Evil Imperial warranty?

binary visions · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by thaflyinfatman
So my friend just cracked his Imperial, and....

Just kidding, but what's the warranty? 1/3/5/10 years? Lifetime?

Yeah, I COULD have emailed them, but this is so much easier...

Great, now there's going to be a flood of people over on MTBR...

"I read that someone cracked an Imperial frame. I think it's because they've moved production to Yugoslavia and they're welding the frames with grape jelly now."

wysiwyg · Jun 1, 2004

I thought it was a yrs warranty..

dw · Jun 1, 2004

1 year from purchase on any defects for those who send in their warranty card, and a lifetime crash replacement program

This warranty is acually pretty much identical to what most bike companies call a "lifetime warranty", but we dont veil it under a guise like that.

dw

RaID · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by dw
1 year from purchase on any defects for those who send in their warranty card, and a lifetime crash replacement program

This warranty is acually pretty much identical to what most bike companies call a "lifetime warranty", but we dont veil it under a guise like that.

dw

nice that you guys are keeping and nice and clear for everyone
props :monkey:

narlus · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by binary visions
Great, now there's going to be a flood of people over on MTBR...

"I read that someone cracked an Imperial frame. I think it's because they've moved production to Yugoslavia and they're welding the frames with grape jelly now."

nah, they are actually in slovenia now, using fermented plums. at least it's an EU country, for that CE rating.

COmtbiker12 · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by binary visions
Great, now there's going to be a flood of people over on MTBR...

"I read that someone cracked an Imperial frame. I think it's because they've moved production to Yugoslavia and they're welding the frames with grape jelly now."

Hahaha, with all the people over there I wouldnt be surprised. zedro, we need to pull a huge prank on everybody over there.

binary visions · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by narlus
nah, they are actually in slovenia now, using fermented plums. at least it's an EU country, for that CE rating.

F%#^*ing CE marking. It's the bane of my existance.

JerseyDave · Jun 1, 2004

Just in case...

Kornphlake · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by dw
1 year from purchase on any defects for those who send in their warranty card, and a lifetime crash replacement program

This warranty is acually pretty much identical to what most bike companies call a "lifetime warranty", but we dont veil it under a guise like that.

dw

So what exactly is a manufacturer defect? Porous welds, incorrect gage tubing stuff that really wouldn't ever pass final inspection? Does that mean you'll replace any frame no questions asked within the first year and offer a crash repalcement thereafter? I'm not trying to criticize if it sounds that way, I've just always wondered what is considered to be a manufacturer defect and why they would be constrained to the first year or the first 5 years or whatever.

I know we replace things kind of on a touchy feely basis, a customer that is cool with us gets their stuff replaced for free, the poop head customer (our customers are plumbers) gets to pay for the same repair just because he couldn't leave the poop at work.

Curb Hucker · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by mtnbkr4235
Hahaha, with all the people over there I wouldnt be surprised. zedro, we need to pull a huge prank on everybody over there.

god would that be fun, someone make me a username and ill run rampid on the place :devil:

I was looking on there today, that VIA guy has got to be the worst thing that could happen to a forum IMO, just countless annoying and worthless posts in broken english ontop of it

Fulton · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by Kornphlake
So what exactly is a manufacturer defect? Porous welds, incorrect gage tubing stuff that really wouldn't ever pass final inspection? Does that mean you'll replace any frame no questions asked within the first year and offer a crash repalcement thereafter? I'm not trying to criticize if it sounds that way, I've just always wondered what is considered to be a manufacturer defect and why they would be constrained to the first year or the first 5 years or whatever.

I know we replace things kind of on a touchy feely basis, a customer that is cool with us gets their stuff replaced for free, the poop head customer (our customers are plumbers) gets to pay for the same repair just because he couldn't leave the poop at work.

I've always kinda wondered why they use the term "manufacturers defect". Kinda makes me think, in the event that someone riding the bike, frame brakes, rider gets seriously hurt, that if by the manufacturers own admission, the frame brakage was due to their defect, it could seriously be means for a lawsuit.

dw · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by Kornphlake
So what exactly is a manufacturer defect? Porous welds, incorrect gage tubing stuff that really wouldn't ever pass final inspection? Does that mean you'll replace any frame no questions asked within the first year and offer a crash repalcement thereafter? I'm not trying to criticize if it sounds that way, I've just always wondered what is considered to be a manufacturer defect and why they would be constrained to the first year or the first 5 years or whatever.

I know we replace things kind of on a touchy feely basis, a customer that is cool with us gets their stuff replaced for free, the poop head customer (our customers are plumbers) gets to pay for the same repair just because he couldn't leave the poop at work.

A manufacturer defect is a manufactured part that is not built to the specification of the engineering drawings provided by us to the factory that builds the frame. Some times, things happen that are out of the control of a manufacturer, or beyond the manufacturer's ability to check.

A good HYPOTHETICAL example would be if a tube was drawn through a die that shifted during the drawing process, causing a thinner wall on one side and what would normally be termed a defective tube. If said tube was not caught by checks at the tubing factory or at the builder, then it would be considered a defect.

Everything is done on a case by case basis. Actually, for Evil, nothing has been done because we have never had a return.

dw · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by Fulton
I've always kinda wondered why they use the term "manufacturers defect". Kinda makes me think, in the event that someone riding the bike, frame brakes, rider gets seriously hurt, that if by the manufacturers own admission, the frame brakage was due to their defect, it could seriously be means for a lawsuit.

I guess that would depend more on how good your insurance carrier is, and how good the insurance carrier for the factory that builds your frame is...

Of course you could just design the bike to minimize failure as much as possible, test the hell out of the bikes in the real world and with FEA software, hire the best factory that you have ever seen or heard of to weld your frames, and then have multiple redundant checks so that the possibility that any defect slips through is greatly minimized. That has seemed to work out OK for us so far!

I realize that many companies do not have the resources to do these things and have to hit price points so its not a reality for everyone.

dw

CyberJay · Jun 1, 2004

If you design and market a frame for a specific purpose, but it doesn't hold up to said purpose wouldn't that be considered a defect? I'm a HUGE fan of the type of warranty Evil is doing, I think that is the most fair way to do it.. But my boss always argues(he's an XC/roadie) that if a bike is marketted as "the last bike you'll ever buy" that anything short of crashing should be considered a defect. We were talking about Ti road bikes at the time, but same applies to jumping frames I would say.

-Jay

dw · Jun 1, 2004

I agree totally Jay. That was well said.

We all have to be honest about agressive use bikes and failures, I mean, NOTHING is going to last forever. I dont care what material a bike is made of, or what marketing says, its just not going to happen.

The thing is, a lot of riders (myself included) abuse their bike willfully and understand that the stuff they do is at their own risk. Ive slammed my downtubes on huge boulders etc... I know that pretty much no mountain bike can handle that kind of stuff. I mean, if you made the tubes thick enough to handle that kind of thing, you would end up with an overly stiff, and most likely super heavy bike that would be no fun to ride for most people. I take that risk and when I make a mistake that damages my bike, yeah, I think it sucks and I'm not happy with myself, but I suck it up and take responsibility for my actions. I actually declined a warranty from one company becasue I knew the abuse that I dished to the frame before it broke. It was totally my fault and I accepted that.

The Evil crash replacement program is really in place to say thank you to the riders who support our company, and support them if there is a time where they make a mistake and are bummed about it. I imagine that some day, some rider will use the program...

Dave

HippieKai · Jun 1, 2004

uh oh....i never sent in my warenty card.....oh well, i don't think i'm big enough to break the burl sweetness of the frame....but then again i brake everything...meh, i'll just buy a new improved model if i ever need to. You guys are worth supporting.

greenreese · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by HippieKai
uh oh....i never sent in my warenty card.....oh well, i don't think i'm big enough to break the burl sweetness of the frame....but then again i brake everything...meh, i'll just buy a new improved model if i ever need to. You guys are worth supporting.

I don't think I got one, but that is the least of my worries!

I don't know if I will ever need a new ht frame, and I like it that way.

-dAn

Bulldog · Jun 1, 2004

Originally posted by dw
Actually, for Evil, nothing has been done because we have never had a return.

I imagine that some day, some rider will use the program...

What about the bike the fella on mtbr had that fell off a ladder bridge and pierced the seat tube? Totally his fault but are you saying he never even sent it in to crash-replace?

BTW I agree with others - good warranty program.

dw · Jun 1, 2004

Bulldog, I remember that fiasco now that you talk about it, Ill check with John, but I believe that nothing was ever done about it. I am not sure if it was an internet hoax, but I think it was.

dw

androshandrew · Jun 2, 2004

That kinda sounds like this idiot who came onto our Bay Area forums saying that Evil's suck and his friend broke one the day he got it. Bunch of BS but I think John P laid a nice smackdown upon him.

Curb Hucker · Jun 2, 2004

Originally posted by dw
I am not sure if it was an internet hoax, but I think it was.

dw

well it was on mtbr :rolleyes:

blueimp180 · Jun 2, 2004

I think that the people over at evil feel pretty confident that the frames aren't going to snap on them with the amount of work they put into them...

Fulton · Jun 2, 2004

Originally posted by dw
and how good the insurance carrier for the factory that builds your frame is...

wow, I didn't think that the builder could be held responsible? Even if it's overseas?

A buddy of mine started making custom billet parts for old classic cars, and he had an aluminum steering colomn and shaft made. He said that once he put his name on it and sold it, he was 100% reponsible for it in the even something went wrong, not the machine shop that made it. Is this not the case in bikes?

Evil Imperial warranty?

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