Cracked Frame but good customer service.

iarocu [email hidden] opined the following...

Quoted message said:

I must inspect my frames more often. I was fine tuning the height on
my Ridgeback K4 today after fitting a new saddle and found a crack at
the weld joining the seat tube to the top tube (aluminium frame). The
crack ran about 3/4 of the way round the tube and must have been close
to total failure. With one hand on the saddle and the other on the
bars I could open the crack up slightly without appplying much
pressure. Closer examination revealed that while almost all of the
crack was new there was a small hairline crack which had corroded and
was obviously older. he moral being check your frames closely from
time to time.
On the brighter side after riding very slowly home I took it
to the LBS where I bought it about 3 years ago and after a quick look
and a check that I had sufficient seatpost in the frame they said no
problem we'll make a warranty claim for a new frame. So full marks to
Alpine Bikes Great Western Rd Glasgow.

Nowhere near the same magnitude of problem but I can second that
recommendation. When building the bent I was short one set of crank
bolts (Ones that came with the cranks were nuts, BB didn't come with
bolts.). They had an older style in stock in the back for which they
wanted a whopping 50p.

Jon