The dangers of buying on-line.

[IR772]

I've had slx brakes (nearly put sex) on my last mtb, they are great brakes and just as good imho as xt and xtr, which i've also used.

I'm sure its just a simple bleeding issue, as you said

I wonder if sex brakes would be better ?

 

[Gubbins]

The brake problem is easy to fix as at worst it's a new caliper and they don't cost much.. my issue is the response to my enquiry. I have emailed them expressingj my disappointment with them and asking for clarification on how 5 months ownership negates a dealers responsibility regarding the warranty..

 

[the_killjoy]

Who was the supplier ~ they deserve a mention.

 

[Gubbins]

Who was the supplier ~ they deserve a mention.

Wheelies

 

[IR772]

The brake problem is easy to fix as at worst it's a new caliper and they don't cost much.. my issue is the response to my enquiry. I have emailed them expressingj my disappointment with them and asking for clarification on how 5 months ownership negates a dealers responsibility regarding the warranty..

Computer says No !

 

[Mac_user82]

i think you have been really unlucky haven a brake failure after five months because i have had mine now 2 years the only thing i have ever done to the bike is change the pads and nothing else which isn't really a lot of maintenance

 

[EddiePJ]

If this had happened to me after five months of ownership, I would have just shrugged my shoulders and got on with fixing it myself.

If no leaks were apparent, I would have then move onto the brake pads, and rather than just taking a cursory glance, would have fitted new replacements. If this did not solve the issue, which I very much suspect that it would of, I would then and only then have bled the system.

Why did you not simply try the above before contacting anyone, so making a fuss and drama out of nothing.

.

 

[Sarabee]

I imagine it's always best to contact the company first to make sure you aren't invalidating a guarantee. I don't think commenting on customer service is creating a drama.

 

[D8ve]

I wonder if sex brakes would be better ?

The wife has those

 

[Gubbins]

If this had happened to me after five months of ownership, I would have just shrugged my shoulders and got on with fixing it myself.

If no leaks were apparent, I would have then move onto the brake pads, and rather than just taking a cursory glance, would have fitted new replacements. If this did not solve the issue, which I very much suspect that it would of, I would then and only then have bled the system.

Why did you not simply try the above before contacting anyone, so making a fuss and drama out of nothing.

.

To begin with, I dont like messing with the brakes, although I have fitted new pads myself, but I wouldn't attempt bleeding or diagnosing faults as I consider it beyond my capabilities. @EddiePJ, if you are able to do this and consider it a non drama issue then good for you but not everyone has the skills that you possess.
In the normal course of events I would just go to LBS and say brakes not working, please fix, but with me not being an expert it seemed best to check the warranty situation first in case it was more than a simple repair. The gist of this thread is not how easy or inexpensive this repair/service is, but the dealers response to the question.

 

[nemesis]

A similar thing has happened to me with a cube hybrid e-bike that is only 8 months old.The front hydraulic brake lever was coming all the way back to the bars and it wasn`t air in the system or the caliper.
I phoned the dealer and they said to take it to a local bike shop and have a new lever fitted and return the defective one to them so they can forward it to shimano for a warranty claim.I paid the £10 labour charge because it would have cost that to return the bike in fuel.

 

[Gubbins]

A similar thing has happened to me with a cube hybrid e-bike that is only 8 months old.The front hydraulic brake lever was coming all the way back to the bars and it wasn`t air in the system or the caliper.
I phoned the dealer and they said to take it to a local bike shop and have a new lever fitted and return the defective one to them so they can forward it to shimano for a warranty claim.I paid the £10 labour charge because it would have cost that to return the bike.

Which is just the response I expected...

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

As neither Shimano, Scott or Wheelies, I hope I can step in with an impartial response.

If you had a faulty brake (a manufacturing fault ie warranty) its normally apparent immediately Shimano brakes are excellent and a completely sealed system, if you had a leak the brake would be totally failed, it wouldn't pump up. So what you've got is likely to be a problem that isn't a manufacturing fault, I'd suggest its 99% likely your pads have worn down and you just need to pop the top cap off the system, top up the fluid a bit and pump the lever a few times.

Also the problem is just with the brake, so you'd never have to send the bike back.

You bought the bike mail order so your contract is with Wheelies, so if you wanted to send the brake back for inspection, just remove it from the bike and post it to them. They'll send it to Shimano and within a few days you'll have a new, or repaired brake.

So what they have said is correct really. However they could have added that if you wanted to take your bike into a local shop to check this you could of course do this.

However I suspect the local shop, you have a number of Scott dealers locally will ask why you bought the bike from Wheelies and not them. If you say Wheelies was cheaper, then I suspect you'll find they aren't to sympathetic when you're being asked to post a faulty part back for warranty consideration.

 

[Gubbins]

Hi KTM
Thanks for your input and agree with what you are saying, sort of.. Perhaps it's me but I thought wheelies response wasn't right at all, but that's my opinion. They are assuming that I have the skills and tools to remove and refit the brake safely so should have told me to get it looked at and report back, and yes, buying on line cheap does have the effect you describe. I will be taking it to LBS who will be and are always sympathetic to any problems regardless of where I buy things from. They are aware that I support my local dealer whenever I can and as i have now spent over 10k at their shop and they know i am likely to spend more they will look after me, whereas wheelies have made sure that I won't buy from them again..
My only problem now is getting the bike over to ilkley which is a time issue at the mo..

 

[Woosh]

is that bike shop far from you?
I would have thought any bike shop can sort this out in 10 minutes.
It may be worth to take a look at the video:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/how-to-bleed-shimano-disc-brakes-43182/

 

[Gubbins]

is that bike shop far from you?
I would have thought any bike shop can sort this out in 10 minutes.
It may be worth to take a look at the video:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/how-to-bleed-shimano-disc-brakes-43182/

Its 6 miles over the moors, but its a massive drop on a rough track so not advisable with only a front brake so its a longer road trip.
Its a matter of loyalty so I always use them even anyway..

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Let's analyse the problem rather than focus on the supplier. If the lever comes back to the bar, either there's air in the system, a leak or a seal has failed.

A failed seal would have to be in the master cylinder. If the caliper seal failed, the oil would come out all over the brake each time you pulled the lever, so you'd see it.

If the oil is coming out a banjo or other pipe fitting somewhere, it should be obvious, but then the lever wouldn't pump up the brake.

When a seal fails, you can't pump up the brake because it will continuously leak. Therefore, the most likely cause is air in the system.

Air travels upwards so won't be in the caliper unless the bike was inverted at some point. Often, you don't even need to bleed the air out. Take the brake off and hang it on a hook vertical so that the reservoir is the highest point. The air then goes back up the pipe and into the reservoir where it started.

As I said before, air can't get into the system unless the oil can get out. There's often air already in at the top of the reservoir, and if you invert the bike or lay it on its side, it can get into the pipe or master cylinder. The air is there when the reservoir isn't filled completely. The brakes with a removable cap/lid are the worst for that.

Personally, I don't see this as a warranty issue. It's a simple service issue. Only when bleeding doesn't solve the problem can we say that there is something wrong with the lever/master cylinder, in which case it would then be a warranty issue.

 

[nemesis]

Just to follow on from my previous comment the master cylinder valve seal failed on my front shimano brake after 8 months,it was a very gradual problem that became worse over a few days.
Because it was the front i could remove it easily with the caliper and get a new lever fitted at my local dealer.The dealer who sold me the bike said this was ok and just return the original to them.

 

[Gubbins]

Let's analyse the problem rather than focus on the supplier. If the lever comes back to the bar, either there's air in the system, a leak or a seal has failed.

A failed seal would have to be in the master cylinder. If the caliper seal failed, the oil would come out all over the brake each time you pulled the lever, so you'd see it.

If the oil is coming out a banjo or other pipe fitting somewhere, it should be obvious, but then the lever wouldn't pump up the brake.

When a seal fails, you can't pump up the brake because it will continuously leak. Therefore, the most likely cause is air in the system.

Air travels upwards so won't be in the caliper unless the bike was inverted at some point. Often, you don't even need to bleed the air out. Take the brake off and hang it on a hook vertical so that the reservoir is the highest point. The air then goes back up the pipe and into the reservoir where it started.

As I said before, air can't get into the system unless the oil can get out. There's often air already in at the top of the reservoir, and if you invert the bike or lay it on its side, it can get into the pipe or master cylinder. The air is there when the reservoir isn't filled completely. The brakes with a removable cap/lid are the worst for that.

Personally, I don't see this as a warranty issue. It's a simple service issue. Only when bleeding doesn't solve the problem can we say that there is something wrong with the lever/master cylinder, in which case it would then be a warranty issue.

Which would have been a suitable response to my original enquiry.. Which was to detail the problem and ask how to proceed..

 

[Woosh]

Which would have been a suitable response to my original enquiry.. Which was to detail the problem and ask how to proceed..

agreed.
if in a similar case, I always get one of my technicians to call the customer back and stay in touch until the problem is resolved. You can get to a correct diagnosis a lot more quickly over the phone than you can with email.