A week ago I was riding my cx bike to have some fun during the off-season, and took a spill that resulted in me going over my handlebars. My ego was bruised more than anything else and I kept on riding, but when I got home, I discovered I had cracked my top tube, no doubt from my tumble.
I reached out to my LBS to start a warranty claim after Giant’s website noted they have a lifetime warranty on all non-downhill frames, with some fine print of course.
Giant came back to the shop and said they don’t have any frames available for warranty claims so they’re just not going to honour the warranty. Basically tough luck buddy, you’re on your own!
I know there are supply issues and what not, but to leave a shop and customer hanging like that seems ridiculous.
Has anyone experienced this before? Any suggestions how to remedy this? I had been so happy with Giant and was originally told how wonderful Giant is to deal with warranty issues, but safe to say unless Giant makes this right, this will be the last Giant bike I own.
If you fell, I do not understand how it is a warranty issue.
Does Giant have a crash replacement program that offers frames at a discount? In this case I can understand why Giant is reluctant to provide a frame at a discount when it can sell all the frames it can produce right now at full price. That said, they should still provide a crash replacement frame within whatever is now considered a ‘normal’ delivery window.
It seems like crash replacement to me too
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Ya, sounds like a crash warranty, and what would you have them do right now, without any frames available? Did they say your warranty will never be honored, or just for now? I mean it could be a year or two before most bike companies catch up, so you really are on your own for now to get something to ride as a replacement.
Now if they never honor whatever warranty they gave you, then that is a different story. But kind of bad form to bag on a company when the whole world knows there are no bikes to be had, and why…
How old is the bike? Giant’s crash coverage is limited to 2 years, at least according to the wording on their US website.
Here’s the wording I found.
“GIANT HAS YOU COVERED
We’re so confident in Giant’s composite technology, if any composite frame or component is structurally damaged while you’re riding in the first two years after you bought it, we’ll repair it or replace it free of charge. This is in addition to Giant’s limited lifetime warranty and offers coverage which usually isn’t offered.
Crash your new frame in the final turn of the local crit? Don’t worry about it! You’re covered. Case a landing and crack your rim? Whoa, way to charge. You’re covered. Handlebars? Same deal. Seatposts? Yep.
We’re backing our products in a way no other company is willing to. We’re confident in what Giant makes. We want you to be too. It’s that simple.
Now, this only goes for product you bought in the U.S. at an authorized Giant dealer, and it only covers damage done while riding, so don’t go driving into your garage with your bike on top of your car. That’s on you.
There are other details you need to know about our Composite Confidence support plan, but our goal is to make it as simple possible, so you can get pedaling again.â€
Seems pretty clear to me, that if the bike is less than 2 years old and was purchased through an authorized shop, the damage you describe would be covered.
This coverage is one of many reasons I like Giant. Would be a shame if they don’t follow through.
The message the bike store gave me is that “Giant won’t be honouring the warrantyâ€. If they said it might not be until spring until I could get a frame, I could live with that and ride my Tri bike on Zwift for the rest of the fall and winter, but basically it sounded like it was a “not now, not ever†situation, due to low supply.
I printed out the warranty from the site, and from what I saw was lifetime warranty on all non-downhill models. A friend of mine cracked her frame a year ago and said it was super easy and seamless. I get that there’s a shortage, shipping issues, etc., and can tolerate if they can’t repair or replace the frame until later this winter or even spring, but sounded like it was a straight up no.
Is that what Giant told you? or did the shop say that’s what Giant told them? I’m not suggesting anything nefarious, but communications breakdowns can happen.
I printed out the warranty from the site, and from what I saw was lifetime warranty on all non-downhill models.Per dancedmonds’s post, it looks like Giant has two warranty-type programs. One is their traditional manufacturer’s limited warranty against defects, and the other is their “Giant Composite Confidence” program that is “in addition to and separate from the limited warranty” and only available in the US market.
You crashed and broke your frame, so it would not be covered by their lifetime limited warranty. If you bought your frame in the US, it is under 2 years old, you are the original owner, and you bought it from an authorized dealer, the Giant Composite Confidence support plan would apply. So, are all of these conditions true for your frame?
I printed out the warranty from the site, and from what I saw was lifetime warranty on all non-downhill models. A friend of mine cracked her frame a year ago and said it was super easy and seamless. I get that there’s a shortage, shipping issues, etc., and can tolerate if they can’t repair or replace the frame until later this winter or even spring, but sounded like it was a straight up no.
Some of the items under the terms and conditions that stick out to me: 1) claim must be within 2 years of the purchase date; 2) must be original owner; 3) 2019 model or newer; 4) bike was registered with Giant
Do you meet those qualifications? If so, I’d contact Giant directly and ask why they may have disqualified your claim.
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/composite-confidence-details
Coverage is limited to the original owner within the first two years of ownership based on the original purchase date.
Claims must be made within the first 2 years of ownership.The Giant Composite Confidence support plan applies to any model year 2019 or later composite product.Bicycles must have both registration and purchase documentation to qualify. Product Registration Page
I printed out the warranty from the site, and from what I saw was lifetime warranty on all non-downhill models. A friend of mine cracked her frame a year ago and said it was super easy and seamless. I get that there’s a shortage, shipping issues, etc., and can tolerate if they can’t repair or replace the frame until later this winter or even spring, but sounded like it was a straight up no.
What happened when you called Giant?
So, you crashed and broke your bike and you expect them to cover your mistake? Separate and apart from a crash replacement policy that many brands have, why would you think this is covered? If you crashed your car into would you go back to the manufacturer and expect them to replace it?
Btw, doing a bit of digging, it seems like you are probably in Canada. Based on Giant’s website for Canada it does not seem like there is a crash replacement policy/program like there is in the US. Instead, Giant warrants to the “original owner” that the “bicycle frame” will be “free from defects in material and workmanship” for the lifetime of the frame. How is your crash Giant’s problem? You don’t in anyway claim that there was anything wrong with the frame that caused the crash. Instead, it seems that your crash caused the frame damage.
A week ago I was riding my cx bike to have some fun during the off-season, and took a spill that resulted in me going over my handlebars. My ego was bruised more than anything else and I kept on riding, but when I got home, I discovered I had cracked my top tube, no doubt from my tumble.
I reached out to my LBS to start a warranty claim after Giant’s website noted they have a lifetime warranty on all non-downhill frames, with some fine print of course.
Giant came back to the shop and said they don’t have any frames available for warranty claims so they’re just not going to honour the warranty. Basically tough luck buddy, you’re on your own!
I know there are supply issues and what not, but to leave a shop and customer hanging like that seems ridiculous.
Has anyone experienced this before? Any suggestions how to remedy this? I had been so happy with Giant and was originally told how wonderful Giant is to deal with warranty issues, but safe to say unless Giant makes this right, this will be the last Giant bike I own.
If you meet the criteria for the warranty, and Giant won’t honour it then take them to small claims court. That is a simple breach of contract. should be a slam dunk. Their lawyers will know this and will want to settle with you rather than incur costs fighting you. See if your local law school has a probono clinic that might take the case or give you advice. Don’t pay for a lawyer as it won’t be worth it cost wise. See if you have any lawyer friends that can whip up a demand letter for you first.
However, be sure that you do meet the criteria, and that they are actually saying “no”. If they are saying there is a delay, they probably get off the hook for a while if there is a force majeure clause, but even then - I would argue if they are selling any of the identical frame prior to honouring your warranty, then we are back to breach of contract.
Assuming you went to a Giant dealer, they may not have explained it very well. I work for a Giant dealer, and there are a few things that could be going on.
The lifetime warranty does not cover damage, such as if you crash the bike. This only covers damage due to manufacturer defect. You crashed the bike, so it is not covered under this.
The crash replacement program as someone else explained is within two years on bikes newer than 2019 as long as you are the original owner and it is registered with Giant. I’ve only seen a couple bikes come through under this program, and we are waiting on frames for a while in some cases. I don’t deal with warranty claims, so I haven’t spoken directly to Giant, but I think they would honor it if it fell under their warranty.
If you meet the criteria for the warranty, and Giant won’t honour it then take them to small claims court. That is a simple breach of contract. should be a slam dunk. Their lawyers will know this and will want to settle with you rather than incur costs fighting you. See if your local law school has a probono clinic that might take the case or give you advice. Don’t pay for a lawyer as it won’t be worth it cost wise. See if you have any lawyer friends that can whip up a demand letter for you first.
However, be sure that you do meet the criteria, and that they are actually saying “no”. If they are saying there is a delay, they probably get off the hook for a while if there is a force majeure clause, but even then - I would argue if they are selling any of the identical frame prior to honouring your warranty, then we are back to breach of contract.
Not sure how this would hold up in court but the crash replacement details say:
Giant USA may, without notice, discontinue or modify this offer.
If you meet the criteria for the warranty, and Giant won’t honour it then take them to small claims court. That is a simple breach of contract. should be a slam dunk. Their lawyers will know this and will want to settle with you rather than incur costs fighting you. See if your local law school has a probono clinic that might take the case or give you advice. Don’t pay for a lawyer as it won’t be worth it cost wise. See if you have any lawyer friends that can whip up a demand letter for you first.
However, be sure that you do meet the criteria, and that they are actually saying “no”. If they are saying there is a delay, they probably get off the hook for a while if there is a force majeure clause, but even then - I would argue if they are selling any of the identical frame prior to honouring your warranty, then we are back to breach of contract.
Not sure how this would hold up in court but the crash replacement details say:
Giant USA may, without notice, discontinue or modify this offer.
I don’t think that applies to existing purchases, purchased under a given offer, but rather they can stop offering it at any time in the future. Otherwise, why not just offer free Ferrari’s with every bike purchase, offer may be discontinued as soon as you purchase a bike.