# system six frame problems



## bighitter (Aug 4, 2006)

well,
To start off, I purchased a system six liquigas frame/fork kit about a month ago from a us seller who is apparently a cannondale dealer. When it arrived i had a quick look over the package to make sure it wasnat damaged during transport, and then packed it back up as i was waiting for my lbs to get the build kit.
So I finally got all the parts togeather and today got the frame out of its box, and was giving it the once over and noticed a couple of things that arent right for a frame like this (especially at the price).
First of all most of (if not all) the decals have bubbles under them, the one on the left seatstay has creases in it, some areas of the paint has small bubbles in it (around the seat tube/seat stay junction, and dropouts etc... the main decal on the top tube is partly missing, or looks that way.
Thats it for the cosmetic, then there is the part where the headtube and the headset cup are bonded togeather, on the bottom at the back there is a gap probably about 10mm long and probably a 1mm gap between the carbon of the head tube and the alumnum of the headset cup, surely this isnt normal ?
also inside the headtube where the cable guides have been riveted on the carbon has long pieces peeled off coming from the rivet, this could be normal, but from my last full carbon frame it wasnt like this and they were riveted on aswell.
Ive taken some pics and will post them up asap (new computer and i havent found the camera software yet !)
So all in all im pretty bummed as ive shelled out for a system six/ full record group / plasma bar stem/ boras the lot and the frame is not as expected, what do you think, hould i send it back ? or is this normal ?



EDIT - probably should have mentioned i am in Australia, this is why i ordered the frame from O/S as the liquigas edition isnt available here apparently...


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## Veni Vidi Vici (Feb 10, 2004)

bighitter said:


> well,
> To start off, I purchased a system six liquigas frame/fork kit about a month ago from a us seller who is apparently a cannondale dealer. When it arrived i had a quick look over the package to make sure it wasnat damaged during transport, and then packed it back up as i was waiting for my lbs to get the build kit.
> So I finally got all the parts togeather and today got the frame out of its box, and was giving it the once over and noticed a couple of things that arent right for a frame like this (especially at the price).
> First of all most of (if not all) the decals have bubbles under them, the one on the left seatstay has creases in it, some areas of the paint has small bubbles in it (around the seat tube/seat stay junction, and dropouts etc... the main decal on the top tube is partly missing, or looks that way.
> ...



YES, you should call them asap.


Cannondale Australia
Unit 6, 4 Prosperity Parade
Warriewood N.S.W. 2102 
Australia
PH# 011.612.9979.5851
[email protected] <[email protected]>

Veni Vidi Vici


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## bighitter (Aug 4, 2006)

sent them an email


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## LeDomestique (Jan 17, 2007)

BTW, the Liquigas System6 IS available here, one of the riders on our team got one a few weeks ago

cheers


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## bighitter (Aug 4, 2006)

ok, must have changed then, but it wasnt when i enquired. I had my LBS call cannondale AUS and they said it was unavailable, this was a few months ago now though.


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## bighitter (Aug 4, 2006)

heard back from cannondale Australia, and they want nothing to do with it as it was bought from the US, They wouldnt even comment about the frame. 
I'll let you know how i get on


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## afie (Sep 13, 2004)

I am in the process of buying a frame, and was keen to get one from the US as they are so much cheaper. I sent an email to Cdale USA saying how I was getting married and moving to another country with my bike. I asked what happens with the warranty (if there would be a special clause that wasnt listed on their website). I got some stock bullshit answer that does not even address my question.

It would cost you $200USD in shipping to replace the frame. If you know a solicitor, you could try a threatening letter, and months later probably get no result, for free. If you bought it from a reputable dealer, you could probably get them to pay for shipping one way as they sent you a bike that was broken in the first place. Who did you buy it from?

For reference/interests sake, the 2007 systemsix frameset goes for around $4000AUD ($3333USD) or $1500USD+ship from the US, the CAAD9 for $1500AUD ($1250USD) or $1000USD+ship from the US. A lifetime warranty would be worth $250USD for the CAAD9, but not worth 2.2 times the cost price of the systemsix.


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## LeDomestique (Jan 17, 2007)

SOBs !!!. How can they possibly ask for 4K Au$ for a System 6 frameset (specially now that the Us$ is low) when in the US they are selling complete System 6s for less than 2.5K us$ !!


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## sm1000 (Dec 2, 2005)

afie said:


> For reference/interests sake, the 2007 systemsix frameset goes for around $4000AUD ($3333USD) or $1500USD+ship from the US, the CAAD9 for $1500AUD ($1250USD) or $1000USD+ship from the US. A lifetime warranty would be worth $250USD for the CAAD9, but not worth 2.2 times the cost price of the systemsix.


For that much in savings ($1500.00) you could fly to Hawaii and pick up the frame here. I can't quote any prices but the local dealer usually sells for less than msrp.

Aloha!


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## afie (Sep 13, 2004)

sm1000 said:


> For that much in savings ($1500.00) you could fly to Hawaii and pick up the frame here. I can't quote any prices but the local dealer usually sells for less than msrp.
> 
> Aloha!


Shipping it would be even cheaper, but the problem then becomes the warranty. A guy of similar size to myself has warrantied several thin walled al Cannondales over the past few years- the warranty would be useful.


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## Veni Vidi Vici (Feb 10, 2004)

I dunno guys, Cannondale is a good company but they are not flawless...or perfect
in any way! I hope you are able to work it all out in your favor as it should be.

Veni Vidi Vici


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## bighitter (Aug 4, 2006)

Veni Vidi Vici said:


> I dunno guys, Cannondale is a good company but they are not flawless...or perfect
> in any way! I hope you are able to work it all out in your favor as it should be.
> 
> Veni Vidi Vici



Cannondale is a good company, with good products, and id be happy to ride one. Im just hoping i can get it remedied asap so i can ride it !


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

It's all about territory Cannondale is protecting their local dealers for that reason, think about it if everybody come to U.S for their frame purchase would that be fair to Australia dealer ? You can't blame Aus dealer for not taking care of the defect frame since the transaction is made oversea, if you take a chane to gamble on the purchase and I don't think you have a chance that Cannondale will replace the frame. Believed me Cannondale is a great company with good products and they really take care of their customer, I recently had a problem with my six13 and my local rep let me upgrade to System Six with a few hundred dollars more without hassle.


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## afie (Sep 13, 2004)

zamboni said:


> It's all about territory Cannondale is protecting their local dealers for that reason, think about it if everybody come to U.S for their frame purchase would that be fair to Australia dealer ? You can't blame Aus dealer for not taking care of the defect frame since the transaction is made oversea, if you take a chane to gamble on the purchase and I don't think you have a chance that Cannondale will replace the frame. Believed me Cannondale is a great company with good products and they really take care of their customer, I recently had a problem with my six13 and my local rep let me upgrade to System Six with a few hundred dollars more without hassle.


From what I have heard, Cannondale in the US and Australia is fantastic at replacing frames without too many questions asked. But, they do have a problem with pricing: Australian bike components are so expensive, because as a region, Oceania buys hardly anything compared to europe or the us. Also, when you take a Dura Ace groupset from europe, add shippping, GST and customs/import duties, then add costs of running a store, Australian LBS' do not make as much profit as their prices would indicate. But cannondale seems a little different, where the Australian caad9 pricing seems to be a good deal, but the systemsix pricing is ridiculous.
In what way should cdaleUSA protect the australian distributor? I dont know who is making money off the systemsix pricing, but they would sell more systemsixes if the pricing matched that of the US. I dont care at all for Australian distributors, they have pricing structures that dont match similar ones in the us (they will sell higher model bikes at a higher premium compared to the US), and seem to not care that they are ripping people off. Also, if someone works out a way to sell components for cheaper than the rest of the industry (like bikepro.com.au did a few years ago- and ended up having their ad's refused publication in australian cycling mags), they are shunned and prices remain high. There is no competition like you have in the US, if you want to buy components in Australia, they will be at retail (or slightly lower if you are friendly with a LBS). Cannondale should stand behind their product that was purchased for a retail price, or they should refund the value of the US warranty.

But, after all that, the OP knew that the warranty would not be valid (or he should have known), and took a risk. I would not expect cdale AUS to fix your problem, but you should have a problem with the guy that sent you a broken frame. The OP should have predicted that a warranty frame would cost at least $200USD in shipping to be replaced.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

I hope Cannondale Aus will take care of OP problem.


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## majura (Apr 21, 2007)

Afie is on the money, living in Australia is problematic when it comes to getting product. In the past I've managed to order product, from CRC- that retails below wholesale cost in Australia. Even after including postage costs! (given that you order a few items). But there are risks and you've got to be willing to accept them.

I completely side with C'dale Australia though, the risk of ordering overseas is that you don't get a warranty. It's the price for the cheaper price. I'm not sure of your 'seller' but every dealer should understand C'dale's policy of 'walk-in sales only'. This is to protect dealers, otherwise they wouldn't stock their product (same thing is done by Specialized and Giant). Hence, your beef is with the seller. Whether the bubbles were a manufacturing or shipping issue it goes against Cannondale's policy, for all they know the seller was just selling on a 'used' frame.


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