# Kestrel Talon SL Frame, Damaged out of the box



## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

Hello all,

I decided to pick up a new Kestrel Talon SL bike configured with the SRAM Red kit. I received the bike in a timely manner and brought it to my local bike shop for assembly. They put most of it together and when they got to the last part, they unwrapped that area of the frame and found this damage:

View attachment 206267


So I contacted bikesdirect.com and within 24 hours received this response:


> Hi Eugene,
> Thanks for your order. I am very sorry that your bike arrived damaged.
> There is a return label attached to this email for you. Just print it out and tape it to the box, making sure you have removed any other UPS shipping labels, first. Once you have the bike packed up and ready to go, please drop it off at UPS, Office Depot, Staples or anywhere near you that has a daily UPS pick up. Please see the following link for tips on how to pack the bike correctly http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/boxabike.html.
> If you are unable to drop the bike off yourself, please let me know and i will arrange to have a UPS driver come pick it up from you. Just let me know what day and time is best, the address they will need to pick it up from, and your best contact phone number.
> ...


I immediately replied:



> Hi Karla,
> 
> My bike is at a bike shop right now where it was going to be assembled. Is it possible to have it picked up from there? If it is, I can contact the bike shop to ask them if they are willing to repackage the bike. Please let me know. Thanks!


.. no reply after one day. So I emailed again:



> Hi Karla,
> 
> I am at the bike shop right now, they are packing up the bike back up. Unfortunately, I already paid to have the bike built so it is fully assembled. They are disassembling the bike for shipping at my expense. The damage looks less visible with some lubricating oil over the hit, so they are marking the damaged area with a piece of tape. Sorry to complain about the damage which appears it happened during the factory packing process but the bike store is recommending that if I can get a replacement it would be better for piece of mind.
> 
> ...


A day later and STILL no reply. Is there any other way to contact these people to get a confirmation?


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## girona10 (Feb 1, 2010)

A day later and STILL no reply. Is there any other way to contact these people to get a confirmation?[/QUOTE]

It usually takes 24 hours for them to respond.

I bought a bike that was also damaged a few months ago and BD sent me a prepaid UPS return label and was picked up at the shop. The new tracking info for the replacement will be issued once the returned bike is received, at least this was in my case. Overall, I felt the replacement process went very well. It just seemed a little slow. Good luck.


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

bythabay said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I decided to pick up a new Kestrel Talon SL bike configured with the SRAM Red kit. I received the bike in a timely manner and brought it to my local bike shop for assembly. They put most of it together and when they got to the last part, they unwrapped that area of the frame and found this damage:
> 
> ...


I am faxing your post to Karla right now
my guess is she already responded
but if not - she will get right on it

please PM me your email address
I am sorry this happened
and I would love to find out how it happened

mike


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## fran2537 (Aug 28, 2006)

please keep us posted on how this gets resolved.

hope you get this resolved soon.


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

Just woke up this morning and saw that my emails all finally got replied too, however, it is too late. I was checking after sending my first email a few days ago, wondering about how the replacement would go (if there would be another bike they could send me). At that time, there were still 55mm Kestrels available, but today they are all sold out. Had my emails been responded to with the advertised 24hr period, I would've suggested the option of ordering another bike with a refund to be issued upon receipt of the damaged one.


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## girona10 (Feb 1, 2010)

At that time, there were still 55mm Kestrels available, but today they are all sold out.

Sorry for your pain. I had the same problem in that the damaged bike ran out of the size I need. I ended up getting another bike which I wanted to order in the first place but was out of stock at the time. They were back in stock when I chose the replacement.

Hope you find something else.


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

Bikesdirect (Mike), will you have more Talon TSR1 Frames in soon? This is really the bike I wanted to get. Can you get me a replacement frame?


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

found another defect. The top tube has a small dent in the carbon fiber, and the weave beneath the dent looks "off." Bike is definitely headed back to bikesdirect. Hopefully they will provide a replacement Kestrel Talon SL Road bike soon.


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

bythabay said:


> Bikesdirect (Mike), will you have more Talon TSR1 Frames in soon? This is really the bike I wanted to get. Can you get me a replacement frame?



we can get a frame
I am sure

just need to pick up bike and rebuild
and reship


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

bikesdirect said:


> we can get a frame
> I am sure
> 
> just need to pick up bike and rebuild
> and reship


BikeDirect (Mike), thanks for working with me on this, I am really excited to get the replacement frame and start riding. Hopefully there will be enough warm weather left for me to enjoy the bike. :thumbsup:


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## cyclesport45 (Dec 10, 2007)

What can brown do for (to?) you??


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

cyclesport45 said:


> What can brown do for (to?) you??


What does this mean?


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

bythabay said:


> What does this mean?


ahh, it is a UPS advertisement.. nvm


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

so to give you all an update on this thread. I was pretty much ready to accept the damaged clear coat and touch it up myself with some automotive clear coat, but as I was running my hands along the beautiful frame, I came across a dent in the top tube. The LBS explained to me that this dent was most likely a hole in the CF at the factory, that was patched and repaired properly. However, I am buying a new bike. I don't want something that has a dent in the top tube.. i want the frame smooth as the bike is not just a mode of transportation, it is a work of art to me.

This was "the straw that broke the camel's back." and so I shipped the bike back to bikes direct using their free return label. After receiving the bike they gave me a 100% refund, just like their money back guarantee says. I tried getting a direct exchange but I guess they don't have any more of them available.

Do you guys think it was reasonable for me to return the bike or should I have kept it in spite of the two defects I found?


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## tober1 (Feb 6, 2009)

bythabay said:


> so to give you all an update on this thread. I was pretty much ready to accept the damaged clear coat and touch it up myself with some automotive clear coat, but as I was running my hands along the beautiful frame, I came across a dent in the top tube. The LBS explained to me that this dent was most likely a hole in the CF at the factory, that was patched and repaired properly. However, I am buying a new bike. I don't want something that has a dent in the top tube.. i want the frame smooth as the bike is not just a mode of transportation, *it is a work of art to me.
> *
> This was "the straw that broke the camel's back." and so I shipped the bike back to bikes direct using their free return label. After receiving the bike they gave me a 100% refund, just like their money back guarantee says. I tried getting a direct exchange but I guess they don't have any more of them available.
> 
> Do you guys think it was reasonable for me to return the bike or should I have kept it in spite of the two defects I found?


Personally I wouldn't look to BikesDirect for a work of art. They make a decent product at a great price, but you won't find a Monet at Wal-Mart


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

tober1 said:


> Personally I wouldn't look to BikesDirect for a work of art. They make a decent product at a great price, but you won't find a Monet at Wal-Mart


I would like to respectfully disagree. The Kestrel Talon SL is a beautiful frame. When I first saw it at my LBS after initial assembly, I was taken aback by it's form and style - it is really a work of art. Even some of the higher end Motobecane products are very nice and I can attest to their quality.


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## tober1 (Feb 6, 2009)

How can you attest to their quality? You do realize your entire post says otherwise right? 
I'm sure the geo and design of the frame are nice, but they occupy their place in the current market for a reason.


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

tober1 said:


> How can you attest to their quality? You do realize your entire post says otherwise right?
> I'm sure the geo and design of the frame are nice, but they occupy their place in the current market for a reason.


This post has nothing to do with the quality of motobecane bikes. This is an isolated incident where I received a frame with some damage from the factory, and bikesdirect is working with me to get me an acceptable replacement.


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## cyclesport45 (Dec 10, 2007)

What size is the frame? maybe I can get it at a discounted price........


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

cyclesport45 said:


> What size is the frame? maybe I can get it at a discounted price........


It was a 55


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## cyclesport45 (Dec 10, 2007)

Perfect! Mike, how much??


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## PensFan_87 (Jun 20, 2010)

I know it has been a while. But any update??


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## bythabay (Jul 16, 2010)

PensFan_87 said:


> I know it has been a while. But any update??


Bikesdirect has been cool about the issue and I am supposed to receive a replacement bike this Wednesday (I picked one of the new Motobecane models with SRAM Red kit).


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## SilentAssassin (Jul 29, 2010)

That's really good customer service. You think the turn around time is considerably longer than the LBS, but when we are talking about a frame defect, it would probably take just as long to get a replacement if it was from your LBS.

BD really has good customer service. I see no reason to buy a bike elsewhere and pay $600-1000 more for a comparable bike at an LBS just because they slap Cervelo or Specialized on it.


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