parent company in the UK (at no obligation to themselves, I might add).

I’m hoping I don’t have to go through the same headache. The bike shop couldn’t have been less helpful last time and now they’ve gone out of business. Dirtworks were hardly any better and I’ve since heard bad things about them from one of the mechanics who worked for the retailer and is now at my new bike shop.

I’ve had an original virtue for bloody ages, been using a hope qr clamp since new with a Thomson 410mm layback post. I’m 6,2 and tbh, it’s probably too small for me really as i have a country mile of post out and highrise bars to make it fit. Bloody love it though and can’t quite bring myself to exchange it for a big wheeled bike that’d fit me better.