Is a fat dent a warranty issue?

[ANON-505]

yo.

so, i have an upgraded gary fisher cake 3...and I love this bike. I've been riding with a chainstay slap protecter thing on for a couple of months, and have never taken it off. I was just cleaning my bike, took off the thingymajib, and on the chainstay there is a fat dent, almost like a crease. I'll take it in to my LBS tomorrow and see if the spacing is still correct, I can't tell if the frame is bent out of shape or not. the seatstays on the swingarm are carbon fiber, if that makes any difference.

Anyway, i've had the bike for about 9 months, and it hasn't had any serious wrecks (i'm a pansy ass). It's had lots of miles, long rides and singletrack, but no hucking or big nasty DH crashes.

So, what can I do? Get a new frame (i'm poor)? Buy a new swingarm? Or, is this something that's covered by warranty?

Anyone got any input?

thanks

[marshalolson]

if you run a car into a tree it isn't warranty issue w/ the car

if you hit your thumb with a hammer it isn't a warranty issue w/ the hammer

if you smoke crack then post on tgr, then tgr won't warranty you either

[InspectorGadget]

I'd take that as a NO.

[bagtagley]

Crease or dent?

I know the old sugars were notorious for cracking and "creasing" at the chainstays. The Cake has carbon chainstays as well, doesn't it? Take it to the shop and find out. GF will most likely take care of you, even if it's just a crash replacement.

[ANON-505]

dent or crease?

umm...more of a drease, or is it a crent? It's a dent with a *tiny* crease right on the bottom of the stay.

It does have the Carbon fiber seatstay, but the issue is on the chainstay, but with the torque action going on, i'm even more wary of the carbon fiber than before.

Does anyone have a number for Gary Fisher, or do I just need to deal with the bro/brahs at my LBS?

[Andy_B]

Operator Error is not covered under warranty.

Jong.

[bagtagley]

Does anyone have a number for Gary Fisher, or do I just need to deal with the bro/brahs at my LBS?

More than likely, you'll have to take it to the shop.

[CantDog]

Give warrantying it a shot--I've seen some companies, like cannondale, replace dented frames.

[Blatant]

I would seriously doubt you'll get anywhere, most likely they'll tell you to beat it.

[bagtagley]

I would seriously doubt you'll get anywhere, most likely they'll tell you to beat it.

I fully disagree, at least from the manufacturers standpoint...if the shop tells you to "beat it", find another shop.

First, there's no harm in trying. Second, based on what I've seen at my old shop, GF is very good at taking care of its customers.

[jayfrizzo]

Bagtagley is a shining ray of sun in the otherwise douchy sea of this thread.

[rideit]

Anon, can we get a photo?
That would help immensely.

[ANON-505]

here's the deal

dropout spacing still within operating range, and the dent isn't on a weld

so

I either ride it until she falls apart on me. According to the LBS guy (who knows his shit) it probably will never be a problem. My concern is that it might be tweaking the carbon fiber part of the seat stay, but I don't see any stress fractures.

If not, than it will be partiall covered by a "wreck replacement" where they wouldn't charge me retail, but it would cost me something. Apparantly it's a pretty long process, and I might as well run it into the ground now, and get a new frame next summer.

I'd post pics, but I'm a lazy, lazy man.

Andy: Not smoking crack over here, just rockin the ganj. lots.

[Choke Slam]

I would count the dent as a blessing. Get a better frame.

[Darkside]

I concur, that's what you get for riding a Gary Fisher.