Sold Wheels – Buyer not happy

After a bit of advise.

I sold some ebay carbon road wheels last week, and the chap has emailed me saying he isn’t happy with them and wants a full refund.

First issue is that he says the back wheel is bucked. When I sold it the rim was fine, and I guess maybe had a slight wobble, but nothing that effected the performance. This may have happened in transit I guess.

The second and main issue is that he went for a ride today, and said the front rim has now melted!! Making the wheel unusable! I’ve asked for some photos, however from his explanation it sounds like there is a dip in the rim where it may have melted.

I’m concerned about this as i’ve had them for nearly two years now, ridden them in all conditions including long and warm descents and never had an issue. Yes the braking performance isn’t as good as Alu rims, however that is common knowledge. There was certainly not issues at all when I sold them!

I obviously don’t want to rip this chap off, and i’ve said i’ll give him a full refund as it is the decent thing to do. However given that potentially the issue with the wheel is nothing to do with me i’m not sure where i stand.

If I was in his shoes I would be annoyed too. I have offered him a partial refund, but he was’t interested.

Anyway, what you think guys?

Blimey. Two year old full carbons secondhand, and Ebay (China) ones?
Has he used carbon pads?
Why did he ride them if they were indeed buckled?
Any wobble should have been pointed out.
I guess as long as they were sold as seen and the auction was truthful, then he should have bought new.

Whatever you do you might as well refund as Ebay will almost always side with the buyer.

Carbon pads were used, as I supplied them.

Just to point out the defect is on the front wheel which was not buckled.

He’s sent me a photo and it does look bad, problem is I sold it working fine!

Not on eBay, was through a forum, not this one though.

Just to point out the defect is on the front wheel which was not buckled.
He’s sent me a photo and it does look bad, problem is I sold it working fine!
Not on eBay, was through a forum, not this one though.

He’s used them. They are his.

So He’s damaged them the first time he’s used them and now wants his money back ??

time to tell him where to go, they were fine when sold and he must have been happy with them to fit them and use them.

sounds to me like he never used the pads you sent, prob put them on for a quick ride ”it will be ok ill fit them later” and now the price has been paid

but such a hard one to call 🙁

I reckon he had a set of identical wheels that had the problems you’ve described, he’s bought yours and wants to send you his back to you claiming that there the ones you sold him.

How long had he had them before he complained?

wot tymbian said, I reckon

can you really melt a rim by using the wrong pads ?

You can melt a rim using the right pads!

Carbon resins used in rims melt at 300-400 degrees.

in the UK in April ?

Can we see pics …I agree that he should not have used them if not happy .tell him that and had he not used them he would have his money back

Carbon resins used in rims melt at 300-400 degrees.

I know the sun was out today but I didn’t think it was that warm.

I was in short sleeves so it must have been pretty warm 8)
Though my carbon rims survived stopping 86kg of me from 50mph in a hurry today (@+#?/ caravans 👿 )

Tell him to dry his eyes. They weren’t sold with a warranty.

I’ve ridden with a guy who dragged his brakes all the way down Alp d’Huez and at the bottom his tyres fell off as the Alu rims got so hot that the glue holding the kevlar bead in place melted and the tyre separated from the bead.

Personally I’d go down the partial refund path and try and reach an agreement – depending on how much he had paid you. If it was 50 quid or something I might tell him just to do one, but for more substantial amounts I’d feel bad at his situation. Just depends how you feel I guess.

Although I’d try to make certain that what Tymbian says is not going on. For sure there are some parasites out there who would do something like that.

Thanks for the replies guys, ill upload some pics when I’m home.

I already offered a partial refund but he wasn’t interested.

If he has used them, they are his.

Tell him to **** off. He’s **** the rims, tough shit.

If your story is true, then simple email telling him to **** right off is the order of the day.

Picture attached:

I agree with the replies that if he rode them, they are his! After all I guess he could have done anything on the ride. It’s just very annoying that I had been using them with no issues at all.

Think I need to send an email to him. Just want to do the right thing tbh.

were they like that when he received them i.e. damaged before you sent them or in transit? If no and no, then he’s buggered them. In which case, tell him to go away.

If they arrived in that condition, why on earth did he use them? Again, I’d be inclined to tell him to go away as he’s accepted and used them in that condition.

Incidently, how long between sale and complaint?

he was just riding along , pushed the brakes and the rim went like that ?

no way he could have fitted the wheel to his bike in this condition .

maybe he hit a hole on the road ? plenty of them at the moment .

After seeing pics 100% f@#k him off…he’s playing games.

To confirm wheel was in 100% working order when sold and I had been riding on them just the day before, no issues.

I sold the wheels and posted on 8th April. I did however send the pads on Monday 15th, as I forget to originally include these.

You do not legally have to refund him. It wasn’t a business transaction.

I’d tell him to F right off. I’m guessing you’re not some jerkoff that intentionally sells dodgy goods, if that’s you it’s pretty poor on your part. However, as you’ve said above they were pretty much spot on before you sold them, he’s either fecked a pair he originally owned and done the old switcheroo or he can’t ride for sh*t and has melted them.

Tell him to take you to court if he wants to, otherwise spin your junk around and shove it right up.

Probably wise to not use that verbatim.

Absolutely Jon, never set out to rip him off in anyway, and like to think I’m honest and decent.

From his point of view yes I’d be annoyed, but the fact he’s ridden them means anything could have happened. I can’t be responsible for how somebody rides.

If you received wheels in that condition you’ld be on the phone right away and not even fit them. Offer parti refund for the rear wheel only as it did have a small buckle that you didn’t disclose. Otherwise he had to do one as something’s not right.

As others have said, there is no way that could happen on the bike.
It looks more like someone has stood on it, even the inner rim looks buckled!
If someone hasn’t stood on it (most likely), then he’s maybe left it laying against something very hot.

I have seen quite a few damaged carbon wheels and I would never believe that braking or hitting a pothole could do that.
Wouldn’t surprise me if he dropped a dumbbell on it!

sold as seen.. mtfu and tell him to skip along..

tell him no

he fitted them and fudged them himself.

second hand stuff may break, and it sounds as if them used the incorrectly.

if you want a warranty, pay full price for new ones!

Pretty much agree with everyone else. He bought them second hand. Sometimes second hand stuff goes wrong very quickly, it’s the risk you take for cheaper kit.

I also agree that he’s probably either trying to take the p*ss, or a numpty.

Surely you have pics that were taken just before the sale that prove the rim was in good condition?

Aye, wot funky just said.

Might even be able to spot some differences to identify whether they are different wheels.

Did you make him very aware to use the correct pads?

Did he admit to using different ones?

Ask him to clarify.

‘A ride’. 50miles of brake use/ride and an admission would absolve my conscience. You cant give a guarantee on peoples actions.

I reckon thats been on a bike rack and hung in front of the exhaust?

Sweet Jesus those pics look awful!

If you can honestly, 100%, hand on heart, say they were fine when you sold them then the buyer has fecked them and that is his fault. However, you do acknowledge the rear rim was buckled beforehand and that wasn’t disclosed to the buyer.

In your shoes I’d refund 50/50. He’s fecked the front wheel, you fecked the rear one.

I reckon thats been on a bike rack and hung in front of the exhaust?

I think you might have something there. There’s no soot on it, but it sure looks like a localised area got warm