Crack In Frame... Help?

[Scotty H]

Hello, I am new to the world of trials. I just purchased a Echo lite last week. I rode the bike for an hour or so and love it. Today I was hopping off a 1.5 meter high wall/post thing witch i was doing for about 10 minutes when i noticed a crack in the welds up the head set part of the frame on the left side.

Since a new frame is £220.00 is there a process for welding that may help.

i have asked the shop if they could do anything they said "get it welded or buy a new frame we cant replace it".

My plan is to strip the bike to the bare frame and stop drill the crack. Next I was going to have it tig welded and made to the factory look. Next as it is chrome and will now be damaged I was going to paint the neck area in a chrome paint to hide this repair the best I can.

sorry i cant get any pictures it's a 20" mod

Are there any other suggestions there?

Thank you in advance for your help.

scott

[Ollie Y]

i suggest u speak to echo because there should be some form of warrenty on the bike they might sort it for you, but i suggest you dont tell them bout the drop... anyway hope it gets sorted

ollie

Edited April 14, 2006 by oliyoungman14

[CurtisRider]

its not a chrome finish, its just polished alloy

if its not covered by warranty then i guess a reweld may be a good idea, just as a stand in until the frame is replaced. drilling holes at the end of the cracks is a good idea too, prevents it spreading

fraid its more than likely save up for a new frame time though

[Dan6061]

That's terrible. A new frame shouldn't crack after something like that.

Where did you get the frame from?

I'd also suggest contacting Echo, tell them what happened, and say that you wouldn't expect that from a brand new frame. Especially from them.

Hopefull they'll ask you to send the frame to them, so they can check the damage. Then they should send you a new frame.

Something like that...

[Hobnobs]

Whatever shop you purchased it from should be able to contact echo and give you some sort of replacement, unless it was a back street jobby. Theres no way that it wasnt a manufacturing defect...

[CBProductions]

The shop unless very helpful will not help you out because you were doing trials on it , if you have said that you were just riding home and stopped to notice the crack then maybe. Just contact echo directly and hopefully someone will help you out

[King C]

The shop unless very helpful will not help you out because you were doing trials on it , if you have said that you were just riding home and stopped to notice the crack then maybe. Just contact echo directly and hopefully someone will help you out

Aren't they made for trials?

A trials specific frame should be able to take the stresses involved in trials.

[chrishayton]

woah thats not good. 1 week of use and its cracked! hmm isnt the lite the new mod thats just been released, Echos are usually beast frames. you sure its cracked? pics?

[Simpson]

Aren't they made for trials?

A trials specific frame should be able to take the stresses involved in trials.

SHOULD be able to im sure all riders with exp. of different frames will tell you that most frames on the market have been cracked / snapped

[Hobnobs]

Echo's carry a 1 year warrenty from manufacturing defects, so even if the shop are willies, then they can still get a replacement.

[Ben Cox]

but isnt the lite the comp bike? so dropping from nearly 5 foot lots of times (you probably dont know how to land properly if you are a new rider) is going to put alot of stress on the headtube join as you slam the front down when you land. so probably your fault

Ben

[tipus]

but isnt the lite the comp bike? so dropping from nearly 5 foot lots of times (you probably dont know how to land properly if you are a new rider) is going to put alot of stress on the headtube join as you slam the front down when you land. so probably your fault

Ben

I dont think its a comp frame.. And every frame should be able to handle 10 mins of droping..

[planet x alan]

if there is no warranty with echo then see if they do a crash replacement deal. basically they will send you out a new frame for very cheap

[trialstar]

Here's your free Legal Advice for today...

Sale of Goods Act, Faulty Goods.

Relevant or Related Legislation: Sale of Goods Act 1979. Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994. The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002.

Key Facts:

• Wherever goods are bought they must "conform to contract". This means they must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality (i.e. not inherently faulty at the time of sale).

• Goods are of satisfactory quality if they reach the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking into account the price and any description.

• Aspects of quality include fitness for purpose, freedom from minor defects, appearance and finish, durability and safety.

• It is the seller, not the manufacturer, who is responsible if goods do not conform to contract.

• If goods do not conform to contract at the time of sale, purchasers can request their money back "within a reasonable time". (This is not defined and will depend on circumstances)

• For up to six years after purchase (five years from discovery in Scotland) purchasers can demand damages (which a court would equate to the cost of a repair or replacement).

• A purchaser who is a consumer, i.e. is not buying in the course of a business, can alternatively request a repair or replacement.

• If repair and replacement are not possible or too costly, then the consumer can seek a partial refund, if they have had some benefit from the good, or a full refund if the fault/s have meant they have enjoyed no benefit

• In general, the onus is on all purchasers to prove the goods did not conform to contract (e.g. was inherently faulty) and should have reasonably lasted until this point in time (i.e. perishable goods do not last for six years).

• If a consumer chooses to request a repair or replacement, then for the first six months after purchase it will be for the retailer to prove the goods did conform to contract (e.g. were not inherently faulty)

• After six months and until the end of the six years, it is for the consumer to prove the lack of conformity.

The basic jist of all that Legal mumbo jumbo is that:

1) Goods must be fit for the purpose in which they are described (ie. trials frame for trials that will take longer to break than a week)

2) It's the seller who has responsibility to sort this problem out, not echo because the contract for the sale was made between you and the seller. If they don't speak to Trading Standards as they have a legal obligation to take action.

3) Your frame is guaranteed for up to 6 years from manufacturing defects (this whole 12 month warranty bullshit is exactly that.. absolute cack made up by large companies to avoid their legal responsibilities)

4) Because this fault occured within the first 6 months of your ownership of the frame it is the seller/manufacturer who has to prove that it wasn't faulty.

5) The seller must arrange a repair, replacement or full refund in a reasonable timeframe (4 weeks would be reasonable in this case for a repair or replacement). If they dont you are entitled to a full refund.

Tell them all of this and make sure you put it in writing and get a signed reciept for any change of goods. If they piss you around threaten to get in contact with Trading Standards, that usually sorts it out. If they still don't play ball, get in touch with Trading Standards and tell them what's happened.

This applies to all "trials specific" products if they don't last as long as they should because they have been designed specifically to do a job and aren't cutting the mustard. But you can't ride trials on a cross country frame, bust it and try and return it cause they will tell you to f**k off.

Any more legal questions don't hesitate to contact me.

-James

(Excuse the incoherancy of that argument I'm very hungover)

[PaRtZ]

but isnt the lite the comp bike?

Ben

Thats the onza t-lite