Results 1 to 22 of 22
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    NorCal coast
    Posts
    1,944

    Good warranty experiences (bike edition)

    I think there's a thread like this in Tech Talk, but it's mostly about ski gear & clothing.

    I think it's a good idea to give shout-outs to companies (typically smaller ones) who have really great customer service, and go out of their way to make things right for you when something goes wrong. You know, the ones that take care of you when you weren't really expecting it. I feel like most reviews online are biased towards the negative, because people don't take time to write reviews unless they're pissed off about something.

    My list:

    Magura USA: over the winter, I had a crash (totally my fault), and snapped the part of my master cylinder where the lever pins in. I emailed Magura asking them what replacement MC I should order for my MT Trail Sports (which are essentially a combo of MT5 front / MT4 rear), and they replied saying that it shouldn't have happened. They sent me a complete new rear brake in 3 days. Totally above and beyond what was expected.

    7 Protection (7idp): a couple weeks ago, I had a crash (again, totally my fault). I ended up tearing the upper "sock" material on my Sam Hill pads. I emailed them asking some questions on how their Project pads fit relative to the Sam Hill and Transition pads (which I both own, but feel fit slightly different), so I could decide whether to try those instead of just getting a new set of Sam Hills. They answered my questions and gave me a 50% off crash replacement coupon. Not expected, but will definitely make me feel better about buying their stuff.

    OneUp components: I've had a pair of their alloy pedals for about a year, and composite ones about a year and a half. I noticed the threads on the alloys have started to strip, making it really hard to get them started on my cranks. It became enough of a problem that it was starting to wear down the starter threads on my crank. I emailed them asking how I could buy a set of replacement spindles. They asked for some photos of them to bring to the engineers, then got back to me and said that it shouldn't be happening. They're sending me a brand new set of pedals. They originally asked me to mail them the stripped ones, but once they realized I was in the US and they were in CA told me not to worry about it (just don't sell them). Again, above and beyond what was expected.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hell Track
    Posts
    13,841
    Sram: a couple Reverbs, a rear shock or two, a Pike, some Guides. Replacements were always fast and hassle free. Some of them were well outside of their warranty period.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    6,643
    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    Sram: a couple Reverbs, a rear shock or two, a Pike, some Guides. Replacements were always fast and hassle free. Some of them were well outside of their warranty period.
    Santa Cruz. Horizontal dropouts for converting a Stigmata, bearings for Blur. Another shout out for SRAM also. Raceface years ago on a crank was good.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    People's Republic of OB
    Posts
    4,406
    A couple of my favorites:

    Back around 2003 I bought a used Santa cruz super8. It came with a pair of Axiom pedals (Norco brand, at the time). I was in the LBS a year or two later and the shop told me with some missing pins and poopy bearings they'd give me a new pair of pedals for a $10 shipping charge to cover cost of sending the old pedals back. Apparently they had lifetime warranty on the pedals. ~16 years later that same pair of pedals is still going strong on my commuter bike, missing a few pins, but bearings still solid. Unfortunately Axiom only seems to make bike bags and fenders now. Their service back then was great. Can't say that for any of the fancy and expensive narrow profile pedals we get now that only seem to last a season, maybe two before becoming disposable.

    Osprey - I used a Manta 30 as my main riding pack for almost 4 seasons. In the middle of a Durango trip the pack split open parallel to the main compartment zipper. Seemed like this was something that could be sewn back together and the pack was still in decent shape so I contacted Osprey, who said to send it in. Turns out they couldn't repair it and next thing you know I get a brand new Manta 36 in the mail. I was kind of embarrassed to accept it since the old one didn't owe me anything and I planned to buy a new one if it couldn't be replaced. Definitely appreciated it though, and will buy their product again for sure.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    3,673
    Giro: I bought some of the early terraduros, and probably went through about 4-5 pairs with delaming vibram. I know they knew of the issue but it was still outstanding how they just kept cranking out replacements for me. It must of worked, when I went to buy another shoe: j went for the Terraduro Mids (no delam in two hard years).

    I’m sure I have a few others, but that’s all I can recall right now.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Park City
    Posts
    5,013
    Thule: bike comes off the rack at 70 mph coming home from Moab. New carbon wheels, new swingarm (change to thru axle) etc on my turner sultan. Still attached to rack portion, it came off the bars. Called, sent pictures, gave me $3500 as a check.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    I rip the groomed on tele gear

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    3,429
    I really appreciate these threads for a few reasons. Number one, it helps to know where to spend money. Secondly, because I have had 3 bad customer service experiences in a row (not bike related) and I was getting a bit pessimistic after the third one today.

    Enve - I bought a used bike with a pair of Enve rims. The aluminum nipples were corroding and were breaking inside the rim. Enve sent a set of brass nipples for free. I'd say that this was better than average.

    Santa Cruz - I bought a used Tallboy 1C and asked a bunch of questions to Support. While no longer applicable for warranty, they still sent me small parts for free and tried to locate crash replacement rear triangles (to upgrade to thru axle). All in all, were really helpful when they weren't making a dime.

    Yakima - Bought a Holdup 2 + 2. Half of this rack had a coatings adhesion problem and was beginning to rust. After proof of purchase they sent me a new rack. I bought the Backswing about a week later, partially because I knew they would stand behind their product.

    Seth

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    1,572
    Magura. I had a vyron remote electronic seat post that failed, they replaced it without even me sending it back. I was the 2nd owner too. Downside is that the thing wasn't that good to begin with.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    6,643
    Osprey. Good call. Glad you mentioned them. Their warranty is spectacular. And forever. I’ve used it a few times and it’s always been awesome.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Missoula
    Posts
    2,104
    Sram, smith, giro, pearl izumi, continental have all sent me new stuff when I had a problem. Sram gave me a full set of guide rscs when my elixir 9s stopped holding a bleed and a new road shifter, so I would say they've been the best.

    Garmin was not about to send me a new edge 510 when mine stopped charging because the usb plug broke right off the circuit board. They did offer me a refurb for like $80 but I just broke out the soldering iron and fixed it myself.
    Last edited by jamal; 05-07-2019 at 11:33 AM.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    1,169
    E*Thirteen have been amazing. I came off high speed mud pit and hit a tree, broke the top of my dropper post, they sent out replacement right away, same with a DH tire that had bead randomly failed.

    100% replaced pair of sunglasses that snapped in my pocket without any fuss.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Shadynasty's Jazz Club
    Posts
    10,248
    I broke the tab on my Light & Motion tail light. They sent me a replacement with minimal hassle and no return. Just had to send a receipt and a pic of the break.
    Remind me. We'll send him a red cap and a Speedo.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Making the Bowl Great Again
    Posts
    13,779
    I've posted this before but the Monarch on the wife's Diamondback Clutch got stuck down. I took it to a non-DB shop and they fixed it for no cost to me after what I was told was a single phone call to DB.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Driggs
    Posts
    549
    OneUp killed it for me as well. Snapped a dropper lever off in a crash, a brand new one was on my doorstep in two days.

    Dakine's quality and warranty are sort of inversely proportional in my book. I break a lot of their stuff, but they are always super awesome about warrantying it. Don't ask for proof of purchase, and just give you store credit. So, I haven't had incredible experiences with a lot of their stuff but I keep using it because they keep replacing it.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,844
    Quote Originally Posted by cydwhit View Post
    ...
    Dakine's quality and warranty are sort of inversely proportional in my book. I break a lot of their stuff, but they are always super awesome about warrantying it. Don't ask for proof of purchase, and just give you store credit. So, I haven't had incredible experiences with a lot of their stuff but I keep using it because they keep replacing it.
    Good to know. Though in my experience most the (ski) packs I've bought from them are pretty overbuilt.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Westmoreland, NH/ Jericho, VT
    Posts
    734
    Stans: shattered a rear hollow axle spindle somehow, called them, sent pics, then 10 days later they sent me a whole new wheel!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Three-O-Three
    Posts
    15,417
    BikeYoke: I had to warranty one of their 160mm Revive posts last year (only one out of 10+ I had in our fleet) because it was sagging about half an inch and the revive process wouldn't fix it. The post was about 6 months old and had approximately 30-40 days on it. I sent them an email with the issue, they asked a few questions, and had a brand new post en-route within 48 hours. They provided the box and postage to ship the damaged one back. Super easy to deal with.

    Stans: same comment as above... they're great.

    Schwalbe: I had three Nobby Nics I had to warranty last year from our demo fleet. All had knobs that tore off (how ironic). Their warranty process is super easy online, just snap a few pics and submit the form. They got back to me within a day each time, and sent me a code to redeem on their site for any free tire I wanted.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Shadynasty's Jazz Club
    Posts
    10,248
    SRAM has great warranty support, but having to work through a shop is maddening.
    Remind me. We'll send him a red cap and a Speedo.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Park City
    Posts
    1,857
    I had a really negative experience with Rocky Mountain. But I'm not going to go into details. You’re working through a shop and that creates barriers of communication that shouldn't exists. To this day I don't know if it was the shop or Rocky Mountain that screwed me. Ironically, I still have two of their bikes.
    Last edited by Canada1; 05-09-2019 at 11:41 AM.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Treading Water
    Posts
    6,683
    Quote Originally Posted by bagtagley View Post
    SRAM has great warranty support, but having to work through a shop is maddening.
    x2


    Quote Originally Posted by Canada1 View Post
    I had a really negative experience with Rocky Mountain.
    x2



    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    However many are in a shit ton.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    5,013
    X3 on both but going through a shop is just status quo for bicycle parts. Pearl izumi warranty is an easy process. Got new shoes in a few days

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    West
    Posts
    280
    Sram is top-notch with warranty and CS. Ship replacement product first, ask questions and take back defective product later. Plus they include pre-paid envelopes for returning defective product.

    Evil also has fantastic CS. Had to warranty a cracked frame last summer and it was super simple and easy and fast.

    Had a great experience with WTB last summer as well. Had a creaking saddle, sent them a couple pics, had a brand new saddle in 3 days. Didn't even have to send the old one back.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •