Commencal suck ass

[jdhansom]

Just thought i'd give everyone a heads up about Commencal's horrendous warrenty set up...

I had a commencal meta 5.5 2007/8 VIP until recently. Great bike, rode a dream and really enjoyed it until...Rear swingarm snapped competely in 2....

This happened when i was riding the Avalanche Enduro at Ae, so was using the bike for exactly what its designed for...

Returned bike to where i got it from, who helpfully got in touch with commencal..

Appearently they only do a 2 yr warrenty on there frames!!! and refuse to even think about a replacement (or a reduced price) for a new rear end!!!

Instead i got the message that it would cost me 250 bucks for a new one!!! Unreal!!!

So a word of warning, from what i hear this isn't the first meta to snap, and i doubt it'll be the last....

The warrenty is short, and commecnal obviously don't think there frames can last...

I would stay well clear....

[Mark]

have you (not through the shop) spoken to madison about it? Speak nicely and openly to them and you never know.

Meta's do have a well known habit of failing in style, i assume you didn't tell them it failed during a race?!

[downhill daddy]

Unfortunately I've got a similar story, but I'd reinforce the point about continuing to speak nicely to your shop and keep reminding them to badger Madison.

(My own story is that I had 2 failed supreme 6's (old mini dh).  Had real problems dealing with the original importer of the first frame, who Madison subsequently replaced.  Got a replacement (from Madison), which then broke within 12 months.  What upset me was that the warranty - 2 yrs - was judged to be from the original purchase.  I was given what I felt to be an insulting offer of a 'reduction' on a new frame, so I chose to write it off and go elsewhere.
Good bikes, but there are obviously issues......)

[NAWAB]

The warranty on the frame is not short, 2 years warranty is statutory in the UK, it's more like others are longer. (Specialized mainframes are guaranteed for life to the original buyer)

I'd agree with the post above, I'd have approached Madison with a tale of woe, rather than the dealer (if you have not already?) if it's more than 2 years old, as it's no longer the dealers responsibility. They are less inclined to discount or do you a favour due to margins, where as the distributor may be able to take a hit on a reduction.
 
I wouldn't ever begin to tag that as horrendous, it seems normal to me? ANY warranty claim outside of the manufacturers time-scale is down to the claimants approach to the dealer, distributor in my experience, and I've processed more than a few resulting in a vast array of outcomes.

I would agree however with the above post, that warranty parts are only guaranteed from the original purchase date, that sucks!

[darth bob]

 

Gary Fisher (and I believe Trek) have amended their 2011 warranty terms to only cover rear triangle of FS bikes for 2 years.  2010 triangles and earlier are covered for life.

[The Bolt]

All manufactures have frames that snap. so whatever you buy there is a risk - anything from hammering your bike to using the wrong forks.... there are then instances where perhaps it has failed......

Its unfortunate and as someone says - speak to the UK distributor as nice as poss and thats your best chance as it is for anyone.....

[Digitdoug]

My experience with commencals warranty has been much better. 2008 and 2009 had issue with frame cracking, but my 2009 supreme was replaced with a 2010 with seems a whole lot better made and has not cracked.

[sketchy]

I had a commencal meta 5.5 2007/8 VIP until recently. Great bike, rode a dream and really enjoyed it until...Rear swingarm snapped completely in 2....

As has been mentioned before, many companies will not offer a warranty on a rear triangle and often offer a reduced warranty period on full sus frames. 

It's a shame that they won't offer you a crash replacement at a reduced cost, but to be fair to Commencal, I wouldn't expect that they would offer that - it'd just be a bonus. 

I can certainly think of a few other companies which would make Commencal look pretty good in the warranty department.

[alexhill]

I think you're being a bit harsh.

2 years is plenty of time. Iphones come with a 1 year warranty and there is not a short supply of broken ones.

I thought commencal supported a crash replacement policy though, ie. Cheap new parts?

[darth bob]

Warranty document from the Commencal site is attached.

Section 5 may apply to you.

[Stormwind]

Hey.

I know a good bit about the commencals, they tend to crack a lot because the alloy is slightly too brittle. You can feel it when you face the disc brake mounts and BB.

Santacruz, Kona, Specialized's alloys are all about 20 to 30% softer infact all the frames I've tuned except for the pinnacle frames are softer in terms of alloy.

Rather than flex very slightly, they tend to crack and snap over time. Their bearings are also not very good, once they sieze up you will be putting a lot of pressure on the back end and subsequently the front as well.

Most of the time it's the front end that snaps, the head tube, upper shock mounting brackets and lower seat tube. So there is a good chance you can get a new back end off ebay.

If you look back to 2003 when santa cruz and orange where still developing their light freeride, freeride and DH bikes, they both introduced the same top, head, bottom tube gusset.

I doubt it was just for looks as the older bullits where prone to snapping where the commencals do at the head, top, bottom tube join.


I could more likely than not source you a snapped frame, all you do is take the bits you need and resell the rest.

There's a rider over in france that I'm trying to get a frame for just now, he had a snapped commy, I could see if he will post the back end over for you. It was 2 weeks ago it snapped but he might still have it.

Cracks and snapping / rubbish bearings aside, the commencals are very impressive in terms of handling and I would rank them with my other favourite 5/6" frames of all time spec enduro 03/04, giant VT spec end 05=.

Gotta go my mate has a busted mech hanger on his norco and he's of tomorrow for some DHing. If we can sort it.

ridefree! 

[Digitdoug]

The alloy is too brittle? Nah.

The reason 09 models cracked was due to heat stress near the welds due to shoddy welding. They are all sorted with good manufacturing processes for 2010.

Sticky bearings wont crack a frame either.

[Stormwind]

The alloy is too brittle? Nah.

The reason 09 models cracked was due to heat stress near the welds due to shoddy welding. They are all sorted with good manufacturing processes for 2010.

Sticky bearings wont crack a frame either.

Big difference between sticky bearings and binding bearings. If I run my commencal with the shock locked out it will put a lot more pressure on the rear end and front as well, same principle as siezed bearings. If their already prone to cracking / snapping surely siezed bearings would make it more likely to snap? as the shock can't do it's job.

As for the alloy not being brittle, the cracks are next to the welds in some cases or in other cases 1cm or more away from them?

How many of the snapped frames have you owned and how many people who own snapped commencals have you spoken too?

[Mark]

Big difference between sticky bearings and binding bearings. If I run my commencal with the shock locked out it will put a lot more pressure on the rear end and front as well, same principle as siezed bearings. If their already prone to cracking / snapping surely siezed bearings would make it more likely to snap? as the shock can't do it's job.

As for the alloy not being brittle, the cracks are next to the welds in some cases or in other cases 1cm or more away from them?

How many of the snapped frames have you owned and how many people who own snapped commencals have you spoken too?

Are you seriously trying to talk about bearings that are so seized the rear end wont move? I've never in my life seen a suspension bearing that wont free itself due to the amount of force going through the area. Yes it's not ideal but it is going to snap a frame.

Doug talked about "heat stress near the welds", so yes 1cm is near. How local do you think they can keep the heat?

Bloody hell you're argumentative!  The welding issue, leading to the change of frame manufacturer, is well known. If you think Commencal have made the wrong changes you should get on the phone and tell them.

[Stormwind]

Just thought i'd give everyone a heads up about Commencal's horrendous warrenty set up...

I had a commencal meta 5.5 2007/8 VIP until recently. Great bike, rode a dream and really enjoyed it until...Rear swingarm snapped competely in 2....

This happened when i was riding the Avalanche Enduro at Ae, so was using the bike for exactly what its designed for...

Returned bike to where i got it from, who helpfully got in touch with commencal..

Appearently they only do a 2 yr warrenty on there frames!!! and refuse to even think about a replacement (or a reduced price) for a new rear end!!!

Instead i got the message that it would cost me 250 bucks for a new one!!! Unreal!!!

So a word of warning, from what i hear this isn't the first meta to snap, and i doubt it'll be the last....

The warrenty is short, and commecnal obviously don't think there frames can last...

I would stay well clear....

Hey. check out these REMOVED

This frame, I sold the guy a bearing kit that was returned to me when he noticed the crack ebay item REMOVED. The better welding might sort out the cracks, however I still think that the alloy is too brittle and that a gusset on the head/top/down tube join should be used.

I should be able to source you a used rear end for not too much money. If you want?

We're now getting member complaints about this. Stop spamming - JP