A friend of mine was complaining about having to press the lever unusually hard to get any effect on the rear V-brakes on her bike. I agreed to take a look: checked brake pad positions, oiled cables and lever, but no improvement. So I took a look inside one of the brakes and found that it had never seen any grease or oil and that its coil spring was therefore quite badly corroded.
She had bought the bike in a local shop about a year and a half ago, with a one-year warranty on it. I presume the missing grease was a genuine mistake, rather than a ruse to get return business. Now is there any law or regulation compelling the shop to rectify its mistake, i.e. replace the corroded brake even though the warranty has elapsed? Or will my friend have to rely on goodwill?
She had bought the bike in a local shop about a year and a half ago, with a one-year warranty on it. I presume the missing grease was a genuine mistake, rather than a ruse to get return business. Now is there any law or regulation compelling the shop to rectify its mistake, i.e. replace the corroded brake even though the warranty has elapsed? Or will my friend have to rely on goodwill?
Firstly, IANAL.
In theory, the shop should be selling a product that is "fit for its intended purpose". However, you would have to prove that a) an unlubricated bike was unfit for its intended purpose, b) you couldn't possibly have spotted it before now given reasonable attention and maintenance, and c) it was never lubricated in the first place. I would imagine that proving a+b+c would be nigh-on impossible, so if it were me, I'd talk nicely to the bike shop.
In theory, the shop should be selling a product that is "fit for its intended purpose". However, you would have to prove that a) an unlubricated bike was unfit for its intended purpose, b) you couldn't possibly have spotted it before now given reasonable attention and maintenance, and c) it was never lubricated in the first place. I would imagine that proving a+b+c would be nigh-on impossible, so if it were me, I'd talk nicely to the bike shop.
The last sentence sounds more than reasonable to me. If you go into your LBS with all guns blazing you are likely to meet with a small degree of antagonism. If you go in and say that you have a small problem they will normally be very accomodating. It wouldn't happen in my shop - these parts are on the check list.
