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.