Warranty turnaround time on my Cube taking a lifetime – official complaint?

Was wondering if anyone has any experience or useful information regarding the turnaround time for frames to be fixed under warranty?

Mt LBS noticed a hairline crack on the chainstay of my XC Cube that was only 1 year old back in late January (I think…it’s been so bloody long now). They filled out the warranty details v. quickly which I appreciated and told me the new frame or rear triangle would be with them and bike fixed within 8 weeks… Back then, this even seemed long to me, and as I had no other MTB and rode my Cube 2-3 times a week I felt gutted, but was happy I bought it new and even had a warranty to go to. I asked about a demo bike for the interim and they said they’ll see what they/Cube could do about it but never heard anything else about it.

Since it’s been in the shop (still not back in my ownership!) I’ve had to chase the LBS a number of times to get even the smallest amount of information about the process. It’s been well over 8 weeks now and I’m getting extremely frustrated at the situation.

What are the laws or conditions, if there are any, regarding turnaround time for this sort of thing? I can see no mention on Cube’s website etc. regarding turnaround time for warranties. I’m considering making official complaints to my LBS and Cube, although I know that it’s more down to Cube’s slowness to get the part to my LBS, the LBS have still been very poor at communicating to me and keeping in touch.

Thanks in advance for any tips.

I believe the phrasing in consumer law is “reasonable time” 8 weeks isn’t reasonable IMHO. I’d speak to the shop and if no joy go to trading standards for some advice. I know my Mrs Uncle had a ‘mare with Cube’s warranty on a bike less than a year old. He somehow ended up paying for the part??? (It was a worn swing arm on a FS)

So who is dragging their feet, Cube or the LBS?

5 weeks for me to get my ks seatpost repaired by jungle, had to chase the lbs too

cancels any thought about buying a new cube mtb

I’m not convinced that you are getting the whole story from your LBS.

Yeah I agree I think something has been mucked up, maybe the initial logging of the warranty was forgotten or something, but I never received any kind of paper work regarding this? Lbs have given me very little information about why it’s taking so long, I’ve chased them but with little time on my hands and other things to worry about right now I’ve not kicked up a fuss… Might start doing so next week and try to find the full story. If lbs are useless again I’ll log complaints with manager to see where it gets me… Just want my bloody bike back! You’d think a manufacturer as big as cube would have spare parts for last year’s bikes to hand?!

I had hairline cracks on the TT of a Reaction GTC. It took Cube about 4 weeks just to acknowledge they had looked at the frame. After 6 weeks I requested a different bike from shop . They agreed but then give me an 8 week wait for new bike so I asked for money back and got full refund.

I used the ‘reasonable time’ argument, think after you have had the bike for so long you have to give them this time to repair or replace. If it passes reasonable time then you can request refund. They can then pay full or partial refund depending on how much use you’ve had of the bike.

Lbs to me has seen cube turn around warranty issues in a matter of days, often sending out the replacements asap if its a known problem. Someone is dragging their feet I reckon…

Thanks guys, monkeychild and ichi, think I will go with this reasonable time argument and see what I can get out if the situation. If they can offer a partial refund I may take it, but would like to know who has actually caused these delays. Ichi, how old was the reaction?

Lbs did say this chain stay crack is a known issue and that’s why they noticed it.

Called the LBS today to query why it’s taking so long – I handed the bike over to them 7th Jan! Coming up to 15 weeks now then…they haven’t received the part yet, but told me mid-march the bike should be ready by the start of April. They didn’t contact after that. Said that Cube will most likely have to re-manufacture the rear triangle and this is why it’s taking so long.

Mentioned this being an unreasonable time to wait and I’m getting sick of the situation and chasing them up and I’d like either a partial refund or replacement and they have said Cube will have to decide this… I’m feeling like the LBS I purchased this bike new from are distancing themselves from the issue and giving me very few options here, other than just sit and wait.

Well your contract is with the bike shop not Cube. I’m quite patient when it comes to stuff, but if I was in your situation I would be making a massive fuss. They are taking the Michael quite frankly.

If you paid with the bike via credit card, it might worth looking into Section 75.

…other than that. Maybe adopt a Kiwi accent, and put some videos on Youtube.

15 weeks!!!
Tell them you want your money back. That is appalling service. As above, you bought from the LBS and your contract is with them. It is their problem.

You sound like you need to grow a pair (and I don’t mean that in a bad way). They are taking the wee and personally, I’d be down at the LBS dragging the manager over the desk (not literally) until I got a satisfactory answer.

Yep, the LBS have to give a refund if you are entitled to it, how and if they get Cube to compensate them is their problem. Unfortunately I have yet to come across an LBS that is capable of ringing punters to keep them in the loop, its madness to provide poor customer service when its so easy to do everything online.

If it wasn’t for my dad’s spare mtb and being busy at work and out of country a few times I’d have spent more time harassing them after the 8 week period I expected to get it back in…

Wonder what the chances of full or partial refund are on 11 month old bike if I kick up enough fuss to the managers? Paid via debit card unfortunately.

Check your debit card details as I’m sure mine has similar refund policy to a credit card now.

Check your debit card details as I’m sure mine has similar refund policy to a credit card now.

Yes and no.

There is nothing enshrined in law like Section 75. More of a goodwill thing. Hopefully it gets sorted before the OP has to research this particular avenue.

Although, some info here.

I have to show a bit of support to Cube here – I found a crack in the swingarm of my Fritzz a few years back and it was replaced in about 5 days. Ironically today my 5 week old front wheel from my new Stereo 29er has gone totally wibbly whilst riding down Pikes Teeth at Hamsterley, so im intrigued to see what might happen there (if anything that my LBS cant fix.)

When l had my Cube MTB l found out that they change the frames etc every year, but do not keep any stock, or re-manufacture.
So if the frame fails on your 2013 then “sorry, it’s obsolete”

The bike is clearly not fit for purpose and you are entitled to either a full refund, or a replacement bike.

The LBS are trying to pass the buck but your contract is with them, not Cube. After all is that not why we buy from the LBS rather than online direct, so it is easier to deal with any issues?

Remanufacture my arse. Tell them you want a bike back in seven days or you’ll take legal action to recover your money and costs.

It really is incredibly frustrating how terrible a lot of bike shops are when it comes to this stuff. I know there are good ones but in my experience they are awful when it comes to customer service and largely living in the past.

Out of about four close to me only one of them actually communicate via email ffs. In the past I’ve had one put a fairly hefty scratch on my frame, another fail to tighten up a bottom bracket causing it to corrode within weeks, and another one take 2 weeks to fit a new derraileur after telling me it would take two days. Not to mention the first shop I ever went into when buying a new bike that relentlessly pursued me to buy a Trek they’d ordered in for me that I hadn’t even asked for.

Any one of the above in isolation wouldn’t be an issue but you’d have to think that in any other industry you wouldn’t be able to survive carrying on like that.

Before anyone starts, I generally do my own work on my bike now as I have a garage but it’s hardly the point.

I often wonder what expectation a customer has of their LBS to contact them with news.
surely the Shop in question has heard nothing and therefore has nothing to report back to the consumer?
I understand that it would be nice as a courtesy to contact the consumer to inform them that they are still chasing but after that what is expected?

Remanufacture!! They made that one up and are now just taking the p!ss out of you

Ask for your money back

mathewshotbolt – Member
I often wonder what expectation a customer has of their LBS to contact them with news.
surely the Shop in question has heard nothing and therefore has nothing to report back to the consumer?
I understand that it would be nice as a courtesy to contact the consumer to inform them that they are still chasing but after that what is expected?

They have obviously heard nothing, and can’t be bothered to chase it. Typical situation of LBS interested in selling bikes, but not interested in aftercare of their customers

Wow OP. I gave the bikeshop 1 week. Thankfully rhey did the right thing first.

7th Jan shows a lack of respect both by the shop and Cube to you. As above. If you paid on finance contact the finance company. I did this on a car. Rejected within the hour.

They are calling me Tuesday with what they find out from cube. I don’t care what they find out to be honest, I’m past the point of wanting my cube back. From what everyone here has said I’ll be asking to talk to shop manager and requesting a full refund or else I’ll take things further either with my bank via charge back or small claims court as I’m not waiting any longer for my bike to be returned to me. I’ve been a customer for a while now but will disown them if they don’t sort this out on Tuesday in a professional manner…

They said I’d have it back first week of April and if I didn’t chase it up yesterday god knows when I’d have heard about it. My expectation of them is to keep me in the loop and chase it regularly if the 8 week period they quoted had passed… Which they have failed to do!

@Kedmun

I think reasonable time has well and truly passed in this case. FYI my Reaction was 6 months old when i noticed the first crack, took it back straight away.

I’ve had a similar experience, my cube ams has a crack in the chainstay so went into my LBS for frame replacement only to be told frame would not be available for 8 weeks,,,,,,,so cube gave me a Hardtail frame and LBS swapped all bits they could over to keep me going and once the AMS frame turned up (due next week) I could keep the hardtail frame.
Seems the LBS has a lot to do with it not cube.
Just to add I’ve had several Cube’s and had a couple of niggles with frames etc and never had an issue with frame swap etc through my LBS.

Spoke to store manager today who’s been more useful and made more sense than any of the other staff members, but I’ve still not come out with what I was hoping – which may have been unrealistic TBH.

After all that’s happened, Cube are sending a new frame and possibly new shock/other parts as my bike 2012 AMS 100mm XC bike was discontinued and I think they only produced 110mm AMS bikes in 2013. Still don’t think I received the full story. The frame won’t be with the bike shop for at least another week!

They are now offering in store credit for the price of the bike (new) to purchase a new bike with. I have said I am after a full refund on the card I paid with which they are not willing to do. If they could come up with a partial refund price then I might be willing to take it – they are also not willing to top up the partial refund price themselves to compensate me.

What does everyone think? Is that reasonable? I don’t actually want a new bike from in-store as I have another 2nd hand bike in mind. This will mean getting it for the sake of using the credit and then selling it on…hassle for me no?

Maybe a little bit of hassle – but if its store credit surely you could get “any” bike they can stock?!

Advertise it on here – someone will probably be interested in a specific model and size potentially them getting it cheaper (if you are willing to lose a bit) and you getting money for your 2nd hand bike…..

everyone is a winner!!

The store have offered you store credit to the value you paid for the bike, even though they didn’t have to as cube are replacing it.

they wont give you a refund as they will then have to spend time building a bike that they will then have to sell on as second hand or a demo bike, as you got a good couple of months of riding out of the parts that are still fine. If they give you a full refund they will have lost out.store credit means at least they will see some of what they are loosing out on back.

As a customer I am with you I would want a full refund but the facts remain that they don’t even have to offer you store cedit as cube are replacing the frame.

Yeah, tbh I think they’ve done what most would consider to be reasonable.

They’ve called and offered me a partial refund – RRP of bike was £1500, I got 33% off when I purchased so £1000 and they are offering a partial cash refund of £700.

Or store credit for £1000.

First world dilemmas hey?

Have a look at what you can get in the store for £1000 and if there isn’t anything of a similar spec/you want, then hang on for the new frame. You’ve waited this long, no point losing out and ending up with an inferior bike for the sake of another week or 2.

so you bought a 2012 bike for 33% off, a couple of months down the line unsurprisingly they ve discovered they havent any bits to replace it with and have offered a replacement new 2013/14 frame.. id have thought that was a win but to be offered a grand store credit as well as.. blimy can you ppick some lottery numbers for me

yeah, but on the flip side, his bike broke, and he’s had to wait months, chase the bike shop repeatedly, and still doesn’t actually have a replacement, doesn’t exactly sound lucky to me…

totalshell – Member
so you bought a 2012 bike for 33% off, a couple of months down the line unsurprisingly they ve discovered they havent any bits to replace it with and have offered a replacement new 2013/14 frame.. id have thought that was a win but to be offered a grand store credit as well as.. blimy can you ppick some lottery numbers for me

Couple of months – it’s four months next week! I’d have expected Cube, when the warranty claim came through, to check their stock which might take some time, but within a number of weeks go, “oh…yeah we don’t have that chainstay and to ‘manufacture’ a new one will take months and be silly, so the only alternative we can offer is a new frame”. From what I understand a new frame on warranty isn’t exactly unheard of?

I agree that the grand to spend in store is a good offer, but I don’t actually want/need to spend a grand in store. I also did expect less than £700 for the partial refund in cash, so overall the situation has come out well. Now to decide what to do – the issue is that I’ve got my eye on a friends 2nd hand bike that I’ve been using on and off since this went in for warranty and want to buy it. The 700£ would go towards that but I’m at 300 store credit loss…OR try and get the best bike in store for £1000 and make another 150-200£ trying to sell it. Can’t put the warranty in someone else’s name however, so I imagine this will put people off…

Will the £700 offer include giving you your old broken bike back?

I’d take the store credit.