# 2 day old bike: chain snapped, frame damaged. What should i do?



## Dubcat (Aug 3, 2012)

Hi guys, on my second ride of my brand new bianchi infinito the chain snapped  It was not on a hill, I was not standing on the peddles. It just snapped during flat riding. To make matters worse the chain flailed and smashed in to the chainstay - the one that goes from the hub up towards the seat. The white paint cracked and a chunk of the paint fell off which is about the size of your small fingernail leaving an ugly rough black material (carbon I guess) exposed.

I was devastated. It looks fugly.

The bike shop is going to speak to Bianchi after they reopen their office after Eurobike. There is a good chance that Bianchi will say that this was mechanical damage and therefore not covered under the frame warranty. 

The bike shop tried painting over the area exposed but paint will not stick. They put silver FSA stickers over that exposed area (on both chainstays to make it look sort of even) and replaced the chain with a higher quality one than that which is provided with the bike. The stickers are kinda fugly and I guess they will just peel off over time. They also offered a £150 credit. I need to get a mountain bike service done which costs £50 and I will easily spend an additional £100 there over the coming months.

Another alternative is that the shop could just give me my money back. Since I bought the bike with a massive discount (I paid £1500 for a £2300 bike) I am really not sure what I should do. I will not be able to buy another infinito if i return this due to the cost being too high - i won't get that discount again.

What would you do? 

I may have no choice in the end as the wife is screaming at me to just get my money back but it would be good to get other peoples opinions.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

> To make matters worse the chain flailed and smashed in to the chainstay - the one that goes from the hub up towards the seat.


That's your seatstay.

Ugh that sucks. Since it's a new bike I think they need to do whatever possible to repair/replace your frame. Chains don't just break (even cheap ones) on 2day old bikes. It's most likely the chain was defective or wasn't pinned properly. Do you know how the cheain broke? Broken plate? Separated at a pin? Broken pin?



> Bianchi U.S.A., Inc. Warrants that any NEW Bianchi *bicycle *purchased from an authorized Bianchi dealer will be free from defects in material and workmanship (proof of purchase is mandatory), subject to the Full Limited Warranty Policies as outlined in the Bianchi Owner's Manual:


Thats the USA warranty. What's your owners manual say? 
Notice it says it warrants the BICYCLE, not just the frame, from defects in material and workmanship.


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## DrSpoke (Jun 11, 2010)

A couple of things. First I would be bummed, disappointed and probably very angry if that happened to me. I think the above post would be my first thought too. That is, rather than get a refund and be on your own for the price difference, try to get the whole bike replaced. I would hope that if you shop went to bat for you it would be pretty straightforward. Are they an authorized dealer? If not you should be able to contact someone at the Distributor. And, if they are out of 2012 models in your size, maybe you can get a 2013. Perhaps get a new frame/fork only (Celeste I believe) and have the dealer move all the components over.

Secondly, if there is no structural damage, I don't see any reason that the frame can't be touched up. Perhaps a good auto body shop could do it and bill the shop.

At this point in time let's expect it to be resolved satifactorily and that, at most, you'll just miss out on a week or two of riding. Or just ride the one you have until the new ones arrives.

See: http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/eurobike-2012-tech-bianchi-2013-road-and-mountain-bikes


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## Lolamunky (Jul 28, 2010)

If the bike shop assembled the bike and chain then they are clearly responsible for the bad labor and should eat the cost to replace the frame.....if the chain came that way from Bianchi I would say its on Bianchi to replace the frame. 

Someone put that chain on your bike and I would say the cost should lay with them.


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## giosblue (Aug 2, 2009)

I agree, if you haven't put the chain on, and you bought the bike "good to go" then whoever supplied the bike should make it right.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

The assembler of the chain should be responsible here, Dubcat, be it your shop or Bianchi themselves. 
As for touching up carbon frames and parts I have had great luck using nail varnish. I've even managed to find one that was Celeste _enough_, but my Infinito is two and a half seasons old. It's easier to live with blemishes then, especially when I've caused them by riding where I've ridden.


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## Dubcat (Aug 3, 2012)

Wow there is a happy ending to this story. Turns out my bike shop had one more Infinito left! They swapped frames and fitted a different chain (105)! I am picking up the bike tonight. I am so relieved/happy! 

Thanks for your support and advice. I will post some pictures soon! Mega happy 

FYI the shop is Evans Gatwick branch. The manager Mark L really looked after me and went way past the extra mile. He spent a very long time making sure I was happy with my bike and I felt he was really looking out for my best interest when things went wrong. One of the sales guys there George, also helped me loads. Both guys are brilliant and I will always buy from Evans as long as they are there. Evans are a national chain of stores who get abuse quite often. Just goes to show its the individual's in the store who make a difference - not whether the shop is an independent lbs or a national chain.


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## giosblue (Aug 2, 2009)

Glad your sorted Dubcat. I like a happy ending. Your branch of Evans Cycles obviously know how much pain we are going through when things aren't quite right.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

Wow. Great to hear that the shop stepped up and did the right thing. 

It's weird that they didn't do that right from the start and tried to say it might not get covered. Did you speak with different people there at first?


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## ShutterBugSteve (Jul 15, 2012)

Great to hear Dubcat!


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## refund!? (Oct 16, 2006)

Dubcat;4085399"... I will always buy from Evans as long as they are there."[/QUOTE said:


> I, too, and as a Bianchi dealer, am glad the shop stepped up and provided great service. Now I hope you'll keep your promise and support them in the future, and not just by buying sale items. Please keep in mind, and no one mentioned this, that you purchased the bike at an 800 pounds discount, so it's likely the shop had already lost money on the sale before the mechanical failure compounded the loss. That makes their actions all the more meaningful.


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## Dubcat (Aug 3, 2012)

tlg - they never said it wasn't covered. The problem was that they thought they had no more of that frame and so would have to resort to a refund. I was trying to avoid the refund due to the massive discount i got on the bike via a price match. I would not have been able to buy another bike at that price which would have meant no more Bianchi for me. Did a nice long ride on it last night. Super happy


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## jr59 (Mar 30, 2011)

I am very happy that all turned out well in this case!


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