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

Tracy, the rim failed on the first couple of rides on the south downs. No damage to tires or anything. Only spotted it in the garage when I was doing a clean. So could have been first ride or 4/5th. Only did a few rides while testing the geometries. Specialized looked at photos for the shop and said I must have had a massive impact. From my side I get nothing that would suggest anything serious. Never broken a rim in twenty five years of riding.

My view is still the warranty process failer regardless of shop ,(who I do not hold accountable) or specialized I am without a wheel or functional bike for two months. I have had to supply my own replacement wheel for my trip. This is my third  spesh bike, and I think sixth as a family we have owned. Probably won’t be my last but will buy with caution again

Sorry you see it that way. Rim could have failed or you could have had an impact and damaged it.

Either way they have given you the benefit of doubt and sent out another rim.

To me it still the failure of the shop to not have built it.

I crashed and damaged my S Works carbon bars 2 weeks before our Alps trip this summer. Still under warranty but never dreamed of claiming under warranty and instead asked the local dealer who I didn’t by the bike from as it was second hand to process it for me under the Specialized carbon crash replacement scheme. New bars were sent out and fitted by shop before we left.

That’s what a good shop should and will do to help. Not the same experience you have encounted

He could have collected the rim months ago and any lbs would have built it for buttons. Heck I bet if he’d asked on here it would have been done by the next afternoon

Rim could have failed or you could have had an impact and damaged it.

Either way they have given you the benefit of doubt and sent out another rim.

There’s no benefit of the doubt needed. Roval warranty covers anything from lightning strikes to backing over the bike with your car for the first couple of years now.

The one time Specialized replaced a rim for me they did the work in house. Maybe they don’t have anyone that knows wheel building at present?

Had Specialized been made aware of the issue with the shop earlier I would have expected more from them than just sending a rim and disowning the situation. They could suggest a shop that can do the work in a timely manner, do it themselves, send out a replacement wheel or lend you one. But going to them with 4 days to go before a trip after months have gone by isn’t really feasible. Can’t see why there should be a differentiation between OEM and aftermarket wheels. As far as I can see in the specs they are the same rims. It’s not like a Kona coming with Mavic wheels. They’re all Specialized products, something failed and it’s their warranty process to get you rolling again. OP bought a whole bike with whole wheels, not a box of parts to be assembled.

its not a Specialized authorized dealer, good luck to them for getting anything in way of compensation.

A couple of years ago I bought a Specialized Adventure saddle. It was comfortable but wore out in next to no time (canvas). I took it back to the shop and they replaced it. This one wore out just as fast – obviously, because the fabric was utterly unfit for sitting on. When I took it back again they said they couldn’t replace it because Specialized had refused to refund the last one because the claimed it was sun damaged and that’s why it failed! As if my bike would spend time sitting in direct sunlight to the point it would cause damage.

The shop who processed your claim with Spesh have your new rim and have been paid by Spesh to rebuild your broken wheel.

They have taken on the job and have they money for doing the job but have not actually done it.

I can’t see how that’s the fault of Specialized

everyone else has fulfilled their contracted obligations to the customer.

Except the shop he actually had a purchase contract with…

and have been paid by Spesh to rebuild your broken wheel.

That’s a massive leap to make. With the vast majority of warranty claims, the shop has to absorb a lot of the costs. One of a myriad of reasons why mail order is cheaper and shops cost more.

The shop has been paid by spesh to do the work.

It is clear I got this wrong. And hindsight would do things differently. Pick one of the other shops offered by spesh or chased the shop more vigorously and got spesh involved again earlier. Or build the wheel myself. I just had faith in the processes and as it was not a big job it would get done in time. And when it did not I thought that specialized might be willing to help me once the time got short. Based on the above comments it seems that was not realistic of them to do so.

Id just ignore this and  go and enjoy your holiday mrl…stone king rally tour should be epic!

Main thing is to enjoy the holiday. We are down in that area Finale and now San Remo before moving on inland  tomorrow. Riding has been so far amazing

We took in some of your last day riding yesterday. If it’s all as good as that you won’t be disappointed

Where are you and would you like to borrow a wheel?

(i haven’t read it all but if you’re anywhere near Ayrshire…)