Cycling abroad and the Warranty system

[brianmck]

bought one in August. Rear wheel spokes went after 148miles. replacement wheel spokes went after 210miles on the Danube cycle trail. had to buy new wheel. anyone else had problems/

[mercalia]

how heavy are you?

I dont think the wheels on dawes bikes are any thing special. On my 1-Down a supposedly Thorn Nomad rough stuff copy they used 17mm rimmed single eyelet mavic 138 ( cant remember dumped the rims long time ago now)? low weight rims that eventually cracked at the eyelets, the spoke tension pulling the rim apart, the tensions on them were not every even nor very high funnilly didnt have much trouble with the spoke - just 2 broke on the rear but then that was after I jumped on the bike and I weigh a lot I got some Spa hand built sputniks then an Excel SP19 rim deal on Ebay I built my own ( so far done about 800 faultless miles on them and havent had to adjust them at all )

when you say replaced the spokes - all of them? once a few ( more than one at a time and a max of 2 over time ) go you can bet more will go.

[reohn2]

Dawes bikes don't have the best wheel builds out there.

[horizon]

bought one in August. Rear wheel spokes went after 148miles. replacement wheel spokes went after 210miles on the Danube cycle trail. had to buy new wheel. anyone else had problems/

If the bike was new then I presume you didn't have to buy a new wheel but took it back to the retailer.

[pete75]

My son has had one for nearly 4 years now. 2003 model bought second hand on this forum for £125. Has done many, many miles fully loaded with camping gear with no problems whatsoever.
Hve had to replace one spoke in the rear wheel - freak accident when bike fell over off prop stand at York Rally and one spoke hit the wooden peg denoting the camping place and broke. It was the nipple that actually hit the top of the peg. Initially thought it was just the nipple smashed but when new nipple fitted and started to tighten it the threaded section broke off the rest of the spoke.

[531colin]

More likely than not, a 2003 Dawes bike was built in a different factory to 2016 Dawes bike.....or a different country, or a different continent.
The only thing they are certain to have in common is the letters in the sticker on the frame.

[pete75]

More likely than not, a 2003 Dawes bike was built in a different factory to 2016 Dawes bike.....or a different country, or a different continent.
The only thing they are certain to have in common is the letters in the sticker on the frame.

Hang on - haven't they changed the lettering style as well since then?

One thing is certain the level of components has changed for example 2003 xt rear derailleur 2016 Alivio on the back. The original manual and purchase details came with the bike. The dealer pages shows it cost £699.99 and now, thirteen years later,they're still £699.99. There must have been other changes to keep the price that constant and they won't have been for the better.

[brianmck]

Thanks everyone. New German wheel lasted rest of the trip-no problem. They only use Chinese components for child bikes - Bavarian steel for adults. Do you think Dawes are using cheap Chinese stuff? Embarrassing for me as I am member of boycott China for its horrific Human Rights abuses: colonising Tibet etc.

[brianmck]

After 43200km, the need for an overhaul and a dent in the frame I decided to change my Ridgeback and go back to Dawes, as I thought a british bike.

I bought a Dawes Karakum in August but after 148 miles several spokes had burst. I insisted on a new wheel and headed off to cycle the Danube Cycle Route. After 210 miles the spokes went again some four miles from the nearest town Donauworth. The bike shop here was closed for the German holidays and the next day I had to take the train to Ingolstadt which has 3 bike repair shops. I went to the largest Fahradd Brenner. As tourists we were dealt with straight away and Mr Brenner and his mechanics studied the wheel and reckoned that just a repair was dodgy due to the weakened condition of the wheel and the amount of cycling I still had to do. They also suggested that the wheel was of Eastern origin. As they only deal in German wheels I purchased one at a reduced price £113 and for the next 800 miles no bother although the bottom bracket went after 410 miles and the rear mudguard was the wrong length which meant noisy peddling and being caked in mud a few times. Some parts of the route are remote with no bike repair or trains so I was keen to have a wheel that would do its job: i.e. tour.

Back home I contacted Dawes who have told me that I am getting nothing for the wheel or my expenses or the worry they have caused as I should have ignored the German advice and got a repair only. Anyone know if I can take them to court.

[brianmck]

After 43200km, the need for an overhaul and a dent in the frame I decided to change my Ridgeback and go back to Dawes, as I thought a british bike. I bought a Dawes Karakum in August but after 148 miles several spokes had burst. I insisted on a new wheel and headed off to cycle the Danube Cycle Route. After 210 miles the spokes went again some four miles from the nearest town Donauworth. The bike shop here was closed for the German holidays and the next day I had to take the train to Ingolstadt which has 3 bike repair shops. I went to the largest Fahradd Brenner. As tourists we were dealt with straight away and Mr Brenner and his mechanics studied the wheel and reckoned that just a repair was dodgy due to the weakened condition of the wheel and the amount of cycling I still had to do. They also suggested that the wheel was of Eastern origin. As they only deal in German wheels I purchased one at a reduced price £113 and for the next 800 miles no bother although the bottom bracket went after 410 miles and the rear mudguard was the wrong length which meant noisy peddling and being cacked in mud a few times. Some parts of the route are remote with no bike repair or trains so I was keen to have a wheel that would do its job: i.e. tour. Back home I contacted Dawes who have told me that I am getting nothing for the wheel or my expenses or the worry they have caused as I should have ignored the German advice and got a repair only. Anyone know if I can take them to court.

[gaz]

Sorry to hear of these mechanical issues, hope you still enjoyed your tour.

Warranties do not cover incidental losses. Recent Consumer Law related thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=109432

Don't simply rely on forum comments before considering taking anyone to court, get proper legal advice.

[Audax67]

Dawes sound like a bunch of <sorry, there's no polite word> but Fahrrad Brenner sounds like a good crew.

Re litigation, no idea, but it'd be worth getting a qualified opinion.

[meic]

Just a point of detail but do Dawes specify a maximum load for the wheel and were you loaded up within that limit?
Sometimes manufacturers do that and the limit is easily exceeded by big people when touring.

[horizon]

brianmck: I've trawled all your posts but still cannot tell whether you bought the bike new (I assume you did) and where you bought it (internet or local bike shop).

Wheels are the most vulnerable part of the bike and also one of the less likely parts to carry a good name* and you still won't know where and how they were made. That's how the bike reaches its price point.

Personally I think you've done alright: you were going to discover the weak point on that bike and you've done it. Of course you could have spent three times as much on a decent touring bike but a single wheel upgrade on a loaded tour is hardly that dreadful. And now you have a better bike.

* As is the BB

[Adam S]

Manufacturer warranties are not required by law and are often highly restrictive. If something isn't explicitly stated you aren't covered for it. No doubt a load of T&Cs will have been provided with your bike or at online warranty registration. It is standard for warranties to stipulate a particular process for claiming warranty through an authorised dealership. It is rare for warranty to cover replacements obtained from other sources.

You have much stronger statutory rights with regard to the retailer. In law they, not the manufacturer, are responsible for the quality of the goods they have sold. As your wheel lasted only a very short distance, it was clearly not of a satisfactory quality. I suggest you contact the retailer and see if they will do anything to reimburse you. Having said that they are not required to meet the costs of you having it repaired by a third party.