I've just bought a Genesis Altitude 10…had a devil of a job getting a 16" frame (Madison have sold out) but did a load of ringing around and eventually found a shop that had one in stock.

I was disappointed to get a call from the shop notifying me that there was a small chip on the frame (shop advised about 2mm in diameter, on the top-tube near the headset), but they offered me a £100 voucher because of the damage. I’d have preferred a bike with no damage, but it seemed like a fair offer and because of the stock issues mentioned above I agreed to continue with the sale.

I’ve just built the bike up, taken off all of the ‘protecting’ foam and in addition to the 2mm chip the shop warned me about, there is another half way down the top tube but about 4x5mm. Further close inspection shows another 2 small chips on the head tube, both about 1mm in size.

Is this sort of cosmetic damage usual? I don’t think I’d have accepted the bike had I known the full extent of the damage, but neither do I fancy the ball-ache of dismantling the bike and sending it back!

Am I being too picky…do you think the £100 voucher is adequate recompense for the damage mentioned?

Cheers,
Rusty

well if it's just paint chip the 100£ voucher is more than adequate.

****, I'd let you put loads of paint chips on my bike if you gave me £100!

It's gonna get loads more as soon as you ride it.

I'd be happy with £100. You will chip it sooner or later anyway unless you're super careful with it. I'd nip down to the car parts place and pick up a touch up paint.

I wouldn't be happy about not being told the full extent though.

I know the feeling of wanting a new purchase to be just right. It all depends whether you can fight though this and be happy with a still 100% functional frame and an extra £100 in your back pocket.

If not just send it back.

Remember though, you will be adding your own chips soon enough…

deal

This happened to me with a semi expensive frame I bought, i expect you will get lots of replies saying 'what you worrying about, it will be much worse after a few rides, etc etc'

I was pretty annoyed when it happened to me, but I settled down pretty soon, and as everyone says frames don't stay chip free for long.

I was happy with a free t-shirt and some cliff bars so to be fair the £100 seems pretty fair compensation.

Erm… you checked it after you built it up?! I find that slightly bizarre.

£100 sounds pretty fair though obviously it'd have been better if they'd explained all the marks before you got it…

Erm… you checked it after you built it up?! I find that slightly bizarre.

I thought that, as well as building it up with the protective wrapping still on it, surely that got in the way?

Anyhow, stop mithering at least you didn't drop a spanner on it and or scratch it with a screwdriver, both of which I have done to brand new frames.

well if it's just paint chip the 100£ voucher is more than adequate.

+1, and all the supporting comments, that's a stonking deal for some slight cosmetic damage. Just get some touch up paint if it's that much of an issue.

or dropped a big adjustable spanner onto the down tube of a brand new road frame and left a proper big dent 😯 Grrr! (It never did cause any problems but it constantly annoyed me…)

or dropped a big adjustable spanned onto the down tube of a brand new road frame and left a proper big dent Grrr! (It never did cause any problems but it constantly annoyed me…)

*chortle*

£100 for a diddy paint chip?

Take the money and run!

Dab a bit of the missus nail varnish, the nearest colour touch up you can find in halfords or stick a cable rub jobbie over it and spend the £100 on some compensation bling…

Hosestly you’d have scratched it yourself within a week anyway, so really it’s win, win…

You could try a chips away type of company to see if they would touch up the chips professionally. should cost under £100. Guarenteed on your first ride though you'll stack it! Personally I'd touch it up with a paint pen from halfords and just be happy with it. My bikes are all scraped and chipped anyway.

…it'd have been better if they'd explained all the marks before you got it…

That's what I thought!

Erm… you checked it after you built it up?! I find that slightly bizarre.

I thought that, as well as building it up with the protective wrapping still on it, surely that got in the way?

Anyhow, stop mithering at least you didn't drop a spanner on it and or scratch it with a screwdriver, both of which I have done to brand new frames.

Well, if you leave the pipe-wrap on the main tubes it doesn't get in the way, and if by any chance you drop a big spanner on it…!

Ok, seems fairly unanimous. Thanks for the input folks.

Cheers,
Rusty

How about… new frame arrives, take pipe lagging off. Check it. Put pipe lagging back on. Build it.
I know I know. I'm just a wild and kerazy guy!