Would you buy a bike from a manufacturer that's gone bust?

I am so tempted by a bike with a massive discount but it’s from a now defunct company so will only have 1yr frame warranty.
I would tell you what it is but they only have one left. I’m sure someone will know which one it is though?
Would you risk it bearing in mind it would be far less than half price (though not exactly pennies) or would you run a mile?
I’m presuming bearings would be able to be purchased from various places when they eventually destroy themselves?

If they had a good reliability rep, then yeah, why not?
What’s the bike?

I bought 2 Iron Horses. Best decision I ever made.

I guess it would depend on why they went bust.

I imagine I can guess what it is and where it’s from.

It’s very cheap; if it died and bearings weren’t available (and I’m sure they would be) then just reframe it! If the frame snapped the retailer would honour a refund, if imagine.

I bought an iron horse a few years ago – the rear triangle broke within a couple of months. Because they’d gone bust, the retailer couldn’t sort a replacement, and only offered me a couple of hundred quid as a refund because that’s what they had calculated as the “value” of the piece that had broken.

It took quite a lot of effort to negotiate them up to a value that would allow me to replace the frame with something equivalent. In the end I had another FS frame from them with a small top-up payment from me. the result was ok but like I said it took some pretty aggressive negotiation to get a new frame that was equivalent (ie: the same travel and not luminous pink) and that I could transfer most of my parts over to.

I guess it would depend on how much you were saving, and what the bike in question was. But a decent warranty is now a factor in my bike choices.

Saving 60% and if anyone guesses I’ll fess up.

Sunn

Chumba? If so, run a mile. Don’t look back.

Tomac? Also avoid, they all snapped.

njee20 – Member
Tomac

I was thinking the same.

Sad to see Jonny T’s name dragged through the mire like that, really.

Mcnultycop has it.
Sunn Charger Finest.

They replaced my Iron horse with a Tomac! Great bike…. but it also snapped within a year. Fortunately they were still in business at that point so I could get a new rear triangle. i had learned my lesson by then – flogged it and bought a Rose with a 10 year unconditional frame warranty. It’s made of girders.

Chumba?

chumba are back

http://www.chumbausa.com/home/

Chumba?
chumba are back

http://www.chumbausa.com/home/

Yeah….. $1,100 for a steel hardtail frame. Sign me up! 😯

How much money are you talking?

Not more than a grand. Unless it was a really good bike.

Sad to see Jonny T’s name dragged through the mire like that, really.

Agreed! The Revolver was hideous though. Warning bells should have been ringing then!

If it’s the one I’ve just had a canny look at (relax it’s too small for me and I haven’t got that kinda money lying around anyway, even at 60%), it looks like a pretty decent bet to me. Probably worth it for the parts alone!

Tomac? Also avoid, they all snapped.

My Revolver Ti is still going strong, but I think that’s from the time before last they went bust. It was also built by Lightspeed in the States. I did the same thing, got it from CRC for more than 60% off.

Bearings are generic on most bikes afaik so they shouldn’t be a problem but what about the pivot bolts? Don’t think the ones on my Specialized and El Guapo are available elsewhere and they’re easy to round or damage when changing bearings.

choppersquad

Mcnultycop has it.
Sunn Charger Finest.

I would have to say don’t waste your money. Very much a Lapierre-esque high and short style of geometry. totally inappropriate for a 160mm bike. Also the chain stays are some of the weediest I’ve seen on any bike, much less a 160mm bike.

My honest assesment would be a shit frame, tarted up with X0 parts. Imagine what £2k would buy you in a used Specialized Enduro? Chances of it breaking would be pretty slim, certainly within a year at least.

Just make sure it still makes sense as a donor bike, since that might be what it turns into.

I thought On One had bought out Tomac?

I thought On One had bought out Tomac?

I think it’s just the rights to use the name that’s changing hands these days

Edit: For 2 grand, do you realize you can get a pretty decent Canyon? A mid-range spectral or Strive? That’s where my money would be going.

Sunn’s are ace – had several and bought a Tzar S1 2012 (not the orrible 2013 one) from CRC a couple of months ago for buttons with various codes. But they are patchy -however mate had a Charger in morzine as a hire bike and loved it

If I was looking for a full sus rather than a hardcore hardtail probably would have gone for the charger S1 – for that price a 1 year warranty would have been OK

I did think the chainstays looked pretty thin but was wondering if this was just the photo making it look a bit out of perspective?
Surely they must have the same amount of testing that everyone else has?

The back of the charger is made of 4130 chromo, hence being a bit skinnier than the front. Always fancied one myself!

It’s really annoying not being able to find any reviews or write ups on it at all apart from one on CRC.
Shame I can’t email the person who left it, because he must live near me if he rides the Surrey Hills.

For that money there are some excellent bikes from the direct sales people – Commencal Meta V4 Essential, Canyon Spectral or Strive Alu versions, YT Wicked, etc. All at prices around your budget. I wouldn’t be enticed by the huge reduction in price as I’d have thought it was well overpriced when new, hence why they still have some left.

Anyway, it’s got old out dated stuff like a 9mm rear axle too and (God forbid!) 26 inch wheels!

Is it the £1.5k one? Had a look at it now and I agree with Rickos, dubious value even at that price. Don’t be blinded by the discount.

Get a Mega AM frame for £700 and build it up with a Pike, some Superstar wheels and full SLX. Won’t be far off that budget and you’ll end up with an awesome bike.

9mm rear axle?

That is old! 😛

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1683286/?directtofirstphoto

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s1p5189/CANNONDALE-JEKYLL-CARBON-2-2013

https://www.canyon.com/en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3610

http://whyte.bike/gb/models/gravity-enduro/gravity-enduro-27-5-650b/g-150-s/

Never known a LBS that don’t give 10% off new bike purchases.

Just a few places i’d rather spend my money.

It is all personal preference though so do what makes you happy.

I’d go for the Banshee though.

EDIT – I thought it was the £2299 one.

If less then the parts must also be very average, plenty of bling build 26ers out there second hand for £1500. If the frame snaps just go second hand again for a few hundred.

All my bikes are second hand as are most of the parts, just shop carefully and wait for the right things at the right price…. they will come up.

I’ve had my eye on that Cannondale Jeckyll for ages.
I’m just rubbish at committing to spending the money.

Tomac is with planetX, there’s a few sample frames doing the rounds but I think the intention is for the US market in the first instance. There’s no under built suspension frames on the drawing board so no need to worry.

Buy your bargain thru a shop/dealer then if the purchase goes titsup even if the manufacturer has died at least you have some comeback