Specialized warranty let down, replacement rear wheel need urgently. Options?

I have had a very disappointing spesh warranty process. Purchased a Stumpjumper Evo pro to do the stone king rally tour in October.

Rear carbon rim failed riding on the south downs. 3-4-5th ride and was still playing with the geometry settings. Claim started 2nd august and the rim was to be replaced FOC. All good, bit concerned on why it failed on chalky bridal ways but sure it was a one off. The shop dealing with the claim has had staff away, broken bones etc and had not been able to do it. No blame to them, they are a 3rd party (bike purchased online). Just a break down of the process.

Spesh warranty team won’t send out another wheel from their stock as the rim on the bike is an OEM version not one of the HD or SL. So replacement is not ‘like for like’. They seem to think that having sent out the replacement rim the process is done and seem fine me needing to buy a new wheel

So after that vent what options for 27.5 rear XD hub and rim combo that can be delivered by Friday. Don’t want to spend loads as will probably get the repaired wheel back at some point.

I can give you a wheel for the weekend if you’re stuck, i’ll just ride a different bike. It’s from a 2023 Status 160 so is a Specialized in 27.5, i think it’s got a Butcher on the back. I’m over in Newbury

Can you take the warranty rim to a shop that can do the swap?

Struggling to see the issue with Specialized here tbh. Sounds like they’ve done their part, with the issue being the bike was mail order and a 3rd party shop having to then be involved as a result

Very kind but I am doing a 6 day tour and there is a risk of damage, so don’t  want to borrow.  Kind of think new to avoid any risk of failures. Getting nervous now!

If I can find a shop to do it that’s an option. Local ones were all a couple of week wait when a mate checked for a job (I ended up doing it)

Up to you mate, i don’t need it back in 6 days anyway. I’ve got multiple bikes and more than multiple wheels lol.

Rear carbon rim failed riding on the south downs

I had a rear Roval fail on me as well Spesh Enduro (cracked the rim) . Spesh replaced quickly enough, but I could never from that point on, either keep it straight or tensioned. Eventually I bought a Hope/EX471 replacement from PT cycles which has been bullet proof.

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/dt-swiss-m-1900-wheel-30-mm-rim-12-x-148-mm-boost-axle-27-5-inch-rear-sram-xd-whdtm193021r

Order it by 1Pm and you’ll have it tomorrow apparently.

I was in a similar situation a year ago, rear wheel broke 2 days before an event. A STW forumite very kindly lent me a rear wheel, but I also ordered one from Silt. It arrived two hours after I left for the event. Still going a year later so check them and their delivery times.

Hi, had a look at silt and no stock. Hunt can do a mullet set for only 80 more than the DT listed above. DT looks a better wheel but having a spare front is attractive if the roval wheels are fragile.

Mashr, I feel that the whole outsourcing to dealer is the issue. Yes I brought on mail order but if I had moved home or similar I would be in the same position. I would be happy to spend a tenner a post through wheel to a central warehouse. Relying on 3rd parties is not really on for a big brand. Especially when they could fix the issue easily.

hunt are based (or certainly used to be) in the south downs and have an outlet section. I’d be giving them a bell to see what alu rimmed stuff they have ready to post today and see what they can do.

I did not know hunt were Sussex. Will take another look. Thanks

If you’re happy with a pre-built wheel, Merlin have Hope Pro 5 Fortus 35 rear wheels for close to the price of the DT Swiss M1900s.

I’ve ordered stuff mid-day one day & had the package turn up the next morning but I think that you can pay for guaranteed next day delivery at the checkout.

Not sure how Specialized have let you down, you had a rim failure, they’ve given you a new rim.

A straight swap isn’t that hard to do on your own but certainly something you should be able to give to LBS. If it’s that desperate walk into bike shop, buy a wheel, they have in stock it’s not like you’re after anything particularly esoteric.

Not sure how Specialized have let you down, you had a rim failure, they’ve given you a new rim

But he bought a bike in the first place. Not a rim. My brother bust a hunt rim and they paid to have the wheel rebuilt at a swiss LBS -£90!!!

But he bought a bike in the first place. Not a rim. My brother bust a hunt rim and they paid to have the wheel rebuilt at a swiss LBS -£90!!!

Looks like Spesh sent a replacement rim to the dealer dealing with the claim and they haven’t built it yet. OP is now complaining that Spesh won’t give him a whole new wheel to go on holiday with. Sounds like LBS let down not Specialized.

Also, remember that your contract over faulty goods is with the shop you bought the bike from, not the manufacturer.

But he bought a bike in the first place. Not a rim

This.

Will the shop lend you a wheel whilst they find time to rebuild it.

How did the wheel fail

Are Specialized paying the local shop to rebuild it

HD and SL rims will have different graphics so might not match the other wheel

For info we have 3 sets of Roval Carbons other half has hammered his  and they are still going strong.

A cracked rim wouldn’t put me off riding the same again

But a new bike for a broken rim feels a bit much. It’s harsh but the OPs time constraints aren’t Specialized’s problem. If he’d bought from a real shop they might have been able to do something for him, bump him up the workshop list or lend a wheel, but if you go mail order for discount that’s the risk you take.

But he bought a bike in the first place. Not a rim

I’d say not this, its actually this:

No blame to them, they are a 3rd party (bike purchased online)

If the online store had processed the return, I would expect the wheel rebuilt and for them to prob do that free. But this is via a 3rd party, I would expect the OP to pay the 3rd party LBS to build the wheel. Its the nature of buying online vs bricks and mortar IMO.

I don’t quite get why Spesh couldn’t send an OEM wheel, I get the not like for like for aftermarket, but surely they have OEM’s laying around for this scenario and then if not, send an aftermarket. OP have you called or whatsapp’d Spesh UK yourself? I wonder if the 3rd party are actually the issue here…

Sorry just catching up. The warranty process from specialized is you take it to the nearest dealer. Which I did (as above this was not the online retailer I brought from). Specialized approved the replacement of the rim and sent a new out and paid the bike shop to replace the rim. No problem at all from my side. The bike shop then have staff issues including broken arms. So the process times me out. No blame to shop, stuff happens.

I contact specialized direct outlining the issue with 4 days to go before my trip. Do they have a demo wheel they can lend. They don’t, so I ask what can they do. Specialized state that they cannot send an after market wheel replacement as it it is not like for like. No full OEM wheel in stock, just rims Their role is done by sending our the rim and can’t be in charge of timings.

I don’t expect the bike shop to do anything extra for me, they are doing it as a third party. Delays happen, but specialized can solve it easily. That’s why I am disappointed. Never requested a new bike, my comment about the bike was I brought the new stumpjumper Evo specifically for this trip.

Weirdly enough, I’ve now changed my view to

Actually specialized seems to be doing ok on this.

I think the broken arm and 4 day lead time to your important trip are just shit happens.

OP real just needs advice on getting a replacement wheel in a few days… picking over the warranty details seems an unnecessary tangent, maybe should have left that aspect out for now.

Good on weeksy for his offer. Failing borrowing, Id probably go with Merlin and the Hope wheel and go for priority delivery

OP real just needs advice on getting a replacement wheel in a few days… picking over the warranty details seems an unnecessary tangent, maybe should have left that aspect out for now.

Maybe not starting the thread with Specialized let me down might have helped there, feels a bit like that horse has bolted. Shop having issues does not make this specialized fault.

But it’s a fairly standard wheel requirement, just walk into any decent shop and buy what you need, if you’re time limited don’t play with mail order.

Feels very harsh to call Specialized’s warranty a let down here. I’d either beg/bribe the bike shop to get the rim built up, or buy a DT Swiss M1900 and sell it after the trip for probably a £50-70 loss.

Is the OP a Journalist for one of the Red-Tops?

Headline is incorrect – hey Mods, needs removing as Spesh have done nothing wrong IMO.

Dt Swiss E1900

Eg https://www.bikewheelsdirect.com/DT-Swiss-E-1900-SPLINE-275-x-30-mm-CL-Disc-Rear-Wheel

Fair enough it seems I am in the wrong here. I have sorted out a replacement wheel.

Just to clarify the process started on very early August. The timing out is due to the third part shop not having the resources to do the job in time. This was confirmed on friday. Since the overall process is owned by specialized I feel let down. They could easily send out a wheel if they choose.

The fact that nobody is left in the shop with the ability to lace up a wheel and true it in time is sad, considering this started early August even more so, do they not know anyone who can sort it for you, maybe offer a bit of cash to cover overtime or outsource to someone they trust, a good wheel builder can have it done in under an hour.
One of the best things I’ve done is learn how to build my own wheels, saved a fortune and do a better job than those I’ve used in the past.

They could easily send out a wheel if they choose.

They didn’t insist you dealt with the retailer you bought from.

They’ve supplied a replacement part.

Have you asked if you could have your repair handled by another Specialised dealer?

How do you think Specalized should have managed their “ownership” of a 3rd party shop better?

In hindsight I should have asked for the rim to be sent to me. I can build wheels so I could have done it and paid a shop to do a check. However I followed the specialized warranty process. Which is contact them, they tell me the nearest spesh  dealer to take it to, the dealer checks it over, spesh approve, send out rim/spokes and pay the dealer to repair.

So no I don’t expect spesh to manage their ownership of the dealers. Just to own their processes which has left me without a wheel for two months and having to source a new one last minute. I did chase the shop for updates but I guess I was naive in think it would get done in time. Specialized have the option to send a new wheel to help me out.

As stated above I don’t think the shop are at fault. Specialized is loading their dealers up with warranty work.

Clearly I got this wrong based on posts above.

Just for balance here I’ve had multiple warranty claims with Spech where they’ve gone above and beyond what i would have expected.

One being their main Ebike guy driving all the way from Wrexham to up here in the Borders  to try and sort a problem out.

Another being replacing a stock rear wheel with a  Hope Pro5  wheel in a couple of days.

All this through a shop that’s 250 miles away from me but is treated as an LBS.

I have no dought that this was mainly due to the actions of the shop, the way they treat their customers and also the very close relationship they have with Spech.

Not all shops are as good.

I’d definitely say the shop is to blame, not fit for purpose leaving you without a wheel for two months, they should outsource the job if nobody’s free to do it there for weeks on end, its kinda ridiculous if you ask me for such a simple job that isn’t that time consuming, it’s just a rim swap. Exactly how long has the shop had the rim sitting there waiting to be built up.

I had great warranty support from Specialized too.

I’d definitely say the shop is to blame

Which shop?
The mail order place that has left the OP in the lurch?
Or the local shop that will have to either absorb the cost of a wheel rebuild plus all the admin, or spend time claiming the cost back from specialized (and i bet it’s a flat rate, rather than an hourly) for someone who didn’t even buy the bike from them in the first place?

I’ve also has exemplary warranty service from Specialized.
(I also had the worst bike i’ve ever owned from them.)

Specialized will pay a pittance for a wheel rebuild, it will totally not cover the work expense of the shop, and if its not a Specialized authorized dealer, good luck to them for getting anything in way of compensation. That just is how most major brands are – they state what pocket change they are willing to compensate and there is no negotiating that for a small individual shop.

IMHO, The shop have taken on a job, and haven’t done it, everyone else has fulfilled their contracted obligations to the customer.

Rather than trying to shame Specialized in the thread title, perhaps the OP should have been warning folk to avoid booking work into that particular shop at the moment.

I’m with the others on this. I think Specialized have honoured their part and the bike shop for what ever reason haven’t sorted it.

When ever we have had a problem in the UK and abroad Specialized have always been quick to sort it

How did the rim fail